In this week’s issue, SJ Alpha picked the brain behind the international hit manga Bleach—Tite Kubo! Read on to find out what inspires Kubo Sensei and his thought process when creating his characters.

Q: Were there any specific manga you read when you were young that inspired you to become a mangaka (manga creator)?

Tite Kubo: Gegege no Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki was my earliest influence. It was the first manga whose characters I ever tried to sketch. I really liked his yokai (Japanese folk tale creatures) design, and his art has a unique flavor. My art style is so simple compared to Mizuki Sensei’s work, which is very detailed. But I feel that there is some influence from him in terms of my character design. Even to this day, seeing Mizuki Sensei’s art makes me very excited.

To read the rest of this interview in this week's SJ Alpha (February 20, 2012 issue)! For more members-only exclusives, become an SJ Alpha member today!

Related Links:
Tite Kubo Full Interview (coming soon!)
Tite Kubo Creator Sketch Video (coming soon!)
Tite Kubo Spotlight
More Creator's Interview: Masashi Kishimoto Spotlight

Interview by Misaki C. Kido (@Onnabancho_J)