writer/illustrator
Interview/
I like Japanese style
age10’s interview began with a nervous look on his face as he sat straight between his mother and the manager in the tatami room of the soba restaurant he frequents. Mom watches over the situation.
age10thank you.
MahoHe is currently in the fourth grade of elementary school (at the time of the interview).
age10yes.
MahoAmazing… it feels solid.
age10(Speaking quickly while bowing) Thank you.
managerI’ve grown up a lot.
MahoOh, it’s been a while since you met your manager?
managerI agree.
HashimotoWe met occasionally when we were little.
managerDuring the coronavirus pandemic, we started having meetings remotely, and we were looking at each other’s faces through the screen, but…I was still young at that time. I’m surprised she’s grown so much.
MahoI also use honorific language.
age10I’m still young at home (obviously).
Maho(lol).
managerWhen I met her, she didn’t use “desu” yet!
HashimotoThat may be true (lol).
MahoDo you remember when you started using honorific language?
age10I’ve been in the 3rd grade of elementary school since I was a student.
MahoWere you conscious of using honorific language?
age10After I became a third year student, I gradually started to think that it would be better to use honorific language. When I entered fourth grade, my teacher…I may sound a bit harsh, but he was very strict…so I started to prioritize the use of honorific language, yes.
MahoDid Mr. Hashimoto notice?
HashimotoWhen I went to school on a visit day, I saw him talking to the teacher and thought, “Oh, that’s honorific language.” Until about second grade, I was like a friend to my teacher.
MahoDo your friends around you feel the same way?
age10Yeah, well, yes. That’s relatively true. However, I decided to use honorific language because I thought it would be better to do it myself instead of trying to match it.
MahoYou said the teacher was strict, but what about the other kids in the class?
age10The kids in other classes… well, yes, some of them are a bit naughty.
MahoHow many classes are there?
age10There are 4 classes.
HashimotoHow many people are there in each class?
age10There are 27 people.
MahoWell, since it’s class 4…
age10There are over 100 students per grade in 27×4.
Hashimoto(Seeing him sitting straight for a long time) You can also use your feet as a daran.
age10No, it’s actually easier to sit seiza.
Mahoreally? Aren’t your feet numb?
age10yes.
MahoDo you do kendo or something?
age10No, I haven’t done that. I like Japanese style.
MahoJapanese style! (lol)
Hashimoto(lol).
MahoSon, do you feel a little nervous?
HashimotoThat’s right (lol). I guess it’s quite stiff (lol). I wish it were more normal.
age10Well, I think I’ll leave it at that (with a straight face).
Hashimoto&Maho(lol).
Hashimoto-san and age10-kun.
I tell my mom everything, whether it’s sad or happy.
Age 10 was still a little nervous about his first interview, but when his favorite tempura and zaru soba arrived, he smiled.
MahoI like tempura and soba.
age10yes. People often say I’m bitter.
MahoWhat do you like about tempura?
age10Shrimp, perilla….
MahoSweet potatoes?
age10Sweet potatoes are a little…
MahoIs it okay to use university potatoes?
age10Yes, no.
MahoRoasted potatoes or sweet potatoes too?
age10(sounding distressed) Yes, that’s right… no.
HashimotoI’m a bit of a picky eater, but it seems like I’m trying to eat something at school lunch.
MahoAh, I don’t eat it at home, but at school.
age10I always try to get a bite of milk at school lunch, but the thing I can’t resist the most is milk.
MahoOne bite goes.
age10I have to have a bite, so I’ll do my best.
MahoThat’s right.
age10However, you can’t eat milk, but you can eat cream stew.
HashimotoI entered the school right around the time the coronavirus outbreak began, so school lunches were basically silent meals.
MahoReally. But I guess it’s back a lot now?
age10yes. It’s not good to talk with something in your mouth. Sometimes, during school lunch, someone laughs and blows the music (lol).
MahoLooks like an elementary school student (lol).
age10Sometimes, but only occasionally (lol).
HashimotoI also did age10 once.
age10Yes, I blew it before too (lol).
MahoIt’s fun (lol).
age10And my friend who made me laugh also laughed at me (lol).
MahoHey (lol).
age10In front of me, all the members of Group 2…were blowing (lol).
MahoA picture of hell (lol).
HashimotoWhat made you laugh?
age10Last time, when I was eating it by putting it in my mouth, I was told that it was a squirrel.
MahoIf your mom knows that age 10-kun blew his hair, then she’s talking about what happened at school, right?
age10Yes, I talk a lot. I’ll talk about all the sad things and the happy things.
I went to climb Mt. Takao!
What is “ability war”?
age10This is currently very popular in class…
MahoYes Yes.
age10It’s an eraser pin.
MahoAh, the one that flicks the eraser off the desk. It was there when I was a child. I think they were talking about eraser sumo or eraser dropping…
age10Now we are all creating new rules.
MahoHmm! It’s burning.
age10yes! I’m doing great. Really.
MahoDoes that mean any eraser is fine?
age10Yes, anything is fine. However, there are no modified erasers that are combined with things other than erasers.
MahoI see.
age10However, some people assemble the blueprints used in the cube class and put an eraser inside and use it as an eraser pin.
Mahopicture! Does that exist?
age10That’s… yes.
MahoIs that true? (laughs)
age10It’s not a modification of the eraser, it’s a vehicle for the eraser.
MahoYeah! (LOL) What, that rule! (lol)
HashimotoIt’s like an eraser car (lol).
age10However, I use a combination of an eraser and an eraser.
MahoAfter all, the heavier the better.
age10The heavier the better, but if it’s too heavy you won’t be able to fly it. Some people remove the eraser cover and attach tape to it to make it slippery.
MahoIt’s kind of amazing (lol). In a magical world…
age10Normally, if the eraser falls, you lose, but now that concept has been erased.
MahoEh, what do you mean!?
age10There was a new rule that we all came up with…
MahoI wonder what it is, I’m so excited.
age10The new rule is… “Ability War”.
Maho…Ability, power, war, conflict!
age10Each eraser has a special ability.
MahoAn eraser…? Special ability…?
age10For example, you can revive yourself after falling outside.
all adultsHuh…
MahoDoes that mean they each have different abilities?
age10yes. You can think freely. However, there are no cheats.
MahoThat being said…
age10It’s no good to be cheating. If you are too strong, you will be banned.
MahoBAN (lol).
age10And, in fact, there is still a battle that is one level above the ability war…
MahoIs it still there? (lol)
age10“Superpower War”.
MahoThat’s crazy (lol).
My eraser is my buddy
In the supernatural war, the number of resurrections increases, warp becomes possible… It seems like everyone is using their favorite abilities and things are getting quite chaotic. However, it seems like the swamp is still deep…age10-kun’s erasing pin talk won’t stop.
age10My eraser is quite special. You often see erasers shaped like bread.
MahoAh, that thing that looks like a loaf of bread?
age10That’s it. I use it by attaching it to a regular eraser. It has a special ability that if the opponent hits the bread, it will explode and fly away.
MahoMr. Hashimoto, have you ever seen that eraser?
HashimotoOh, yes. Yes (laughs). We did it together.
MahoAn eraser pin?
HashimotoYes (lol).
MahoAfter all, when you go to the stationery corner, do you always end up looking at other erasers?
age10No, that’s not it. It’s like my partner.
MahoStrong sense of duty.
age10However, what is currently popular in the eraser pin world is…
MahoEraser pin world (lol).
age10yes. Words like that are also appearing. “Monaka” is popular in the eraser pin world. Erasers similar to “Choco Monaka Jumbo” are durable, have strong attack power, and seem to be the strongest.
MahoHey!
age10Everyone is starting to go to Monaca, and there is even a “Monaca CUP” made up of Monaca fans.
MahoMonaca CUP~!!! Age10-kun doesn’t have Monaca?
age10I don’t have it. My eraser is my buddy.
MahoAh, that’s right (lol).
age10People who love eraser pins have separate erasers for erasers and class erasers. …That’s me.
Maho(LOL).
age10That’s me.
MahoI said it twice (lol). How long has it been popular?
age10It’s been around the second semester.
MahoAh, so it hasn’t been a year yet.
age10It’s now a standard game. Actually today…
MahoYeah.
age10There was a proposal to have a “polar ability war.”
MahoEh, eh, eh.
age10I thought, “This is really dangerous, isn’t it?” I was like, “I can’t finish it.” So I canceled it.
MahoThat’s right (laughs).
age10-kun’s “buddy”.
Uses a combination of Tombow Pencil’s MONO eraser and a bread-shaped eraser.
I like “Shangri-La”.I also have an attachment to it.
MahoWhat do you like to eat at home?
age10Croquettes, hamburgers, curry, and yakiniku…
MahoYes Yes.
age10Also, it’s a salad roll. Eat cucumbers, eggs, and crab sticks wrapped in vinegared rice.
MahoSuddenly refreshing!
age10That’s what I eat at home. I only eat cucumbers like that.
Age10 also loves mandarin oranges.
MahoDo you like music?
age10I love it.
MahoWhat kind of music do you like?
age10I also like the music of my father (vocalist and guitarist Shoichi Ikari from tacica) and mother, and of course I love Vocaloid.
MahoOf course, what!
age10I also like BGM without songs.
MahoHey~.
age10I like game songs, and sometimes I even like anime ending songs.
MahoSpecifically, for example…
age10I like songs that are played on drums.
Mahodrum?
age10I’m learning drums.
MahoThat’s right! Did you want to do it yourself?
age10yes. I’ve wanted to play something like a percussion instrument for quite some time. Drums are difficult. But it’s also rewarding, and the teachers are kind.
MahoHey.
age10I’m learning it and I think it’s good.
He seems to be practicing Spitz songs.
MahoHow long have you been doing it?
age10About 2 years.
MahoSo, are you part of a music club or something similar to club activities?
age10No, it’s table tennis. But I’m not as good at table tennis as I thought. More than anything, I think I’ll laugh out loud at what was such a shock…
MahoEh, what?
age10I didn’t know the rules of table tennis until the end of my four years of club activities.
MahoHahahaha!
age10I played table tennis according to my mood without knowing the rules.
MahoHe explained the rules for erasing pins in such detail.
age10No, eraser pins became popular after my club activities ended.
MahoWell, anyway.
age10I remember the rules of the game. I wonder where they are using their brains.
Maho(lol).
age10Where do you use your brain capacity? I think so myself.
MahoInteresting (lol). So, 5 years will be a music club?
age10Well, I’m thinking of going in.
MahoWhen it comes to drums, do you get any advice from your mom or dad?
age10Yes, I will. When I write sheet music for homework, I ask, “Is it correct?” I started saying that I wanted to do it myself. I’m going to try my best.
Mahoamazing. I’m impressed. Have you ever seen your mom’s live performance?
age10Yes, I have seen their live performance in Tokushima.
Mahohow was it?
age10Yes, it was amazing. I thought, “Wow, that’s amazing!”
HashimotoStop it.
age10Because I really mean it! As expected.
MahoThat’s nice.
age10I also love music, so I respect my father and mother.
MahoDo you have a favorite song?
age10Well, they’re all good, but I like “Shangri-La” (a single released by Chatmonchy in 2006). I also have an attachment to it.
MahoThat’s right.
age10I’m glad I was born to such a person…
HashimotoWell, it’s embarrassing.
age10…I decided today that I would praise him during the interview.
Maho(lol).
There are parts of her that are extremely elementary school-like, and parts that are strangely solid. Also, he has a unique sense of humor! I still wanted to talk! I’m sure you’ll be talking to your mom and dad a lot about what happened at school today. I would love to see you play drums someday!
age10-kun has a unique atmosphere.
Eriko Hashimoto
Born in Tokushima Prefecture in 1983. In 2000, he formed Chatmonchy in his hometown of Tokushima, and is in charge of guitar and vocals. In November 2005, he made his major debut with his mini album “chatmonchy has come”. After releasing 21 singles and 7 original albums, they concluded their activities with the event “Chatmonchy’s Tokushima Konazonson Festival 2018 ~Everyone, come along!~” held in Tokushima in July 2018. He opened an official website in September 2019 and began his solo career. In December 2021, he released his 1st solo album “Burning the Diary,” and in April 2024 he released his 2nd album “Machiyo Machiyo.” He is also involved in activities such as providing music and singing commercial songs, and is in charge of writing and composing the song in the movie “Ikoku Nikki” to be released on June 7, 2024.
Eriko Hashimoto official website
Eriko Hashimoto (@HashimotoEriko_) | X
Shimaomaho
Writer and illustrator born in Tokyo in 1978. He made his debut as a writer in 1997 while studying at Tama Art University with the manga “High School Girl Goriko”. Since then, she has published works such as “Tavillion,” “Bonyari Komachi,” “Shima Maho’s Hitori Olive Research Team,” “Maho-chan’s House,” “Manga Maho-chan,” “Girlfriend,” “Souvenir,” and “Kazokutte.” The latest edition is “Shimaomaho no Oshiete Kodomo NOW!” He has also appeared at numerous events and radio programs. His father is photographer Shinzo Shimao, his mother is photographer Tokuko Shiota, and his grandfather is novelist Toshio Shimao.
Maho Shimao (@mahomahowar) | X
shimao maho (@mahomahowar) | Instagram
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