Miya Kazuki

“	I think it’s weird to have a mom who suddenly gets ideas for her books in the middle of cooking and stuff, then shouts, ‘Get me my notepad! Someone, take my place!’	”
— Kazuki's Daughter, Ascendance of a Bookworm: Fanbook. Q&A with Miya Kazuki

Miya Kazuki
Miya Kazuki's twitter icon
Kanji	香月 美夜
Occupation	Writer
Created works	Ascendance of a Bookworm

Miya Kazuki (香月 美夜, Kazuki Miya), born on January 22nd, is a Japanese female light novel author and essayist, best known as the driving force behind the successful Ascendance of a Bookworm franchise. The web novel first debuted in 2013, with the light novel following suit in 2015. Kazuki also played a contributing role in the creation of the manga and anime adaptations of the series.

Career

Kazuki began crafting novels during her second year of junior high. After successfully navigating an entrance exam, she enrolled into the National University of Japan. However, work demands interrupted her writing pursuits. It wasn't until she married and her child started kindergarten that Kazuki found herself with more free time, allowing her to rekindle her passion for writing. In 2013, she commenced publishing her novel Ascendance of a Bookworm on the user-driven platform Shōsetsuka ni Narō, achieving notable success. By 2015, she officially debuted with the same series under TO Books.

From 2015 to 2017, she wrote a series of essays for "Everyone's Library" (みんなの図書館, Minna no Toshokan), a journal released by The Society of Study on Library Problems.

Everyone's Library

Kazuki's involvement began when an old college upper classman contacted her, asking her to contribute. This upper classman, who worked at a library, organized a workshop and requested Kazuki to write a column for the accompanying magazine.

Kazuki wasn't heavily occupied with other commitments, and the project involved writing 10 separate columns on books and libraries. With the manageable workload, she agreed to participate, contributing her insights to the workshop magazine.

It was a relatively informal undertaking for Kazuki, who didn't have a specific goal in mind initially. Her collaboration with her upper classman from college allowed her to delve into topics related to books and libraries, aligning with her interests and availability at the time.

Role in the Manga Adaptation

Kazuki drawn by Suzuka. Source: Drama CD 3 Post-Recording Special by Suzuka

In her involvement with the Part 1 and 2 manga adaptation of Ascendance of a Bookworm, Kazuki played a substantial role in ensuring the visual representation aligned closely with the original narrative. The manga adaptation commenced in 2015, preceding the anime premiere by four years.

Kazuki's responsibilities encompassed meticulous detail checking related to the story's setting. She actively reviewed plot details, storyboards, and final versions, ensuring visual fidelity to the originally text-based narrative. In the decision-making process, Kazuki was frequently presented with multiple proposals for the manga cover art, providing her input to make the final selection.

Beyond these duties, Kazuki contributed short stories for the manga volumes, enhancing the adaptation with supplementary content. She also wrote afterwords for the volumes, offering readers additional insights into her creative process and reflections on the series.

Kazuki's involvement enriched the manga adaptation of Ascendance of a Bookworm, providing readers with a more immersive and cohesive experience.

Role in the Anime Adaptation

Episode 1 endcard illustration by You Shiina

In the anime adaptation of Ascendance of a Bookworm, Kazuki played a pivotal role in overseeing and contributing to various aspects of the production. The script development and approval process involved Kazuki receiving scripts, covering one or two episodes at a time, alongside art/visual elements and character settings. Approval from Kazuki marked the initiation of work on storyboards, triggering parallel processes in animation and voice-over work for each episode.

Kazuki's involvement extended to attendance at recording sessions. During Season 3, she remotely participated in all sessions, while in Seasons 1 and 2, time constraints occasionally limited her attendance. However, she prioritized being present for sessions introducing new characters to ensure their voices aligned with her creative vision.

Beyond observation, Kazuki actively engaged with the director and voice actors. She provided guidance on character portrayal and occasionally made specific requests, emphasizing certain lines. The collaborative nature of the process allowed for on-the-fly adjustments, such as modifying lines or inflections to fit within episode runtime limits. Kazuki highlighted that while scenario scripts served as a foundation, actual dialogue scripts underwent alterations during production to meet time constraints.

In summary, Kazuki's multifaceted role in the anime adaptation encompassed script approval, visual elements, attendance at recording sessions, and active participation in shaping character portrayal and dialogue nuances. Her commitment to preserving the essence of the story within the constraints of the medium added a dynamic layer to the adaptation process.

Journey into Writing and Creative Process

Kazuki embarked on her journey as a writer during her middle school years, crafting novels as a hobby. However, as adulthood unfolded, she temporarily set aside her writing pursuits. It wasn't until marriage and motherhood, specifically when her daughter started kindergarten, that she rediscovered her passion for writing and resumed it as a hobby.

Initially approaching writing as a fun and cost-free endeavor on syosetu.com, Kazuki had no aspirations to turn professional. Engaging with her readers through Q&A sessions on the Bookworm Fanbooks, spanning four volumes, she provided insights into both her literary work and personal life. In the first Fanbook, Kazuki detailed her creative process for Ascendance of a Bookworm, showcasing meticulous planning:

• Extensive world-building using over 50 reference books.
• Plotting the entire story on a single sheet of paper (top level).
• Plotting each part (5 parts) on individual sheets (middle level).
• Developing character settings.
• Filling in bottom-level plots, connecting events between middle-level milestones.

For her daily writing routine, she mapped out the next day's content on paper before transcribing it to her computer. Maintaining a disciplined schedule, she uploaded a chapter each day, reflecting that, in hindsight, she might have benefited from limiting uploads to weekdays.

Kazuki initially had five separate plot ideas, eventually merging them into the cohesive narrative of Ascendance of a Bookworm.

Active on Twitter, Kazuki shares glimpses of her personal life and writing process. It became evident that her husband played a crucial role as her first-level reader and editor. She often bounces ideas off him, even recounting an instance where he rejected an entire side story for a light novel volume, urging her to start anew.

Her daughter once described Kazuki as pretty weird. There's a particularly amusing incident where she stopped cooking to demand a notepad, seeking her daughter's assistance in the kitchen.

Inspirations and Preliminary Plot Concepts

Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2024 Interview with Miya Kazuki

In the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2024 interview with Miya Kazuki, Kazuki provides insights into the diverse influences that shaped her creative vision and the early plot concepts that laid the foundation for the narrative.

When asked about works that influenced her writing, Kazuki playfully notes a multitude of sources, drawing from a lifetime of reading. Girls' novels, a genre she frequented, significantly contributed to the thematic elements in her work. Overseas fantasy, exemplified by renowned series like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, left a lasting impression on her storytelling. In addition, works such as The Twelve Kingdoms and those by Natsuhiko Kyogoku, along with in-depth research into myths, played pivotal roles in her creative process.

Regarding the preliminary stage of writing, Kazuki unveils the existence of various plot ideas, each exploring distinct themes. These ranged from narratives featuring craftsmen creating intricate things to tales of magician apprentices searching for clues about their parent's demise. Other plot concepts included parent-child conflicts over opposing ideas, stories set in schools, and more. Notably, the segment set at the Royal Academy drew inspiration from the thematic atmosphere of the Harry Potter series.

Despite the medieval European ambiance in Ascendance of a Bookworm, Kazuki underlines the narrative's roots in literature and storytelling rather than gaming elements. Her limited exposure to games translates into a unique perspective, as she navigates the narrative without a deep understanding of game-world components like levels or status effects.

Even when faced with requests to quantify skills or mana, Kazuki admits uncertainty about assigning specific numerical values. This distinctive perspective contributes to the series' nuanced storytelling and world-building.

Glico Pose

The iconic "Glico Pose" scene from Episode 12 of Season 1

The iconic "Glico Pose" scene from Episode 12 of Season 1 in Ascendance of a Bookworm was conceived through collaborative creativity, with Kazuki drawing inspiration from discussions with her husband.

In exploring the portrayal of religious rituals in the alternate world of Yurgenschmidt, Kazuki and her husband questioned the appropriateness of replicating real-world practices. With insights from her husband's education in Catholic schools, they delved into the complexity of Christian prayer rituals, emphasizing that the commonly perceived hand-folding gesture is a simplified representation. Acknowledging the need for rituals in Yurgenschmidt to have meaning, Kazuki's husband suggested that every action should serve a purpose. When Kazuki proposed the idea of characters raising their hands and one leg to the sky as a form of prayer, they humorously recognized its resemblance to the famous "Glico Man pose." This recognition sparked laughter and prompted the decision to incorporate the pose into the scene, adding a whimsical and culturally resonant touch to the narrative. Kazuki's husband played a pivotal role in shaping the creative process behind this memorable and amusing moment in the series.

List of Works

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Anthology

Anthology Contributions

• The Chaos Witch and the Sword of Baltanders, included in the Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Anthology (TO Books, 2019, ISBN 978-4864728799)

Ascendance of a Bookworm

• Part 1: Daughter of a Soldier (2015, TO Books)
• Part 2: Apprentice Shrine Maiden (2015 - 2016, TO Books)
• Part 3: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke (2016 - 2017, TO Books)
• Part 4: Founder of the Royal Academy's So-Called Library Committee (2017 - 2019, TO Books)
• Part 5: Avatar of a Goddess (2020 - 2023, TO Books)
• Short Story Collection (2019 -, TO Books)
• Royal Academy Stories - First Year (2018 -, TO Books)

Accolades

Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2024 Cover by You Shiina

As of January, 2024, the series has surpassed 10 million copies in combined physical and digital sales. Its rankings in the annual light novel guide book, Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!, reflect its success, securing the fifth position in 2017, first in 2018 and 2019, second in 2020 and 2021, and third in 2022 and 2021. Notably, in 2023, it claimed the top spot before earning a place in the Hall of Fame. This recognition is featured in Takarajimasha's guide book in the tankōbon category. And in 2020, Ascendance of a Bookworm secured the 7th position in the ranking of the top light novels of the decade.

Kazuki's characters have consistently garnered recognition in the annual rankings of Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! magazine. In the 2023 rankings, Rozemyne secured the 4th position among female protagonists, while Ferdinand claimed the 5th position among male protagonists. This follows Ferdinand's 4th position in the 2022 rankings and Rozemyne's 5th position in the same year.

Ferdinand's notable achievements extend to the 2021 rankings, where he secured the 2nd position among male protagonists. Simultaneously, Rozemyne claimed the 3rd position among female protagonists. Even in the 2019 rankings, Myne, the younger version of Rozemyne, achieved the 5th position.

These consistent recognitions highlight the enduring popularity and quality of Kazuki's characters, solidifying their impact on the light novel landscape.

Additionally, in 2017, the manga adaptation achieved a notable seventh place ranking in the web category at the third Next Manga Awards. The anime's second season garnered attention in 2021 by receiving a nomination for "Best Fantasy" at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

Future Plans

Kazuki's future plans include completing Hannelore’s Fifth Year at the Royal Academy, which is serialized online. Additionally, she aims to compile a set of short stories that couldn't be included in 'Part 5: Avatar of a Goddess' and publish Short Story Collection 3. Kazuki also expresses a desire to release a collection of essays, summarizing content from her column 'Libraries, Books and Me,' online essays, and lectures titled 'Let’s Write a Novel' for middle-school and high school students. Despite receiving offers for a new series, she is currently too busy to pursue it. The dilemma arises from numerous requests for a Bookworm sequel after Hannelore’s Fifth Year at the Royal Academy, making it challenging to prioritize between that and starting a new project.

Trivia

• The iconic "Glico Pose" was conceived during a playful, slightly tipsy conversation between Miya Kazuki and her husband, resulting in a whimsical gesture reminiscent of the famous "Glico Man."
• Miya Kazuki prefers traditional paper for leisure reading, finding it superior for text-heavy books. While acknowledging the convenience of digital for manga, she highlights the irreplaceable charm of physical books, stating, "Yeah, paper's just better."
• The isekai theme wasn't planned to follow trends but emerged as a solution. Miya Kazuki wanted to write about libraries but faced a challenge fitting it into her fantasy world. The protagonist's reincarnation solved this, and the positive response from web novel readers was an unexpected bonus, allowing Kazuki creative freedom.
• Miya Kazuki's character-naming process involves consulting European name registries, especially for German names. Main characters may have anagrams or be crafted from relevant adjectives in German. Bezewanst's name, inspired by "bad" and "fat belly" in German, exemplifies this creative approach.
• Miya Kazuki's detailed depictions of crafting in Ascendance of a Bookworm stem from personal experiences like childhood crafts and a washi paper-making field trip. Her in-depth research, including reading specialist literature, ensured authenticity in portraying material-making processes.
• Suzuka finds Miya Kazuki stoic yet endearing, expressing curiosity about the inner workings of her imaginative world. Meanwhile, her editor likens Kazuki to Rozemyne and Ferdinand, noting her passion and strategic decision-making, aspiring to serve her like a loyal retainer.
• The bookworm keychains were Miya Kazuki's own idea. Initially she just wanted one for her own car key. But the company she considered took orders only in bulk, so she asked TO Books if they could sell the excess. The person she contacted there found the keychains a great idea and wanted one for themselves, so suggested to leave the production to their company, where they could use their own online shop to sell to fans.

External links

• Let's Become a Novelist webpage (in Japanese)

Other info

• Miya Kazuki at Wikipedia
• 香月美夜 at Japanese Wikipedia