The very first Swiss Mangaka. A success story
Yami Shin
Behind this pretty name hides the very first Swiss Mangaka (meaning Japanese cartoonist and scriptwriter) to have joined the very closed club of published and officially recognised artists. Today, Yami can live from her passion. However, this was not a foregone conclusion! Here is the story of a success story.
"At school, I remember having quite a few difficulties: the "mainstream" way of teaching was not made for me and I often came across the wrong teachers. I felt like I was being pushed around rather than pushed up. At that time, drawing was a real escape for me, I gave myself over to it body and soul. "
As time went by, Yami discovered a passion for the world of Japanese pop culture. Her line became more precise, she perfected her skills, created her own universe, and then took part in a competition organised by Ki-oon publishing. Her life then took a real turn.
"Ki-oon is a real reference in terms of Manga publishing. They publish, among others, the French versions of two of the biggest successes of the moment: My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen. When she told me she was going to publish my work, I couldn't believe it, it took me several hours to get over it! "
His manga "Green Mechanic" has since met with great success among readers. In particular, it won the Daruma Award for Best International Manga, at Japan Expo 2018. After 7 years of hard work, 6 volumes have already been published. She confides in us that she is currently working on the 7th.
How to create a good Manga?
"To create a good manga, you need a lot of creativity, determination and above all a lot of motivation. It's not an easy job: during the key periods, just before the release of a new volume for example, I can work up to 70 hours a week! "
But Yami didn't stop there! She recently joined the teaching staff of the Apolline art school, based in several large cities in French-speaking Switzerland. She teaches Manga illustration for children and teenagers. It is about transmitting a passion, but not only:
"Passing on my art and my technique is one thing, but I particularly want to pass on my most cherished value: perseverance. I think I am the very example that it is possible to succeed when you stick to what you believe in and what you want to achieve. And I make it a point of honour to pass this on to my students; at their age, it is essential that they are accompanied in becoming aware of their talents, as well as in gaining confidence in their potential. My collaboration with the Apolline school, whose main value is the accompaniment of students in the realisation of their projects, has therefore become an obvious choice for me. "