aqx's P.R.I.D.E

Shojo Beat: What manga did you read and enjoy while growing up?

Ai Yazawa: When I was little, I loved reading the monthly manga magazine
Ribon and liked all of the titles in it.

Shojo Beat：在您成長的過程中，哪一部漫畫是您的最愛呢？

Ai Yazawa：我小時候最愛看 RIBON 月刊，裡面的連載我都喜歡。



SB: Who influenced or inspired you the most during your career?

AY: I am influenced by not only manga creators, but also other talented
people in different fields, such as musicians.

SB：作為漫畫家，誰對您的影響或激發是最為深刻的呢？

AY：我不只受了漫畫家影響，在各種不同領域的，比如說音樂人也都深刻的影響了我。



SB: NANA is considered a shojo title, but it doesn't look like the average
shojo comic. What reaction have readers and fellow artists had to the unique
style of NANA?

AY: It depends. There are people who just accept it and people who are
greatly surprised by it. I do not think it is that unique myself. I get
surprised when someone shows surprise.

SB：NANA 被視為是少女漫畫，但是它卻又跟一般的少女漫畫不太一樣。
         讀者們以及其他的漫畫家對於 NANA 的獨特風格有什麼樣的看法？

AY：不一定。有些人就坦然接受，而有些人卻感到很意外。
        我是不覺得 NANA 是有多獨特。如果他們覺得意外，我反而感到意外呢。



SB: What was the initial inspiration for NANA?

AY: When I received a request to create "a title that could be accepted by a
wider audience," I was at a loss, but then I came up with a story about two
girls with the same name but totally different characterics, and that was the
start. I thought people would empathize with one of them.

SB：NANA 的創作靈感是從哪裡來的呢？

AY：當我接到「請做出一部能被更廣泛的讀者所接受的作品」
        這樣的要求時，我還挺傻眼的。
        但是後來卻想出兩個同名卻不同性格的女孩子的故事，這就是一切的起點。
        我想說人們應該能因他們兩個之中的任何一個影射到自己的處境。



SB: What do you ultimately want to achieve with this series -- do you simply
want to entertain your readers, or is there a deeper meaning you want to
convey?

AY: In my work, making stories readers enjoy is the first thing I want to
achieve. Of course, there is a basic message underlying the story, but I'm
happy if at least some people understand that message.

SB：您在這部作品裡，事實上想要表達的是什麼？
         只是單純的想要娛樂讀者，還是說有更深層的意義？

AY：在我的作品裡，娛樂讀者是首要目標，而當然故事中也有更深層的意義存在。
        但我當然很開心，如果至少還有人能瞭解到我要傳達的意義。



SB: Do you identify most with Nana Komatsu or Nana Osaki? Which of them is
most popular with your fans and why?

AY: I have different values from both characters, so I do not identify with
either of them. As for fans, many readers view Nana O. with admiration and
Hachi as someone they can empathize with.

SB：小松奈奈以及大崎娜娜兩者，哪一位比較像您（能為感同身受）？
         哪一位在 NANA 迷中比較受歡迎，為什麼？

AY：他們兩個對我而言各自有不同的意義存在，所以兩個都沒有很像我。
         至於 NANA 迷，很多讀者都是崇拜大崎娜娜，而小八是他們能影射自我的對象。



SB: When you think about the Black Stones' music, what do you hear? How about
Trapnest's music?

AY: I'd like to leave it to the reader's imagination.

SB：當您想像 Black Stones 的音樂，你聽到的是什麼？還有 Trapnest 呢？

AY：這還是留給讀者去想像吧。



SB: What types of music do you listen to? Do you have a favorite band?

AY: I like rock 'n' roll. I like the sound of Muse, a UK band, the most.

SB：您都聽什麼樣的音樂？您有最喜愛的樂團嗎？

AY：我喜歡搖滾。最喜歡英國樂團 MUSE 的音樂。



SB: Much of the appeal of NANA is in the way your characters dress. Do you
have a strong interest in haute couture? Where does that interest originate?
How do you dress?

AY: I am interested in both haute couture and pret-a-porter. I have loved
clothes -- wearing them, looking at them, and making them -- since I was a
child. Now it feels like I've explored Western clothes enough, so I have
shifted my interest into kimono. As it is a part of Japanese traditional
culture, kimono is profound and interesting.

SB：NANA 有極大部分的吸引力來自於角色們的打扮。
         您是對高級女子時尚有很興趣嗎？是為什麼會對它有興趣呢？
         您又如何打扮自己呢？

AY：我對高級女子時尚以及成衣都很有興趣。
        我從小就很愛服飾，穿著它們也好，看著它們也好，製作他們也好。
        現在是西式服飾我已經研究得差不多了，
        最近把注意力轉移到了和服上，它畢竟是日本傳統文化的一環，
        和服既奧妙又有趣呢。



SB: The character of Ren looks like Sid Vicious, the deceased Sex Pistols
bass player. Is this likeness intentional?

AY: In Japan, there are young people whose fashion is influenced by Sid
Vicious. I modeled the character after those people, rather than Sid Vicious
himself.

SB：本城蓮這個角色很像 Sid Vicious，Sex Pistols 已經去世的 Bass 手。
         這是故意的嗎？

AY：在日本，有很多年輕人的穿著打扮都受 Sid Vicious 的影響。
        所以與其說我是參照 Sid Vicious，不如說是參照他們而塑造了蓮這個角色。



SB: NANA is a wildly successful shojo series. What kind of reaction have you
received from your male fans?

AY: The reaction varies. I am surprised that there are so many guys who say,
"Nana K. is just like my girlfriend." Also, probably because so many shonen
manga that guys read are stories where the characters win each battle and
evolve, some people say, "I have never read a manga in which so many things
don't happen the way you want them to."

SB：NANA 是部極為成功的少女連載。您從男性讀者那裡接觸到了什麼樣的看法呢？

AY：有很多種呢。
         我還挺意外有那麼多男生說「小松奈奈簡直就跟我女朋友一模一樣嘛」。
         還有就是，可能是因為多半的少年漫畫都是隨著打鬥然後進化，
         也有人說「我從來沒有看過像這樣一部，故事的發展那麼事與願違的漫畫」。



SB: What was your response when you found out that the studio wanted to
create a second NANA film?

AY: I heard that the studio would make a sequel if the first movie were
successful, so when it decided to make a second NANA film, I felt like the
hard work of the production people paid off and I wanted to say
"Congratulations!"

SB：當您知道製作公司要續拍第二部 NANA 電影時，您有什麼樣的反應？

AY：我聽說過如果第一部賣得好，他們就會開拍續集。
    所以當他們決定要拍第二部時，我覺得他們的努力得到了代價，
    而我想對他們說聲「恭喜！」。



SB: Do you have a message for your American fans?

AY: Because NANA contains lots of Japanese word play, I am sorry that you
can't read the original. This is a long serialization, but once you start
reading, please be patient and read until the end. A title is complete only
when it concludes. I will do my best to complete NANA, so please keep reading!

SB：您有什麼話想對您在美國的讀者說嗎？

AY：因為 NANA 有很多的日本文字遊戲，對於各位看不懂原文我感到很可惜。
         這部作品會是個長篇連載，但如果各位已經開始看了，
         就請耐心的一路看到完結篇。畢竟所謂的作品是要完結才能算是完整。
         我會盡力完成 NANA，所以請繼續看下去吧！