MORRIS, the signature work of artist Kaori Hinata—who is active in multiple fields as a painter, figure artist (affiliated with MEDICOM TOY), and director of the Monchhichi brand "SMAK!"—is being adapted into a comic! The manga is being handled by Kamentotsu, whose "Koguma no Cake-ya-san" (Little Bear's Cake Shop), released on social media, has become a massive hit.
The comic's original story, "MORRIS ~The Adventure of the Cat with Antlers~," a collaboration between these two geniuses, will finally launch in the March issue of "Young Ace" (KADOKAWA), on sale February 4th. Is it a comic, art, or something entirely new? To commemorate the start of the series, we interviewed Kaori Hinata and Kamentotsu about the background and future prospects of this comic adaptation (this is a reconstructed compilation of individual interviews).

Kaori Hinata
Began her artistic career after winning the Grand Prize in the "Monchhichi Dress Design Contest" in '08 and being selected as a finalist for the "FEWMANY AWARD" in '09. Her nostalgic style, characterized by the warmth of hand-drawn and handmade elements, spans a wide range of techniques from painting to crafts and three-dimensional modeling. She has collaborated on numerous popular works and characters, including anime. Since '16, she has been developing "MORRIS -the cat with antlers-," a character of a cat with antlers. She is also expanding her activities internationally.

Kamentotsu
A masked manga artist specializing in reportage and character manga. Since starting his career in '15, his web series "Kamentotsu no Rupo Manga Jigoku" (Kamentotsu's Report Manga Hell) (Shogakukan) has garnered over 10 million PV. Following "Kamentotsu no Manga Narazu Michi" (Kamentotsu's Path to Manga) (2 volumes, Shogakukan), in which he interviewed legendary manga artists such as Adachi Mitsuru, Aoyama Gosho, and Takahashi Rumiko, his independently published "Koguma no Cake-ya-san" (Little Bear's Cake Shop) (Volumes 1-5 now on sale, Shogakukan) has sold over 650,000 copies. He currently also teaches at the New Generation Manga Course at Seika University of Kyoto.

—First, Ms. Hinata, could you tell us about the inspiration behind the creation of MORRIS, the cat with antlers?

HinataI had been painting and working as an artist for a long time. In 2015, I participated in an overseas event that gave me a sense of the burgeoning art toy scene. I wanted to create a figure that could be exhibited at events worldwide, and that's how MORRIS was born.
MORRIS embodies everything I love. A cat with a mouse, a seemingly happy yet subtly melancholic expression, a deep green coat with large buttons, boots with rounded toes, and so on.
I love fantasy, so I wanted to add an unusual element, which led to the antlers. I'm fond of the imbalance of a gentle creature having strong antlers.

—MORRIS figures have been released by MEDICOM TOY. What was the initial proposal regarding the comic adaptation?

HinataWhen President Akashi of MEDICOM TOY contacted me saying, "We've received a proposal to serialize a MORRIS comic in a shonen manga magazine," I remember being more surprised and bewildered than happy. The idea of MORRIS in a shonen magazine was completely unexpected. This was around the spring of 2020.

I had always thought a picture book would be the best way to tell MORRIS's story, and at the time, I wasn't ready to entrust the manga creation to someone else. It took me time to make a decision.
Perhaps it would have been better if I could have drawn it myself, but I realized it would be difficult to sustain a serialization with hastily drawn manga... I spent about three months agonizing over how to make it work.
Towards the end of that summer, when I still hadn't given a clear answer, Mr. Akashi contacted me again, suggesting, "Perhaps we should have a meeting with KADOKAWA first?" That's when I knew I had to make a decision. I thought, "Alright! Let's go ahead with the comic serialization! I'll entrust the manga to a manga artist! And if I'm going to entrust it, I want my favorite manga artist to draw it! I should make an offer and get their OK before the meeting with KADOKAWA!" And so I began to act.

—Was there a particular reason you decided to ask Kamentotsu to draw the manga?

HinataI had been reading Kamentotsu's manga, specifically "Koguma no Cake-ya-san," for some time. I was deeply drawn to his printmaking-like art style, the charm of his characters, and the subtle hints of darkness that occasionally appear. I got the impression that he's a manga artist who puts a lot of thought into how he tells his stories.
I felt that if Kamentotsu took on the project, he could bring out many facets of MORRIS's charm that would be different from what I create. Most importantly, I wanted to read a MORRIS manga drawn by Kamentotsu, so I decided to ask him.

When I looked at Kamentotsu's social media, I discovered that we had a mutual acquaintance, an actor and director named IKKAN, with whom I'm friendly. I consulted him about this matter, and he arranged a meeting with Kamentotsu.
The meeting was online, but when I first met Kamentotsu, I passionately presented the proposal for a MORRIS comic serialization and expressed my strong desire for him to draw it.

—Mr. Kamentotsu, what were your thoughts when you first heard about the MORRIS comic adaptation?

KamentotsuOne day, IKKAN suddenly told me, "I have someone I want you to meet." At first, I was suspicious. I thought, "Is this going to be some shady deal?" (laughs). When I met her, she was a very lovely woman, and she explained the MORRIS project and asked if I would participate. I was surprised. She told me she had read my work and had great respect for it.
I had also been following Ms. Hinata's work for a while, liking her posts on Twitter and saving them on Pinterest. I had been intrigued by her work for a long time.

—What was your first impression of MORRIS?

KamentotsuI felt that it contained elements that are truly needed in today's world. The visual of a cat, an animal that wouldn't normally have antlers, possessing them was remarkable. I also appreciated that it wasn't just cute; there was a certain darkness within its loveliness, suggesting a strong underlying message. I found it to be a truly wonderful character.

I had always loved MEDICOM TOY, who releases MORRIS figures, and KADOKAWA as the publisher. Everyone involved was an all-star in my book, so it was a truly fortunate opportunity. That's why I eagerly accepted.

—You mentioned MEDICOM TOY. Do you enjoy collecting figures?

KamentotsuAs a child, my parents didn't buy me many transforming robot toys, so I was a child who enjoyed playing with paper, making my own trading cards and board games.

The first MEDICOM TOY items I became obsessed with were the Star Wars strap figures that came with Pepsi (the "PEPSI NEX STAR WARS™️ BE@RBRICK" series released in 2008). I collected them all. My absolute favorite was the gold-plated C-3PO.
I'm also a big fan of Fujiko F. Fujio's figures. I still treasure the life-sized Korosuke figure from "Kiteretsu Encyclopedia," and I'm amazed they actually produced it. And I had always wanted the Oshishi Kamen figure from "Doraemon." I never thought it would be made into a figure, so when I heard it was released, I thought I was dreaming.

—From the initial meeting to the discussion with KADOKAWA, how did the process unfold?

HinataKamentotsu said, "I understand your feelings. I will cooperate," and two days before the meeting with KADOKAWA, it was decided that Kamentotsu would draw the comic version of MORRIS.
Although I had agonized over the comic adaptation proposal, it ultimately reached the most joyful conclusion. Only then did the excitement of "MORRIS's serialization in a manga magazine is starting!" truly sink in, and I'm incredibly thrilled now.

KamentotsuThe project seemed so interesting that my creative motivation soared. On the day of our first meeting, I spontaneously brought two plot options.
One was based on the style of "Koguma no Cake-ya-san." I assumed that's what they would be looking for, so I created a plot focused on healing and the cuteness of the characters.
The other was a plot that applied a slightly darker fantasy theme, something I had always wanted to explore, to MORRIS.
As a result, everyone on the MORRIS team present unanimously agreed, "We prefer the second one."

I was delighted that they found my ideas interesting, and I felt reassured that I would be entrusted with the story and the design of new characters.
As a manga artist, I've always created and released stories on my own. Consulting with Ms. Hinata about character design and having Mr. Akashi review my work—this collaborative process is very fresh and enjoyable for me.

—This is your first time working on a comic adaptation of an existing character, isn't it?

KamentotsuI've drawn reportage manga interviewing legendary manga artists, and that experience is proving very useful here. Sometimes, interviewees might not say important things or might even lie, but I enjoy the process of internalizing that information and then depicting it.

In this case, the character is at the forefront, so I'm enjoying the process of expanding on details through my own lens—for example, the reason MORRIS always wears that green coat, or the difference in personality between the two mice inside his hood.
Ms. Hinata gave me permission to give the two mice names for the comic version, so I plan to name them Phobos and Deimos, after the moons of Mars. Since they both love Star Wars, we thought, "That's like the twin suns of Tatooine!" and the excitement builds with each meeting, creating a great synergy.

—Has drawing the hit manga "Koguma no Cake-ya-san" influenced "MORRIS ~The Adventure of the Cat with Antlers~" in any way?

KamentotsuThe biggest change for me is that children can also read it. Since even young children will be reading it, I've become more conscious of creating something that doesn't contain anything inappropriate.
Building on my experience creating essay manga where I directly ask readers "What do you think?", I believe that having experienced both approaches has led me to create stories with sincerity, to be honest with myself and others, and to become someone who can also consider marketing and sales.
My goals are ambitious, but I remain grounded in reality. Therefore, with "MORRIS ~The Adventure of the Cat with Antlers~," I aim to help MORRIS appear in more places, and I'm drawing it with the grand ambition of making it a character known worldwide.

—MORRIS was featured in a mini picture book titled TEHON "Tsunoga Haeta Neko" released by MEDICOM TOY in 2017. Had you already conceived of the world of MORRIS around that time?

HinataWhile sculpting the prototype of MORRIS from clay, I was thinking about where MORRIS was born, what kind of character he is, and what he likes. I conveyed MORRIS's world in a gentle way through the picture book, but ultimately, I felt it was best for MORRIS to be a character that the owner entrusts their own interpretation to. When I see MORRIS on social media, everyone has their own unique version, and each one feels authentic.
Therefore, I didn't want to provide Kamentotsu with a rigidly defined MORRIS with overly detailed settings. Instead, I wanted to approach this comic adaptation with the excitement of discovering together what kind of character MORRIS will become with Kamentotsu.

—Could you share some memorable interactions you've had with Kamentotsu?

HinataKamentotsu and I have had many exchanges since our first meeting. We discuss our favorite things, the manga we've read, and even our honest feelings about the MORRIS comic adaptation. Now, we sometimes argue with such intensity it seems like we might fight (laughs).
But I find joy in creating a work together as a team, and that includes these moments. To ensure our readers enjoy the final product, we, the creators, along with the team members from MEDICOM TOY and KADOKAWA, want to deliver it with enjoyment.

KamentotsuMs. Hinata and I have been friends since this project began, and our meetings are always filled with lively conversation. We're around the same age, and we share common interests like Star Wars. When we introduce each other to things we like that the other doesn't know, it feels like gaining an extra brain. She is a person with great inner strength, yet also delicate and somewhat fragile, as if she could blow away with a gust of wind. I feel a sense of destiny, as I consider myself similar in that regard.

During our first meeting, I asked, "To what extent can I interpret the character of MORRIS?" I wanted to know how much I could alter Ms. Hinata's vision of MORRIS, and what aspects she wanted to preserve. These in-depth discussions provide me with ample creative inspiration. Conversely, when she rejects one of my proposals, she always provides a clear reason, so I always understand and agree. I think, "Yes, that wouldn't be right."

I'm not sure about Ms. Hinata, but every time I meet her, I feel like I'm looking at myself. I also find many aspects of her as a creator that I deeply respect. As an artist, I hold her in high regard.

—With the first installment about to launch, what are your expectations for this comic adaptation?

KamentotsuWe're not trying to create an overly obscure work, but I do think it requires a bit of time to fully appreciate. So, I would be delighted if readers could take that first step and immerse themselves in this world.
Also, I want MORRIS to be loved even more. My goal is to create a work that surpasses Ms. Hinata's original vision. Personally, I'm approaching this with the determination to go beyond the conventional image of comic adaptations and even influence MORRIS himself (laughs).

Ms. Hinata and I share a strong resolve to push each other, saying, "Let's take over each other's work!" So, I hope readers can imagine the kind of creative battle unfolding behind the scenes as they read.

HinataThe MORRIS comic adaptation feels like the opening of a new door, both for MORRIS and for myself. Initially, MORRIS was something I created and nurtured alone, but as more people became involved in raising him, the story has taken unexpected turns. I'm looking forward to the comic adaptation bringing even more interesting developments.

KamentotsuAlso, since MEDICOM TOY is involved in this project, I'm really looking forward to the possibility of my ideas being turned into figures. As a toy enthusiast, it's a dream of mine for my work, which I've created on paper, to be realized in plastic or soft vinyl. If that happens, I'll be incredibly happy!

©︎ KAMENTOTSU / KADOKAWA ©︎ KAORI HINATA / MEDICOM TOY