Rio: Nice to meet you, Yupechika-san. I’m Takada Rio and I’m a big fan of Satoko and Nada. What led you to create Satoko and Nada?
Yupechika: When I was studying at an American university, I met several students who were Muslims. At that time, I knew very little about Islam. The Muslim lifestyle surprised me, but I learned a lot. I wanted to share this knowledge with many people, so I created the manga and posted it on social media.
Rio: Actually, I was shocked by the “Personality Gap” manga. Before reading it, I had some mistaken impressions of Muslim women. I had thought they were modest people hiding their faces and bodies with dark cloths. But at all-girls’ parties, they show their faces and wear colorful dresses.
Yupechika: That was a big surprise, wasn’t it? In Satoko and Nada, there are many stories dealing with culture shock.
Rio: Before I read your manga, I felt sorry for Muslim women because they couldn’t choose their clothes.
Yupechika: Well, in the beginning, I felt the same way. But I now know that’s not the true picture. We shouldn’t judge people before we know more about their culture.