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MANGA FAN SERVICE: THE MITSUKAZU MIHARA INTERVIEW
by Jake Forbes (Pulse)
In American comics and manga circles, Mitsukazu Mihara is still relatively unknown, but in Japan, she’s one of the most influential illustrators working today. Her covers and manga stories for the Gothic Lolita Bible helped to define the “Goth Loli” look. Unlike most creators familiar to American otaku, Mihara doesn’t work for the mainstream shojo and shonen manga anthologies. Instead her work is found in fashion magazines and collected into exquisitely designed high-end trade paperback editions. So far, her only work to be translated into English is Dolls (the 6th and final volume just released), an anthology series on the theme of what it means to be human. TOKYOPOP will be releasing four stand alone volumes from Mihara in 2006, starting with Beautiful People. Manga Fan Service got the opportunity to speak with Mihara at last month’s Otakon convention about fashion and manga.
THE PULSE: What does Gothic Lolita mean to you?
MITSUKAZU MIHARA: For me, it’s about the spirit. It’s a desire to be eternally beautiful like a porcelain doll or a vampire. The fashion and the lifestyle all stem from this central idea.
THE PULSE: Could you tell us a bit about the state of Goth Loli in Japan and where you think it’s going?
MIHARA: In Japan, Gothic Lolita is everywhere. It started as an underground movement, but now it’s very mainstream. Lots of designers are cashing in on it—not just those driven by passion. The look may go out of fashion in mainstream popularity, but the true-believers who have been with it from the beginning aren’t going to give it up.
Shibuya girls don’t wear GothLoli clothes for the lifestyle—for them it is cosplay. [Shibuya is a trendy area of Tokyo where the young and fashionable hang out to be seen]. True Goth Loli call these people “Otaloli” [short for Otaku Goth Loli]. The Otaloli look up to the Goth Loli, but the GothLoli don’t respect the Otaloli.
THE PULSE: In America, Goth Loli look has been growing in popularity. What to the Japanese Goth Loli think of this?
MIHARA: Honestly, I don’t think Japanese Goth Loli know that it’s popular here. Goth Loli girls want to look Caucasian—they try not to tan, they wear white makeup, colored contacts and wigs—They might very well look up to American Goth Loli.
THE PULSE: Your stories are filled with the fantastic, but the emotions are very real. Where do you draw inspiration for your stories?
MIHARA: From my own life. From the people around me. I only write about what I know. You can take familiar things and exaggerate them for dramatic effect, but for me, I have to write about the things I know as I see it.
THE PULSE: Your stories remind me of classic science fiction—like the stories of Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick and the Twilight Zone. Do you look to science-fiction for your inspiration?
MIHARA: I’m a very big fan of science fiction. Blade Runner is a favorite. It’s not science fiction, but I’m a huge fan of Hitchcock. It’s not just the films themselves—it’s the essence of those films. In Japan, we have a term called kishotenketsu. In this model, a story doesn’t follow a straight line to a conclusion, but instead walks a line around the central themes. In the end, it’s up to the audience members to draw their own conclusions. I think that Blade Runner and the works of Alfred Hitchcock are very Japanese in this way.
THE PULSE: You mention cinema—are there any other movies or filmmakers you look to for inspiration?
MIHARA: I love Tim Burton! Edward Scissorhands is my favorite film of his. I can’t wait to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Corpse Bride. I am inspired by the way he balances dark themes with humor and heart. Many people in the Goth Loli community become obsessed with the darker elements of the lifestyle. They end up cutting themselves. It’s important not to get caught up too much in the dark side. That’s why I think Tim Burton resonates so well with the Gothic Lolita community.
THE PULSE: Fashion is a key component of the Gothic Lolita style and your manga. Which designers do you turn to for inspiration? Do you design your own clothing in real life?
MIHARA: Vivienne Westwood.When I was younger I designed my own clothes, but now I prefer to stick to buying from the professionals. The blouse I’m wearing now is one of hers. She’s definitely an inspiration. Her styles are very influential in Japan, not just among Goth Loli.
THE PULSE: Most of your manga is in the short-story format. Do you have any interest in doing a longer series? (Doll, her longest work, is an anthology)
MIHARA: I don’t think I could do a longer series. I’m better at short stories.
THE PULSE: What is your relationship like with your publishers?
MIHARA: Shodensha offers me total freedom. In some ways, I think they give me too much freedom—at times I’m at a loss on how to proceed. Other publishers offer more guidance, but still give me a lot of freedom. I try to be respectful of what the publishers want.
THE PULSE: So far you’ve worked on manga, magazine illustration and art books. Would you like to see your work brought to any other mediums like film or animation?
MIHARA: I would like to see Doku-Hime become an anime some day. It uses Gothic Lolita designs tailored for an otaku crowd. You could say it’s my most “mainstream” work to date.
THE PULSE: Do you have any advice for aspiring manga creators?
MIHARA: Pursue what you love whether it’s voluptuous girls, horror, fashion or whatever else and build your stories around it. Don’t try to tell stories about what you think other people want—be true to yourself.
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