Meet Misako Rocks!, creator of Bounce Back!
What initially drew you to comics?
While I was working at a Children Museum in Wisconsin, I met a boy who showed me Dragon Ball Z, which was translated in English. He told me how popular manga had become. To be honest, I was trying to become a puppeteer at that time. But thanks to that important conversation with him, I changed my mind. I decided to become a Japanese manga artist in the U.S.!
What was the inspiration behind Bounce Back?
My manga students! I’ve been teaching manga in person and virtually via my online school Learn Manga with Misako. I have gotten to know them really well through these lessons. I learned that every student has a unique story to tell. I wanted to make a story that they can relate to and that motivates them to challenge themselves. I was an exchange student from Japan and made incredible memories, and I became strong and brave thanks to this experience. All of these elements helped me create Bounce Back!
What scene or panel sequence did you most enjoy drawing?
This is a very hard question! If I had to pick, I’ll choose this scene where Lilico’s cat Nicco, who is her guardian spirit, is giving life lessons to Lilico. There are a lot of scenes where Nicco is speaking from his heart. Their conversation made me smile and laugh while I was drawing.
About the Book
Lilico, with the help of her cat, must learn to adjust to a new country, a new school, and new pressures in this middle grade graphic novel from author/illustrator Misako Rocks! about finding your team and finding yourself.
Lilico’s life in Japan is going well. She has great friends and is the captain of the school’s basketball team. She’s happy!
Then comes her parents’ news: they’re moving to America! Before she knows it, Lilico finds herself in Brooklyn, New York, forced to start all over. And that won’t be easy with her closest friends thousands of miles away or a school bully who immediately dislikes her.
Luckily, anime-loving Nala and Henry eventually befriend Lilico and with help from them—along with her guardian spirit who looks a lot like her cat, Nico—Lilico just might figure out where she fits in.
From author/illustrator Misako Rocks! comes a story about friendship, new beginnings, and doing what you love, no matter what.
