Hの練習は！㉓

Hi everyone, this is Natsume Benkei!

Looks like we’re heading into a scenario where things happen right next to the father this time…
Get ready for some heart-pounding, nerve-wracking developments!

Also—sorry again that the finishing work is running a bit behind schedule this week…!
I’d like to share a little update on how the production process is going right now.

■ Shifting to a “Division of Labor” Production Style

For “H Practice With Mom!” I had originally asked one artist to handle all the drawing work by themselves.

But as the series grew in both quality and volume, it became clear that the workload was becoming too much for a single person.

So we’re currently switching to a system where:

• Character & Background Artist

• Finishing Artist

work separately as part of a split workflow.

The goal is to reduce the burden on the main artist while stabilizing both the production speed and overall quality.

We were actually supposed to finalize a finishing artist in early November, but things got complicated and took longer than expected.
Fortunately, in December we finally found a great person, and they’ve already begun working smoothly on the finishing process.

■ After Drawing for 10 Years, I Realized I Needed a Change

To be honest, after creating manga alone for ten years straight, I started to feel like…

“I might be reaching my limit with solo work…”

It was just getting a bit monotonous.

That’s why this new team-based production approach has been so refreshing and stimulating for me.
There are new discoveries, new challenges, and the whole process has actually boosted my creative motivation.

Thanks to this shift, I really feel the overall drawing quality has gone up compared to when I was doing everything alone.

But at the same time, manga is something where the author’s personal quirks, rhythm, and “flavor” shine through more than anything else.
No matter how much we divide tasks, the core of the work always depends on how the author chooses to draw it.

So finding the right balance is the key to successful team production.

I’ll continue delegating where it makes sense, but I also want to stay deeply involved so the work doesn’t lose that “Natsume Benkei feel.”

As I take on this challenge, I hope I can adapt well to this new format.
(…Wow, I got way more serious than I intended.)

Production might be a little unstable while we’re still transitioning, but I truly appreciate your patience and support.

Thank you, as always, for cheering me on!

See you next time!