Editor’s Row

I am Adam Fogle, editor of Kokoro Connect: Precious Time, and now editor of the entire Kokoro Connect novel series. Sometimes these novels seem like they’ll go on forever, so to have one actually conclude gives a strange feeling. Very bittersweet. This is my first project, and the first to end, something I’ve spent over two years of my life working on. In that time, I’ve met a lot of people, learned so much about working on teams, grown in skill and confidence as a wordsmith...

...Delved into arcane secrets of grammar so exacting and so obscure that they must surely be the key to turning lead into gold, or something...

I’ve enjoyed working on this series. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs over the last few years, and while escapist fantasy is a nice way to take a break from everything, I think a story where people face hardships, struggle, and ultimately overcome them are more comforting in the long run, at least in some small way.

I know when a story is drawing me in because I’ll always start imagining what I’d do in the character’s places. Or at least, what I’d do in their situation, and how I’d survive it. I might even imagine talking to them about it, which is a big part of how I developed my skills at writing characters with distinct voices.

A good story, whether a book, a comic, a TV show, whatever, can take you places and expand your horizons. Well, everyone knows that much. But I’d add that it can only do that if you feel a connection with the characters. And incidentally, the best way to forge that connection is for them to make you laugh. Amusement, after all, is the easiest positive emotion to draw out. Which may be why so many jerk characters are well liked, come to think of it.

Now, once more, for old times’ sake, let’s talk about one last character. Rina, the little sister. It’s nice that she got to actually do something once or twice, instead of just being cute window dressing for Taichi. She’s obviously a significantly younger character, but not too much younger. In fact, she’s just old enough that she’s just starting to grow up, so sometimes she engages the other characters with a slightly bratty precociousness. My read on her was that she tended to try to — How should I put it? — punch above her weight class, dialogue-wise. She wants to interact with the others as an equal, but hasn’t nearly mastered the tools needed to do so yet. But she’s working on it. I find that sort of character to be a lot more endearing than a pure saccharin cuteness.

So, that’s that. For those who have read all the way to the end, thank you for supporting Kokoro Connect. I may be signing off here, but I have several other projects ongoing here at J-Novel Club, and I hope you’ll happen upon and enjoy them too, as well as many others. Thank you to Molly Lee, our translator. You’ve done great work on this project, and I’d be happy to lend you my skills again some time. And finally, thanks and congratulations to the author, Anda Sadanatsu. That’s a wrap, everyone.