[Honey’s Anime Interview] Tsukasa Kiryul and Okina Baba (So I’m a Spider, So What) (V-CRX)

9:26 PM September 3, 2020

Okina Baba & Tsukasa Kiryu, “So I’m a Spider, So What?”

Crunchyroll Originals Presents : Talk with the Creators of “So I’m a Spoder, So What?”
Date/Time : Saturday, September 5 from 2:00-3:00 PM PT
Stage : Crunchyroll Stage

Crunchyroll couldn’t let us go without allowing us to talk with the creators of the light novel and upcoming anime “So I’m a Spider, So What”. The story of a normal high school girl who in the blink of an eye,woke up reborn as a spider, in a fantasy dungeon. The clever team of Okina Baba and Tsukasa Kiryu took the time to answer some of our questions about the inspiration for this rather creative take on the isekai story.

Tsukasa Kiryu

Okina Baba

Honey-Chan

Interview with Tsukasa Kiryul and Okina Baba (So I’m a Spider, So What)

What did you think when you were approached to draw an illustration in a story where the lead was a spider?

Tsukasa KiryuI: I was thankful for being chosen despite there being very few examples of novels where the monster is the protagonist, and countless other illustrators that can draw both monsters and humans. Once I was told which series it was, I started reading it and couldn’t put it down because it was so interesting. I spent about three sleepless days reading it, and slept for a while after that.

What is your opinion that has made this light novel series successful? Is it its uniqueness in a market of isekai novels?

Tsukasa KiryuI: I think it’s the charm of Kumoko and her ultra-positivity. You just want to root for her as you’re reading. There’s also the excitement of seeing how Kumiko, the weakest in the dungeon, will overcome the predicaments that’s continually thrown at her, the appeal of each character’s belief systems and way of life, and the mysteries of the world and characters. These aspects are interesting because they’re rooted in universal values and themes, making it easy to relate and emphasize.

Do you have a mangaka that inspires you to imagine the characters/creatures you create?

Tsukasa KiryuI: My inspiration for design comes more from movies and games instead of manga. For mangaka that inspired me for illustration instead of characters, there’s Kenji Tsuruta, Tsutomu Nihei, Yasuhiro Nightow, and Kozue Amano.

We see many different types of protagonists in anime, not only humans, but centaurs, and vampires but a spider is new! The only spider we can think of in literature is Charlotte in E.B. Whites Charlotte's Web. What was the inspiration for this novel and its eight-legged lead?

Okina Baba: Half it was just thought up on the spot. (Laughs) The other half were the end result of a chain of ideas. I would think, “This is a good idea!” and then I would think, “Well based on that idea if I do this and then that…”

Did the novel’s plot reveal itself to you all at once or did you have to slowly work it out?

Okina Baba: I decided on the overall plot before I started writing. Then I worked on the details of the story to fit into the plot.

How does it feel to have your first manga title being adapted into an anime?

Okina Baba: Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real. I understand how amazing getting an anime adaption is, but when it comes to my own series the weight of it hasn’t sunk in…

Final Thoughts

We really want to thank Crunchyroll for lining up such great guests for us to speak to before Virtual Crunchyroll Expo kicks off on September 4th. We love hearing what the creators and industry leaders are thinking of their industry and the worlds they themselves create.

Writer

Author: Zeke Changuris

I’m a journalist, writer, photographer, video producer, social media manager and above all a storyteller. I’m located on the east coast of the United States but travel the world with the love of my life. I’ve been a nerd since birth with a love of history and science. I fell in love with anime, watching ROBOTECH and Venus Wars in the 80s when our only source was secondhand VHS dubs. A crazy new thing called the internet changed that, giving me access to new and amazing anime every day. I love to write for work and pleasure. I’m living the dream of every kid, getting paid to watch anime and loving every subtitled line.

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