User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 492: Elder Sister and Younger Sister, Review./@comment-5303512-20160709030608/@comment-5303512-20160709032457

Here is some more!

-Lucy and Natsu are the most popular characters in Japan

-Erza and Natsu are the most popular characters in France

-Laxus is the most popular character in the US

-Fantasy video games are an influence(?)

-Talking to Mashima’s friends, video games, other media, and movies are also influences

-On designing character appearances, he thinks about the type of character first, and then the appearence. For Natsu, he had the idea of a lively, dynamic character and that a scarf would give more momentum(?) to his movements

-He really likes cats, but he lives in place where he is unable to have his own, so Happy is a way to compensate

-The current war arc reflects two things; Mashima wanted to surprise his readers and show the evolution of his characters.

-On the question of:The redemption of bad guys and friendship are important themes are two reoccurring themes in Fairy Tail and in Shonen, do you consciously create “moral?” works? Mashima says both themes are reoccuring in Shonen and even though he’s not obligated to use them, it’s what the fans expect.

-Notre Dame inspired Magnolia’s design

-He realizes the presence of foreign readers and they are an influence on his work

-He tries to avoid Japanese humour and go for more universal humour

-The part of Fairy Tail that Mashima is most proud of is the GMG tournament when Erza defeated 100 monsters

-The most difficult part for Mashima was in the Tower of Heaven when Erza was trapped and Natsu had to save her from death, he struggled on how to convey emotions

-He and his editors can’t figure out why Fairy Tail is popular and they would like to know for his next manga (then he laughs)

-He’s not the type to reuse real life problems in fiction

-The Fairy Tail series is at its highest point and he didn’t think it would go on for 10 years, he doesn’t know when it will end. There are still many things he wants to convey to the fans