Writing the Strongest Villainess - an Interview with Light Novel Author Touko Amekawa
by Rebecca Silverman,
You've written multiple series that deal with reincarnation in some way –time loop, simply being reborn, and reincarnated into an otome game. What draws you to reincarnation stories? Do you believe in past lives outside of fiction, or is there another reason that you enjoy writing them?
Tōko Amekawa: The reason I draw reincarnation stories is to depict a character's choices upon their death, and what their life values were. In short, I want to show their way of life.
For example, in Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim, Francesca was the granddaughter of a yakuza boss when she died protecting her grandfather. Although she laments the struggles that come with being born into a yakuza family, she treasures her family and grandfather dearly, which is why she dared to take a bullet for her family.
It's through reincarnation that I can depict that resolve.
While there are lots of “reborn in an otome game” series out there, very few take place in a specifically mafia-based otome game. What made you decide to use that setting?
AMEKAWA: This comes down to my desire to depict Leonardo, who serves as the hero, as a villain. Had this been a story about a so-called “villain," then there'd be no need for Leonardo to be a part of the mafia, which is why, rather than him being “villain-like like” I made him an actual villain.
By choosing this setting for the series, I wanted to portray the perilous nuances of a young man who committed an evil act and Francesca's strength, as she stands against him.
Both Arnold (from 7th Time Loop) and Leonardo (from Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim) are technically bad guys the heroines end up in relationships with. What do you think is the appeal of bad boy romances? Are there rules that those romances need to follow in order to remain appealing? Are there any pitfalls to writing them?
AMEKAWA: Tha's because, be they male or female, I love villainous characters! I love this type of character, whether they are truly evil, evil in name only, or who play the role of a villain for a reason.
I really enjoy writing villains or heroes that others fear. It's proudly written on my business card that “I love heroes who have talents in everything but fail in life, and the heroines who throw their lives into chaos and who unsettle them.”
Villainous heroes' and strong heroines' love affairs require both to come to terms and trust each other, and have things they will not relent on or abandon as they go forth and clash with each other. Writing about these relationships is a joy for me. What I take note of is how much strength and resolve the hero and heroine have. In the case of villainous roles, what I want is the character to be fully aware of the fate that awaits them.
That being said, I do try to avoid villainy that might make my readers feel uncomfortable.
All of your heroines are remarkably strong – they always know what their goals are and take real steps to reach them. What do you think the importance of take-charge heroines in books is? Would you like to see more of them in fiction?
AMEKAWA: Thank you for saying that! I absolutely adore writing strong heroines, and that this comes off to readers makes me happy.
Personally, I like any story that puts me in the perspective of the reader, so it's not as important for the heroine to be in control when I'm not writing.
To be honest, when it comes to stories I'm writing, I don't necessarily make it my purpose to write a strong, take-charge heroine. For me, it's more like, “There's only one woman who can oppose the type of hero I like.”And that's how I go about creating my heroines. When she then leaps onto the stage, before long, she ends up taking the reins and has the hero and the world wrapped around her finger.
How do you create your characters and stories? Did Francesca come first, or did the idea to set a story in a mafia game? What do you believe makes a good protagonist?
AMEKAWA: For any stories I write, I come up with the hero and characters first. For example, in Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim, the hero Leonardo came first. From there, Francesca, a girl who could stand up to him — the daughter of villains in both her past and present lives – was born.
I felt that the best way to depict her life would be in a tale of reincarnation, so I thought an otome game where the world she was reborn in would be filled with people from the underworld.
Readers will all have different ideas of what kind of protagonist appeals to them, so I always try to bring fresh ideas to my writing. Some people prefer strong and cool heroines, others may want to see a heroine who strives to do their best despite having relatable human weaknesses or being dealt unfortunate life circumstances.
I believe a heroine's appeal shines through differently depending on the type of story she's in, or put another way, what the story aims to depict.
I'd love to hear from everyone what kind of heroine they find appealing!
Unlike many characters who find themselves living in game worlds, Francesca recognizes that the people she meets are real people, even if there are some preset aspects of the world. How does this help her move the story along in the direction she wants to? Why did you decide to have her understand this about her new world and the people in it?
AMEKAWA:Admittedly, I hadn't thought about this until the interview. Though thinking back on it this may be about right. Most likely, this has to do with Francesca's personality. She's not the type who can see something happening and act as if it's someone else's issue to deal with, which gets her wrapped up in all kinds of things. It's likely that in her past life, she treated game characters as actual people as well. I don't necessarily “configure” characters' thoughts consciously, nor is it like I control what they think. It's closer to when I've got a picture of them in my mind's eye, then everything else falls into place. My thoughts are along the line of “Francesca would think this, and say this,” or Leonardo would do this because he thinks this way comes to me naturally.
The villainess subgenre of stories has become increasingly popular in light novels. Why do you think that is? Would you describe any of your stories as villainess tales?
AMEKAWA: Regarding my other series, 7th Time Loop the readers often jokingly point out, “This isn't a villainess story, is it?” But to me, I totally think it is! (laughs) I personally love stories with themes where characters are girls with a “wicked charm,” or “She is burdened with the role of acting evil on the surface but is actually a good person.” So writing villainesses is perfect for me.
In Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim, Francesca is reincarnated as a heroine, so technically it's not quite the same genre as the typical villainess story, but I think at its core it's the same!
Francesca mentions that she feels like she's thrown away the heroine role, but does that necessitate that she becomes the villainess? Does she have to match Leonardo in villainy?
AMEKAWA: Not quite; in this case, Francesca has “From the start thought she was a villain.”She is in the position of being a heroine, but she wants to be free of it. Despite there being people who can only be saved by heroines, and a world that cannot be saved without a heroine. Furthermore, she doesn't want anyone to be unhappy and wants a happy ending for everyone she meets. She thinks of herself as a selfish villain for feeling that way, so she chooses to take responsibility for abandoning her heroine role in another way. Please watch over Francesca and look forward to what choices she makes next!
How do you decide what to expand upon in the short stories included with the manga versions of your books? Are they fan-requested scenes, or maybe areas you didn't have time or space to write about in the main story? Does it create a lot of extra work to write them?
AMEKAWA: The short stories were born from my wanting to write “Fun romantic scenarios about Leonardo and Francesca!” for readers to enjoy. So, due to this, I decided to write them as little intimate glimpses of the characters that you can't get in the main story. I don't take requests for side stories for the manga, however, as far as Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim, I have taken ideas for themes to be included with bonus content with merch and such!
I have a lot of fun writing the short stories. If I had the time, I'd just write them forever, but I have to prioritize. Luckily, I enjoy writing the main story just as much.
Do you have anything you'd like to say to your English-language readers?
AMEKAWA: Hello everyone! I'm Tōko Amekawa, the writer of Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim and 7th Time Loop, as well as countless other novels, as well the original author of the manga and anime of said works.
I receive so much support worldwide, and I thank you all so much. Your passionate voices reach me all the way here in Japan! I only know Japanese; however, I use translators to read your messages and treasure them.
From time to time, I think about the different countries everyone lives in. There are time differences, different languages, and of course, cultures too. Yet we're connected through these stories, sharing emotions such as joy together, and of course, our favorite characters too! (laughs)
I'm so very happy and filled with joy! Truly, thank you all so much! Right now, I'm preparing to travel to various countries on my own more often. I'll be searching for my works at bookstores I go to and I'm so looking forward to seeing them in different languages!
But I know I'm only able to feel such joy because of fans like you in each country who take their precious time to read my books. Your support fuels my passion and becomes energy that I want to return to you via writing.
I hope you'll continue to love my work!
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