In part two of our interview, Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro, the creator of Toriko, tells some behind-the-scene stories of the different Toriko projects, which rapidly increased the popularity of the series. Shimabukuro also gives us insight about himself, his influences, and his perspective on manga.

Q: You and Eiichiro Oda collaborated to draw the One Piece x Toriko crossover one-shot, Taste of the Devil Fruit, which is currently available to SJ Alpha members only. What was the process like?

MS: For the most part, I was the one who came up with the story for One Piece x Toriko: Taste of the Devil Fruit.  Oda Sensei gave me a few pointers regarding Luffy’s dialogue. All together, it was a really fun experience.

To read the rest of this interview in this week's SJ Alpha (April 9, 2012 issue)! For more members-only exclusives, become an SJ Alpha member today!

Related Links:
Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro Full Interview (coming soon!)
Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro Creator Sketch Video (coming soon!)
EXCLUSIVE: Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro Spotlight
EXCLUSIVE: Eiichiro Oda Spotlight
EXCLUSIVE: Masashi Kishimoto Spotlight
EXCLUSIVE: Tite Kubo Spotlight