English

01/Any feelings in particular, aging with the characters?
02/What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
03/Do you believe in such things?
04/Which elements do you think each character reveals?
05/What about PALM in a film?
06/How do you keep your deadlines and discuss with the staff?
07/Is it impossible to leave James alive?
08/There is a rumour, that James' father is an alien...
09/Can James sing?
10/Is there any Palm merchandise available?
11/Who is your son's favorite character?

01／Q　

Any feelings in particular, aging with the characters? Is there huge difference in describing the characters, now yourself older than them?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 It seems there are no big differences, to me.
I'm very clear about my age, 38, a bit too old for a lover (especially in Japan!), a bit too young for a (real) writer. But on the other hand, time stopped when I started to write Palm. I am still 11 to 15 in a part of my mind.
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02／Q　

What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
[Julian]

A　 Marriage!
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03／Q　

About the occult...what kind of view do you have on it? How did you come to accept those matters in Palm? In short, do you really believe in such things? Or did you just put that for certain effects, emphasizing your theme? Can these occult things be called on miracles?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 I am actually an amateur fortune teller and people often ask me the very same question! "Do you believe in such things?" I would say, No, I don't.
Maybe I can explain it like this, I use language all the time but I never believe it.　Somebody (who most people don't know) invented it and it always can be uncertain or a lie.　Even if we only talk or write completely honestly because we only make signals. We all know that. But we use it.
Like that, I never believe such things, just use them or live with them. Like everybody does, whether they notice that or not.
I think you have already found how things go in PALM.
It is impossible to write the story without the occult, just like it is impossible to write without language. And maybe we can call some of the occult miracles if we wish, on occasion.
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04／Q　

It is said that "satire denounces the world, wit penetrates it, humor accepts it, but nonsense transforms it." In this sense, which of these elements take part in PALM do you think?
And which of these elements do you think each character reveals?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 I think most of the main characters of PALM reveal the first or the second element. But it seems to me that some characters do the third one - like Shin Gallagher!
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05／Q　

What about PALM in a film? If you were to direct the film version of the comics, what in character, situation or action of the character(s) would you like to emphasize which the comics did not? Or what would you de-emphasize that you've already emphasized?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 I have already prepared a complete scenario and sketch for an animated "The Sea Shouldn't exist".
The story is mostly the same as the comic, but the characters should be much more human. This means that expression should be more important than "beauty (or anything)" in the film.
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06／Q　

How do you keep your deadlines and discuss with WINGS staff in Australia? Do you mail your work by DHL?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 We set the deadline one month before the real deadline after I moved to AUS. I send the original by EMS.
I have never discussed the story with WINGS staff but we are in contact by E-mail.
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07／Q　

Is it impossible to leave James alive?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 Palm started from his death. You'll see the process in future.
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08／Q　

There is a rumor, that James' father is an alien...
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 Could be...
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09／Q　

Can James sing? What is his favorite?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 I believe he must be a good singer if he was a good listener.
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10／Q　

Is there any Palm merchandise available? If not, what sort would you prefer?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 No and I never thought that someone would ask me that kind of question.
How about action figures???!!!
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11／Q　

Your son Tasuku, does he still like James best, though he has now grown up? Doesn't he have any other characters in favorite?
[P.A.L.M members in HiTEL, Korean net]

A　 I asked him about it. For now, his favorite character in PALM is Boaz Ulmann, he said.
Tasuku is a rap boy. Black people and musicians are his idle and Boaz is both!
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May 1999

Special thanks to Kerry Mullan

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