The "Fighting Humanities" Enter the Global Arena

HykeComic, Inc.
TAKATORIYA Akira

Advantages of Studying at the University of Tsukuba in My Career and Life

Currently, I am in charge of sales for web-based cartoons, also known as webtoons. I am responsible for requesting various publishers to distribute our content and for working collaboratively with companies that license our characters. When I was a student, I used to stay up until midnight watching anime and reading manga with my friends before going to class the next morning. This experience has been extremely influential in my current position. Additionally, it was an opportunity to learn about lesser-known international works.

The use of a degree in humanities may be unclear to some, but I believe that history, which was my major, can be studied horizontally in various fields to reach a comprehensive conclusion or perspective. In addition, having worked in Middle Eastern countries, I believe that the knowledge of history is foundational for understanding and working in foreign countries. We must therefore study the humanities. These are the reasons I advocate for "Fighting Humanities."

My Fondest Memories as a Student

Each day was extremely fulfilling. I enjoyed interacting with my peers who shared my values and interests and had a deep thirst for knowledge. My major was Chinese and a little Turkish history, and my circle included history nerds from Japan, the East, the West, as well as geology students. We gathered in the library's musty basement, where few students go, to read history books. Our conversations in the cafeteria remain a source of inspiration for me even today. The city of Tsukuba has been described as an isolated island on land, but it is in its nurturing environment that I spent four intensive years of education.

One of my most vivid memories is of drinking with friends by the Matsumi Pond (a campus pond) and doing the fire punch with 98% Spirytus (vodka) on our arms. We all jumped into the pond to extinguish the fire as the flames refused to die out. Yes, it made no sense. My four years here were like a "Men's festival"; there was nothing akin to romance. Alternatively, I may have experienced these emotions from watching cartoons and anime. In a sense, I became a more complicated person during those days, but that was inevitable. I believe I have done everything.

Message to Students of the University of Tsukuba

The University of Tsukuba is the best place to learn, and in retrospect, it appears that all I did was study there. The library is well-stocked, and the professors are approachable. You will be rewarded for your efforts. Students live in the same dormitory, allowing you to spend more time together and make close friends. Please read the numerous valuable books in the basement of the library and become a globally competent individual.

TSUKUBA ALUMNI (PDF for printing)