© Yoshifumi Totsuka/Shueisha/Undead Unluck Production Committee
Undead Unluck fans at Anime NYC were treated to a panel featuring the creator Yoshifumi Tozuka, his editor Takumi Hashimoto, and Fuuko’s Japanese voice actor, Moe Kahara. During the panel, Moe Kahara spoke about how she chose to pursue a career as a voice actor because she wanted to improve her image of herself when she was younger and that one of the biggest reasons she enjoys voice acting is that voice actors don’t have to worry about their age or background when doing their work.
When discussing some of the recording process for the anime, she mentioned that her work began while COVID protocols were still in place in Japan, and she initially recorded her lines separate from the rest of the cast. Because of that, she feels her work has gotten easier now that they can all record together. Kahara stated that she enjoys playing Fuuko because she likes how hard Fuuko is willing to work for the sake of others and feels that she’s similar to her in that she’s okay with jumping head-first into things. Still, she said she would get scared pretty quickly by some of the things Fuuko faces and run away.
Yoshifumi Tozuka and Takumi Hashimoto also spoke about their experiences working on the manga. Hashimoto mentioned that while they have planned out much of the story, they also make changes depending on what they think will be the most interesting, and there is a split between them. When asked about his approach to writing female characters, Tozuka mentioned that he doesn’t typically think about gender when writing characters but rather how many of the characters are motivated by their desire to fight for someone else. The two also spoke about what they were looking forward to seeing later in the anime, with Hashimoto wanting to see the UMA and Burn, while Tozuka was looking forward to seeing the Summer Arc in animated form.
The panel ended with a final message from each of the guests. Kahara shared that she is happy that the series has reached so many overseas fans, encouraging the audience to continue supporting the anime and the English dub when it debuts in mid-December. Tozuka and Hashimoto wrapped things up by informing the audience that the manga would soon start a new arc in New York City and that Tozuka took photos around the city to prepare for it. Tozuka thanked the audience for reading his manga and hoped that fans would continue to support the series.
Before the panel, we also had the fortune to speak with Tozuka-sensei about his work on the manga.
© Yoshifumi Totsuka/Shueisha/Undead Unluck Production Committee
What made you decide to pursue a career as a manga artist? And are there any manga artists whose work influenced you?
Yoshifumi Tozuka: So. I’m not quite sure. I wouldn’t say this is the moment that set me on my path as a mangaka, but here’s a story. So, when I was in grade school, I generally didn’t like playing outside, so I would stay in the classroom and draw. And there was a handkerchief with about 50 different Pokémon on it. So I would just sit there and draw them and practice. My teacher, Mr. Obino, noticed that I had a talent for drawing, and he started asking me to do stuff for school. Little flyers and little illustrations here and there. And Mr. Ogino (this is something he would always do as a teacher, not just at our school) would create these “Ogino Cards,” kind of like tickets that you could exchange for something.
And so it became my job as a grade-schooler to design these cards. And so one day at school, it was actually Parents’ Day. You know, the parents are just watching the class and stuff like that. During this Parents’ Day, we were reading about Osamu Tezuka. I think I had answered something in the class, and then the teacher called me up because my last name is Tozuka. And he said, “This is our future Osamu Tezuka right here.” So maybe that planted a tiny seed in my head, and I thought, “Oh, maybe I’ll be a mangaka.” But ultimately, when I was at the point of choosing a path, I think that’s where the idea of being a mangaka was born.
The members of the Union all come from various regions of the world, and Fuuko and Andy travel to a lot of different countries on their missions. Did this require a lot of research?
TOZUKA: So, first and foremost, I start with entertainment. It has to be interesting and entertaining. And so I start with, “Well, it’d be fun if this, whatever it is, existed in this country or a place.” And then, I do the research. So, I’m not very research-heavy, and if there’s too much research, it’ll get in the way of either the storytelling or the drawing. So, as long as the audience gets a sense of where they are, I’m okay with that.
Andy starts off as being more of a crude, tough guy than the average Shonen Jump protagonist. Was there any specific inspiration for the character, and did you find him challenging to write as a hero?
TOZUKA: So, as far as I know, a lot of undead characters tend to be depressed because they’ve lived for so long, and they’re just tired of living. But at this point in our story, Andy hasn’t lived for thousands and thousands of years, necessarily. And I felt that he’s in a place where he’s still enjoying living, but internally, he’s still unsure of where his end will be—so he’s a character that has embodied those two dichotomies. But to have a main character to keep drawing, I definitely wanted someone who’s positive. And above all, being a shonen manga, there’s a certain pace to consider, too. For me, drawing him feels really good.
The Negators and Rules featured throughout the series all have unique abilities, and the way they work can get pretty complicated. Was there any particular inspiration behind them? And do you find it challenging to keep track of all the powers that direct with each other?
TOZUKA: When thinking about [if] I were to draw a manga about abilities, I wanted to make it something closer to reality. So not necessarily characters breathing fire, emitting electricity, or anything like that. Instead, “What if there are these Negators amongst us, and they can use their abilities just by seeing or touching in subtle ways? And in that way, maybe there are actually Negators in our world right now, but how they use their abilities is so subtle that you can’t tell.”
And as far as where the “UN” comes from, in the Japanese character for undead, the first character can be translated in English as “un-”. So that’s where the whole concept of “UN” came from.
Romantic relationships are a significant aspect of the series and a driving motivation for many characters. Was that something you considered necessary when you first came up with the series?
TOZUKA: Personally, I haven’t read a lot of romance manga or novels. So, honestly, I don’t know why. But when I ask myself, “Why is this character so motivated, and why are they trying so hard?” my natural answer comes down to love and relationships.
Are there any Negator abilities you think you’d like to have?
TOZUKA: So we’re in a world where you can’t always have what you want, but having an ability also comes with all that past baggage, and there are always pitfalls to the ability, so I don’t want any.
A weekly manga serialization schedule can be very taxing. Do you find it difficult to write under that kind of schedule, and is there anything you like to do to help yourself relax?
TOZUKA: When I’m trying to think of the next story and have writer’s block, I sleep. So, in general, I actually do get plenty of sleep. And if that doesn’t help, I play Street Fighter 6 [the ranked matches]. And when I’m winning, it’s great, but if I’m losing, my stress levels go up a little bit, and then I take out my frustrations on my manga because I remind myself, “I’m a Shonen Jump manga artist, come on!” So, it’s just cycling between sleeping, [playing] Street Fighter, and taking a nap. Over and over again.
Are there any Street Fighter characters you like to play as?
TOZUKA: In the previous Street Fighter, there was Zeku, a ninja character, and you could switch between his old version and his young version. His disciple is Kimberly, so I choose her.
[Warning: this next question involves spoilers from later events in the manga]
Over the course of the last few story arcs, Fuuko has stepped more into the protagonist role and become more of a leader. Was there a reason behind this shift in direction? Or was it something you planned from the beginning?
TOZUKA: We always knew she’d be in a new loop, but the problem is that while she was in the previous loop, all the other characters were still in their stories. So, I intended for her to take on more of the protagonist role because, through the previous loop, she’s learned and built her skills to take on that role. And it was an excellent opportunity to show off what she can do. In the previous loops, we saw Fuuko’s power through Andy, and that was it. That was how her powers were maxed out, and it was only when working in combination with Andy. Now, as a protagonist, she can show us what she’s got, and it’s also fun drawing her.
The series has been running for over three years now. Looking back at it, is there anything you’ve written so far that you wish you’d done differently or had more time to develop?
TOZUKA: This is a question I’ve been wondering myself, too, but in the end, not really. When I look back on what I’ve done, at the core, I’ve always held the truth that these characters are giving it their all, and that’s always been consistent.
What would you say is the most important theme of the series?
TOZUKA: In my series, we see many characters whose circumstances are thrust upon them. They don’t have a choice. And by helping each other and having friends, they overcome those circumstances. And I hope people feel that they, too, can also get out of whatever their circumstances are that they didn’t choose. To call on friends and friends, family and support to overcome challenges.
Special thanks to Tozuka-sensei for answering our questions. New episodes of Undead Unluck are available to stream on Hulu on Fridays.
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