Our Creator Interview series is back this week with mangaka of Golden Mist, RedFManga from Shrine Comics. An action-packed martial arts meets 17th-century isekai, Golden Mist has stunning artwork, and I'm thrilled to get to ask it's mangaka some questions.
With that out of the way, let's get into it.
GlobalComix: Tell us a little bit about your work, yourself, and how you got into making comics!
RedFManga: I actually started really young, probably around seven. I was always fascinated by comics, and instead of doing full illustrations, I found myself more into creating comic strips. It just felt like the natural way for me to express myself, and over time, I guess my journey just kept evolving from there..
GlobalComix: What inspired your story Golden Mist? Can you tell us its origin story?
RedFManga: Golden Mist was inspired by a mix of things I was really into at the time, like kung fu movies, and shonen series like Tokyo Revengers and time travel stories like Erased. Funny enough, the series originally started out as a modern-day story with ninjas called the Golden Mist. But when I got the idea of incorporating time travel, I knew I had to go in that direction, especially since I felt like a lot of stories weren’t really handling that concept well. I wanted to put my own spin on it and challenge myself as a writer, and honestly, I think it turned out pretty great!
GlobalComix: Golden Mist is pretty consistently one of our top performing manga since you posted it. What type of promotion have you been doing to raise awareness for it?
RedFManga: I've mostly been doing fast-paced, edit-style videos to get the word out. But honestly, I think what really makes a difference is showing how passionate I am about the series. I try to put that energy out there, hoping it'll not only get people interested in Golden Mist but also inspire them to create their own stories. I really believe that being passionate about your work is key to success, especially in the scene I’m in.
GlobalComix: Are there any manga in particular you are taking inspiration from?
RedFManga: Again, I’d say the biggest inspirations are Tokyo Revengers and Erased, but lately, I’ve also been drawing a lot from Magi, Dragon Ball, and definitely One Piece.
GlobalComix: I’ve heard that Shrine Comics has started Printed Volume production. Will Golden Mist also get physical editions?
RedFManga: Definitely, and it’s happening really soon! The book is already finished, and now it’s just a matter of getting it to the U.S. and onto as many platforms as possible. I know people have been waiting for it, so I’m making sure it’s the best it can be!
GlobalComix: What drew you to making manga specifically over other forms of storytelling like traditional western comics or animation?
RedFManga: I haven’t really mentioned this before, but the first manga I ever picked up was Naruto when I was seven, and I’ve been hooked on the manga format ever since! Actually, this is kind of personal, but my first-ever comic was a bootleg Naruto comic—except instead of the Nine-Tailed Fox, it was the Nine-Tailed Wolf. laughs Yeah, I was definitely in love with manga from the start.
GlobalComix: Is Golden Mist your first manga? If not, what other projects have you worked on?
RedFManga: Golden Mist is actually my second series. My first one was called Blaze Kybo. It was about a boy named Faruken who wanted to reunite a team that was meant to save the world, and he goes on a journey to get them back. It was a bit generic, but it did build a small community. Looking back, it felt too simple for my liking, which is why I ended up creating Golden Mist instead.
GlobalComix: Do you work on a team or on your own? Does Shrine Comics assist with the Production at all?
RedFManga: Shrine does help with the printing side of things, but when it comes to the actual production of my series, I’m mostly on my own. I do have a few editors that I’ve handpicked and pay to assist, but other than that, it’s pretty much a solo effort.
GlobalComix: Do you have other projects in mind after Golden Mist?
RedFManga: Absolutely! I’m actually working on a one-shot right now that I hope will be even better than my previous works. I usually don’t dive into new titles too often, so the fact that I’m working on this new project with a lot of confidence shows how excited I am about it!
GlobalComix: What is your dream project, and what is your dream publisher (if you have one)?
RedFManga: I’d probably say VIZ or Dark Horse.
GlobalComix: If you could ever be an assistant on any manga, who would you want to work under and why?
RedFManga: I’d definitely want to work with an assistant in the future, rather than just an editor. Since Golden Mist has a unique, Edo period-inspired story, having someone experienced to help guide me and keep the story on track would be really helpful.
GlobalComix: How are you approaching learning about manga? English resources can be a bit limited. Any tips you can share with aspiring creators would be great.
RedFManga: I’d say the best approach is to study and observe the things that inspire you, whether that’s manga, American comics, or even manga from other countries. Focus on the aspects you want to master. Nowadays, there are also plenty of books that break down the art of making manga in simpler terms, thanks to the growing popularity of the medium. I hope that helps!
A super warm thank you to RedFManga for taking the time to answer my questions and provide us with some amazing artwork! It's always a pleasure to talk to another mangaka.
If you would like to keep up with RedFManga online, here's a list of links for all of his social media profiles and website:
RonnyCreates 1 year ago
Good one Rex good one indeed