Hitoshi
Okuda is a Lum fan and a Washu fan. He's also the manga artist for the
comics version of the Tenchi-Muyo anime series, bringing a slightly
different artistic take on the characters to the black-and-white
printed version. Fans have enjoyed the mix of space opera and domestic
hijinks, and Okuda agrees with the attraction of that mix. "There are
so many female characters in that series, it's a challenge to write
them all," Okuda said at a Saturday panel. "The Tenchi-Muyo that's
being drawn in Japan is full of very big ideas, and I'm wrapped up in
that right now." A Mihoshi costumer attended Okuda's Saturday panel
("Very cute," commented Okuda), and there was a question if her Galaxy
Police partner, Kiyone, would be a larger part of the manga series.
Okuda said that the Galaxy Police threads in the manga were being
wrapped up.
Tenchi
has been a worldwide success despite its deeply Japanese roots - or
maybe because of that. "It was a strange feeling to come over here and
see Americans enjoying my drawings. It was kind of wild. If you work
hard enough, you can accomplish anything." The Japanese love nature,
and that was incorporated in the series' use of trees and wood in its
spaceships and settings, rather than metal. There's also a lot of
Japanese domestic comedy in all versions of the Tenchi universe,
something that fans like. "Even though it's set on the stage of space,
there's this domestic action going on. A lot of stories are set at the
Masaki home." When the fans were asked about the kind of Tenchi stories
they liked, most said they liked the domestic comedy stories. "I think
the same way when I'm drawing Tenchi," he replied. Fans who have
followed the Tenchi-Aeka-Ryoko love triangle have wondered which female
Tenchi chooses; "It's a top secret," was Okuda's reply.
Hitoshi
Okuda is a Lum fan and a Washu fan. He's also the manga artist for the
comics version of the Tenchi-Muyo anime series, bringing a slightly
different artistic take on the characters to the black-and-white
printed version. Fans have enjoyed the mix of space opera and domestic
hijinks, and Okuda agrees with the attraction of that mix. "There are
so many female characters in that series, it's a challenge to write
them all," Okuda said at a Saturday panel. "The Tenchi-Muyo that's
being drawn in Japan is full of very big ideas, and I'm wrapped up in
that right now." A Mihoshi costumer attended Okuda's Saturday panel
("Very cute," commented Okuda), and there was a question if her Galaxy
Police partner, Kiyone, would be a larger part of the manga series.
Okuda said that the Galaxy Police threads in the manga were being
wrapped up.
Tenchi
has been a worldwide success despite its deeply Japanese roots - or
maybe because of that. "It was a strange feeling to come over here and
see Americans enjoying my drawings. It was kind of wild. If you work
hard enough, you can accomplish anything." The Japanese love nature,
and that was incorporated in the series' use of trees and wood in its
spaceships and settings, rather than metal. There's also a lot of
Japanese domestic comedy in all versions of the Tenchi universe,
something that fans like. "Even though it's set on the stage of space,
there's this domestic action going on. A lot of stories are set at the
Masaki home." When the fans were asked about the kind of Tenchi stories
they liked, most said they liked the domestic comedy stories. "I think
the same way when I'm drawing Tenchi," he replied. Fans who have
followed the Tenchi-Aeka-Ryoko love triangle have wondered which female
Tenchi chooses; "It's a top secret," was Okuda's reply.
