[INTERVIEW] Yoichi Takahashi Sensei ~ Mangaka of Captain Tsubasa

Hi everyone!
Today Kojacon had an interview with Takahashi-Sensei.

Yoichi Takahashi-Sensei is a famous Japanese cartoonist and manga artist, best known for his work Captain Tsubasa. Takahashi has always been a sports fan, but mostly a fan of football (soccer). Captain Tsubasa, his most famous work lasted for 8 years in the shonen manga anthology Weekly Shonen Jump. Weekly Shonen Jump has serialized two major series, Captain Tsubasa and Captain Tsubasa: World Youth. The later works of Yoichi Takahashi have been published in the seinen manga anthology Weekly Young Jump.

Takahashi-Sensei has published art books, manga, novels, and guides, most of which are of about his manga Captain Tsubasa. He is also known for his soccer series, Hungry Heart: Wild Striker, and short manga “Hokori ~ Pride”, “Keeper Coach”, “Kou Shu – KOSHU!” . In addition to drawing manga, Takahashi also wrote novels for children and teenagers, Golden Kids, which received an animated episode released on the iOS. His soccer novels are “Golden Kids” and “Soccer Shoujo Kaede”.

Good afternoon Takahashi-Sensei. Thanks for coming today! Is it your first time to Singapore?
Good Afternoon! Yes, this is my first time coming here.

Do you ever go to another south east Asia country?
I went to Cambodia and Malaysia for holiday.

Please tell us your impression about this event.
I’m very happy that japanese culture, especially for me japanese manga, is loved by many people around the world all over country, and gather in one event like this. I appreciate it, thank you very much for everyone who come today.

What is the different between anime/manga event in Japan and overseas event like this?
I think there are not so many differences between both event. I feel like same people are coming to such event. Everyone enjoy anime or manga or game, just like in Japan.

Is there any special preparation to go abroad?
Nothing particular. LOL

Takahashi-Sensei like to draw as like to read sports manga also, right? Beside that, what kind of manga do you read?
Yup! I love to read sports manga. Beside that I also read another shonen manga, such as Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy) by Osamu Tezuka-Sensei.

Do you ever made manga based on true life story?
Actually there’s a lot of story I made from real life. Not always from my personal experience, but also from what I saw on television or I read on newspaper. And I gather all around to make story for my manga.

Takahashi-Sensei made a lot of sports manga, beside soccer theme, there are also tennis, boxing, baseball, etc. Which one you like the most?
Of course soccer manga. I’ve made soccer theme for manga and novel several times.  Beside soccer manga, I also like baseball manga.

In the future, do you want to try make another genre of manga beside sports? 
I don’t think so. Until now, everyone got my image is to be related to sports manga. So I think I’ll write another sports manga instead of another genre. LOL

What is your favorite sports manga written by another mangaka?
I like “Slam Dunk” by Takehiko Inoue-Sensei.

Is there any favorite mangaka?
Of course Shinji Mizushima-Sensei. First of all, I like to read baseball manga, then I learned from him about story composition and character modelling from Mizushima-Sensei. He gave me a lot of references I need to make manga.

Please give us message to fans of Captain Tsubasa and to fans who couldn’t come today.
Hi! This is Yoichi Takahashi! Mangaka of Captain Tsubasa! Nice to meet you all! Thanks for your support and thanks for reading my manga. I’m very grateful that japanese manga is well known by many people around the world, included Indonesia of course. I’m surprised Captain Tsubasa also released in Bahasa Indonesia. For anyone who came today, we’ll meet again in the future. For anyone who could’t come today, please meet me at next event!

Special thanks to CharaExpo Committee and Shueisha Japan