part 1 translated by BasedAnon http://news.mixi.jp/view_news.pl?id=4416729&media_id=141 Shirai apparently worked for some company after graduating university. He said it had nothing to do with manga at all and that this is his first time being a real mangaka (or rather manga author). He was about to give up after several of his scripts got trashed and told himself that he wasn't talented. He regretted it and called his latest attempt "The Promised Neverland" which was also meant to be his last try as a Mangaka and was written 3 years ago. He wrote 300 pages, because he was unable to properly summarise it and naturally a lot of things were changed from his original script. His intention was just to know if this last attempt was any good or trash like his previous ones. Newcomers usually don't bring 300 pages to such a evaluation meeting, because it's absurd. When Demizu encountered Shirai he read the whole script at once. He would usually get bored midway when he read scripts, but this time - all 300 pages - were so entertaining that he couldn't stop. Back then (well even now if you don't count TPN) Shirai was a nobody, so it was hard to trick Jump into giving the Duo a chance, but Demizu believed in Shirai's talent. Shirai planned back then to let someone else draw it. Shirai himself can draw, but the editor felt like it didn't do the script justice and that it would be too hard to expect Shirai to keep up the quality of the writing and draw it. Demizu points out once again that he joined the project after Shirai (and Sugita). Also Sugita is basically responsible for uniting the two into a team (and making them do the oneshot). "They fell in love right away with each other." Shirai loved Demizu's art as much as Demizu loved Shirai's writing. Shirai also knew about Demizu's art before they meet. He explains what he loves about Demizu's art like the expressions, background, cuteness etc. Shirai was so happy when he saw Demizu's draw his oneshot, because the outcome was better than he even imagined. TPN was basically not planned for Jump so it was kinda troublesome to decide with the editor what part of the script should stay the same and what shouldnt. There was stuff Shirai absolutely wanted to keep and that didn't fit Jump, but they ultimately let that in. That's why it's not like the rest of the magazine and more of an oddball (like Death Note was). It looks like the reviews for the Oneshot where alright and that's why Shirai was allowed to go through with most of his vision. Shirai had two oneshots before starting TPN. One was ポピィの願い/ Popy's Wishwith Demizu and the other was アシュリー=ゲートの行方/Ashley=The Gate's whereabouts which he released all alone. Both were published on Jump+. Interview Part 2 translated by BanzaiMang https://news.nifty.com/article/entame/showbizd/12176-79456/ Some of Shirai's influences include Naoki Urasawa, Takeshi Obata, Yusei Matsui (He liked Neuro a lot), Hirohiko Araki in suspense factor, and various others. Shirai often watches movies, which are also a big influence. He mentions a movie he loves called The Good Son, a suspense film. He likes situations with two-sided characters and excitement. Shirai: "Within Jump, while other manga are creating flashy and fierce battles, we only have to make strong pulls with psychological warfare that exceeds that." Posuka likes drawing Krone. Shirai also likes seeing her in action. Posuka also likes drawing Isabella, and thinks she is the only character currently that should be drawn beautifully. Shirai likes to deceive/challenge the readers. Shirai's wants to tell the message of "Friendship, Effort, Victory" (the Jump slogan) in the story. Even if the girl is the hero, without any battles, and if the story seems anti-Jump like, he still hopes it will lead in that message. He's decided the setting and story of the world where Emma will escape to. The meaning/place is in the title "Promised Neverland". The title of the manga was supposed to be "Neverland" only. But, it was supposed to be somewhat better in that "Neverland", so he changed the title. He's thinking of developing a way where the term "Promise" is linked to the core of the story firmly. Shirai: "If Emma can jailbreak successfully, I'll know the meaning of "Promised Neverland", so I'd like to do my best to not have the series end by that time (laugh)! The jailbreak arc will be finished around volumes 3-4, Shirai doesn't know how it will go but he'd like to proceed to the next arc soon.