Where were you born? Where did you grow up?  
I was born in Rolândia/PR, but I grew up in Londrina/PR.
Have you already taken a drawing course/art training?
I’ve done several art courses and I also took graphic design classes for 3 years at Universidade Estadual de Londrina.
How long have you been working professionally in comics?
I don’t believe I’ve really already worked professionally, but I managed a publisher for 3 years where I published a miniseries called Ethora.

In what things -- both in art and otherwise -- have you worked on
besides comics? Are comics a full-time gig for you or part-time?
I was a manager in a comic book specialized shop for 2 years and afterwards I opened my own business that was a comic book publisher. I’d really like to work full-time with comics, but at the moment I’ve been working part-time.

Talk about how you broke into the business -- Was it easy or hard? Did you get through ups and downs? Any interesting anecdotes? When you held your first published work in your hands, how did you feel?
I started participating in drawing contests organized by manga events and publishing fanzines on the same. Through these fanzines I’ve met editors and other artists that ended up putting me into the market. I published fanzines because of the drawing pleasure, I’d never imagined I’d work with that someday! My first published work happened on Tsunami magazine. I thank Denise Akemi very much for all the support and caring. I got really moved after I received my very first published work in my hands, it was a landmark!

Have you already worked as an assistant of any other artists? If so, please talk a bit about these experiences.
Unfortunatelly I’ve never had the chance to work as an assistant, but I’d really like to have such experience. I believe it’d be a great learning experience.
How did your parents take the idea of working with comics?
In the beginning they didn’t like the idea. My father was a farmer and my mother a Japanese teacher. Now that they’re retiring, they’ve been managing a comic book specialized shop in Londrina and they’ve been supporting me in my career a lot. I owe them a lot.

How would you describe your work environment? Is it part of your home, or do you go "to the studio"?
When I lived in Brazil, I had a studio where I used to produce my stuff, but while I’m here in Japan, I’ve been working at home.

What work are you proudest of? What's your most embarrassing?
Ethora comic book, no doubt. I’ve been producing it since my first fanzine in 2000. The work that maybe made me get most embarrassed was the comic book drawn by Erica Awano that I colored. I’d like to have done better.

What are you currently drawing? Comments on that project?
I’ve been currently making a few illustration freelances. I really enjoy illustrating, I could spend many days working on the same illustration! That’s a pity that deadlines do exist for everything.

Talk about your family: Parents, siblings, home situation. Are you married? Do you have kids? What are their names? Do you have anecdotes about married life? How does it relate to your busy schedule? If you have kids, do they understand your job? What do they say about it? Do they read comics?
We have a peaceful life. My parents, that are retired and my sister take care of a manga shop and they travel throughout Brazil participating in anime and manga events. They’re always spreading my work during these events and I’m really thankful for everything. My brother also draws and he’s the leader of a taiko group (Japanese drums) called Animedaiko. He also participates in several events.

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?
I’d really like to try the Japanese market and at the moment I’ve been working hard for that. But I’ve always wanted to work for USA as well. I’d like to be able to work in a big project, whether it’s in comics, or in games.

Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?  
I’ve never thought about it, but I’d like to be able to make a living from comics. I’d like to give support to a future family with this job and be able to be proud of that.

How big is the interest in comics in the place you live? Do your friends and neighbors know you make a living from comics? How do they react?
In Londrina, the comic book audience is a minority, even though the illustrators are very respected.

Tell us one thing we'll always find in your refrigerator.
My refrigerator is always empty, but I’m addicted to yogurt. I take at least one per day.

What's your favorite food?
I love Italian food, pastas over all and I’m currently addicted to ramen.

What are your favorite interests? (i.e.: movies, music, TV, sports, any other hobbies, etc)
I like to go to the movies, but I’m currently searching for a park or a garden to relax. I’m addicted to games of any platform. I’ve been playing Nintendo Wii a lot.

Have you ever been in a gang?
Only if it’s in a game. I’ve never been involved with anything like this, I lead a peaceful and ordinary life and I barely get out of home.

What an average day in your life is like? Walk us through a typical day.
I wake up at around 6:30am and I get ready to work, I leave home at 7:30am and I get back home at 5:00pm. During the rest of my time, I try to draw, read mangas, watch movies and I go to sleep at 11:00pm.

Do you have any humoristic or interesting anecdote about the comic book market to tell us?
I don’t really have one. I use to have problems when I get pre-menstrual tension and I have a tight deadline to meet. I start to cry and I can’t seem to finish the work that ends up all blurred because of the tears. I sometimes end up screwing up the paper in a fury attack.

Do you have any great unsold projects in your files that nobody's got to see published?
Yes, I have. I like shojo manga a lot and I’ve never had the chance to work in one. It’s been a while since I started the researches for the creation of my own script, but I’m very slow to create stories and I always end up letting it into my files.

What’s your complete list of published credits?
Participation on the Tsunami magazine (Talismã publisher) with comics.
Comics for Dragon Slayers magazine (Manticora publisher)
RPG illustrations for Dragon Slayers magazine (Manticora publisher)
RPG illustrations and comics for Dragão Brasil magazine (Talismã publisher)
RPG illustrations and Mestre e Jogador da Tormenta book covers (Jambo publisher)
RPG illustrations and Area de Tormenta cover (Jambo publisher)
Ethora Special Edition (Talismã publisher)
Ethora 5 issues miniseries (Kanetsu-Press publisher)
Commissions and illustration freelances
Several fanzines, among them Ethora Special 2003-2007, Maple Story Fanzine, Kanetsu
If you weren't a comic-book artist today, what would you be?
I may had gone for architecture.
 
Have you taught anyone comic book art or had any assistants? If so, talk about that.
I’ve already offered workshops and a manga course. But I don’t really have didactic enough to give lessons. Nevertheless I like to give tips and solve people doubts. I’ve never had an assistant, even because I think I couldn’t work with anybody else easily.

The thing you'd most like to be remembered for in your life is...
I’d like to give a little of caring and human heat with my drawings and that people always remember me with that feeling. That through my work I’m able to bring up a little happiness and joy to people.

Any closing words for your fans?
I thank a lot for all the support and caring of you all. I hope I always make a good job and I’m gonna try hard, so people will keep enjoying my work! Hugs for everyone!