Inoue News Archive

[Griffith]

Good call. It's a very interesting glimpse into his life right now. It also gives some context to his Vagabond announcement, considering he just finished an exhaustive amount of work, so I don't think it's a coincidence he's writing that now. Another funny thing is how he's almost touring with this Vagabond material like a musician would on an album, and he's planning on moving on from this material altogether once the tour is over... except he's an visual artist/author, not a musician. I'm trying to think of a parallel example of something like this.

 

[Eluvei]

I't been a while.

It realy has been a long time.
I'm still alive.

I'm working on the color drafts for Real Chapter 58.

Vagabond Vol. 33 has come out. Thank you for all the thoughts and
feedback I've recevied. They are the fuel that will keep me moving forward.

I really like the layout for the cover this time... Well, I always like
it, but especially this time. Thank you, T-shima-san and thesedays-san.

Some readers of the serialization in Morning may have noticed, but there
were a lot of edits this time. Actually, that's been the case in every
recent volume. That means that my mind and body aren't keeping up with
the weekly pace. It can't be helped. We'll just have to live with it and
move forward.

Well! Last time I wrote about the end of the Osaka Managa Exhibition, but
some time has passed (hey!) since then and now "The Last Chapter - Sendai"
has only a little time left. Time flies...

Of course I've been to Sendai several times, and I've watched the season
change beautifully (this is really the best season), and it's become a
city that I really like.

And, this was true with Osaka as well, but I haven't really had the chance
to take the shinkansen much before so I never realized how much I would
enjoy the time spent eating a bento while riding it. Even when I'm not
that hungry I'll buy a bento and eat it. I haven't had cow tongue in
Sendai, but I've had cow tongue bento on the shinkansen! Bento and
shinkansen are now forever linked for me.

The "Manga Exhibition" has only a few more days before it ends. But it's
been 2 years since we started it in Ueno... I was able to try
expressing some things in a third dimension, by taking another dimension
and breaking from 2-D where I've done various things with manga. I'll
probably talk about what I've learned and seen through this experience
some day. I don't feel like expressing any conclusions right now.

I've certainly expanded my horizons. I'm sure this will be the seed of
something else to come. And there will probably be something that it
replaces and that I will stop doing.

6/13 is the day it all ends. At the Sendai Mediatheque. If you're interested, please hurry.

I ran 2.5 km this morning. I wonder how many years it's been... I should run tomorrow too.
　INOUE TAKEHIKO
2 June 2010

Mori no Miyako.

There's only 3 more days left for the "Last Manga Exhibition - Sendai
Chapter". Only a little more time left for the manga exhibit overall.

Those of you who came on the final day in Ueno, Kumamoto and Osaka already
know, but on the last day of those exhibits a new piece was added.

I always feel like I should show my gratitude in some way for the people
who come, and the staff who are working so hard. And the new piece is a
way of saying "Thank you".

Sendai is the last Manga Exhibition, so the new pieces for each of the
previous locations will be shown starting about today -- a little before
the last day.

It's the middle of the NBA Finals. I'm looking for the Lakers to go 4-2!
Muahaha.

And the World Cup has started. I'm looking forward to it...

　INOUE TAKEHIKO
11 June 2010

Man we almost missed the last one.

 

[Griffith]

Both great updates, thanks Eluvei. The first one sure is cryptic at the end concerning what Inoue will start and stop doing in the future. Also, not happy to hear about those additions to the Last Manga exhibit, admittedly for selfish reasons since my expensive art book is now technically obsolete.

Also glad he was following the Lakers. I wonder if he sees any thematic parallels between what happened on the court and Vagabond?

It's like Yagyu passing the torch to Musashi... MJ is Ittosai of course. ​

 

[Eluvei]

The first one sure is cryptic at the end concerning what Inoue will start and stop doing in the future.

Yeah. Let's just hope he makes another episode soon, so we can see the direction he'll take Vagabond now. It was supposed to be back in May and there was no mention of a bigger break or anything. I admit I'm not as comfortable with this as I am with Miura's breaks, since God knows what Inoue's gonna do next.

Also, not happy to hear about those additions to the Last Manga exhibit, admittedly for selfish reasons since my expensive art book is now technically obsolete.

I don't think they were significant additions, though. Looks to me like they were more like extras, since they were all different at each exhibit. The only difference is he decided to show all these extras at once in Sendai since it's the last time the exhibit's gonna happen anytime soon (I still hope we'll get to see it once Vagabond becomes an all-time classic ).

And all the other changes between one exhibit and the other were most likely slight adjustments so it could blend in the different environments. That's what it looked like when we followed that blog he made.

Sorry for the inconvenience to worry Temashi.
So much wrong body, has received a dock dock brain and heart.

Test results are not unusual! Was.
Some symptoms for some time, which lead to serious illness know that no relief was relieved. The people who visit your messages and encouragement, we are grateful.
Thank you.
I thank my parents gave birth to a strong body.
Thanks to his wife has helped in terms of careful diet.
Erakatta sometimes I have moved the body to reduce drinking.

But this is just a test, I was not able to treat the symptoms of this "real" writing is still to have symptoms. The state could do so, "Vagabond" had been scheduled minutes of posting, and received a one week rest. Thank you.

By this time, one is now felt that there are at a crossroads.
If you still continue this work will slow down some of the work, the stress (if any) good to escape and sleep properly. Balance of body, mind and balance.

More aware and not be such a regular basis, continue to speak out like this is not a natural thought. I quite understand, but I was vaguely unpleasant.

I want to do anything yourself, what do want to be.
Ask yourself one more case and proper.
My way to anyone about to say something. Chose his own road.

Itadakimashita I think the opportunity to do that again.
Thanks to health problems.

One New Year's plans to now, "Vagabond in the year to complete," that is carried over to next year and I decided in August!

Well and good, my way also.

This week, Kumamoto, spent surrounded by natural beauty in Kagoshima has excellent talent to feed. We wanted to feel what I got.

Thank you.

He's healthy! And apparently he's gonna finish Vagabond in August 2011.

 

[Griffith]

He's healthy! And apparently he's gonna finish Vagabond in August 2011.

Haha, he's like Yagyu playing go, he's going to continue his one year plan... by starting over!

Anyway, I'm happy about the former and incredulous about the latter, and I think the solution to both issues is an extended break. I actually really dislike the one year plan and that whole mentality; I wish he would just admit it didn't work, say it'll be done when it's done, and drop it. Just the thought of the material being rushed, condensed, or otherwise adversely affected because of some arbitrary deadline he's placed on himself is maddening.

He needs a call from Kentarou Miura.

 

[Rhombaad]

I actually really dislike the one year plan and that whole mentality, I wish he would just admit it didn't work, say it'll be done when it's done, and drop it. Just the thought of the material being rushed, condensed, or otherwise adversely affected because of some arbitrary deadline is maddening.

He needs a call from Kentarou Miura.

Hey, it worked with Lost, didn't it? Oh, right...

 

[Griffith]

Hey, it worked with Lost, didn't it? Oh, right...

Oh God, I never even thought of that parallel!

Thankfully, I have a lot more faith in Inoue to do the right thing in the end, whatever that may be.

 

[Rhombaad]

Oh God, I never even thought of that parallel!

Haha, I'm sure it'll be fine.

Thankfully, I have a lot more faith in Inoue to do the right thing in the end, whatever that may be.

So do I. Besides, it's not like his end date of August 2011 is set in stone. It'll probably get pushed back the closer he gets. I just want it to end well and not be rushed, like you said.

 

[Eluvei]

Cicadas.

I've never seen so many dead cicadas as I have this Summer. One day at
the end of August, I went to the park and their bodes littered the ground
like somebody had just taken a bucket and thrown them everywhere. I saw
that as some type of metaphor. I've probably been clinging to it up until
now, but this is the end of some of my beliefs. I'm going to erase the
loud voice, and instead turn my ears toward my inner voice which I've
probably forgotten to listen to.

I'm grateful to the lives of the cicadas who provided me with a chance to
think things over. I guess every instant has the possibility of spurring
such a change.

Well...

My original intent was to have Vagabond start in Morning again with the
9/2 issue. I even announced it here. But I had issues with my health
after that.

After consulting with our editors, I think I'm going to first get healthy
so I can start working again at full strength. At this time, on top of
healing my body, I want to take the chance to calmly and peacefully
personally focus on the story, which is coming to an end. Even though the
amount of time without a new chapter coming out will become longer in the
foreseeable future, I would be happy if you could take this in stride and
ask that you not be surprised by all of this.

As for Real, Vol. 10 is slated to come out this November. At the very
least, I want to be able to keep my planned pace of publishing 1 new book
a year. But I can't push myself, so things are going very slowly.
However the preparations are moving forward.

I am thankful for your understanding on all these aspects.

 

[Eluvei]

I've got some kind of bad news. Inoue has made an entry in his websited titled "Stop". Gottsuiiyan has summarized it:

Inoue says that Vagabond is suspended with no imminent plans to resume - http://www.itplanning.co.jp/news.html (Japanese)

He also said Vagabond won't resume until he gets back the desire to do it, and misses the sense of fun he used to feel in his work.

In essence, he wrote a big apology to Vagabond fans about why he stopped working on it & explained he stopped and won't start again yet.

Oh, yeah, and Inoue said that he finished Real # 10 after stopping Vagabond because it was already so close to completion anyway.

Well, I guess that's it. Can't help but feel a little disappointed, but it's not such a huge surprise either. We can only hope it comes back someday.

Also, Inoue has set up a twitter account: http://twitter.com/inouetake

 

[slan69]

Well, I guess we'll never now what happened with the battle between Musashi and Kojiro for some time... or maybe never. And what happened to Otsu, did she disappear off the face of the earth or what?

 

[Th3Branded0ne]

I'll just be patience and wait for Inoue to get better and inspired to continue Vagabond. I don't mind this for now.

 

[Griffith]

I wasn't expecting him to be back any time soon, but to make an official announcement like this... wow. I'm reminded again of Matahachi's words in volume 33, "Didn't expect to be this popular. Maybe I should run away. From here on... the tale's not so pleasant to tell."

I can't complain though, I've basically been advocating for this:

I think the solution to both issues is an extended break. I actually really dislike the one year plan and that whole mentality; I wish he would just admit it didn't work, say it'll be done when it's done, and drop it. Just the thought of the material being rushed, condensed, or otherwise adversely affected because of some arbitrary deadline he's placed on himself is maddening.

Anyway, if he doesn't feel like writing Vagabond, he shouldn't until he does again. In a way, I'm actually kind of relieved. Instead of seeing this as Vagabond being over for now, it's more like Inoue's given himself, and the series, an indefinite extension.

 

[Walter]

Artists are a fickle lot. He'll be back within a year

 

[Eluvei]

He's been unhappy with being a mangaka for more than a year now, and has expressed a wish to make something unrelated to this medium, so I won't be surprised if Vagabond has come to an end. That's probably what inspired him to make the exhibition: it's both something that isn't a manga and, at the same time, the end of Vagabond.

 

[Rhombaad]

Nah, he'll be back. I don't think Vagabond is over at all. It's just an indefinite break until he finds his motivation again.

I agree with Griffith. I think this is a lot better than Inoue limiting himself to just under a year to finish Vagabond. This way he'll find his motivation again and finish the series with the ending it deserves.

 

[Griffith]

Yeah, I don't think it's over by any means, and I'd like to think I have a pretty good read on Inoue. Here's what I said concerning his first hint that he was ready to lay down his pen:

I'm actually not too worried about this. To put it in terms Inoue would understand, I'm taking his possible retirement announcement about as seriously as Allen Iverson's. It's also hard for me to believe anyone is pressuring Inoue more than himself; at this stage of his career, whatever his contract, he can probably do what he wants (he already took a year off from Vagabond to recharge once), and most of this pressure on him probably comes from within. I don't think anyone that self-motivated is just going to stop either, for a while a maybe, but Inoue's work almost seems like a compulsion. In a sick selfish way, I'm kind of looking forward to how he will channel these feelings into Vagabond going forward (as he's already been doing). Best case scenario, his work becomes that much more personal, unpredictable, and inspired... worst case, he detaches himself and just starts grinding it out. I don't think that could happen though, even if he tried.

I'm just glad it wasn't the worst case scenario, and I'm happy I used that sports analogy, because I honestly think it's the same thing. When you're the best at something, it's hard to retire, and even harder to stay retired. Like Wally said, he'll be back. New worst case scenario... Vagabond: 20 Years Later.

Again, not even really surprised, as Eluvei pointed out, Inoue has been vocally unhappy for a while now, and specifically concerning Vagabond. Speaking of which, this text from the back of Last Manga stands out to me:

Here's what Inoue had to say about it:

"I thought "The LAST Manga Exhibition" could become an
opportunity for me, to turn the "Musashi" I depicted and
his lifetime of killing dozens of people into a positive, despite
everything.

What I'm trying to say is--

The people that read "Vagabond" all along.
The people that accepted my many twists and turns during
these 10 years, and kept following me.
I really, really wanted to make them feel good.
"I'm glad I kept reading." --
I absolutely wanted to make them feel that way.

Drawing "shadows" to draw "light."
Conflicts and killing people are "shadows."
I thought I had to draw that side, or I wouldn't be able to see
the "light."
I thought that was what I was proceeding towards.

However, even if it was something along the path to my
destination, the pictures that depict killing people, although
pictures, also had the power to unconciously hurt people's
hearts.
Unseen thorns were left remaining in the reader and the
artist.
When I discovered a part of myself that felt, I don't want to
show these to people that still have God-like, bare open souls,
like young children, I felt this was a certainty.

I'm glad I was able to draw this story at this time.
No, it had to be this time, and it had to be a "Manga drawn
in space, experienced with one's entire body," or it really
wouldn't have been possible to get across.

I now truly feel that I finally had an opportunity to depict
"light" itself.
When I think so, it all wasn't a mistake. It turned into the
exact form I was proceeding to.

Even when I depict sorrow, it is no longer sorrow without a
destination.

July 2008
Inoue Takehiko"

It's like he's not just tired of being a mangaka in general, but specifically because of the toll Vagabond is taking on him. I've been wrong before though, here was my fan-tastic take at the time:

Wow, Musashi's journey has been Inoue's and vice versa far beyond just the relationship between author and character. I'm taking it altogether, I can't really see any other way, and what's interesting is how all this co-exists; Vagabond as it continues now is both taking place before and yet spiritually beyond "the end" Inoue has depicted here. For Inoue, is The LAST Manga Exhibition an epilogue, or is that what the rest of Vagabond is now?

Well, now we know what it means for the rest of Vagabond.

Finally, since this might be our last Vagachat for a while, I thought I'd share my convo with Wally about this. I basically covers the rest of my feelings if I haven't made them clear:



Griffith 7:23 pm
"Didn't expect to be this popular. Maybe I should run away. From here on... the tale's not so pleasant to tell."
Walter 7:24 pm
?
Griffith 7:24 pm
Matahachi in volume 33. =)
Walter 7:24 pm
ah, havent bought mine yet
Griffith 7:25 pm
Well, you have plenty of time to catch up.
It's the last volume as things stand.
You've followed Inoue longer than I, and there's already precedent with his break after 20, but is this... usual?
Griffith 7:26 pm
Did he ever burn out on Slam Dunk?
Walter 7:27 pm
nah
it was differnet though
it was for Jump, and they have very strict deadlines
and since he was young back then, he couldnt just let it slide on his name.
Griffith 7:27 pm
Plus, the material had to be more lighthearted.
Walter 7:27 pm
quality suffered at times. the art is very, very simple.
Griffith 7:28 pm
It's like this is killing him.
Walter 7:28 pm
it's much more circuitous than Vagabond, as far as pacing and direction.
Walter 7:28 pm
what's the newest word on Inoue?
i know he's expressed frustration or difficulties
but... has he said IM DONE?
Griffith 7:29 pm
Yep.
Walter 7:29 pm
wha? really?
jesus...
what a way to end
Griffith 7:30 pm
http://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?topic=10392.msg193391#msg193391
Well, it's more an indefinite break.
STOP
For now...
Walter 7:30 pm
very weird
is there precedent for something like this?
like, other series?
ive never heard of something like it.
Walter 7:30 pm
i wonder what his plans are.
like, what's replacing Vagabond, if anything?
Griffith 7:31 pm
He just says he's not starting again until it's fun again... uhhh.
I don't know, the guy has seemed tortured for a while now.
I think he might hate his series. =)
Walter 7:31 pm
hehe
he's so close to the end though
i mean, you can almost reach out and touch it
Griffith 7:32 pm
http://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?topic=11141.msg179313#msg179313
I also think he's a bit lost.
Like, he doesn't know how to end it.
Walter 7:32 pm
"Even more a conclusion than the actual releases will prove to be?"
Griffith 7:32 pm
I mean, everything he says about it is conflicted.
Walter 7:32 pm
CORRECT
Griffith 7:33 pm
Maybe he feels the same way about the last manga as you. =)
"Well, I've seen the end already"
And yeah, fitting.
Walter 7:33 pm
no kidding, I think the Yoshioka 100-man-battle broke him.
Griffith 7:34 pm
It gave him PTSD.
Walter 7:34 pm
wasnt that where the release pacing started to drift off
Griffith 7:35 pm
He's still done 6 volumes since then.
Walter 7:35 pm
thing is, that volume,w hat is it, 26? is awesome
Griffith 7:35 pm
But there's been no... arc since then.
Walter 7:35 pm
quality wasnt suffering
yeah...
Griffith 7:35 pm
Other than the prison stuff.
Walter 7:35 pm
there've been great moments to be had, but a lack of direction.
Griffith 7:35 pm
He's sort of wandering as much as Musashi is.
Walter 7:35 pm
and thats not a problem, per se.
Griffith 7:35 pm
Lost in the woods.
Yeah, I've enjoyed it.
Walter 7:35 pm
but apparently it is for Inoue.
Griffith 7:36 pm
But it suggests he's not any closer to finishing.
Like he wants to, but can't without settling./
"They fight, Musashi wins, Good enough."
Walter 7:36 pm
Artists are a fickle lot. He'll be back within the year =)
Griffith 7:36 pm
Yeah, I'm not worried.
Enjoying the ride.
Guy seems so pained though, they're just cartoons Inoue!
They didn't really have families. =)
Walter 7:37 pm
heheh
Griffith 7:37 pm
"I killed them."
Walter 7:37 pm
and yeah he's diverged from the "historical approach" so much he shouldn't be overly concerned with that stuff, if it's weighing him down.
just stuff id like to tell him
Griffith 7:38 pm
I think its the opposite problem, he's undecided what HE wants to do with it.
Going the historical route or following MUSASHI would be easy.
Walter 7:39 pm
ah, yeah
the bookend for the series has to be substantial
i get that
i dunno though... i feel he could come up with something
i have a great visual in my head of what it'll be like
and he can do better than that
Just draw Mushi and Kojiro on the beach, not squaring off but dueling with sticks =)
the end
Griffith 7:42 pm
He already has them walking away on the beach together in LAST manga.
Also, the way he seems to feel about, like he's done a terrible thing here
His writings makes it sound as if he's been chronicling a romanticized version of Hitler's life. =)
Walter 7:43 pm
he needs to visit Miura. needs a mentoring session
Griffith 7:44 pm
Like Musashi can't be redeemed.
Or hasn't been in his eyes.
Walter 7:44 pm
i got that sense too
but, i dont feel that.
Griffith 7:44 pm
We're on the same page.
Walter 7:44 pm
and i think it's wrong for him to feel that way.
Griffith 7:44 pm
Yeah
Griffith 7:45 pm
If he wants to reconcile those feelings though, he could make that the motivation for why Musashi is more or less done after the Kojiro fight.
In that case, he should make it starkly horrible.
Kojiro's death.
Walter 7:45 pm
hahahah
Griffith 7:47 pm
So, I don't know, but I honestly am kind of relieved that the series has been stopped rather than rushed to an end.
Walter 7:47 pm
its also good to know where it stands.
before i kept thinking i was just missing the releases.
Griffith 7:48 pm
lol
I thought you were referencing the new Berserk anime.
I almost did.
"Nice to KNOW!"
Walter 7:48 pm
what new anime? =)

 

[IncantatioN]

Interesting read this. I'm a pretty new fan to the series, and this 'time off' allows me to slow down and take in Vagabond over and over again. I've re-read the current volumes three times now, and each time I go through an arc or a certain conversation, it just hits me right back, like I can't get enough of it. The art is strikingly beautiful too, and I notice some changes in the art style with the last volume or last two (I think! He has more straight lines on faces to show shadows/ expressions than prior volumes, but it's been a while since I re-read the series, will go back teehehehe).

 

[Eluvei]

He's been posting lots of quick drawings lately, check it out:

http://twitpic.com/photos/inouetake

 

[Walter]

He's been posting lots of quick drawings lately, check it out:

http://twitpic.com/photos/inouetake

Thanks for the heads-up. Some cool stuff on there. Sakuragi from Slam Dunk, and I think that's Musashi.

 

[Eluvei]

It has finally been translated.

Stopped in my tracks.

There's less than a month left in the year. Time has flown by swiftly.
It's been a rather long time since I last saw you.

First, let's talk about Real Vol. 10 which went on sale the other day.
It's been a little over 10 years since it started publication in 1999.
When I first started drawing it, I had intended for it to be able to be
read in full, but I never thought that it would continue for so long. That
being said, it's only at its tenth volume...

I've already had a chance to read some of your reactions. Thank you.

I haven't been in very good health the last half of the year and I have
gone through various changes so I've been treading somewhat of a tightrope.

Through it all, I somehow managed to get the book out and I feel even more
strongly that I am glad I did after reading all your reactions. Thank you.

And thank you for all your positive thoughts about the advertisement in
the Yumiuri Shinbun that appeared the some day. Our efforts were reward.

To our readers, everyone who helped with research, everyone on team
Real... and also just everybody -- Thank You! I hope that we can also
enjoy the next year in a great way.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　* * *

One of my goals at the beginning of the year was to wrap up Vagabond this
year.

I don't know whether that well happen with less then a month left in the year.

... I may not have expressed that in the best way.

I am very sorry that I have to disappoint everybody who had hoped to see
the ending that I had wanted to show everyone this year. I also feel a
sense of failure.. a sense of having lost the fight. With not being able
to meet a goal that I had set for myself this year.

Well... trying to wrap up Vagabond this year was a "whip" for myself, and
also a "hunch". I'll leave the "hunch" for later and talk about the
"whip". I had tried to give myself some constraints in order to give
myself strengh. It was more effective than I thought. But it wasn't quite
the right thing to have.

I got too focused on "finishing". I was looking too far forward into the
future. Of course, I did not realize that until now. But now that I've
allowed myself some space and have stopped in my tracks, I realize that is
what happened. A boxer in the 8th round who is worried about what punch
to finish off with in the 12th round is bound to lose before ever getting
to the 12th round.

My health suffered this summer and I was not able to continue my publications.
Afterwards, I consulted with my editors and we decided to take a break for a while.

I've gone through various examinations, but we haven't found a cause for
my condition, and so I stopped the magizine publications and reduced my
work load, and have slowly been getting better. Right now it's gotten to
the point where the symptoms only come out when I get too focused on
something.

This may come across the wrong way, but if I had to say it, I'd say that
for me, the amount of physical and mental stress that comes from Vagabond
and Real are 10 to 7 respectively. Therefore I felt that since there was
only a little bit of work left work for the 10th volume of Real, I could
complete it.

Now for the "hunch". I had a "hunch" that something internally was
changing in a big way, and so I wanted to bring the work to completion
before that happened.

Now that I've stopped in my tracks, I feel that it may not have been a bad
thing for the change to happen in the middle of the series. I mean, the
work has always changed as it has continued.

I wonder if that seems inconsistent. But that itself shows that it is
only temporary. I feel that even if it is your own work, letting things
go with the flow, trusting that there is a larger path then your own
consciousness will lead to a something better.

I'm in the process of getting that feeling back again. Still in the process.

I've mentioned that I am "stopped in my tracks" several times now. And
for Vagabond, it has completely stopped in its tracks.

At the time, I could not suppress the thoughts that if I didn't finish
things right then, that it would come back to haunt me later... that I
had to do things right then... which really worried me.

But after a while, I came to think that "It's not good to have to do
things right now".

"Let's think that it is something I want to do."

"And stop there."

"Who are you trying to impress when you think that you have to do things
right now?"

Of course, the readers are the reason for a manga's existencees and there
is no question that I have to impress them (and take responsibility for
it). That is the right thing to do. However, what is the limit of the
unbounded happiness inside the artist?

"Are you focused on what makes you happy?"

I've felt for some years that I have gone past the time where I could do
it just for the fun of it. That's a fact. I can't avoid having things
shroud the light of enjoyment at my center. I think that I just need to
deal with that and things will be fine.

I have a responsibility, but if my manga were to be suddenly erased from
the earth, it wouldn't be that big a deal. Since it is something that we
can live without, and since it's not a profession I entered because
someone asked me to, I think that I need to create my work while feeling
happiness from within my center.

As I was cleaning my desk, I discovered documents that were 5 years old
that had been left untouched for those 5 years. I started to enjoy the
act of wiping down the area under my chair. I wonder how much I had been
looking forward without looking at what was at my feet? I had felt this
several times before, but this time, the feeling was huge.

I decided to share my current situation and what I'm feeling -- not
necessarily with the public -- but more for the Vagabond readers.

I will let you know when we decide when and how things will start again.

For now, it is still undetermined.

I am grateful for your understanding. Thank you.

　INOUE TAKEHIKO
6 December 2010

http://www.itplanning.co.jp/newse.html

 

[Griffith]

Thanks Eluvei, that's actually more encouraging than it could have been, and confirms many of the things we already thought about Inoue.

 

[Eluvei]

Thanks Eluvei, that's actually more encouraging than it could have been, and confirms many of the things we already thought about Inoue.

Yeah, I can say the bitterness I expressed earlier is pretty much gone after reading this. It also confirms we must send him that letter.

 

[IncantatioN]

Pretty good read. I like how he expressed a sense of relief in the end when he cleared his desk, or the things under his chair. I can relate to that a bit when it comes to my own at work. Filed pile on, and when they reach a stage when I have to get rid of them, it feels good.

 

[Eluvei]

http://twitpic.com/photos/inouetake