Messages to Kentarou Miura: Shizuya Wazarai (1)

This post is now open to Silver & Bronze tiers.


BERSERK,
Live forever (1)

To you, I dedicate my respect and gratitude beyond all description
“Your back” that deserves to be followed will also become immortal (2)



“Once the state of emergency is lifted, let’s have a meal together.”
After the interview in March (3) was done, the last thing Miura Kentarou-kun did was to make me that promise. How could I ever think it would be our farewell in this world?
He looked very healthy.

The Covid disaster lasted forever and the period of the state of emergency was extended. I was nervous, thinking that maybe we should postpone it again, this occasion to talk about the pile of things that have accumulated (for a long time while we couldn’t meet each other).

In that situation, I was suddenly informed of his disappearance. It was hard to believe. From the time I heard of the news until I went to see him in the morgue, it only took half a day. Things happened so rapidly that I didn’t even have room to grieve deeply from the bottom of my heart. I still don’t feel that I can believe it.

My memories are limited to those days when we worked together. He was surely “a genius”. It would be endless if I were to list the enormity of his talent, but he was also a man of research, practice and enthusiasm beyond just his ability. He loved the world of creation passionately, more than anybody else, and he worked with resolute determination, not minding that he could exhaust his body completely for his art. The overwhelming “density” that fascinated his fans was no different from the manifestation of his infinite love for manga. I think I could truly understand the strictness of the word “vocation” from his attitude.

I don’t know anyone else who went their own way unwaveringly like he did.

He looked calm, but he became so loquacious that he didn’t stop talking when it came to the genres he liked. During the “conversation project” (3), he talked a lot as if he were defending me, and he kindly supported and elevated me, a poor conversationalist, when I was at a loss for words. Natural kindness was also part of his charm.

Note 1: Wazarai is referring to Miura with the word “berserk” here. It's a noun, not an adjective.
Note 2: Wazarai speaks poetically, like someone following a mentor whose example/legacy/work will become immortal.
Note 3: This refers to the interviews they did together to accompany the Cestus animation.