The story of meat from "Niku no Kuni". The model for the fried chicken and Heiwa no Sukiyaki [Part 1] Harapeko Megane interview

Harapeko Megane has been creating picture books with the theme of "food and people". Their 15th work is "Meat Land" . It depicts the day when the best king of Meat Land is decided. The meat on the cover has been turned into a puzzle! So we interviewed Harapeko Megane about meat. Shinya Harada is in charge of the meat, and Kaori Seki is in charge of the king. Please enjoy the first part.

The title was Top Secret

── The title "Land of Meat" is wonderful.

Shinya Harada (hereafter Hara): The editor loved the meat on the cover of our previous picture book "Sukiyaki"... I also love eating and drawing meat, so it was decided right away that meat would be the theme. From there, we thought about what to do, and the title "Meat Country" came to us.

Seki Kaori (hereafter Seki): This is the first time we've decided on the title first!

Hara: It just pops into your head when you're brainstorming, and it's fun.

Seki: It seems like something that should exist, but it doesn't. When the editor searched for this title, which is both simple and a palindrome, he found that it hadn't been found yet.

Hara: After that, the title "Niku no Kuni" became a top secret, or maybe a top secret.

Seki-san is in charge of the king, and Harada-san is in charge of the meat.

-- What happened from there?

Hara: Well, there were a lot of things going on, but I think it was during a meeting. She had drawn many different sketches of the king, and when I saw them, I thought it would be interesting if various kings appeared. If we served the king and his favorite meat dishes, it would be the story we wanted to tell. We could also serve a lot of delicious food.

-- It was fun to see the cute king and the impressive meat appearing alternately.

Hara: Unlike previous picture books where we worked together to finish one page, she was in charge of the king page and I was in charge of the meat page, which was a first for us. That contrast is one of the highlights.

Seki: Suddenly, this real meat appeared (laughs).

Hara: That's right.

-- The king is also quite unique.

Seki: It seems like the meat's individuality comes out on its own, and as I captured the characteristics of the meat, it became a king of many things.

With the motif of homemade meat dishes

-- All the meat dishes are so delicious that you'll want to eat them all.

Hara: I searched the internet for "what would look most like fried chicken" and even tried drawing fried chicken myself. First, I tried to give shape to my ideal.

Then I went to department store basements and fried chicken shops to look for the fried chicken I wanted to draw, and if I could find it there, I would draw it, but I couldn't find it. So I thought, "It might be quicker if I make it myself," and I made it.

-- What's the difference between the fried chicken sold in your shop and the fried chicken that Harada makes?

Hara: They are just small things, like the shape, size, and clothing.

Seki: I thought that adding a domestic element would bring it closer to the image of fried chicken that everyone has in their minds, so I took that into consideration as well.

Hara: That's right. You have to look at someone's recipe book and do some research. I think you can find it if you really look, but we didn't have enough power to find it.

Seki: For example, even if we found a good fried chicken set meal, we wouldn't have it piled up like this (laughs).

Hara: A set meal would be 5 to 6 pieces, right? Ideally, it would be piled high, so if you buy fried chicken and arrange it at home, it's better to arrange the fried chicken yourself and draw it. If you buy a single thigh meat, you can decide the size and shape yourself. After all, it's freshly fried.

Seki: It's surprisingly possible if you try hard!

Hara: You couldn't get to that point unless you loved cooking and eating... but I think that's what makes Harapeko Megane unique.

-- Will you also be involved in the cooking, Seki-san?

Seki: I say what I have to say (laughs). I also help with plating.

Hara: In the end, we made hamburgers, roast beef, and sukiyaki.

Seki: That hamburger was delicious.

Hara: Tonkatsu looks more delicious at restaurants, so I went around to a few tonkatsu restaurants.

-- That sounds fun too. With the completion of "Niku no Kuni," have your meat cooking skills improved even more?

Seki: I think it's going up (laughs).

(The kitchen facing the atelier. This is where Harapekoya's delicious meals are made.)

Do you both like sukiyaki the most?

--What is each of you and your spouse's favorite meat dish?

Hara: For now, I've decided to call it sukiyaki. I'm sure it says so in the colophon of "Niku no Kuni". To be honest, I can't decide what my favorite food is, or rather, I don't want to decide. I think that there are many people who love to eat who can't decide, just like me.

Seki: It could be your favorite meat dish this year.

Hara: No, no, no, that's impossible.

Seki: How about for one month only?

Hara: Why can't you decide?

Seki: It seems like it's no good (laughs).

Hara: Well, I can't say it's impossible, because I like this and that. I really can't decide. But I guess it has to be sukiyaki. It says sukiyaki in the colophon too (laughs).

-- I can't decide, but maybe sukiyaki?

Seki: I often make and eat sukiyaki.

Hara: If I had to choose, it would probably be sukiyaki. The joy you feel when you take that first bite is incredible.

Seki: I think it's a dish for eating meat.

Hara: I think the best thing is sukiyaki. The moment you eat good meat with just soy sauce and sugar is amazing! Yes, sukiyaki is good. Let's have sukiyaki. We can all gather around the pot and it feels like a family get-together.

Seki: King Sukiyaki's sukiyaki gave the quarrelsome kings a happy ending in the end.

Hara: The symbol of peace is a strong one (laughs).

-- In the first part of the interview, it was decided that their favorite meat dish is sukiyaki. To be continued in the second part.

(Their studio also has a large collection of glasses.)

Click here to purchase the Hungry Glasses/Meatland 108-piece Difficult Puzzle

For more information on Harapeko Megane's artists and works, click here

▶︎"The meat you want to eat the most has become a puzzle" [Part 2] Harapeko Megane Interview available here! ◀︎

(Lighting: Yoshiro Sugawara, Photography: Ayako Takeda)