Akari Funato 1997 Comments on Working on the Lunar Franchise, from Hoshi to Sabaku no Ouji-sama [Note: The following piece was taken from the Funato doujinshi Hoshi to Sabaku no Ouji-sama (Prince of Stars and Desert), which is primarily a collection of production art from Funato's manga Hoshi no Sabaku (Desert of Stars). For reference, this essay was published at the tail end of December 1997, after most of Funato's involvement with the Lunar games and affiliated publications (Younenki no Owari, her illustrations for the first 3 Lunar novels, the "Tamashii no Kokuhaku" part of Vheen Hikuusen Monogatari) but before the early 1998 publication of "Kokuhaku Suru Kioku."] The only time so far that I've been able to draw in the style of my choosing was in the first year I was working. I soon took a job on the Lunar games, and for the next four years, I would be drawing "Lunar art." Lunar was a title I liked before taking the job. Partly because I was a fan, too, I split the difference between Mr. Kubooka's art and my own so that fellow fans wouldn't feel out of their comfort zones at all. Given that it was an established title, it was important not to deviate from its line art style and break from the franchise's image - that's the ideal goal for a professional job. I realize that I'm a jack of all trades and master of none. And I thought I could manage, somehow. However, I discovered an unexpected pitfall. Before I knew it, the public had deemed that "Funato's own style = the Lunar style." I'm me, and I can't keep on hiding the style in which I really want to draw. In the meantime, people who have seen the "Lunar style" have started sending me commissions for work "in the Lunar style." When I try to accept these jobs, I can't get anywhere with people from the company. [Note: It's not clear if by "company," Funato is referring to the company offering her the job or one of the companies in charge of the Lunar franchise at the time.] The accident that was waiting to happen has, indeed, finally happened, and it stresses me out. It'd be easier if I just disregarded the rules I've set for myself and drew Lunar or whatever whenever I wanted, but I'm the type of person who can't just get off a rail once I've decided to ride it. Potential employers are interested only in "Funato the Lunar artist." All doors are closed to me. In my second year of drawing Lunar, I finally got an opportunity, with conditions. I was given the chance to draw a two-part manga - anything I liked, so long as it was a Lunar title. I thought that setting the manga in "an age the players hadn't seen yet, of which they hadn't yet formed an image" would be a way to avoid fan complaints even if I got away from Mr. Kubooka's style of line art. There were no major complaints about the art style in the reactions after the manga's magazine publication. But there were survey responses that stated, "Mr. Shigema's not involved with the work, so I'm not interested." I once again was reminded of my position: that I was, ultimately, just borrowing a title. This issue had been on my mind for a long while, so this incident presented a good opportunity to get over myself and my hesitations. It was tough but fun to work in the style I myself prefer after so long. When I'm told by someone that they like this sort of work, it makes me happy to an extent that I've never before experienced. Given these experiences, "Hoshi no Sabaku" was a "fortunate" job in every sense of the word. I was truly glad to be able to work at my own pace, in the style I wanted to use and I myself liked, free of any preconceived notions. Though there was an original plan for the manga [that I had to follow], I had the pleasure of being permitted to pack the manga as much as I liked with elements that I liked: antique shops, glasswork, old streetscapes. [Note: An author named Aoi Yuya is credited for the "original plan" for Hoshi no Sabaku.] It was such a joy to create a world of my own and work by my rules! Now that I've had a taste of that, I'm going to keep my chin up and continue working. (Thanks for reading this. Drawing interesting manga is the next challenge ahead of me! I'll give it my best shot.) *** Translation by R. Capowski, RACapowski@sceneryrecalled.com, 9/19/18. Essay is by Akari Funato; this translation is not authorized.