{"id":140043,"date":"2025-11-18T00:19:51","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T08:19:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/?p=140043"},"modified":"2025-11-18T07:47:31","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T15:47:31","slug":"this-monster-wants-to-eat-me-interview-discussing-the-dark-fantasy-yuri-tale-with-its-creator-editor-and-producer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/2025\/11\/18\/this-monster-wants-to-eat-me-interview-discussing-the-dark-fantasy-yuri-tale-with-its-creator-editor-and-producer\/","title":{"rendered":"This Monster Wants to Eat Me Interview: Discussing the Dark Fantasy Yuri Tale With Its Creator, Editor, and Producer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The horror yuri series <\/span>This Monster Wants to Eat Me<\/span><\/i> held its US premiere at Otakon 2025 in Washington, DC. Anime Trending had the opportunity to speak with the manga\u2019s creator <\/span>Sai Naekawa,<\/b> manga editor <\/span>Takumi Kamemaru<\/b>, and anime producer <\/span>Ena Hamabe<\/b> prior to the October 2025 debut<\/a> of the TV anime adaptation<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interview and article by Kwok-Wai Hanson. Questions by Kwok-Wai Hanson and Melvyn Tan. <\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Manga Creator Sai Naekawa<\/span><\/p>\n

Anime Trending: First, we\u2019d like to start with Naekawa-sensei. What led you to create this manga?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sai Naekawa-sensei: <\/b>I was originally inspired by the theme of the sea, and when I was thinking about my next work, I wanted to tackle that theme that I had been wanting to draw for a while.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What was the reason behind making one of the main characters, Shiori, a <\/b>ningyo<\/i><\/b>*?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Sai Naekawa-sensei<\/b>: The reason why I made Shiori a <\/span>ningyo<\/span><\/i> is because I thought that [when] you think about the sea, [you then think of] yokai. I thought ningyo was very fitting because a ningyo is both a beautiful and scary yokai.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

*ningyo: A Japanese mythological creature, traditionally depicted as a mermaid-like being with a human upper body and fish tail.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

What types of stories do you normally enjoy? Do they influence <\/b>This Monster Wants to Eat Me<\/i><\/b>?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Sai Naekawa-sensei:<\/b> I wouldn\u2019t say they really influence me on what I produce because normally I read about girls and they tend to be the same things, like love comedies and serious [stories], but I don’t think they really influence my work all that much.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What stands out to you about Japanese ningyo compared to Western mermaids?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Sai Naekawa-sensei:<\/b> I think Western mermaids are immediately linked to beautifulness and everything, but in Japanese, they have an ominous flavor to them or have a grotesque feeling to them too. That\u2019s the point that I want to emphasize in <\/span>This Monster Wants To Eat Me.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

What do you like the most about the main characters\u2019 relationship and contrast?\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Sai Naekawa-sensei:<\/b> I think the entire thing between Hinako and Shiori is important of course, but the way that Hinako and Shiori are enemies, yet are working towards the same goal because they have the same objective is very interesting. I like drawing that too.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, is there anything else you would like to share with your overseas fans?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Sae Naekawa-sensei:<\/b> Definitely for people watching the anime, please enjoy the anime. And also, please have interest in the Ehime prefecture in Japan! <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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\u00a92024 Sai Naekawa\/KADOKAWA\/Project Watatabe<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Manga Editor Takumi Kamemaru\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Could you talk about what it was like editing Naekawa-sensei\u2019s work?\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Takumi Kamemaru<\/b>: Personally, I think what Naekawa-sensei wants to make and what I have interest in are very similar, if not almost the same. So I think the entire editing process went very smoothly and there weren’t any disagreements, really.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What is something that stands out about Naekawa-sensei\u2019s work?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Takumi Kamemaru: <\/b>I think the most appealing thing about Naekawa-sensei\u2019s work is that she is able to draw expressions, and her expressiveness of the expressions is very wonderful. It\u2019s not about the lines, but the drawing being emotional. The pictures are also very beautiful.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Could you share any funny or memorable moments while working on this series?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Takumi Kamemaru: <\/b>What I think is very interesting about Naekawa-sensei is that she has lots of interests and she goes to lots of places and trips. She is also very prompt on the submissions. She even submits things early. So I\u2019ve wondered, \u201cWhere does she get the time?\u201d It\u2019s a very rare talent to be both fast and [maintain a] beautiful [quality] with her drawings.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For fans not familiar with the series, how would you describe it to them?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Takumi Kamemaru:<\/b> I think the topic that\u2019s being addressed in <\/span>This Monster Wants to Eat Me <\/span><\/i>may be dark and sad, but it\u2019s not just about sad emotions. There is fun there. Also, what it means to live is a very central topic, too. I think it should be a very fun anime.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, is there anything you would like to say to your overseas fans?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Takumi Kamemaru: <\/b>I think the anime is being done to a very high standard. The anime is successful in producing the strong parts about the original work, but also has the strong parts specific to anime, so I think you will enjoy it a lot.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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