Ritz recently made a very long blog post where she talks a bit about the Saki live-action and answers a ton of readers' questions. This is a summary (it has nearly all the questions though). Any text in italics is mine, usually to clarify something. Everything else is a summarized translation of what Ritz says. It's quite long so most of it will go after the break.
Ritz's blog post 16.12.27
Apologies
I've been busy lately. The volume corrections, additional pages, promo materials and the manuscript deadline all piled up. I had to give priority to the volume corrections and additional materials, so the serialized chapters suffered... I'm paying for my mistakes.
For the first time in a while, the next chapter will have the full number of pages and the screentone is there too but there's a part that could not be inked. Once again I'm sorry.
Saki Live-actionFor the first time in a while, the next chapter will have the full number of pages and the screentone is there too but there's a part that could not be inked. Once again I'm sorry.
The first time I heard about the live-action I was happy but also thought "Are they crazy...?"
but even if only one more person who didn't know about Saki becomes a new reader thanks to the live-action, then I'm happy. They'll be terribly spoiled but I hope they'll enjoy it.
but even if only one more person who didn't know about Saki becomes a new reader thanks to the live-action, then I'm happy. They'll be terribly spoiled but I hope they'll enjoy it.
I was deeply moved in the 1st episode when the opening played during the avant-title scene and I liked how when Koromo appears it's like in a horror movie. I like characters like Sadako (Ring), Kayako (The Grudge), Samara (The Ring), the last boss in the movie Double Vision, the grandmother in The Exorcist 3 or the last boss in the movie Parasite. For animated characters I like Marceline (Adventure Time) or Asajj Ventress (Star Wars).
I was allowed to check the script in advance but I practically didn't change anything. The movie does the entire prefectural tournament but due to the running time some parts had to be cut or compressed: Kadomatsu Youko, Kyou-chan, etc... but I really liked the scene in the movie with Kunihiro and Touka.
Readers' Questions & Answers
- Where does Aislinn live (while in Japan)?
In a dormitory provided by the school. Later at Kosegawa's house.
- Who works at the Someya mahjong parlor normally?
Mako's parents. Sometimes they have part-timers, adult women that Mako's mother knows.
- Who chooses the volume cover characters?
I choose the cover characters and backgrounds for Saki, Achiga and Shinohayu. Once the editor has written an introductory text for the bookstores, I draw whatever character I want. As a result, sometimes the text doesn't describe the character and the text needs to be corrected.
- How close are Shino and Sudou?
I just like the drawings where those 3 are together. Not that Sudou likes them older than him, mind you.
(Meaning: Sudou likes them young but not THAT young).
- The Nagano combined training camp.
The anime showed the 1st half and the manga (vols. 7-8) showed the 2nd half. That's pretty much it.
- The Himematsu school building.
The building itself is ficticious.
- Shindouji's ex-members
The only former Shindouji club member to have appeared so far is Noyori-pro. This includes the +20 year old characters in Saki and any Shinohayu character up to this point.
- Miharun's name
The source of Yoshitome Miharu's name is not a general from the Sengoku period. It is similar though.
- Who works at the Someya mahjong parlor normally?
Mako's parents. Sometimes they have part-timers, adult women that Mako's mother knows.
- Who chooses the volume cover characters?
I choose the cover characters and backgrounds for Saki, Achiga and Shinohayu. Once the editor has written an introductory text for the bookstores, I draw whatever character I want. As a result, sometimes the text doesn't describe the character and the text needs to be corrected.
- How close are Shino and Sudou?
I just like the drawings where those 3 are together. Not that Sudou likes them older than him, mind you.
(Meaning: Sudou likes them young but not THAT young).
- The Nagano combined training camp.
The anime showed the 1st half and the manga (vols. 7-8) showed the 2nd half. That's pretty much it.
- The Himematsu school building.
The building itself is ficticious.
- Shindouji's ex-members
The only former Shindouji club member to have appeared so far is Noyori-pro. This includes the +20 year old characters in Saki and any Shinohayu character up to this point.
- Miharun's name
The source of Yoshitome Miharu's name is not a general from the Sengoku period. It is similar though.
(Sorry but I have no idea who she means.)
- Characters such as the Shinohayu's moms, Airi-chan, Niemann and others like them are being formed in my mind one by one as Shinohayu plays out.
- Tanba and Takahashi's meetings.
I'd like to write about this in Shinohayu if I can. Before they entered middle school, they met at the Nihondaira (a scenic area in Shimizu) and some other places.
- What's the pattern on Davin's T-shirt?
In volume 1, it had a flower and a butterfly or something. Also, the shirt young Mako was wearing had a cat or something. I don't remember...
- How were the authors of the spin-offs chosen?
They are all authors who had worked with Square Enix before (the publisher of the magazine where Saki is published). Kiyoshi was a newcomer who had the same editor as me. According to the editor, Kiyoshi liked Saki, so the editor said "Hey, why don't you make some non-serialized Saki-related story or something?". Aguri had published Bamboo Blade in Young Gangan which I liked. My editor was also sub-editor for Bamboo so Aguri was asked if she would like to give it a try. Mekimeki had a serialized work in Big Gangan like me. I was told she had Saki fan art and it was cute so she was also asked to do some sort of Saki-related work. I thought it would be about Shindouji but it was Senriyama, I was surprised.
- Characters who debut in Shinohayu.
Some characters who have appeared or will appear in Saki also appear in Shinohayu. Even if a character first appears in Shinohayu, they already existed in the original story. For me, there is no dividing line between the two.
- Aimee and Seamii
The one Mihirogi-pro has is Aimee, the one Nodoka gave to Yuuki as a present is Seamii. Both are made by the same manufacturer, and they're from the same species.
- Skills
Sumire is good at archery. Davin knows how to use a gun.
- Davin's past
Her playstyle wasn't cruel but since her personality itself was aggressive, she used to make fun of japanese players. That's all in the past now.
- Motouchi's hairstyle
If you untie it, it becomes long and narrow.
- Direct Effect
Games where a player's abilities cause a direct effect on another player's body are almost nonexistent (not even during the Shinohayu era). There is one person who can make you feel like you're seeing illusions but I want to keep it short. I'd like to have Sawaya use Pawci Kamuy (the one she used to make Nelly have an orgasm... -like sensation) on her 3 opponents in the match for 5th but she's not that kind of person so it won't happen. Regrettable. Truly regrettable.
- Mahjong magazines
As seen during Usuzan's flashback, even relatively unknown players can be featured in a mahjong magazine. Virtually all players can really.
- Boys clubs
I have no intention to cover them.
- Can pros teach students?
The rules allow it but usually pros and college students prefer to compete and improve themselves.
- Which pros appear in photoshoots?
That depends on each pro. Some pros don't want to appear in a swimsuit. Mihirogi-pro also appears wearing something other than a kimono.
- Kyou's duties
Kyou himself suggested it (in a way), and buchou likes to take advantage of it often.
- Who has a boyfriend and who is not a virgin?
There's no good way to answer this question but I'm going to answer it anyway:
No one has or ever had any boyfriends and because of their age they are all virgins. Hayarin's granma too, Tsuyuko (Kuro & Yuu's mother) too, Ayano (Shizu's mother) too. I don't care if it's not realistic.
- Shizuno
She's a girl who knows how to read the situation. She's very perceptive during a match. Sometimes she gets it wrong though. In the second round, when she didn't expect the direct haneman hit, it's because she misread it.
- Who was in another prefecture during middle school?
- Characters such as the Shinohayu's moms, Airi-chan, Niemann and others like them are being formed in my mind one by one as Shinohayu plays out.
- Tanba and Takahashi's meetings.
I'd like to write about this in Shinohayu if I can. Before they entered middle school, they met at the Nihondaira (a scenic area in Shimizu) and some other places.
- What's the pattern on Davin's T-shirt?
In volume 1, it had a flower and a butterfly or something. Also, the shirt young Mako was wearing had a cat or something. I don't remember...
- How were the authors of the spin-offs chosen?
They are all authors who had worked with Square Enix before (the publisher of the magazine where Saki is published). Kiyoshi was a newcomer who had the same editor as me. According to the editor, Kiyoshi liked Saki, so the editor said "Hey, why don't you make some non-serialized Saki-related story or something?". Aguri had published Bamboo Blade in Young Gangan which I liked. My editor was also sub-editor for Bamboo so Aguri was asked if she would like to give it a try. Mekimeki had a serialized work in Big Gangan like me. I was told she had Saki fan art and it was cute so she was also asked to do some sort of Saki-related work. I thought it would be about Shindouji but it was Senriyama, I was surprised.
- Characters who debut in Shinohayu.
Some characters who have appeared or will appear in Saki also appear in Shinohayu. Even if a character first appears in Shinohayu, they already existed in the original story. For me, there is no dividing line between the two.
- Aimee and Seamii
The one Mihirogi-pro has is Aimee, the one Nodoka gave to Yuuki as a present is Seamii. Both are made by the same manufacturer, and they're from the same species.
- Skills
Sumire is good at archery. Davin knows how to use a gun.
- Davin's past
Her playstyle wasn't cruel but since her personality itself was aggressive, she used to make fun of japanese players. That's all in the past now.
- Motouchi's hairstyle
If you untie it, it becomes long and narrow.
- Direct Effect
Games where a player's abilities cause a direct effect on another player's body are almost nonexistent (not even during the Shinohayu era). There is one person who can make you feel like you're seeing illusions but I want to keep it short. I'd like to have Sawaya use Pawci Kamuy (the one she used to make Nelly have an orgasm... -like sensation) on her 3 opponents in the match for 5th but she's not that kind of person so it won't happen. Regrettable. Truly regrettable.
- Mahjong magazines
As seen during Usuzan's flashback, even relatively unknown players can be featured in a mahjong magazine. Virtually all players can really.
- Boys clubs
I have no intention to cover them.
- Can pros teach students?
The rules allow it but usually pros and college students prefer to compete and improve themselves.
- Which pros appear in photoshoots?
That depends on each pro. Some pros don't want to appear in a swimsuit. Mihirogi-pro also appears wearing something other than a kimono.
- Kyou's duties
Kyou himself suggested it (in a way), and buchou likes to take advantage of it often.
- Who has a boyfriend and who is not a virgin?
There's no good way to answer this question but I'm going to answer it anyway:
No one has or ever had any boyfriends and because of their age they are all virgins. Hayarin's granma too, Tsuyuko (Kuro & Yuu's mother) too, Ayano (Shizu's mother) too. I don't care if it's not realistic.
- Shizuno
She's a girl who knows how to read the situation. She's very perceptive during a match. Sometimes she gets it wrong though. In the second round, when she didn't expect the direct haneman hit, it's because she misread it.
- Who was in another prefecture during middle school?
Many students were but none has appeared so far. In Kirame's case, her father inherited his parents' house in Fukuoka which happened to be close to Shindouji high school so she took her entrance exams there and she passed.
- Haruka's hair color (Kokoro's aunt)
Like Kokoro's but darker, I think. We'll see it when Aguri draws it.
and that's all for today.
- Haruka's hair color (Kokoro's aunt)
Like Kokoro's but darker, I think. We'll see it when Aguri draws it.
and that's all for today.
Mihirogi's cat plushie's romanization is probably Aimee, as there's a character of that name and look in Fatalizer, one of Ritz's older works.
ReplyDeleteThere's a Teradaira Ayano in the Kiyosumi student congress but Ritz probably means Takakamo Ayano, Shizu's mom.
Thanks. You're probably right. I forgot about Aimee from Fatalizer. And Ayano being Shizu's mom makes more sense. I'll change it now.
DeleteSo basically Saki is full of saint girls :D
ReplyDeleteThx for that, Akio.
iPS is great, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAll Hail Ritz!
ReplyDelete"Davin knows how to use a gun."
ReplyDelete"Her playstyle wasn't cruel but since her personality itself was aggressive, she used to make fun of japanese players."
This gives me the impression that some Japanese view everyone else through meme googles and build their opinion on others based on stereotypes.