Kämpfer:Volume 8.5 Afterword

Volume 8.5 Short Story Collection - Afterword

I'm Tsukiji. Here is the latest work in the Kämpfer series. This is Volume 8.5, coming after Volume 8, but the content leans more towards a state where events have settled down. This isn't a typo on my part. If I made many typos, my proofreading comrades would be in tears, so I wasn't careless even with the cover design; that point is certain.

This time, it's a collection of short stories, a little break after one phase of events has concluded. Chronologically, Chapters 1 and 2 take place the day immediately after returning from the theme park in Volume 8; Chapters 3 and 4 cover events right after the battle with Sakura-san in Volume 8.

Now, about this book—it actually wasn't written at home. If I really had to specify where, it was written in a manga cafe.

I'm someone who previously always holed up at home to write manuscripts and never typed outside, but the cats seemed to have taken an interest in Kämpfer too and started interfering with work, so I decided to work outside.

While there are many authors who write their manuscripts outside, most usually go to coffee shops or family restaurants. Of course, some also go to "bars" to write. In that case, there are more colleagues. However, in my personal case, if there are people around, I can't write peacefully. Even if they aren't looking my way, I end up paying attention to them, which is troublesome.

So what to do? Looking for a rented office space is one method, but that requires paying monthly rent. Since I wouldn't be using it for long periods, paying for days I don't go within a month feels wasteful. The rent for a quiet personal space is manageable. It would be great if I could find one near home. Although such a place is nearly impossible to find, and I had pretty much given up searching early on, I later thought of manga cafes, which are quite good.

The good thing about manga cafes isn't just that they are quiet and offer sufficient private space, but more importantly, the freedom they offer. The place I go to happens to have an all-you-can-eat ice cream service, making it paradise in the summer. The manuscript was completed there step by step. I kept count daily, "How many pages did I write today?" and always found the number surprisingly high.

In meetings, my manuscript volume is measured in "XX manuscript pages." While this seems quite standard, actually, many newer authors use the measurement "XX pages of a (the paperback they are writing for) bunkobon." My situation is a bit different. Since the layout and format differ between serialized magazines and bunkobon paperbacks, if it's not converted into manuscript page count, I feel it's hard to judge the actual writing volume properly. So initially, without this explanation in meetings, it took some extra effort. Older generation authors than me use manuscript pages for measurement more often, but it seems the custom has changed in this era.

End of digression. Actually, just having drinks and ice cream is already quite sufficient, but manga cafes, of course, have a vast number of manga, right? Strictly speaking, that's their main business. In the middle of writing the manuscript, I'd also read some manga to relax. If I suddenly felt sleepy, I could just grab a towel and take a short nap. What's more, they even have showers; it's basically paradise. It might seem like a decadent lifestyle, but since these amenities are available, I might as well use them as much as possible. Thanks to this, my laptop (compared to a desktop) shone brilliantly, whereas I had been pondering how to use it before. The only discomfort was that this laptop's keyboard isn't full-size, so typing felt a bit awkward. Later, I fundamentally solved this problem by connecting an external USB keyboard, making it quite perfect.

Actually, whether staying at home or going somewhere like a hotel, there are times when bottles and cans pile up, but here someone comes to collect them. And if you order food here, you can even solve the meal problem without leaving the building, which is quite convenient. Also, someone else does the cleaning, although you get kicked out of the room when that happens.

The bottleneck with hotels is the cost. While you get the "tuna" (good stuff), overall it's more expensive than a manga cafe. And, surprisingly, the environment is slightly worse. Particularly, the desk surface is narrow and the chair is uncomfortable—these are its biggest weaknesses. Manga cafes handle these conveniences better, making it a surprisingly comfortable work environment.

...However, after proudly sharing this secret technique with an acquaintance, the unexpected reply was, "Couldn't you just prepare drinks etc. at home and write while the cats are asleep?" I feel a bit annoyed by people who can state such proper logic so confidently.

Anyway, this volume of Kämpfer was born in such an environment. The next main story volume will plunge into the climax, so please look forward to it.

September 2008,

Tsukiji Toshihiko

Shizuku Mini-Theatre

(The text in parentheses is small text next to the person, after the colon is spoken dialogue, and content in square brackets after the colon is a thought.)

Shizuku (Multiple varieties, great offer!): Natsuru, here you go. But you have to call me properly by 'Shizuku,' okay?

Natsuru (Really?!): Isn't this the legendary late-night super rare card?!

Natsuru: Uh, Shizuku...

Shizuku (That's the way!): Good boy!

Shizuku (Next time, I'll find a chance to give him a few more.)

Natsuru: Wow, it's my first time seeing something like this!... [...So that means...]

Natsuru (These cards are all the same... 'Multiple varieties' usually implies different kinds, right?...): [Could she be the legendary 'Postcard Completion Maniac'?]

Translator's Notes

This chapter was translated from the Chinese translation of the original Japanese text.

← Back to Volume 8.5 Chapter 4

Return to Main Page

Forward to Volume 9 Chapter 1 →