Natsukoarts: Welcome to the Puppy Love and Hidden Relationship in Yaoi panel. This is Natsukoarts Design Studio and we will be hosting this event. We will be talking to Natsuya Uesugi this morning and discussing this topic. I hope you will stick around for the next hour for the discussion. Lets start with an introduction
Natsuya Uesugi: Thanks for having me. I am author and illustrator of the graphic noiz series, which is a yaoi novella series and manga about a bestselling writer and an amateur manga artist creating manga. I look forward to our discussion.
Natsukoarts: Tell me a little bit about why you wanted to write a yaoi story?
Natsuya Uesugi: I love yaoi in manga and wanted to lend my pen to the genre. I had been thinking about writing a story about a writer for a while and when I eventually came up with the character Noiz who is an amateur manga artist and skateboarder the idea for the series took off. I love the yaoi dynamic and this series focuses on first love or puppy love or hatsukoi and that held a lot of charm for me. Noiz is 19 so Shiro is his first real taste as a freelance artist and his first real relationship though Shiro would never say they were dating.
Natsukoarts: Why do you say they are not dating? Is it Shiro’s ego that keeps him from telling Noiz he loves him?
Natsuya Uesugi: Shiro is arrogant and stubborn. If he admits he loves Noiz then he loses some of his power. He wants to remain in control at all times. That is how he deals with his female fans, taking them out on dates and then dumping them harshly before the second date.
Natsukoarts: Tell me a little about Shiro and Noiz’ relationship. What is hidden about it?
Natsuya Uesugi: Shiro Ijima is a womanizer who dates his female fans and dumps them harshly. He would never admit that he has been with a guy before.
Natsukoarts: Would you call Shiro bisexual?
Natsuya Uesugi: His little sister would say he was gay but Shiro would never admit it. He flirts with Noiz initially in the first book in the series but pulls back when it gets more serious.
Natsukoarts: So tell me about the first book. There is no sex in it. If it is a yaoi series how do you account for that?
Natsuya Uesugi: There is sex in the later books and it is hinted at in the manga. I didn’t want to create a too erotic story because it is young adult but there are suggestive scenes and there is enough sex in book 4 to get the readers excited. The first book is setting up the characters and their situation of working on the Fissure manga. It just needed to be done in later volumes.
Natsukoarts: So what is hidden about Shiro and Noiz?
Natsuya Uesugi: Well, Noiz is 19 years old and still trying to sort out his feelings. Early in book one he is enamoured by Shiro and wants to know why he was interested in his art at ComicCon when they first meet. Noiz is confused by Shiro but in reality it is really Noiz’ first love and his youth and confusion add to the dynamics in their relationship because Noiz needs to understand his own feelings before he can even begin to express how he feels to Shiro.
Natsukoarts: So it Shiro the first love for Noiz?
Natsuya Uesugi: Noiz was in a short term relationship in college and he had been burned in high school by bullies who found out he was gay. This caused Noiz to leave high school early and it had an effect on him. He doesn’t want to open up and I think his feelings confuse him. With Shiro constantly teasing and pulling back in the subsequent volumes and Shiro’s own damage and arrogance it is no wonder that Noiz is confused about how he feels.
Natsukoarts: graphic noiz is soft yaoi right? Is there sex in the manga?
Natsuya Uesugi: There is some in the manga but it is mostly behind closed doors as the story is young adult YA, I didn’t want to get into full on erotica, this story is not the place for that. Critics and reviewers have said that graphic noiz shows a positive view of a gay relationship. I am currently working on graphic noiz manga 3 and there will be more sensuality in the series and the artwork if I can pull off the illustrations. Again I am working to create something YA not erotica. There is a place for erotica but graphic noiz is not it.
Natsukoarts: Does Shiro actually like Noiz or is he just using him for some reason. Shiro has a complicated personality and history of abuse by his mentor. Can Shiro actually really love someone?
Natsuya Uesugi: Shiro is complicated but he does feel deeply for Noiz and I think that throws him off. Shiro can be cruel to Noiz at times and be belittling and insulting. He teases the artist often and approaches, tempting, then pulls back which leaves Noiz constantly on edge and unable to get his footing around Shiro because he never really knows what the writer feels. This is the same reason Shiro never says “I love you” to Noiz. He will tell him “Suki desu” in Japanese which can have the same meaning but he plays it down so as not to become vulnerable to give in to his feelings. Shiro wants to be in control. If he admits he likes Noiz and is in a relationship then he loses or at least that is how Shiro sees it.
Natsukoarts: So tell me about why this is yaoi and not gay romance? Why did you classify it as this. Wouldn’t romance get you further along and get into a more popular genre?
Natsuya Uesugi: I wrote a blog post once that I would never write a romance story. Calling it yaoi keeps to that but also shows that Shiro will never admit he is in a relationship. You might call it a little one sided that Shiro is actually using Noiz but it is not sinister like that. Shiro needs to protect himself and his heart from pain based on his past devastation by his mentor Katsuhiro Watanabe. Shiro is just trying to protect himself and at the same time this ends up potentially hurting Noiz.
Natsukoarts: Does Noiz love Shiro?
Natsuya Uesugi: In the first few volumes it is setup for the story and Noiz is more impressed with the bestselling writer. He doesn’t know why Shiro a famous author would be interested in him to be in a relationship or even for his art as he is an amateur and Shiro is famous. Shiro could have any artist to illustrate the Fissure manga but in the end he chose Noiz. Noiz is a little suspicious about this at the beginning. It is only once Noiz realizes that Shiro was the mangaka of Dawn and used to illustrate manga himself and that their styles are similar does Noiz begin to understand where Shiro is coming from.
Natsukoarts: Does Shiro even tell Noiz that he loves him?
Natsuya Uesugi: Shiro tells Noiz he wants to be with him and that he is the most important person in his world and the only thing he cares about besides his Fissure series. But I think Shiro never comes out really and says I love you to Noiz. I would have to go back and check to make sure.
Natsukoarts: The relationship between Shiro and Noiz seems to mature as you go through the books until we get to volume 4 where everything seems to fall apart. Did you create chaos on purpose when you wrote that volume?
Natsuya Uesugi: I wanted the unspoken relationship between the artist and the writer to devolve. In book 3 Shiro takes to the streets on a drug binge and this affects him as he gets depressed and hurt about Katsuhiro coming back in his life. This is the focus on the second manga and we see all the damage to Shiro that Katsuhiro does coming back into his life. Noiz is along for the ride and when Noiz is hurt in a hate crime when punks beat him up, then Shiro reacts and goes on a bender unable to face the situation emotionally because it brings back memories of Katsuhiro.
Natsukoarts: Tell me a little bit more about hatsukoi or first love/puppy love.
Natsuya Uesugi: When Shiro was 19 his mentor Katsuhiro molested him and controlled his every action as he helped him get the Dawn manga published. Shiro fell prey to the older man and was abused mentally, emotionally and physically. Some of this dynamic plays into every relationship or interaction Shiro has had after Katsuhiro left the picture and Shiro thought he was dead. This shaped the writer and made him hard and aloof. Shiro tries not to rely on people or does not need people in his life who can use him and hurt him again. He chooses to isolate which is his protection mechanism.
Natsukoarts: But Shiro needs Noiz to illustrate the Fissure scifi manga, right?
Natsuya Uesugi: Yes, it starts out like that with Shiro just using Noiz as a cheap alternative to illustrate his manga but relatively quickly the author becomes enamoured by the young artist. It takes Shiro off guard because Noiz is someone who he doesn’t truly understand who seems to look up to him. Shiro is used to lies and manipulation from Katsuhiro and the publisher’s constant demands on him as an author so when Noiz comes into his life as a youthful innocent it reminds Shiro of who he was when Katsuhiro first came into the picture before the abuse. It renews Shiro’s innocence but also shoves it in his face.
Natsukoarts: So, does Noiz think he is in a relationship with Shiro?
Natsuya Uesugi: He kind of acts like that at times but Shiro throws him off keeping the artist on edge so he can’t define their interactions. This unsettles Noiz and we see him talking to his artist friend Shawn to try to sort out his feelings. Noiz likes Shiro but all he ends up doing is hurt the writer unintentionally partially because he is young and also because he is not totally in touch with his feelings.
Natsukoarts: Do you plan to get more explicit around sex in later volumes of the manga? What about volume 3?
Natsuya Uesugi: I want to draw sex into manga volume 3 but I need to ensure I can execute it. I do all the story, dialogue, character designs, formatting the book and illustration so it is basically limited by what I can draw. I want to do it for volume 3. I am currently working on the script for that volume.
Natsukoarts: Will you go hard yaoi for volume 3?
Natsuya Uesugi: We are still a YA manga so there is a limit on what I can draw and am willing to delve into. I want to keep most of it “lights out” but I think I can have a scene or two if I can figure out how to draw it. I want Shiro and Noiz’ relationship to mature as it does in the novellas and that means I need to get into it.
Natsukoarts: Will Shiro ever tell Noiz I love you?
Natsuya Uesugi: Maybe. I am still working on that for the manga. Noiz is in love and would do anything for Shiro including take his abuse and use of the artist without complaining. Shiro is at times horrible to Noiz and even insults him all due to his arrogance and wanting to keep himself from being hurt. In the end I think Noiz is actually stronger than Shiro. Noiz fights back at times but ends up backing down and most of the time Shiro wins.
Natsukoarts: Wow, I never thought you would say that. Shiro seems really strong and arrogant, a wanker at times.
Natsuya Uesugi: Yes, Shiro is a wanker but a lot of that is because of the abuse he endured at the hands of Katsuhiro. He is just trying to protect himself from future pain. When Katsuhiro comes back into his life we see how vulnerable Shiro really is and he starts to rely on Noiz more for his emotional support even though he does it in a hurtful manner.
Natsukoarts: What does puppy love mean to you? Can you relate?
Natsuya Uesugi: I have my own 19 year old situation in my past with puppy love and my hatsukoi. When you are 19 everything is perfect even if it was abusive. You forget all that and only remember how wonderful it was. I am over it now. The only love relationship I will write about is Shiro and Noiz. I have learned my lesson and have grown from it. I will use what I learned to help Noiz grow and keep from getting hurt by Shiro.
Natsukoarts: Sounds like you got burned?
Natsuya Uesugi: Love is overrated. I wrote a blog post I will never write romance and I will stick to that. Shiro and Noiz are not romance. It is yaoi, they are not in a relationship or at least Shiro will never admit it. Maybe I have him slip once when he is drunk but no way, no how would Shiro stoop to saying he needed to be with Noiz to live a happy life. It won’t happen. Won’t do it.
Natsukoarts: At least you have your priorities straight. I guess Shiro will keep to “Suki desu.”
Natsuya Uesugi: Keeps Shiro in control.
Natsukoarts: So what can we anticipate from graphic noiz this year?
Natsuya Uesugi: Work has started on the script for graphic noiz manga 3 and we will illustrate it later this year. And the final novella in the series graphic noiz: book 6 is currently 80% written. That is what is coming. I am so looking forward to getting the next manga underway and I want this volume to be my best yet.
Natsukoarts: How has graphic noiz been doing?
Natsuya Uesugi: The graphic noiz manga and novellas are getting reviews and reads and the graphic noiz manga are solidly in the Top 100 in LGBT Manga with graphic noiz 1 being #9 in LGBT manga for multiple weeks.
Natsukoarts: Good for you. I hope graphic noiz can continue to gain fans. It is a great story and a good addition to the LGBT manga genre. Not many authors will include gay and bi, as well as transgender characters in their manga. I applaud you for doing just that.
Natsuya Uesugi: Thanks.
Natsukoarts: Where can we find you next?
Natsuya Uesugi: 27 February 2018, I will be doing an online panel on The Seer of Grace ad Fire Facebook page on Worldbuilding.
Natsukoarts: Thanks for stopping by Natsuya. I look forward to more graphic noiz in the coming year.
Natsuya Uesugi: Thanks. Had fun. I support Natsukoarts Design Studio’s work in getting more young readers and artists to take up the pen and start writing and creating manga. Thanks for having me. Check out more graphic noiz on Facebook and all the volumes are available here on the grydsacen website on the Other Works page.