A Celebration of 25 Years: An Interview with Manga Creators PEACH-PIT

Celebrating twenty-five years together, the manga artist duo behind PEACH-PIT made their long-awaited return to Anime Expo 2025 after a decade away. In addition to their anniversary, Anime News Network had the well-timed opportunity to speak to them after ANN's first interview with them twenty years ago. At the time, they were still in their early years with Prism Palette, DearS, and Rozen Maiden. Now, they're even more well-known for those titles and the famous “cool and spicy” series, Shugo Chara!

Speaking with Banri Sendo and Shibuko Ebara, the two artists who comprise PEACH-PIT, they discussed their time in Los Angeles, their manga creation process, and their collaborative working style.

PEACH-PIT is also hosting a 25th Anniversary Special Exhibition in Tokyo from July 18 to August 14, 2025. Lucky Anime Expo attendees were given a special pre-event preview with a select number of manga panel reproductions. However, there will be more available at the exhibit, including a first-ever peek behind the curtain at PEACH-PIT's creative process, which includes their drafts, storyboards, and finalized art.

In your career, which spans over two-and-a-half decades, you have drawn manga for different genres like shōnen (Zombie Loan/DearS), shōjo (Shugo Chara!), and seinen (Rozen Maiden). Which genre was the hardest to write for?

PEACH-PIT: There wasn't a genre that was particularly difficult or easy. If we were to discuss what was challenging to approach, since Shugo Chara! is intended for children to read, it was challenging to ensure that we didn't convey anything incorrectly. We were careful not to mix what is considered ethical with what is considered wrong.

As a quick follow-up, Rozen Maiden deals with a hikikomori character. Was that difficult to write about?

PEACH-PIT: We thought it was just a character trait. Hikikomori wasn't widely recognized as a major social issue at the time, and it didn't really come up in our discussions with the editor as something to consider or discuss

English speaking fans are most familiar with Shugo Chara! and Rozen Maiden, and both have sequels like Shugo Chara! Jewel Joker (2024-) and Rozen Maiden 0 (2016-2019). How do you decide on the story for the sequels? Specifically, did you decide to make a sequel?

PEACH-PIT: Regarding Rozen Maiden 0, we originally had the idea of creating a spin-off, and it naturally developed from there. As for Shugo Chara! Jewel Joker, we got an offer for a sequel a while ago, thanks to the passionate support from so many fans. We let the idea brew for a while, and eventually became serialized.

Shugo Chara! Jewel Joker is also technically a second sequel since there was already Shugo Chara! Encore!?

PEACH-PIT: Encore was mostly connected to the main series without a break in between, and since it was positioned as a spin-off like Rozen Maiden 0, we wrote it in one go, and we didn't really think of it as being divided into two parts.

Have you ever disagreed on stories or characters when developing a new story?

PEACH-PIT: Well, we often clash on ideas, but we always see it as a chance to come up with something better. We exchange opinions and keep talking until we're both satisfied, and through that process, the story becomes more polished. It's definitely tough when we disagree, but by taking in what the other person truly wants to express, we create something stronger. People sometimes think we're fighting, but it's not like that at all. If it were, PEACH and PIT would've gone their separate ways a long time ago. (laughs)

Who are your favorite characters from Shugo Chara!?

PEACH-PIT: As the authors, it's really hard to pick one. But if we had to, it would be Amu-chan, since she's the main character we both have empathized with the most.

For Shugo Chara! Jewel Joker, Amu is older, but she's still the cool and spicy girl we know. Why did you originally choose to represent her with a “cool and spicy” personality?

PEACH-PIT: We originally started with the story first and developed the character afterwards. The idea was to create a character who has a version of herself that she wants to become, and then think about how to express that gap between her ideal self and her current self.

Rather than making her a perfectly honest, straightforward girl, we wanted her to feel a bit disjointed—someone who hides things, represses things, and puts up a front. But at the same time, we didn't want that to feel negative. We wanted her to come across as cool—maybe a little distant or hard to approach—but still admirable.

She's often perceived as cool or amazing, but deep down, she really wants to be cheerful and fit in like everyone else. We tried not to make her too serious, but instead gave her a kind of personality gap that makes her seem composed from the outside.

Because she's still young, she's constantly worrying about how others see her—she's the type of kid who even thinks about that when she's at home. If she comes off as a bit unusual, it might be because the audience notices the “gap” in her personality from the beginning.

From your first published manga to your most recent manga, are there any other stories or genres you'd like to explore?

PEACH-PIT: Hmm, right now we're pretty focused on Shugo Chara! Jewel Joker, and we don't have much room to think about anything else. But those kinds of ideas often pop into our heads, so maybe something will come to us sometime.

Fans can attend the PEACH-PIT 25th Anniversary Exhibition in Tokyo until August 14, 2025! Tickets are on sale here and you can find out more about the exhibition on the official website.