So, here’s this month’s MONTHLY NAUGHTY manga. This is a piece included in the gay manga anthology Chō Gōkin published by BIGGYM in 2023.
This manga is one of my favorites, and I had a lot of fun drawing details like the lifesaver outfits worn by the characters!
Of course, it’s just an ordinary tank top and a swimsuit, but I really wanted the readers to feel the smooth, shiny texture of the polyester fabric in them while I was drawing. I also had a blast drawing the little props like the visor and the sandals!
Now, on a more personal note, the issue of elder care has finally arrived at my doorstep! My elderly mother has been certified as needing Level 4 care… (though for various reasons, I think it might drop significantly next year).
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%A6%81%E4%BB%8B%E8%AD%B7%E8%AA%8D%E5%AE%9A
As a result, in July and August, I spent nearly every week meeting with doctors and care managers, supervising the installation of care equipment, running around to arrange a day care service, dealing with prescriptions, and so on… The time just flew by!
After things finally started to calm down a bit, I found myself in a bit of a slump. I usually try not to think too much about slumps, but this time, I really hit a mental wall. I was at a point where I was like, "I can't draw… What was my own style again? What kind of art did I even create?"
In the midst of that, I started looking back at my old sketchbooks (those “doodle books” that artists usually have where they practice sketching or jot down various doodles), and eventually, I re-read this manga. That’s when I finally remembered, "Oh, this IS the kind of art I used to draw!" In that sense, the manga’s main character, Lifesaver Daddy Nagai-kun, saved my life.
I think I might want to turn this whole elder care ordeal into an essay manga someday (haha).