“War is a difficult theme to write about. I grew up in Okayama, which is right next to Hiroshima. My grandparents went through the terror of war, and I know from their stories that the war was built up on people’s grudges. But you can’t just look at the current state and criticize it as being simply wrong, because every little thing in our history causes the build-up towards war… and when it reaches its limit, it breaks out. So even in the manga, it wouldn’t be believable unless I carefully elaborate on the war’s background. As my grandfather taught me, I believe that “war is never the right answer,” but I also understand that there will always be war. I feel lucky that I grew up in a generation that didn’t experience war. However, there are certain things that only my generation can tell in a story, and I can tell it from my own perspective. Even though it’s fiction, I want to make people feel like that there is still hope.” — Kishimoto
