Manga artist Haruko Ichikawa: I thought about why I like her

This is Inui from the Quality Control Department.
I seem to have a strong sense of curiosity, and when it comes to books, movies, music, etc. that I like, I want to research them thoroughly.
By putting things into words, you can re-appreciate the appeal of the thing itself, so I think writing articles on the Monosasu site and introducing it at book clubs is a good opportunity.
Maybe it's because of my personality, but when asked why I like it, I can only answer with a vague "just because." and I feel bad about that.
This time, I thought wholeheartedly about my favorite manga artist, Ichikawa Haruko, and why I love her so much. I would also like to share with you what makes her so appealing.

About Haruko Ichikawa

A manga artist born in Chiba Prefecture in 1980. He made his debut in 2006 with "Mushi to Uta" (Bugs and Songs), which won the 2006 Summer Shiki Grand Prize at the Afternoon Shiki Awards. His first full-length work, "Houseki no Kuni" (Land of the Lustrous), began in 2012 and was ranked 10th in the men's edition of "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2014".

In addition to manga, he has been involved in a variety of other endeavors, including designing the vinyl record jacket for Hoshino Gen's "Sakura no Mori."

Gen Hoshino "Sakura no Mori" Analog Record Victor Entertainment (2014/12/17) ( Amazon )

Introducing the works

Insects and songs

Haruko Ichikawa "Insects and Songs: The Collected Works of Haruko Ichikawa" Kodansha (2009/11/20) ( Amazon )

This is a collection of short stories that consist of stand-alone works, and is the author's first published work.
Winner of the New Artist Award at the 14th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.
Of the five stories, "Secret" is a new work.

Vacation at 25

Haruko Ichikawa "Vacation at 25: Haruko Ichikawa Works Collection (2)" Kodansha (2009/11/20) ( Amazon )

This was the first of Ichikawa Haruko's works that I read, and it is the second in her collection of short stories.
In the book's title, "Vacation at 25," the oceanographer's body is eaten away by shellfish. I introduced it at the book club, but the conversations between the shellfish are just so cute.
Since reading this, whenever I eat seafood I sometimes imagine, "Maybe I could be like that too..."

Land of the Lustrous

This is his first long-form work, currently being serialized in "Monthly Afternoon". It has also been made into an anime.
The main characters are the gems, and the story depicts their daily lives and battles with the "Moon People" who come to steal them.
We also recommend the special edition for its luxurious extras.

Haruko Ichikawa "Land of the Lustrous (1)" Kodansha (July 23, 2013) ( Amazon )

This is a 32-page mini art book from the special edition of volume 7 of "Land of the Lustrous." The cover is a newly drawn illustration of the main character, Phosphophyllite (hardness 3.5), which has been processed to look plump.

Haruko Ichikawa "Land of the Lustrous (7)" Kodansha (May 23, 2017) ( Amazon )

Meeting Haruko Ichikawa

I first encountered it at Mandarake in Nakano. One day, while I was wandering around the manga section, I picked up "Vacation at 25." The title looked interesting, and I thought the cover was cute.
I tend to buy things based on the cover (the impression the package gives) even when it's not just manga. Since I might as well buy a new one, I wrote down the title and author on my smartphone.

Later, when I looked up Ichikawa Haruko, I found out that she lived in Hokkaido, and at that point I was in love with her.
Maybe it's because my father is from Hokkaido, but I seem to have the ability to sniff out Hokkaido elements, and when I find out that someone I'm interested in is from or lives in Hokkaido, I strangely find myself thinking, "See, I thought so."
In fact, my favorite band Error and Ichiro from Sakanaction are both from Hokkaido.

Also, I really like the names of things I like, and I think whether I would want my own name to be like that is a good gauge of how much I like something.
For example, I like Fruche, so I think I'd be a little happy if my nickname was Fruche.
As for Ichikawa Haruko, I also want to be "Haruko" (or Ichikawa would be fine), so I think I really like her.

The charm of Haruko Ichikawa

I think that when it comes to manga, preferences vary greatly depending on the art style.
Some people say, "It's interesting, but I don't really like the illustrations," but what I like about Ichikawa Haruko's illustrations is that the people she draws are delicate and pale, with small noses and eyes that aren't too big.

I also like the architecture that appears in the story. Many of them have high ceilings, and the staircases and pillars look great. As I read, I think to myself, I want to live there, I want to go to those places.

Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Insects and Songs: Haruko Ichikawa Works Collection" Star Lover, page 7, Kodansha, 2009

Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Land of the Lustrous" Volume 6, page 72, Kodansha, 2016

Another attractive feature is that there are many mysterious settings.
In "Insects and Songs" and "Vacation at 25:00," there are stories about losing and regenerating body parts.
Although there are some creepy parts in the process, it is by no means a scary story, and the balance between the dialogue and the art style is exquisite, giving it a strange beauty.

Now, I'd like to introduce three specific recommended points from the currently serialized "Land of the Lustrous."

Recommended point 1
A world that could really exist

You may be wondering why the main character is a gem in the first place.
They have humanoid appearances and each has a different, unique personality, such as loving to talk about love or being a battle maniac.
All of the gems that appear are real minerals, and the setting that their hardness is proportional to their fighting power feels somehow convincing.
I think they live a life similar to ours: playing, fighting, sleeping, and waking up in the morning. (I've never seen a meal scene.)
An enemy called the "Moon People" comes from the moon to attack them in order to use them as ornaments.

Here is the prologue about the origins of this country that appears at the beginning of Episode 1.

This planet was visited by six meteors, waned six times, gave birth to six moons, and became weak and emaciated. When the land was reduced to a single beach, all living things fled to the sea, and on the poor beach, creatures adapted to the barren environment appeared.

When there was still only one moon, some of the prosperous creatures were too late to escape and sank into the ocean. They were eaten by microscopic creatures living on the ocean floor, reborn as inorganic matter, and over a long period of time they formed regular patterns and turned into crystals, which were washed up on the shore once again. That is us.
Quote: Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Land of the Lustrous" Volume 1, pages 18-21, Kodansha, 2016

The story takes place in the distant future, where the gems are unaware of the existence of humans.

It makes me think that the events described in the prologue might actually happen in the future.

In an interview, Ichikawa Haruko said, "Stones operate on a different time axis to ours. You could say they are immortal, and diamonds take 100 million years to be formed. What kind of daily lives do these long-lived creatures lead? I'm always thinking about this while I'm drawing."

Feature 2
A surprising line

Ichikawa Haruko also said, "The reason I draw manga is because of my curiosity to learn about the world and human beings."
Philosophical lines appear frequently, such as "I have a strong desire to grasp even a little of the secrets of human nature." My favorite line appears in volume 6.

When I asked my teacher, "Am I being cold-hearted because I rarely think about my friend even though he was taken away by the enemy?" this was his response:

It is rare for feelings and things to be resolved, and a complete and final resolution is called a miracle. It cannot be brought about by one's own power, and it will come suddenly one day. Don't let it be distorted and overlook it, and be natural to feel sad or forget.
Quote: Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Land of the Lustrous" Volume 6, page 101, Kodansha, 2016

Professor Kongou. He watches over everyone with kindness, but there are many mysteries surrounding him, so I'm scared of what will happen next.
Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Land of the Lustrous" Volume 6, page 101, Kodansha, 2016

I believe that as long as you keep this in mind, both good and bad things will be okay.

Recommendation 3
The characters are charming

The gems have long limbs, and the battle scenes with the moon people are intense yet very flexible.
Since Ichikawa Haruko studied Buddhism, the enemy's appearance seems to be based on that motif.

Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Land of the Lustrous" Volume 6, page 72, Kodansha, 2016

They shoot arrows relentlessly. The reason why the moon people attack is gradually revealed.
Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Land of the Lustrous" Volume 6, page 14, Kodansha, 2016

The story doesn't just depict life-risking battles, but also the relaxed daily lives of the soldiers and their respective roles (medical duties, clothing, strategic planning, etc.).

At the end of volume 1 of "Land of the Lustrous", in the Land of Play, there are two eyebrow-wearing girls.
Left: Euclase (hardness: 7.5) Right: Diamond (hardness: 10)
Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Land of the Lustrous" Volume 1, endnotes, Kodansha, 2013

My favorite part is seeing Watermelon Tourmaline (Melon-chan) get angry.
He gets angry and says, "Ugh, I'm mad!"

Haruko Ichikawa (author) "Land of the Lustrous" Volume 6, page 143, Kodansha, 2016

He would never say something like that when he's angry. It's a cartoon, so it's cute.
By the way, Melon becomes electrically charged when she is stressed.

What did you think? There are currently eight volumes of "Land of the Lustrous" out there, but since the release rate is about one volume every six months, even if you start reading now you can easily catch up.
As you can probably tell from the images in this article, I found myself particularly enjoying volume 6.

After thinking about it carefully, I've come to realise that I have relatively clear standards for the things I like. It's nice when I can understand the circumstances and reasons why I like something.
I plan to continue exploding my love for Ichikawa Haruko.

Reference: Interview with Haruko Ichikawa Haruko Ichikawa, a shining person right now: "I'm searching for the secrets of humanity while thinking about the 100 million years of diamonds"
April 8, 2014 https://cakes.mu/posts/5370
April 22, 2014 https://cakes.mu/posts/5371