[Profile] The story begins with myth

I love myths.

When I was a child, I used to read the world mythology series from the classroom library with excitement.

I especially loved Turkish and Russian mythology. Every time I opened a page, I felt the presence of a wind blowing across some distant grassland.

We also had a large book of Japanese mythology at home. Although I felt a bit unsatisfied with the anime-style cel illustrations that were common in Showa-era picture books, I still turned the pages over and over, immersing myself in the stories.

I also cannot forget the three picture books of Poyaumpe that were in the town library. Drawn to the grand narrative set in Hokkaido, I would borrow them, return them, and borrow them again, repeating that cycle.

Among fantasy novels, I preferred A Wizard of Earthsea over The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia. However, the one that captured my heart the most was Crystal Dragon by Yuho Ashibe.

From fantasy to history, mythology, and science fiction, the end of the Showa era was a time when girls' manga surpassed boys' manga in both artistic skill and the scope of their stories.

Even among that dazzling array of works, I believe Crystal Dragon is a work of extremely high originality.

A fantasy world centered on Celtic mythology, carefully researched historical backgrounds and customs, and the lives of the people who lived there.

Three worlds—Celtic, Norse, and Roman—were incorporated as the framework of the story, and the fates of the characters moved in harmony with that worldview.

In particular, the episode surrounding the Viking ship burial was a masterpiece. Even as a child, I was deeply shocked by the weight of the ritual itself and the way of life of the character who chose to commit ritual suicide for a certain purpose.

I remember being surprised once again at the accuracy of Yuho Ashibe's historical research when I saw the same custom depicted in the movie The 13th Warrior and its original novel years later.

The elegance and power created by the supple lines, the depth of the mythological world, and the grand epic quality where the drama woven by the characters intertwines.

Unfortunately, as of 2026, this work remains unfinished, but for me, it is a monument of girls' manga and my creative bible.

After I grew up a little, I became obsessed with Tanith Lee's Flat Earth series and Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast.

Needless to say, the power of the original works is great, but I also consider it a great stroke of luck to have encountered the flowing and dark translations by the translator Kyoko Asaba. I am still drawn to the beauty of her writing style.

—I suppose that is about it for my self-introduction.

In this note, I write stories and reflections on the ancient world, standing between myth and history, on the boundary between record and imagination.

Myths and fairy tales you might have heard somewhere suddenly peek out in a slightly different form. I would be happy if I could share such moments here.

#WhenIGetObsessed