DREAM // The Bi-Monthly Web Manga Magazine

NAME: Hiwatari Ki
FORUM NAME: KiHiwatari
LOCATION: Hong Kong/Canada
MANGAS: Turbulence, Contradiction, Autumn Love
CONTACT: Ki.Hiwatari@gmail.com
Smackjeeves: Hiwatari
DeviantArt: gumokohiiragizawa
Tokyopop: Hiwatari

MANGA: Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne
ANIME: Gundam Seed, Code Geass, Erementar Gerad, Nabari no Ou
MANGAKA: Tanemura Arina
BOOK: Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, Pride and Prejudice
WRITER: William Shakespeare, Jane Austen
SONG: Myself (Changin' My Life), Hikari (Hoshimura Mai)
I am a silent person in reality (although on the net I seem to be a talkative one =P). Currently aiming for a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering to be exact). School is tough, with loads of assignments, quizzes, exams and projects... that's why I always have my art work to keep me from tearing my books apart and keeping me calm XD Sometimes I consider this as a aplit personality and I feel cool about having an evil side as well as a normal side =D NON-MANGA-RELATED:

1. Would you rather be a cannonball or a drag queen/king?
Erm... I guess cannonball is my choice. Why? Perhaps because it is destructive and powerful *laughs*

2. How old are you?
Almost 1/4 of a century... a few years more I will be =D

3. What's the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?
The funniest thing, huh...? *thinks* I couldn't recall anything right now, perhaps later.

4. On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the craziest and 10 being the calmest, where would you go?
I will give myself an 8. I am kind of calm, unless something really outrageous happens =D when I failed an exam =P

5. If you could be anyone, who would you be?
... I want to be my other self... this is too complicated to explain... @_@

6. Where did you get the idea for the username you are currently using?
From thin air XD I don't know, seriously. I just made it up someday, somehow when I woke up.

7. How close would you say you are on achieving your goals?
Far, very far from them... Perhaps I don't really have my goals... Having goals in life is sometimes meaningless when you can never achieve them =)

8. Name your favourite commercial.
*laughs* I just recall this commercial where a fat short guy is advertising for a beauty salon (*hint*: If you are watching the Chinese channel in Vancouver/Toronto you will know which one I am talking about). It is not my favourite because it is hilarious/ridiculous =P

9. What would be one phrase that identifies you?
Erm... can I say "A random mystery"? It doesn't really mean anything, but that's what comes first to my mind.

10. If you could have any super power you want, what would it be?
Dark magic XD Okay, that's pure imaginary only.

11. What is your lucky number? Do you consider 13 unlucky?
My lucky number is 9! Every year which my student number is 9 brings me good luck XD And I don't think 13 is unlucky... it is just superstition.

12. Name a few pet peeves.
... I don't have a pet =P Okay, I know this is not the right way to answer this question... Pet peeves... anything that pisses me off =D

13. If you can rename yourself, what would it be?
If you mean renaming my real name, I will be Hiwatari Ki, obviously XD If to rename my penname, I guess I will go with Haruyama Aritaka =P Okay, this is because I cannot think of anything at the moment...

14. Do you believe that a 4th grader and a teacher can fall in love and get engaged in real life?
Um... perhaps, it depends on how they define "love", Even Rika (Is that her name?) in Cardcaptor Sakura can do that =P

15. Do you think Inuyasha should continue? Do you even watch Inuyasha?
Never watched Inuyasha... it's too long for me, and I think it should end right there... if it drags like Dragonball, things' gonna become boring.

16. If given the opportunity, would Satoshi kiss Daisuke on the lips?
Never LOL I am anti-yaoi (so hit me if you like =P). Satoshi should stay independent (if you say he should go with Risa, I will whack you =P I HATE Harada Risa!!!), and Daisuke should be with Riku.

17. Would you press a button that would give you 50000 dollars at the expense of the death of someone you don't know?
Not really I guess... it is not worth someone's life for a mere 50000 dollars XD

18. Do you think the guy who plays Harry Potter is too macho to play him?
Is he? *astonish* I think he is okay... I only think the guy who plays Ronald is a bit weird =P

19. Assuming you had a baby, would you name it Shamalamadingdong, or Michael Jackson?
... Can I skip this question? I hate both names.

20. Roses are red, violets are blue. I was murdered, was it by you?
Perhaps *readies dark magic* I don't know when I will be controlled by my powers *smirk* LOL

MANGA RELATED:

1. What are some great tips you can share about drawing?
Well, the old "practice makes perfect" thing... I know it is boring, but it is the fact. And perhaps it would be good to copy and learn, instead of copying and copying =)

2. When did you first start to draw manga?
I should say in 2001... When my work was mostly inspired by Cardcaptor by CLAMP. Those sketches are really horrible... perhaps it is better to burn them all @_@

3. Name the greatest influence on your manga.
I don't really know... I guess it is Tanemura Arina's way of drawing, which appeals to me so I learnt how she draws.

4. Has DREAM been helpful to you in any way?
It is still early to decide on this =D

5. What was the first manga you ever bought for yourself?
If you mean bought with my own money... it would be Detective Conan 29. Yes, it is 29 because I did not have the chance to buy earlier ones... if you mean manga I own... it would be Doraemon 35 bought by my mom.

6. Name the pens you use for drawing manga and how you use them. If you ink digitally, name the sizes and types of brushes you use and how you use them.
Very basic utensils: pencil, ball-point pen or fineliner XD And I am sure everyone knows how to use them... I tone and colour digitally, and to name the brush... I think it is simply known as "the brush tool". =P

7. How long does it take you to do one page from planning to toning and lettering?
I never do planning for my mangas, thus saving time =P From wough work to finished product of one page, depending on mood it take me an average time of 40 mins to 80 mins.

8. What is the average length of your mangas?
I don't really know... One-shots are usually around 40 pages... For the long ones I have done 10 chapters, 17 chapters and am aiming for a really long one for Contradiction (but I am trying to keep it under 30 chapters). My chapter length is quite short though, about 2/3 of the normal chapter length.

9. After this manga, what type of manga would you like to draw next?
I have already thought about this! For one-shot I will be drawing high school drama... and for long shot, I hope to turn my devil story into a manga =D

10. What inspired you to draw manga?
The thought to become the god of a totally new world where everything is different from the existing world =D Drawing manga has always been a way of encouragement to myself. I get to stay away from the dreadful reality for a while =)

11. When did you first start to draw manga?
In 2001. Summer holiday time to be exact, when I am too fed up with working on summer assignments... (LOL different answer from above)

12. Who do you say gave you the most support while drawing manga?
My other self =P LOL Actually no one. My fans and whoever supports me on the net are my greatest source of motivation.

13. Do you want to draw manga as a living?
Yup, but I know this will never happen... *sad* *draws circles in a corner...*

14. Do you prefer traditional or computerized when it comes to coloring?
I think traditional colouring looks much better then digital, but under the pressure of lack of drawing utensils, I prefer digital colouring. It is also somewhat due to my high level of laziness... =P

15. Have you ever tried to promote your manga in any way? Name some please.
Not really. I try to post it everywhere so that I can share it to everyone.

16. Was there ever a period of time where you completely stopped drawing manga for any reason?
Yes, there was. It was the time when I first entered university. I was drawing a series called Love Game then... and then didn't know why I lost motivation... and I have not drawn any manga for about 2.5 years.

17. Do you usually know the ending of your manga before you begin? Do you enjoy knowing/not knowing the ending?
No, as I have mentioned before, I never plan out my mangas... that's why I have a lot of unfinished works... *hides again*

18. Out of all your series, which one do you feel closest to? Please describe it in a few sentences.
Contradiction XD Because I try to put myself into it, and I even give that stupid arrogant guy my own name =P I have always loved to live in a magical world. It looks fun and interesting =)

19. Have you ever done a doujinshi? Which series was it based on?
Nope, perhaps yes... if you count that mere 8 pages I did for Gundam Seed Destiny...

20. Which of your characters do you like the most?
Wow... I have a lot, basically most main characters... like for girls I like Tsuki, Aya, Yana, Ruya, Anko... and there may be a new character from a "not-really-sure-up-coming-series" called Elena I think... For guys I like Teiki, Hiko, Ki, Aritaka... *goes to dig out his old mangas to find the characters' names...*