«I don’t even remember giving a presentation ‘Just Friends’ at Japan Manga Awards». Ana Oncina (Elda, 1984) received the second prize of this 17th edition, which is given annually by this country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to recognize the work of foreign writers in the dissemination of Japanese culture and cultural exchange through manga.
Surprise was at its maximum for this Valencian, who remembered that he was also there. hall dress sleeve from Barcelona when you receive the call. It was the publisher himself who submitted the work to the competition. «I told them yes, but I didn’t think they would reward him. “I couldn’t believe it,” he explains excitedly.
“Just Friends” by Planeta Cómic is Oncina’s first work with manga aesthetics and narrative. In it, she tells the story of Erika, a rather lonely teenager who wants to spend the summer in peace. However, the young woman will have to enjoy her holiday in a camp, where she will meet Emi, with whom she will share her experiences.
Oncina has always been influenced by manga aesthetics, having grown up reading such comics since he was little, but he never decided to take the leap. “I jumped in with this bet because this is the first work that is not autobiographical,” she says. his job, “Croquettes and dumplings” and “A walk in Japan.”, is characterized by humor and personal references. “There were always European and American references in my comics,” he explains.
“Planet”
The Valencian actor has just published his latest graphic novel, “Planeta.” The story focuses on Valentina, who lives in a small cabin in the middle of the forest with her dog Sopa. Every night, our hero has a dream in which he lives isolated on another planet with his “partner” Ane, with whom he seems to have a connection. In this work, Oncina returns to European and American references, although he does not rule out continuing the manga.
illustrator He founded “Croqueta y empanadilla” in 2014, while he was studying the last year of his degree. Fine Arts. “It was a coincidence because I didn’t think I could make a living from it,” he says. In the early years he combined these works with other works, but currently he focuses only on comics and illustration. Work In 2015, it won the audience award at the Barcelona International Comics Fair and was nominated for the Best Spanish Work Award at Ficomic. Moreover, in 2017, the Valencian actor was included in Forbes’ list of the most influential creators currently under 30 in Europe. In recent years, he published the stories “Los f*cking 30” (Zenith, 2019) and “Neko Grl” and “Mangaka” in Planeta Manga (2019, 2020) and collaborated on the anthology “Voices that tell” (Planeta). Comics, 2021).
The illustrator knows that comics have been having their best moment in recent years because there is such a wide variety of styles available. “There is much more visibility, and above all, there is more and more female visibility,” she concludes.