Artwork of Berserk interview - Page 4 part 3

This post is now available to Silver & Bronze tiers.

Page 1: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Page 2: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Page 3: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Page 4: Part 1 | Part 2


Interviewer: For drawing, are you aware of having made specific efforts?

Miura: I’m sure most mangaka who are excellent at drawing would just say this: they all like to draw and they become more and more skilled as they continue to draw. For example, they're always noticing that they've been drawing something on paper unconsciously. I also still doodle, and when I see an interesting thing, I draw it through my filter, (thinking) "can I use it for my manga?"

Interviewer: I think authors are aware of their own special abilities when they pass things through their filter. In your case, is there something like that?

Miura: I think I have many but I’d say maybe it’s the construction of a reality line [1] towards eccentric parts that is light novel-like. I feel like I twist parts that may be infantile and present them in such a way that ordinary people also can see them. I think my specialty is to generalize maniac [2] things that can only be communicated to specific fans so that mainstream audiences can also see them.

I'm an otaku but I think my senses are close to those of normal people as well. So I guess the range of things I understand or like isn’t different from that of ordinary people. In other words, when I draw something, I sort it out so that even with niche subjects, it gets to fit in a form that can also be communicated to ordinary people. Maybe this is my special ability.

Regarding memorable drawings

Interviewer: Among your works that will be exhibited this time, please tell us which drawing left a strong impression on you.

Miura: It’s the pin-up [3] from volume 34 (P. 176) where Guts' face is shown inside the Berserk’s armor that springs to mind. Maybe it left an impression because it was just around the time when "Guts' peak performance in the Berserk’s armor" settled inside me. I went through a lot of trouble to create the Berserk’s armor.


--------------
Note 1: Miura uses the expression "reality line" as an English word in Katakana. This is a technical term that refers to the degree of realism in a story, and specifically to how believable its events, characters' actions, etc. are with regard to the world the story takes place in.

Note 2: He uses the word "maniac" in Katakana. Its meaning is basically that of "hardcore fan".

Note 3: In Japanese, "pin-up" refers to a poster that one can pin to a wall. In this case, Miura means one of the two posters inserted in volume 34. It's on page 176 of the Great Berserk Exhibition's catalog.