Yuki Obata interview and Bokura Ga Ita new chapter

*** very important edit: chapter 47 of BGI is up and available to download on Jshojo***


Now, you might already have heard about Yuki Obata participation to the Mang'azur 2009 convention in Toulosue last month. Yeah, I 'm sure the subject also came up a couple of times in the comments to previous posts but if for some reasons you skipped those, I'll mention it here as well.
Then, I'd like to take the opportunity to properly thank 天災流川 for interviewing the mangaka and also for posting a comment here on the blog with the direct link to the Q&As.
Eversince the convention took place I have been looking for some articles about Obata sensei's conference but trust me, until today the search proved itself harder than I thought. So to make sure that nobody misses out I decided to write a post about it including the direct link to the full interview here . Once again, many thanks to 天災流川 for this.

Personally, I was really excited to read about this interview and to get to know more about the author beside her own works. Obata sensei talks about her passion for drawing, the mangaka who inspire and influence her art ( namely Fusako KURAMOCHI and Ryou IKUEMI) .
We also get to know that normally she doesn't like doing autographs gigs because she doesn't want people have an image of her in her mind when they read her stories.
She also shares her option about her own works ( apparently one of her favourites is an early story called Maru, Sankaku, Shikaku a lighthearted manga far form the angsty reality present in her main two works).
Obvioulsy most of the interview involved questions about her main two titles Sumire wa Blue and Bokura ga Ita.
Like I said before i just recently broke my *taboo* of reading other Yuki Obata works beside BGI, which means I haven't still finished Sumire Wa Blue. At any rate, the plot is not explored in depth nor the interview gives any spoilers even because in France the manga has been published in full. That's good news after all, should the english scanlations get to a halt like BGI I know I can always buy the french versions ( my french is a bit rusty but, hey, what an opportunity to practice a bit more).
Anyway there are some interesting facts about the genesis of the characters ( and she also why Daichi plays hockey) and title itself, Sumire Wa blue. Although lame, I kinda wasn't suprised that the answer was a nod to the lines of "Roses are red, violets are blue. Sugar is sweet, and so are you ". ( because when I read the title I also thought oh it reminds me of that poem..)

Well now...about Bokura Ga Ita.

Obata sensei says she liked the anime version overall but she'd probably had chosen a different voice for Nanami , as wanted her to sound more bubbly, a bit more like Mizu-chan.

We also learn that some ideas for the story were based on the real life experience of one of her manager's friends ( who apparently was in a situation like Yano *dear me*...) and initially the manga was meant to have only 5-6 volumes. Eventually the volumes got extended ( with extra angst added) due to its popularity.
Obata sensei says that the story will include 14 volumes in total ( well, we hope to see the 13th out soon!!).
When she was asked if she could reveal anything about the upcoming chapters the author said

In the 3 newest chapters, Nanami and Yano meet. There’s also a big event between Nanami and Takeuchi, but it’s a secret !

( GOSH this is this is worse than not knowing !!!... The fact that Yano and Nana were going to cross paths again is a kind of understatement but what on earth is going to happen then??? What's the big event between Nana and Takeuchi?... ..oh GOSH. is the 12th of June yet? I want to know more, more!!! I am a sucker for spoilers when it comes to BGI)

Anyway, whilst we wait let me announce that WE WERE THERE volume 4 has just been released by Viz Media. I was quite thrilled to read this because it contains chapters never scanlated in English. Plus, I now adore the lines at the end of the volume ( well probably dedicate to Nana-san by Yano himself?)..

I want to meet you over and over again and I want you to make a fool of me over and over again. I'll keep repairing what you break until it wears me out. I'll stay with you until it breaks me. I'll be the clown, the idiot, the dog. I am willing to throw away my pride and composure. I don't need anything.... Only tell me that you love me