Attractiveness of Tama New Town Shown in Senior Slice of Life by 78-Year-Old Manga Artist

Becoming a Manga Artist to Make Ends Meet

Saito grew up in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture, a region along the Pacific coast in central Japan. After graduating high school, she went to junior college in Tokyo because "I wanted to live a life that wasn't boring." She had always been good at drawing since she was a child, but back then, she had not considered pursuing it as a profession. Wanting to be financially self-sufficient, she chose to work at an English conversation school. There, she became involved in making drawings to use as teaching material. Later, through a former co-worker who had changed jobs to work at a publisher, Saito began to draw illustrations for books and gained independence as an illustrator.

From there, she worked as a freelance illustrator for over ten years, but since she did not often pitch her skills to get new work, the number of jobs she received eventually dwindled. Looking for a way out of the predicament, she settled on the idea of drawing a manga. "I decided to try drawing manga since I couldn't make ends meet anymore with fewer and fewer illustration jobs. I thought a manga might make me more money," Saito reflected.

With her mind set, Saito drew her first manga, Daria, a story that portrays the ups and downs hidden behind ordinary life through the eyes of an elementary school girl. It received the Big Comic New Face Award by publishing house Shogakukan Inc. and Saito made her manga artist debut in 1986 at the age of 40.

Using Daily Life Themes Such as "Old Age" and "Death"

Bocchi Shi no Yakata is a collection of six short stories, published as a book in 2023. The stories take place in Tama New Town, an area where many elderly people live on their own. Saito has also lived in the area for almost 50 years, and Bocchi Shi no Yakata is based on her experiences there. "When I look around, old age and death are everywhere. It's only natural that they become themes in my work because I draw inspiration from everyday things happening around me and by adding my feelings to the fictional narrative."

Senior deaths are a frequent occurrence in the stories. In Chapter 0, titled "Bocchi Shi no Yakata," an old man dies alone and his face has turned purple by the time his body is discovered. This episode came from Saito's real-life experience. Anyone encountering such a situation would likely find it shocking, , but she looks back on it calmly and matter-of-factly.

"It was someone I had talked to before. But it didn't shock me very much. Death is frequent when you live around here. It's common to think, 'I haven't seen that person in a while' only to later find out they had passed away. I've seen so many people pass away in my life, so I've come to accept that the same will happen to me one day."

The Attractiveness of Life in Tama New Town Where Saito Has Lived for Nearly 50 Years

Tama New Town was developed to resolve a critical housing shortage during Japan's period of high economic growth in the mid-20th century. It is one of the largest residential towns in the nation, located in the Tama Hills area in the southwest of Tokyo, spanning around 14 kilometers east-west and 2 to 3 kilometers north-south. The town was opened in 1971 and grew vibrant with young families in their prime working years moving in all at once.

Saito witnessed the town flourish. "When I moved here in the 1970s, trees hadn't been planted yet so pampas grass grew everywhere. Many roads and bridges were also still under construction, but they were completed in no time. Since I remember what it looked like when there was nothing, it's interesting to see the changes."

Saito says the abundance of greenery found in Tama New Town, which she has grown deeply familiar with, is what makes it attractive. Trees were planted between buildings in the complex, where they now grow lushly. In addition to living everyday life surrounded by such greenery, Satoyama Park is also nearby, where Tama's rich nature is preserved. Animals like pheasants, raccoons and raccoon dogs still live there today.

Saito also often makes use of public facilities and activities organized by Tama City. "I'm grateful that I don't need to step outside of Tama New Town when I want to try doing something. I'm currently a member of the Library Club, and the city also runs a variety of other organizations that offer activities ranging from training seminars to a bird wood carving school. Participating in these sorts of activities allows you to enjoy meeting other people in your generation who come from diverse backgrounds."

Becoming a member of the Library Club also led to giving back to the community with her manga drawing skills. "I held a workshop and some children even came to participate. I don't usually get to talk to children, so it was refreshing and fun. I was pleasantly surprised to find you could talk with them like friends and share common hobbies."

Tokyo, a City of Many Opportunities and Meeting Diverse People

Tokyo is a very attractive place for someone like Saito, who finds creative inspiration in day-to-day life, where she can meet diverse people and gain various experiences. "A lot of people move to Tokyo because this is a place where they can make what they want to do into reality. There are a lot of opportunities here, which must make up for the expensive rent compared to the countryside," says Saito. It may have been her curiosity and enjoyment of meeting new people, along with her positive mindset, that allowed her to make a life for herself as a manga artist in Tokyo.

Manga and anime are one of Japan's leading industries. Manga by Japanese artists are read by a broad international audience, and Saito's works are no different. One of them, Yugure e (titled Offshore Lightning in the English version) is also popular overseas, having been translated into languages such as English, French and Chinese. When asked why she thinks Japanese manga has gained such international popularity, Saito replies with conviction, "Because they're wonderful!" She adds, "I'm not saying that because I'm being partial as a Japanese. I think the wide-ranging themes and immersive drawings are what make them so popular."

Saito says she will continue to draw manga going forward. The reason, she explains with a laugh, is, "Believe it or not, I can't afford a living if I stop." That kind of mental fortitude was what got her back onto her feet when she suffered a stroke, and she thought to herself, "I'm going to put this experience into a manga."

Bocchi Shi no Yakata, which depicts interpersonal relationships in the face of solitary death, is filled with valuable insight, ranging from how family members and spouses connect with each other to how individuals approach their lives. In a way, it is a reflection of Saito's own way of life. Her new work, which she is working on right now, will be highly anticipated.

Saito Nazuna

Saito was born in 1946. She began to draw manga at age 40 and made her debut in 1986 with Daria, which won the Big Comic New Face Award. As a late newcomer, she continued to draw manga, and in 2019, both old and new works were collected into a book for the first time in 20 years titled Yugure e. It won the Manga Division Excellence Award at the 22nd Japan Media Arts Festival by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Her latest serialization, Bocchi Shi no Yakata (complete) was nominated for the Manga Grand Prix at the 28th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. She is now working on a new manga.

https://shogakukan-comic.jp/book?isbn=9784098616350 
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