This is a copy of an article in Animerica Volume 9:

In July 2000 Inu-Yasha creator Rumiko Takahashi was a guest at San
Diego's Comic-Con International, only her second visit to America in 10
years. At the time of the interview, the anime version of Inu-Yasha was
still in production and had yet to debut on Japanese television, but
anticipation was already building for the first TV series based on a
Takahashi manga since the Ranma 1/2 television series ended in Japan
half a decade earlier.

Takahashi's involvement with the Inu-Yasha anime series was minimal,
extending only to approving the production designs and maybe request for
a voice-actor or two (Kappei Yamaguchi, who played boy-type Ranma in
Ranma 1/2, voices the main character Inu-Yasha, Kagome is played by
Satsuki Yukino, a voice actor new to anime), but the artist expressed
confidence that the anime version of the work would be one to look
forward to.

"Sunrise is doing the Inu-Yasha anime--they are the ones that did
Gundam," Takahashi said of the anime production. "Sunrise specializes in
action, so I think that might be a special feature of the Inu-Yasha
anime. Also, I am looking forward to seeing how the drama will be
unfolded in the anime."

-----------------------
(What follows is a transcript of the Takahashi Interview)

ANIMERICA: Let's start with a question about Ranma 1/2. The martial arts
are used quite a bit in Ranma. Where did you get the idea to use martial
arts?

TAKAHASHI: Ranma was originally [conceived] to be a martial arts manga-
-connecting all aspects of everyday lifee to the martial arts. Ranma
makes martial arts connections even to things that would normally have
nothing to do with them. That's why all these strange types of martial
arts keep coming up in the show.

A: Connections are often made between martial arts and food.

T: That may just be because I love to eat.

A: You love to eat...does that mean you do lot of cooking?

T: I cook occasionally.

A: What is your favorite food?

T: Just the normal--rice and something to go with it(okazu). I'm not too
picky--I eat anything.

A: Do you make okonomiyaki?

T: I've never made it myself, but I like it.

A: Have you ever practiced martial arts?

T: No.

A: Or perhaps do you watch a lot of kung fu movies?

T: I used to watch a lot of Jackie Chan movies. There is also, of
course, Bruce Lee and Enter the Dragon.

A: In previous interviews, you have mentioned that you like to watch
professional wrestling and sumo. Do you have any favorite professional
wrestlers or sumo wrestlers?

T: In sumo, I like Akebono, because he always seems to win the
tournaments.

A: And in professional wrestling?

T: As for wrestling, I've never watched male professional wrestling-
-never gone to a live wrestling match. BBut with female wrestling, I
really like a wrestler named Manami Toyota.

A: Are there any characters in Ranma that are based on people you know?

T: No, there aren't.

A: Or perhaps have you been influenced by movies?

T: No, I don't think so.

A:You originally created all the characters?

T: I've never thought, "Oh, I want to use this person[as a character]/"
I don't think I've created any such characters.

A: Akane's character says she doesn't like boys. Why is this?

T: Well, as you read the story, you discover that this isn't true. She
has unrequited feelings for a man, but this man has feelings for Akane's
sister. So I think Akane's unresolved feelings become expressed as: "I
don't like boys." I think it is easy to understand if interpreted in
this way.

A: When you were younger, were you a tomboy like Akane?

T: No, when I was a kid, I was always drawing. I was never very
athletic.

A: Always manga.

T: Yes.

A: Ranma is a bit standoffish and cool, and each of the characters seems
to have an odd flaw. Could you comment on that?

T: What sort of comment should I make?

A: Well, all the characters are flawed and...

T: I think that perfect people are not very interesting. Particularly in
the case of a comedy, each person has a flaw and this ties the laughs
together or perhaps draws sympathy from the reader. That's not the
reason for this, but most of my characters have a sort of foolish side
to them. It could be just a habit of mine.

A: Let's move on to Inuyasha. There are many grotesque monsters that
appear in Inu-Yasha. Are the monsters you create based on old myths and
legends?

T: There are some that are so: the design of the ghosts, demons,
dragons, and the hebi no bakemono kappa demon ("snake kappa demon") are
all from Japanese legend. But over half are my original creations.

A:The Inu-Yasha story is darker and more serious than Ranma. Is this a
change within yourself, or because you wanted to do something new?

T: I wanted to do something that was not a comedy. And I'm doing it to
head in a new direction.

A: Are there any particular reasons that you set the story in the
Sengoku era?

T: Perhaps because it is relatively easier to extract a ghost story from
that time period. I didn't think that deeply about it. It's just that in
the Sengoku era, there was war, and lots of people died. For a ghost to
appear and kill a lot of people in the present day--although I gues
there are some manga like that--but for my manga, I thought that if I
set the story in the Sengoku era, it could be portrayed more softly. The
cruelty becomes softer, I think.

A: To set the story in the Sengoku era, did you gather materials and
research?

T: It's not that I did that much research for the purpose of Inu-Yasha,
I just used the knowledge that people would know even as a child, such
as the image of a samurai wearing armor and riding horses--from that
type of perspective. Also, for example, say castles and from a certain
time took a particualr type of form. There are many different forms of
castles, but after a certain period of time passes, castles become more
grandiose and I can say that Inu-Yasha is set before that time.

A: As Kagome and Inu-Yasha's relationship develops, they seem to be
moving backwards, and even now there are some ambigous aspects. Will
this ever be resolved?

T: Hmmm, yes...I would like it to be. I don't really know what will
happen until I actually write it, but I am writing with the hope that it
will be resolved.

A: So you, yourself, don't know what is going to happen?

T: At this point I don't really know what will happen.

A: Kagome is the reincarnation of Kikyo's character, but in terms of
personality the two characters are very different. The same person has
two personalities, and Inu-Yasha is attracted to both personalities--is
there any deep meaning to this?

T: There isn't really any deep meaning. In terms of reincarnation,
Kagome is not really a personality that is part of Kikyo. Kagome as
Kagome should let her individuality come out, and Kikyo is already a
very original person in expressing her individuality, and I think the
story will get more and more interesting as this continues.

A: Even if Kikyo is already dead?

T: Yes, even if she's dead.

A: What is the Shikon no Tama (Jewel of Four Souls) that is such a key
element to the plot?

T: That could possibly be made gradually clearer as we get closer to the
end of the story.

A: Is it something that is historically based?

T: No, it isn't.

A; So when it comes to comes to writing your own stories, be it Inu-
Yasha or Ranma, the endings are not set beforehand, are they?

T: No, they are not. It's better if I think about it on the spot. To
force your characters to go in a direction that you have preconceived-
-that manga will most certainly not be vvery interesting. What you think
is best on the spot, right before you take a step and go forward and
make the path--I think that is what creating manga is all about. That's
the best way for me to create manga.

A: I'd like to go back to some more general questions. Are there any
manga that you are currently reading?

T: Manga that I am currently reading...? I am reading many, but most of
them aren't popular in America. So maybe people won't know of them.

A: Anime and manga are becoming increasingly popular in the United
States, and your work is perhaps the most popular. What do you think
about having so many fans from a different country?

T: I am very happy. That manga I originally created for Japanese
children... Especially in my case, because I write a lot of comedy, I
feel that comedy is very powerful. There's nothing better; I couldn't be
more pleased that such a variety of people can read my work and laugh.

A: Do you read American comics?

T: There are a number of titles I collect. One of them, of course, is
Spider-man.

A: Using Spider-man as a reference, what do you think are the
differences between manga and American comics?

T: Hmm...In a certain sense, the quality, the art of American comics is
very high. I think the element of storytelling through images is strong
with American comics. Japanese manga are really... manga can be created
even without drawing any action into them. Even boring everyday things,
such as portraying that it's a really hot day or that someone is really
hungry--even just that is enough for manga. O guess it's a difference of
how people see the world, what people think makes a story. I believe
that's where the difference lies.

A: Do you think that difference [between American comics and manga] is
one of the reasons that your work is so popular in America?

T: I don't think about the difference when I am creating manga. For me,
all there was since I was born was manga, and I created my manga from
there.

A: How does it feel to be one fo the top manga artists of Japan?

T: Umm..I feel I must work hard.

A: So that your poularity won't drop?

T: What I mean by that is if by being at the top means that you manga
sells a lot, that means that all those people are reading your manga,
are enjoying your manga, and that is a wonderful thing. For that reason,
in order for those readers to continue reading, I must work hard.

A: Many manga artists are currently using such things as computers to
create their work. Do you think you will use such things in your work in
the near future.

T: I would like to use such things if I am able to. It's just that if
you aren't able to use them well, then people can tell that you are
using them--for such things as coloring. If Macs become easier to use,
and cheaper, then perhaps I will use them.

A: Do you have a Mac?

T: No, I don't. I won't get one until they become much easier to use.

A: So you don't own a computer?

T: No, I do not.

A: In closing, do you have anything you would like to say to your
American fans?

T: Yes. Everyone in America, thank you very much for reading my manga.
Currently, I am working on Inu-Yasha. It will be a number of years
before the series ends, but in the fall Inu-Yasha will become an anime.
If you are able to see it, please support it. I am always trying to work
hard and do my best, and hope all of you are doing the same. If you get
tired, please relax and read some manga,

(End)