Manga
artist Jun Mayuzuki ,
known for creating "Koi wa Ameagari no You ni (After the
Rain)," confirmed in an interview with Nikkei Cross Trend that her
current work, "Kowloon Generic Romance," is entering its final arc
and is already nearing its climax.
The manga
began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine in November 2019,
and the 11th compiled book volume will be released in Japan on April 18. The
franchise is also enjoying a strong momentum, with its anime adaptation
premiering on April 5, and a live-action film is also in the works for this
summer. In the film, Riho Yoshioka plays Kujirai, while Koushi
Mizukami plays Hajime Kudou, the protagonist's love interest.
In the
interview, Mayuzuki talked a little about how the story came about. He'd
long wanted to do something set in Kowloon, and after finishing "After the
Rain," he thought it was time. He came up with the idea of talking about
the interweaving of past, present, and future, not from a science fiction
perspective, but from a sense of nostalgia. He wanted to explore what
it means to be drawn to the past, so it was no coincidence that it all took
place in a place like Kowloon.
And this
manga isn't just a romance story. There are elements of mystery,
science fiction, and a lot of introspection, especially surrounding the
protagonist, Kujirai. The plot takes a turn when she discovers the existence of
another version of herself, "Kujirai B," and begins to wonder who she
really is. All of this intertwines with the secrets of Kudou, her
coworker, and the mysteries hidden in the city.
Mayuzuki
also said that ever since she started writing this manga, she dreamed of
adapting it into an anime, and that she even considered Tomokazu Sugita to
voice Kudou from the very first chapter. And she finally succeeded! She was also involved in the
film process and was amazed by the way the actors portrayed the characters. She
even mentioned that there were ideas that came directly from conversations with
them, like a scene where Kujirai's goldfish seems to hate Kudou, and actress
Riho Yoshioka suggested that it might be out of jealousy... and that ended up
being part of the script!
Mayuzuki
concluded by saying that although the manga, anime, and film are different,
each offers something special, and the important thing is that they maintain
the heart of the story. For her, the most valuable thing is that her work leaves readers
with something to reflect on or even a small push to confront their own lives.
