Kuroko no Basuke Character Bible Fujimaki Interview

mittens_220: This is translated from the Taiwanese Publication, so being a second level translation from the
Japanese text, it might not be as accurate, so dont take this translation as absolute official material but as a
reference for a general idea.
Note: Everything in Bold is said by the Interviewer. Any term with (No.) next to it points to an explanation of the
term. Those will be complied at the end of the document for easier reading.
***
Gain deeper understanding of the creation process of Kuroko no Basuke

Fujimaki Tadatoshi sensei

Interview
Specialised long interview
Starting with the reasons to become a mangaka, from the secret talk about the birth of Kuroko no Basuke to future
plot? Requesting for Sensei to be totally honest about all these topics!
***
The doodles in a blank notebook is the starting point as a mangaka
---Fujimaki-sensei, please tell us what motivated you to be a mangaka.
When I was in Middle School, drawing sketches of DRAGON BALL1 and SLAM DUNK (will be known as SD from
now on) in a blank notebook was a popular thing to do. So I did draw them as well, and one day, friends started to
buy my sketches, for 100 yen per drawing. At that time, I had the vague notion Ah, so I can make money from
drawing, huh. (laugh) If its motivation, this should count as one.
--- Have you been reading Weekly Shonen JUMP (known as WJ from now on) since young?
I am a child who grew up reading JUMP. My friends also read JUMP. Each of us will buy a copy separately, then
discuss it in school the next day, thats the kind of routine we have.
---When was the first time you showed your works in a manga format?
I joined the manga club in high school, and participated in a major competition, the Manga Koshien 2, the piece I
submitted that time was my first time. I guess the topic was something personal, it was a manga in which the
protagonist was based off me, and as I drew the manga, I kept asking myself what is the purpose of drawing this
manga the content is something like that. Then, I won a prize that time
---You won a prize at a national level competition?!
That was because the category which I submitted my work under did not have any preliminary rounds, and the
number of entries were small. But at that time, I received a prize of 50,000 yen, and I thought All the more I should
become a mangaka! (laugh)
---So you gained your confidence, and had already more or less decided your future path at that time?
Even though I can imagine a rough picture of my future, but as I was not totally determined to become a mangaka at
that time, I continued onto university. However, after I entered university, I was always worried that it might be too
late to become a mangaka once I graduate from university. So I dropped out from university, created a short story,
and submitted the manuscript.

---Such a bold decision! The publisher you submitted to at that time was Shueisha?
Rather than bold, I would say it was an idiotic decision. (laugh) I met my first editor at that time. Because I was
confident, I used that work as my manuscript submission, but I didnt even come close to winning honestly, I
almost pissed in my pants that time, because I have already dropped out of university (laugh).
The long hard road to serialization
---Can the submitted manuscript be counted as the prototype to Kuroko no Basuke (known as KuroBasu from now
on)?
No, it was a fantasy piece. Because I like this story genre, and I was strongly influenced by DRAGON BALL (known as
DB from now on), which I read when I was younger.
---So you had no plans to draw a sports manga at that time?
Sports manga, especially golf, the sport which I like, is my final trump card. However, I had no feel for fantasy manga
at all, so the manga I drew during my waiting period was a golf manga.
--- Not basketball, but golf as your trump card?
I had a huge interest in it after watching it on television, joined the golf club in university, and got totally hooked. I
did a short stint at Chibas golf course, and explored the whole place. However, just like basketball, my skills arent
so good such that I can boast to others about it.
---So your golf manga succeeded?
Luckily, I survived until the last few entries of the competition, and when my editor wanted me to try drawing a
manga with sports as the main theme, the piece I drew was the prototype to KuroBasu.
---That was the work that was published in Akamaru JUMP, right?
Thats right. However, quite a few things were changed when I was published. The period after that time till the time
I was serialized in this magazine was difficult. I worked as an assistant while working on many different versions of
KuroBasu at the same time. Like having Kurokos partner be a shooter, or making Kuroko have a cheerful
personality. Even though I have drawn many manuscripts which were never revealed to the public, all of them were
failed during the meetings.
---How long did it take until you were serialized?
About one year. I asked my editor how long do I have to drag out this topic for Kuroko? My editor answered why
dont you draw the first 3 chapters for serialization, and it passed during the meeting (laugh).
---So the serialization for KuroBasu has finally begun. What were the more difficult experiences you had at the
beginning?
Its actually more difficult to list out the good experiences! (laugh) Because my assistant was inexperienced, the
details regarding the work studio and the staff were all settled by trial and error. In the end, I did what my editor said,
renting an apartment, and hiring the stafffollowing that were days of anxiety because of all the work I had to do
every day. Time really flew (laugh).
---How were the reactions to the first chapter?
Im not too sure about the details, but I heard that in terms of readers votes, I got first.
---First place! Did that help you gain any confidence?

Not at allit was mentioned in Bakuman (4) that its not that surprising for the first chapter to get first place. If
one could get the first place from the second chapter onwards, then it is truly amazing.
---Did you reach your goal?
Not yet. Though I have reached second and third place before. It might be difficult, but my goal is first place.
The making of Kuroko no Basuke
---Next I am going to ask you about the production schedule. How many days does it take you to make a draft
manuscript and draw?
Firstly I need to have a meeting with my editor, the draft manuscript will take 2-3 days, while the drawing takes 3-4
days. I dont think I ever had 2 rest days in one week before.
---What do you pay attention to when youre creating a story?
The exciting scenes. First you must have a general impression of I want to draw this kind of manga!, then develop
the story in that direction. Ever since the short story, I have always used this method to create a story. This is also a
weekly publication, if I do not include exciting scenes every week, I wont be able to satisfy the readers.
---So in comparison to creating the story, do you feel happier while drawing?
Even though both of them are interesting, if I had to make a choice, I would prefer drawing. Because when I draw, I
would be able to get the feeling that I am creating something good. Even though I do not most of the time.
---Then, how do you make the character designs?
Discussing with my editor, with each of us giving our own opinions, then a rough sketch is done. But most of the time,
the designs are done based on visual impression. Like Midorima is a guy who wears spectacles, or Aomine is a guy
with tanned skin and so on. Then more details are added in from there. There are many instances where I start
designing from their eyes.
---So youre saying that the eyes are very important?
Take Kuroko for example, I did his design by following the thought of using a very ordinary hairstyle, but a different
way of drawing the eyes. Akashi as well, because I wanted to enforce his scary impression, so I designed that sort
of eyes.
---The names of the Generation of Miracles all contain colours, do you pay special attention to naming your
characters as well?
I named them based off a manga style performance impact. Especially the Generation of Miracles, I wanted to
name them in such a way so the readers will remember them. Even though the second year members in Seirin were
named after the days of the week, but that largely done for fun (laugh). If anyone realized, I will be really happy, it
was that sort of feeling.
---Talking about names, the names of the special moves of Kuroko and the rest really have a strong impact.
I think that was mostly influenced by my earliest fantasy piece (laugh). I kept the appearance and effect of the
move in mind, and searched for a suitable word in the dictionary to adapt and use. However, when I go back to read
the names of the moves, I would feel that it isnt something that belonged in a basketball manga (laugh).
---Regarding the NG scenes in the blank pages of the volumes, are those also thought up by Sensei?

Thats right. When the first volume came out, I felt that it would be quite good to draw some simple comics in the
blank pages. I wanted to do something like those bloopers at the end of the Jackie Chan (5) movies. Because some
readers really look forward to those parts, so I will do my best! Although it seems like the restrictions of the NG
scenes have become lesser lately (strained laugh).
---The sketches sent by the readers will also be added at the end of the volumes together with Senseis comments
too.
Having my own drawings drawn by others makes me very happy! I will look through everything. With regards to the
comments, I do think about the reasons behind the NG scenes, but that is because I like playing the straight man.
Therefore, any pictures drawn for humor will definitely have the advantage. I will pay more attention next time
(laugh). In addition, any sketches which feature the female characters will get me quite excited. My stress levels will
decrease as well (laugh).
Prefers the side character over the protagonist?
---Since we are discussing about Kuroko no Basuke, then we have to talk about the protagonist Kuroko Tetsuya.
Please talk about the motivations behind his creation.
I wanted to draw something where the focus is on the side character, I have always haboured this thought. Even
though I dont dislike protagonist like characters like Kagami, I wanted to create a story which takes the direction of
there are still people who work hard in the shadows, you know That was the first step.
---Rather than the protagonist, you prefer the side character?
Just like Yasuda from Shohoku High (6) or Uekusa from Ryonan High (7) and so on, thats because the
protagonist always exudes the feeling of even if you leave them alone, they would still win, so it wont hurt if I dont
support them right?
---Where did you get the concept of a main character that feels like a side character, who uses his lack of
presence as a weapon?
I like the tap pass scenes in basketball manga, if I could use it as a main weapon, while making the movements more
exaggerated, I always had thoughts like that. In addition, being a side character means having a low presence, that
there would be no interception made while passing, using this train of thought of form the idea, and that was Kuroko.
---Was the skill Misdirection created to prove this point?
Thats absolutely correct. But as Misdirection can be seen as a skill with a very complicated theory, I was also very
confused during the matches (laugh).
---How were other characters besides Kuroko created?
Kagami is supposed to be a contrast to Kuroko, so I designed him to be protagonist like, with strong physical ability
with skills like dunking. As for the Generation of Miracles, I first decided their position, then developed them from
there. Because Kise was the first person from the Generation of Miracles to appear, I designed him to be a skilled
copier, the sort of character who would normally appear in the second half in a normal manga. That was because
when I first started my serialization, I didnt know when I might be cancelled, so I didnt want to hold back (laugh).
Differences from that popular series
---Please tell us about the central concept behind KuroBasu.

The main idea is to create a work that is different from SD. Therefore, many of the skills are surprising and even
the action of faking is really exaggerated. Even a move resembling the Kamehameha (8) appeared during the
match with Aomine.
---Something about this was also mentioned in the NG scenes.
After drawing a lot of manga, I would tell myself, This is way too far-fetched! I also think that manga where I can
play the Straight man is more interesting. In addition, it can also become a topic of discussion amongst my friends.
---Recently the number of realistic sports manga has increased. Did you intentionally choose to go down the
opposite path?
This is also one of the differences from SD. But I also set a rule of not ignoring the law of physics. Take Aomine
throwing the ball from behind the backboard as an example, there is still a chance of 1 ball getting in out of 100
throws. I only used the fact that Aomine could do it 100% to emphasise his presence. However, talking about
Midorimas super long distance shot, given that stance, it wont be able to go in at all (laugh)
---The focus of the series is on the W.C rather than the I.H, is this done to set it apart from SD?
Thats not the only reason. Its also because W.C has grown in scale and recognition in the recent years, so I had
strong feelings about making this the focus. However, as I wanted Kuroko and the rest to lose to Aomine, its natural
for W.C to make its appearance.
---So you have already decided for Kuroko to lose to Aomine in the I.H preliminaries?
Because I felt if they had charged through the first battle and made it to a national competition, Wouldnt it be too
easy for a national level competition? so I planned for them to lose in the preliminaries. I actually had plans for
them to lose to Midorima as well, but my editor said even if they lost to a glasses-guy like that, it will be too
insignificant (laugh), so it was decided to have Kuroko lose to his former partner, Aomine.
Feeling happy while drawing Riko and Midorima
---Which character resembles Sensei the most?
In terms of ability, I think I am like Koganei, who is a jack of all trades but master of none. In addition, other people
have commented that my sharp tongue resembles Hyuuga a lot (laugh).
---Then, which character do you like?
When I am drawing about interactions with someone else, I would find Riko more interesting. But if I do not pay
attention, she would end up talking a lot and it was be difficult to step on the brakes. As for the Generation of
Miracles, I would be especially happy when drawing Midorima. However, choosing his lucky item is really
troublesome. Thats because no matter how ordinary or hilarious his items are, theyre just strange.
---On the other hand, which character is more difficult to draw?
Kuroko, without a doubt! Because he doesnt talk to me at all, so I really rack my brains over it (laugh).
---One of the attractive points of KuroBasu is also the ordinary activities done by characters with unique
personalities, such as the story where they cleaned the clubroom (Q94).
In a good way, I can relax a bit during the stories where they do ordinary things, so Im really happy. The chapter
where they cleaned the clubroom was after a match, and I wanted the readers to take a breather as well, so I
thought lets have them doing some spring cleaning, and used it.
---The smaller number of female characters is because of?

This is the fate of mens basketball manga. (laugh) Thats because I didnt want them to be reduced to just
supporting characters in the series.
---There are readers who are also concerned about the romances surrounding Kuroko and the other characters?
I have also thought about things like how does Riko feel about this particular person? or even though Satsuki says
that she likes Kuroko, how does she feel about her childhood friend Aomine? However, as it has nothing to do with
basketball, I am unable to explore it more in the series.
Slowly making progress towards a reunion?
---Please tell us about the connection between Fujimaki-sensei and basketball.
Having been influenced by SD, I joined the basketball club in middle school. There were 30 to 40 people who
joined the club for the same reason (laugh). But I dropped out of the club halfway, so I cannot consider myself to
have experience in basketball. If I said so, my school mates will scold me.
---However, the experience you gained after joining a basketball club for real can be used now?
Thats right. If I did not join the basketball club, then this manga wouldnt have been born. Like the shouts during
practice, I have experienced that personally, so my opinions and values have been reflected throughout the series.
---In real life basketball, are there any players or teams that you like?
With regards to the NBA, I have recently started paying attention to the Clippers (9). Even though I already like
teams that arent all that strong, but a strong player Chris Paul (10) joined the team recently, and I am really
excited about that (laugh). As for the players, it would be Chris Paul. Even though he is also very skilled, in the NBA
where a lot of players have tattoos, I like the fact that he has virtually no tattoos at all (laugh).
---Then besides basketball, what other kind of manga would you like to draw?
Golf manga is definitely something I want to try. I would also like to challenge fantasy manga. Because when I first
started, my standard is very low, so I would like to try out different genres so I can improve.
---KuroBasu is currently developing together with anime and other forms of media. How does Sensei deal with
this situation?
All I feel is gratitude. Especially the anime, the scenes are very cooland how original material is often included
really makes me happy. Take the episode where they went to buy bread for example, when Kagami started to speak
in English, I laughed really hard (laugh).
---The choices for the voice actors are perfect too.
Especially Kagami, it was decided immediately that it must be done by Ono Yuuki-san (11)! Only Kuroko; even
though I couldnt picture his voice at all, when I saw the Ono Kensho-sans (12) rendition of Kuroko in the anime, I
thought its really suitable.
---People are concerned about the future developments of KuroBasu, please provide some hints.
The basic goal is a big reunion. But if there are people who still feel theyre going to win in the end anyway
---Theres a possibility of losing?
Thats right. Because if there are people who think theyre going to win in the end anywaythen I would feel like
making them lose (laugh). But no matter which outcome, I will draw with the readers satisfaction as my top priority.

---Sensei, thank you very much for today! Lastly, some words for the readers!
I only have feelings of thanks towards the readers. Thank you very much, everyone! If everyone is happy reading it, I
will be happy as well. Please take care of me in the future as well.
***
Other random things
Fujimaki Tadatoshi Profile
Born on 9th June 1882. From Tokyo. Obtained 12th Place in the 44th JUMP 12 Outstanding Newcomer award in
2006. Got Kuroko no Basuke published in Akamaru JUMP in 2007, starting the journey towards his serialization.
Serialised Kuroko no Basuke in the 2nd edition of WJ in 2009, and caused a huge hit in 2012 with the anime.
References
1 DRAGON BALL
Serialised in WJ from 1984-1995. 42 Takubon volumes and 34 complete volumes. The author is Toriyama Akira. Talks
about how any wish can be granted as long as 7 of them are collected, an adventure story related to the dragon balls.
More than 1 million volumes have been printed and caused an unprecedented craze over the series.
2 Manga Koshien
The official name is National High School Manga Championship. Organised by Kochi Prefecture and other parties. A
competition whose target is the high schools in the country.
3 Akamaru JUMP
Seasonal edition of WJ. Mainly publishes the one-shots of newcomers. 4 editions are published every year. After
2010, it was renamed to Jump NEXT!
4 Bakuman
Serialised in WJ from 2008-2012. Currently has 20 volumes in publication. Written by Ohba Tsugumi and illustrated
by Obata Takeshi. A teenage drama talking about Mashiro Morikata and Takagi Akiras dream to become the best
mangaka in WJ. Slated to have a 3rd season in the Fall of 2012 on NHK Education channel.
5 Jackie Chan
Born in year 1954. An actor from Hong Kong. A world class stunt celebrity, with recognized movies like Project A.
Gets good reviews from the flashy and well-choreographed fighting scenes.
6 Yasuda from Shohoku High
Yasuda Yasuharu. Team mate of Sakuragi Hanamichi, the main character of SD. Plays Guard position. Looks honest,
but full of courage, using his steady basketball skills to support the team.
7 Uekusa from Ryonan High
Uekusa Tomoyuki. Plays Point Guard in Ryonan High, a rival team of Shohoku High in SD. Praised by the coach with
makes little mistakes, good understanding of basketball. Even though he doesnt stand out, but he possesses a
firm skill.
8 Kamehameha

A strong move used by Goku and other characters in DB. Performed by gathering all the Chi in the body and
shooting it out.
9 Los Angeles Clippers
A NBA team based in Los Angeles. Their performance in the 2011-2012 season was 40 wins and 26 losses, ranked no.
2 amongst the pacific teams.
10 Chris Paul
Born on 6th May 1985. 183cm, 79kg. His position is Point Guard. During the 2011-2012 season, he switched from
the New Orleans Hornets to the Los Angeles Clippers.
11 Ono Yuuki
Born on 22nd June 1984. From Shizuoka. Signed under the agency Atomic Monkey. Signature roles include Hitoyoshi
Zenkichi from Medeka Box and Kazuichi Arai from Kimi no Todoke.
12 Ono Kensho
Born on 5th October 1989. From Fukuoka. Signed under Sunaoka Creative Artist Agency. Other than voice acting, he
is active in theatre and acting.