Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.21
The twenty-first volume of the bimonthly Manga Time Kirara Magica, released on August 10, 2015. The "Mado Navi" series of interviews continue with Akiyuki Shinbo interviewing Hanokage about his new interquel Wraith Arc.
Manga
Oneshots
| Name | Author | Page |
|---|---|---|
| 人魚姫 | 堀泉インコ | 189 |
Series
| Name | Author | Chapter | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Veranda of Madoka | PAPA | 24[1] | 15 |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Wraith Arc | Hanokage | 2 | 27 |
| Puella Magi Homura Tamura ~Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever~ | afro | 23[2] | 89 |
| Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica | Hige | 19 [3] | 99 |
| Mami Tomoe's Everyday Life | Shinmai | 22[4] | 115 |
| Pomu Magi | Tsukumo | 25[5] | 133 |
| Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl | Ishito Yamada | 21 | 143 |
| Puella Magi Tart Magica: The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc" | Golden Pe Done | 12 | 149 |
| Mitakihara Anti-Materials | Myama | 19[6] | 197 |
| Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again | Ishito Yamada | 22[7] | 209 |
| Puella Magi Oriko Magica: Sadness Prayer | Kuroe Mura | 12 | 215 |
| Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi | linco | 21 | 239 |
| Floating Madoka | Mei Aota | 19[8] | 251 |
| Kanameke | Nash | 13 | 263 |
Interview with Hanokage
It was shocking
Unique storyboards
How many times have you two met like this?
Hanokage: About four times, I think? The most recent time would have been after the meeting for Wraith Arc we’re currently serializing. We had a meal together then, I believe.
Shinbo: That’s right.
What was it like when you first met?
Shinbo: To be honest, I don’t really remember...
Hanokage: I believe it was at the wrap party for the Madoka☆Magica TV series. That was probably the first time we exchanged greetings, but my mind was a complete blank at the time (laughs).
Shinbo: There were a lot of people at that party, too.
Do you remember what it was like when the offer to create the Madoka☆Magica manga adaptation came to you?
Hanokage: It was so long ago that my memory is a little hazy, but I think the initial approach was a call for pitches. Out of nowhere, I got an email saying, “We have a manga adaptation project for an anime.”
Editor: We sent you the script for the first episode and the overall structure, then had you create the character designs and storyboard for the first episode. After holding a competition with several candidates, we decided to ask Hanokage-san to take on the project.
Shinbo: At that stage, I was told, “Hanokage-san seems like an excellent choice, so we’re planning to ask them to do it.”
Were you originally a fan of works in genres like Madoka☆Magica?
Editor: We reached out to Hanokage after seeing some of their artwork on Pixiv.
Hanokage: That’s right. I heard it was my illustrations for Umineko no Naku Koro ni that initially caught attention. I’ve always liked works with loops or parallel worlds.
So Madoka☆Magica aligned with your interests. You’ve now been involved with the series for over five years. What about this series do you find particularly compelling?
Hanokage: First and foremost, I genuinely love the script and character designs. But the thing that struck me the most was when I saw the storyboards. I was blown away by how unique and daring Urobuchi Gen’s script was in its execution. I couldn’t believe how bold the visual interpretations were—I remember thinking, “Wait, you can take a script and express it like this!?”
Editor: This is a funny story in hindsight, but in the manga version of the first volume, Homura’s room is depicted as a simple apartment, because the script just described it as an ordinary apartment. But in the anime, it ended up being a uniquely designed room, which surprised us.
Shinbo: During the TV series production, Hanokage-san’s manga work was progressing ahead of the anime, so we couldn’t provide them with detailed references at the time.
Hanokage: The release schedule for the manga volumes was synced with the TV broadcast, so that’s how it had to be. For Rebellion, I was given materials well in advance, which I referenced while trying not to overlap too much with the anime.
The intricately detailed art of Hanokage’s Madoka☆Magica
Director Shinbo, what do you find appealing about Hanokage-san’s work on Madoka☆Magica?
Shinbo: Regarding the manga adaptations, I think they did an excellent job summarizing the story. It’s not an easy task, but they managed to fit the TV series’ content neatly into three volumes. On top of that, I feel they work with incredible focus. Not just the number of pages, but the density of the artwork is amazing. You don’t have any assistants, do you?
Hanokage: For Wraith Arc, I finally started working with assistants. But it’s true that up until then, I was pretty much working solo.
Shinbo: I see. The level of detail in Wraith Arc is even more impressive than before. I was amazed.
Hanokage: No, no (laughs). Thank you.
When adapting the TV series, did you create the storyboards (name) all at once?
Hanokage: Yes, I created storyboards for all episodes from the first to the last in one go. Since it was being released as a compiled manga rather than serialized, I tackled it all at once.
Wasn’t the page limit for the volumes a challenge?
Hanokage: Oh, absolutely! Recently, things have gotten a little more flexible (laughs), but it was really tough during the adaptation of the TV series. Compressing all 12 episodes into three volumes was no easy task (laughs). It was a tight squeeze for Rebellion as well.
Shinbo: Speaking of the manga, when the Madoka☆Magica adaptation came out, bookstores had towers of the volumes on display. That was great. Those kinds of moments were so exciting. The final volume especially made a big impact.
Hanokage: That was incredible—there was so much enthusiasm after the broadcast delay.
Hanokage-san has also illustrated the spin-off Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, which is based on the drama CDs. Since this work included more original elements, I imagine the process must have been quite challenging.
Hanokage: For that work, I tried to maintain a consistent world-building approach while keeping my own style understated but not overly restrained.
How did the exchanges with Director Shinbo and the team at Shaft unfold?
Shinbo: I reviewed the drafts they showed me. Back then, the climax that was initially planned ended up being a bit close to Rebellion's.
Hanokage: That’s right! I’d forgotten about that—it’s so nostalgic (laughs). We ended up significantly changing the final development.
That reflects a deep understanding of the work. When creating adaptations of the original series or films, what aspects do you pay particular attention to?
Hanokage: Director Shinbo told me, “Don’t make it the same as the anime storyboards; use expressions unique to manga.” So, I made sure to include some arrangements and unique expressions. For example, in Rebellion, there’s the scene where the magical girls purify a Nightmare while singing. I think I managed to create a comedic tone there—something only manga can achieve.
Shinbo: But I think what I actually said was something like, “You don’t have to stick so close to the anime” (laughs).
Hanokage: Maybe that message got slightly altered by the time it reached me through the editor (laughs).
Shinbo: What I wanted to convey was, “Don’t feel bound by the storyboards; do it in your own manga style.”
Hanokage: The Rebellion storyboards are genuinely fascinating. They make me think, “If the storyboards do this, then I’ll try doing that.”
The Development of Wraith Arc and Its Future Progression
How is the content of the story organized overall?
Hanokage: I create detailed written plot outlines. First, we hold a meeting, then refine the plot repeatedly in writing before moving to the actual storyboard process. For Wraith Arc, we worked especially meticulously on the written plot. I was also fortunate to have meetings with Inu Curry and Director Shinbo, where they provided supervision and consultation.
Shinbo: Honestly, I might not have been much help since I couldn’t answer a lot of questions (laughs). The settings related to the wraiths were things I didn’t really understand myself. Inu Curry handled much of that.
Hanokage: I’m truly grateful for Inu Curry’s contributions, especially in terms of design work.
It seems the preparation period for the project was fairly long, wasn’t it?
Hanokage: The project started around spring of last year, so it’s been over a year now. We spent all spring refining the plot, and I began working on the storyboard around summer.
So the storyboards were completed quite early?
Hanokage: I’ve already created the flow for the final chapter. Of course, things might evolve as I draw, though.
Without giving away spoilers, could you tell us a bit about what’s to come?
Hanokage: After chapter 4, the wraiths won’t appear much. It’s Wraith Arc, but (laughs)… Well, they’ll “appear but not appear,” if that makes sense. The story isn’t just about Homura fighting in a world with wraiths while her Soul Gem darkens.
I see. So even in this work, there are signature Madoka Magica-style twists…?
Hanokage: That’s right. Everything—from depicting the typical “magical girls fighting wraiths” scenes in the first two chapters to Sayaka’s appearance—connects to later developments.
Shinbo: Wraith Arc serves as a bridge within the overall Madoka Magica series. It ties the TV series’ ending to the events of the movie. Why was Homura so exhausted at the beginning of the movie? While it’s intriguing to leave that entirely up to the fans’ imaginations, having it depicted in the manga makes it easier to visualize. I’m looking forward to it myself.
Hanokage: Thank you. That’s a lot of pressure (laughs).
Editor: This project exists because it’s Hanokage, who has been deeply involved in Madoka Magica’s adaptations, taking the reins on Wraith Arc.
Shinbo: It would also be nice if the stories could be organized in chronological order when the volumes are released.
Editor: Actually, the Wraith Arc logo was designed to give the feeling of bridging Beginnings and Eternal with a touch of Rebellion, to situate Wraith Arc in between.
With the Wraith Arc serialization underway, is there any other story within Madoka Magica that you’d like to draw once this is finished?
Hanokage: What!?!? I can’t imagine that right now. For now, I’m focused entirely on Wraith Arc.
Director Shinbo, do you have any requests for Hanokage?
Shinbo: Since Wraith Arc has just begun, it’s a bit early for that (laughs). That said, I’d love to see more magical girl stories set in the Madoka Magica universe—not necessarily Madoka Magica, but perhaps “○○☆Magica.” I’d be thrilled if Hanokage-san could expand the world with various magical girls and original characters. Well, Kyubey would probably still show up, though (laughs).
Hanokage: This feels like a good moment to express my gratitude. I never imagined I’d be involved with this series for five years.
Shinbo: Not at all. On the contrary, I’d like to animate an original work by Hanokage-san someday.
Hanokage: That’s an honor. I’d love to create something original someday.
That’s exciting! What kind of work would it be?
Hanokage: It would definitely be something serious. I’m more inclined toward that than slice-of-life. Having worked on Madoka Magica for so long, my ideas naturally gravitate in that direction. Though, that might not quite fit the tone of certain magazines like Kirara (laughs).
Gallery
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Bonus B5 clear file, illustration by Naoto Nakamura -
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