Interview: Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro Creator Nanashi

“Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro” is an anime adaptation of the manga of the same name, written and illustrated by Nanashi. It follows the story of Senpai, who meets Nagatoro and begins getting teased by her on a daily basis. The romantic comedy ranked 1st after its debut episode on Anime Corner’s weekly poll, and it’s frequently been in the top 10 in the following weeks. We reached out to the Nagatoro creator Nanashi, and we conducted an interview with assistance from Kodansha. We asked him some questions about his inspiration, work process, thoughts on the reactions, and more. You can check out all the questions and answers from the Nagatoro creator Nanashi below:

What made you decide to write a RomCom manga series?

I didn’t really plan on drawing a RomCom. Instead, it all started when I got the idea of drawing a character like Nagatoro. So, the series ended up becoming a RomCom as a result of Nagatoro’s lively personality.

As both an author and illustrator, what factors do you consider when designing a character for a new story?

Although I always try to avoid any design overlap across all my characters, I basically just draw whatever comes to my mind at the moment. (laughs) I intentionally try not to think too deeply about it. Thus, I often end up incorporating random elements into the design of the character. Ultimately, I think the outcomes are pretty good.

Have you ever been inspired to change something about a story or a character because of someone else’s idea?

In regards to “Nagatoro-san”, I don’t think that happened too much. Of course, there are times when I get inspired by someone else’s ideas, but it was the complete opposite with “Nagatoro-san” because I tried to avoid any external influences. I’m always trying my best to create something uniquely appealing like with “Nagatoro-san”.

Have you ever had interactions with people like Nagatoro and her friends in real life?

Unfortunately, I haven’t… I didn’t really model any of the characters based on my personal life. I imagined it all inside my head, and that’s how Nagatoro and her friends came to life.

If you were to choose one favorite thing from the anime adaptation, what would it be?

For me, the best thing was being able to actually see the characters, which up to that point had only lived inside my head, move and speak!

Fans all over the world have praised Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro. The premiere episode of the series was ranked first on Anime Corner Polls after its debut, based on votes from over 20,000 fans. What do you think is the reason international fans enjoy the series?

I was very surprised when I heard that the series was so highly praised overseas! On the contrary, I would love to know why they like it so much, please let me know. (laughs)

What would you say to an anime fan who is on the fence about Nagatoro to persuade them to watch or read the series?

I’m afraid the title says it all. You will get to see how Nagatoro teases Senpai in all kinds of ways and I would like everyone to enjoy that itchy feeling of joy!

How do you find a balance between incorporating your creative vision in a work and also maintaining fan interest?

I just love to draw whatever I like without holding back. So, I think I might not really have that sense of balance. I am aware that I’m a bit of a trend-junkie when it comes to the things I personally like. And to a certain extent, I draw the things I like with the expectation that the majority of my readers will continue supporting me.

Nagatoro plays many mischievous pranks on Senpai. In every episode, she has something creative up her sleeve. How do you come up with all of those?

From Senpai’s point of view, I often try to imagine what would make him happy. Or what kinds of situations will show the cute side of Nagatoro.

Whenever I find myself relaxing, like while I’m out on walks or whenever I’m at a cafe drinking some tea, I’m constantly moving the characters inside my head and thinking up new scenarios.

That marks the end of the interview. We would like to thank Kodansha and creator Nanashi for agreeing to the interview about Nagatoro-san and all their assistance with the process.

If you enjoyed reading the interview, don’t miss this week’s episode of Kodansha Live on the Kodansha US YouTube channel, which is dedicated to “Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro” and features a special interview with manga creator Nanashi, a fan Q&A, a sketch video, and more! They’re also going to reveal additional details about new manga digital releases scheduled for July 2021.

You can watch the “Don’t Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro” anime on Crunchyroll. You can also check out the manga at Kodansha.

Don’t Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro
Official Website: nagatorosan.jp
Official Twitter: @nagatoro_tv
© Nanashi / Kodansha Ltd.