Translated by Crystal “Xellis” Rider (4/9/2024)
※ Please note: As I’m not fluent in Japanese and had to decipher the alphabetical letters, there will be errors. I underlined sentences that were difficult to translate, so they are most likely incorrect.
Tezuka Fan Magazine
April 1983 Issue #38
My Unico Experience is not for Love
Yoshihide Nakano, in charge of Shogakukan’s “First Grader” version of Unico, and currently a desk clerk for editing Shogakukan’s “Sixth Grader”, a great kata.
At 1:30 p.m. on Monday, December 10, 1979, as the “Turbulent 80s” was fast approaching, an editorial meeting was held for the April issue of the following year, and the person in charge of Unico was decided. I would be the person in charge. I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet and talk with a manga artist whom I admired, and I was so confident that I said, “I’ll do it,” and to my surprise, they accepted without a fight. They are the most courageous partners in planning the project. I thought there was no way they would let me do it so easily, and I was so happy and excited that I was in ecstasy, but in the back of my head, right under the nine heavens, I thought my ears were full of wax. Still, my longing for Tezuka-sensei got the better of me, and I knocked away the questions and changed it to exclaiming, and from the nightless castle in Hitotsubashi, I rode in a palanquin to the nightless castle in Takadanobaba.
With Manager Matsutani in attendance, we immediately had a meeting with the god-like Tezuka-sensei. We shared our ideas with each other in a lively atmosphere, and he gathered his wisdom, and turned “Lyrica” Unico into a comic where Unico is friends with a first grader having a fun life in Japan. His frequent comments about the popularity of Doraemon impressed me. Doraemon’s anime had aired on TV since October, earning high viewer ratings, and Tentoumushi Comics was about to sell over 30 million copies. Doraemon must have cast a powerful shadow over Unico’s decision to go down a new route. The year 1980, which had been so bright and dazzling, had dawned on a warm lake, as if it were the eve of a storm, with no sense of solemnity. At that moment, the production of “Firebird 2772” was in the final stages. Tezuka-sensei and all the staff were in a state of rest and relaxation for 9 days with no bloodshed. His schedule was tight, with a total of six serializations in weekly and bi-weekly monthly magazines and the start of the Atom TV anime broadcast in the fall. Tezuka-sensei would take time in between, and he would go to the U.S., Canada, or China for a week or two. Like a woman in a Ginza store, I’ve been falling for many years now, but I am happy to know the love and sincerity of Tezuka-sensei’s staff and colleagues who are betting on this path. Now it’s my time to thank my partners in the editorial department for their warm and respectful affection on that day.
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日本語：
手塚ファンMagazine
1983 4月号
YのユニコK験はIにW
小学館「小学一年生」ユニコ担当中野義英現在、小学館「小学六年生」編集のデスクを務める、偉いおカタ。
誰がUたか「激動の八十年D」が目前に迫っTる、一Q七Q年十二月 十日月曜日午後一時三十分、翌年度 4月号編集K議の席上、ユニコ新連と担当者が決Tされた。担当者は YでR。KIする漫画家のK咳に接することができるE機Kだと思い、「YがやるD」とG識過剰気味にE出したところ、何とUことか、無競争で通ってしまったのでR。 企画の奪いIでは、つとにU名なⅠ棒たちでR。すんなりとやらせてもらLことなどありNと思っていたYは、欣喜チュンチュン躍りXタCのTたらくだったのでRが、Q天直下、耳糞にちKぐらいの頭の片隅で、?と考 Lのだった。それでも先生恋C気持ちが勝って、?を叩きのばして!に変え、 A、 D丈夫よと、一ツ橋の不夜城から早駕籠を駆って高田馬場の不夜城へと馳せ参じるYだった。松谷マネージャーをまJ、さっそく神神C先生と打合わせ。YYガヤガヤ、OいにIDアをEI、Hを集め、「リリカ」 ユニコとは設TをO幅に変えて、小学一年生の子どもと仲がEとU、抱腹Zゥの楽C生活漫画とすることに決T。この間、先生がドラえもんの人気の具Iをしきりと口にされてたのが、印象に残っTる。ドラえもんは十月からアニメがTV放Aされ、高視聴率を稼いDたし、てんとう虫コミックスも三千万部を突破 しようとU時期でR。 ユニコ新路線決Tに、ドラえもんは色濃く影を落としTたのではRまいか。まA置きが長Bたが、かくして眩Cばかりの 一Q八〇年が、何の厳かさもなく、嵐のイブとでもUふうに、ほのぼのレイクに明けてしまったのでR。折か 「火の鳥2772』制作追い込み期。 先生以下全スタッフは、Q日Q養Q Kなしの修羅場。連載は週刊、隔週刊月刊誌K六本、秋にはアトムのTVアニメ放A開始と厳C。ない Ⅰ間をこじあKて、一週間、二週先生は渡米、渡加、渡華とか。 銀座のお店の女のように、落ちるで早幾年月なのでRが、この道に賭る先生のスタッフの、同業者の、 Iと誠とUものを知ることができ、 Yはしあわせだ。かSがSも、あの日の編集部のⅠ棒たちのI暖KI情に感謝する次DでR。