contest, run by KADOKAWA, is one of Japan\u2019s leading light novel contests. Asato-sensei won the Grand Prize at the 23rd contest with her debut work.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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A<\/strong>: As for when I first began writing stories, that would be when I was in middle school. Back then, I would write stories based on ideas I came up with in elementary school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
As an elementary school student, I was also going to cram school, so I didn\u2019t have time to write until I started middle school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
M: Can you describe a typical day of writing 86?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
A<\/strong>: I usually spend about 6-8 hours a day writing, and in my free time, I like to read or watch movies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
If I\u2019m out shopping, I might also take a walk for an hour or so. I love going to museums and libraries as well, but I haven\u2019t been able to go for about a year because of the COVID-19 situation.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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M: How much of the overall story for <\/b>86<\/i><\/b>, such as setting or events, did you have planned out before you started writing? How much time did it take to plan the story and build the world?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
S<\/strong>: I had planned out most of the content of Volume 1, but I decided on details about the setting and characters\u2019 backstories as I wrote.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Asato: In total, it took me about 5-7 years to come up with everything.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
It started when I saw the movie The Mist<\/em> (2007), which takes place in a supermarket, but I wondered: \u201cWhat if it wasn\u2019t confined to just a supermarket, but covered an entire country?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
From there, I came up with the idea of \u201cEighty-Six\u201d and \u201cJuggernauts,\u201d and I started writing the story around 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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M: Did you include any aspects of your own personality into the characters from <\/b>86<\/i><\/b>?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
A<\/strong>: Like Shin, I tend to be a bit lazy or careless when I\u2019m cooking. Not quite as bad as him, though, since I season properly and remove the eggshells\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.mipon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/13073144\/img_ep05-1-1024x576.jpeg\")
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M: Were there any story elements you had started out with that you ended up not using?<\/b><\/h2>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Asato: Before 86 <\/i>became what readers are familiar with, I changed the setting three times, so there\u2019s a lot of things that were ultimately never used.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.mipon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/13073129\/img_ep05-4-1024x576.jpeg\")
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[cont]<\/p>\n
A<\/strong>: First, I had set the story in \u201ca fortressed city surrounded by mist,\u201d but I scrapped that idea completely.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Second, I came up with the setting of a near-future city surrounded by a \u201cfog of nanomachines,\u201d but I rejected that too.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThird, I thought of this twist in which Lena\u2019s and Shin\u2019s perspectives were based in different points in time.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.mipon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/13073331\/img_ep02-3-1024x576.jpeg\")
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[cont]<\/p>\n
A: Finally, I came up with the setting for <\/span>86<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>Even then, however, I made some changes when my contest entry manuscript was revised for the novel publication, such as deciding not to include a heroine who I was planning to introduce in the next part of the story.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.mipon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/13073057\/img_ep03-4-1024x576.jpeg\")
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M: How closely were you involved with the manga and anime adaptations of <\/b>86<\/i><\/b>?<\/b><\/h2>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Asato: For the manga, I approved the manuscripts and character designs and answered any questions the artist had about the story and settings.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pretty much every time, I just said \u201cWow, these are great!\u201d and had no suggestions for improvement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
The artist (Motoki Yoshihara) and staff did such a wonderful job, and I\u2019m very thankful.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
As for the anime, I attended the scriptwriting meetings, approved character designs and visuals, and answered questions about the story.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the anime adaptation, there were a lot of questions about the characters, mecha, various items\/objects, and so on. <\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Answering them all was a bit tough\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.mipon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/13073214\/img_ep06-2-1024x576.jpeg\")
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