Kämpfer:Volume 5 Afterword

**Afterword**

This is Tsukiji. This is, well... the fifth volume of *Kämpfer*. This volume is a bit unusual as it continues directly from the last one, but things will return to normal from here on out. It's not just because of that, but... I feel like there's more third-person narrative this time. It's quite difficult to convey everything in first-person, you see.

Now, this series has a tradition: "New types of Harakiri Teds keep appearing." I continuously inject fresh ideas into these stuffed animals, who you could call the behind-the-scenes protagonists. There's actually a rule for this: "Animals can be repeated, but their methods of death cannot be." In other words, the defining feature of the Harakiri Teds is *how* they died. How cruel.

When I actually tried to implement this, I found it surprisingly tricky, but as various Harakiri Teds appeared, I began to grasp the knack for it. My editor, for some reason, got really excited and said, "Make the Harakiri Teds into real merchandise!" and "Break into the 4-koma manga world!". I also plan to keep the Harakiri Teds active, but *how* they will be active is still up for debate.

Speaking of these Harakiri Teds, they actually made a cameo appearance in another work. In Mitsuyuki Yoshiro-sensei's "Machine Devil", serialized in Dengeki hp, they played a powerful role as a disgusting gift given by a certain stalker-esque character to the object of his affection. *This* is the correct way to use Harakiri Teds; it somehow makes them feel cute. We probably should consider someone like **Sakura Kaede**, who enthusiastically collects them, as having a few screws loose.

Having another author use them feels to me like going global. The completion of a media mix, shared world, star system. (I don't really understand what these mean myself). The Harakiri Teds' popularity will surely surpass that electronic mouse born in Kyoto, get a Hollywood movie adaptation, and there will definitely be lots of cosplayers with their guts hanging out in front of the theaters. If that becomes reality, it would be interesting from various angles.

Of course, before any of that, I'll focus on the sixth volume. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I'll move forward bit by bit, together with the Harakiri Teds. That's all for now.

August 2007

Tsukiji Toshihiko.

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