Mister Nakagami

Legend: Hello and thanks for staying (or coming if you just got here) for today's final interview. I've got a thriller for you here, the book-type that is, I'm not prescient to know if the interview will be thrilling, but I have high hopes! I'm joined by Haru from Jade Black's Mister Nakagami. Oooh, nice. You got the whole book named after you. Well, let's get started.
​
Legend: First of all, please introduce yourself. Name, pronouns if you wish, and tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
 
Haru: I’m Haru Nakagami. I’m a human rights specialist and I’ve just turned 50. Ever since I was a child I’ve loved dancing, and I still do it. I actually graduated from school with the highest dance grade in my year.
 
Legend: We love seeing creative arts celebrated here. Can you tell us a bit about the world you live in?
 
Haru: From what I understand, my world is a lot less advanced than yours. We don’t have ways to measure time precisely, for example. I live in a small country called Hyukai. It rains a lot here and it gets very cold in winter, but other parts of the continent are very different. There are jungles and deserts in the south! Hyukai’s known for elegant architecture, beautiful scenery, a fierce military and great food.
 
Legend: Sounds like an interesting place. Knowing the exact time is so overrated. What cause or underrepresented group do you champion?
 
Haru: This one’s a little tough. Because I’m the only one dealing with human rights I have to champion everyone. At different times I’ve had to focus on different people, so a lot of people know me for my work on women’s rights and veteran’s welfare. At the moment I’m focusing on the gay community, which is actually why I went into politics.
 
Legend: Go you! Let's have something a little less heavy now. If you had to design a meal around a favourite memory, what would we be eating?
 
Haru: I like this question! A favourite memory of mine is watching the first sunrise of the year with Ai Nagashima. Yes, the war hero Ai Nagashima. It was a cold night and misty, and he was warm and sweet, so I think a bowl of lightly spiced moyashi soba would fit nicely. I’d have my signature prawn tempura on the side and a cup of jasmine green tea. Or maybe a glass of wine.
 
Legend: Well, I'm going to vote for the tea, obviously. Back to the tough questions. If you were in charge of the country, what’s the first thing you would do?
 
Haru: All being well I will be soon! Next time the elections come round I plan on standing! It’s hard to look past finally making homosexuality legal. A lot will need doing, but I think finally making that change will give us some much needed goodwill in the international community.
 
Legend: Having to make homosexuality legal seems very strange to me. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who isn't queer in my world. I hope you see that dream become reality. Is there a place, other than your home, that is *your* place, where you are content and safe?
 
Haru: The jazz bar! I’ve been a regular for decades now, it’s lovely in there. It’s a very quiet safe haven for the gay community. And a good friend of mine works there, so sometimes I go just to hang with him.
 
Legend: My mate is a musician so we are well up for this answer. Maybe we'll come visit sometime. So long as we won't be arrested. Tell us about your relationship with your siblings.
 
Haru: This one is… tricky. I’m the youngest of four and by quite a lot. My eldest sisters are twins and ten years older, my other sister is eight years older. One of the twins died when I was thirteen. The other twin cut off the family when I was in my twenties. I don’t talk much with my other sister, her husband doesn’t like it. It’s tough at times. I do have a very close relationship with my parents though, especially my dad.
 
Legend: I'm sorry you've had a rough time with your family. Sometimes getting it out creatively can help. Have you ever written someone, or had someone write for you, a song, poem, story, etc?
 
Haru: I’m not artistic enough to do anything like that (laughs). I haven’t had anyone do it for me, but my goodness I’d love it if they did. My knees aren’t great at the best of times, I don’t think they’d be able to take it!
 
Legend: Well, you never know! Are you a risk-taking gambler or do you analyse everything and only take action when you know all the variables?
 
Haru: I’d like to say I’m an analyser, though that doesn’t always hold true. There’s no way to know all the variables in politics, especially when Aoyama decides to get involved, but I try to have everything as certain as possible. The bills I put forward are often controversial, so I have to be careful. A good speech to open the debate always helps.
 
Legend: It does indeed! If you could go back to one point in history, what would it be? Would it be to observe or to change something?
 
Haru: I’d love to go back to late Imperial Times. I don’t think any one person would have had the power to stop the Downfall and I can’t say I know if it’d be right to, so I’ll observe. History is a big interest of mine, I’d love to see how Hyukai looked back then and to see some historical artists. Meeting them would be even better. I’m not sure about whether I’d want to talk to the emperor though. It would definitely be interesting, one way or another, so yes actually, I would.
​
Legend: Thanks for joining us Haru, that was a fascinating insight into a very different place to where we live. Wishing you all the best with your high endeavours. 
​
Thanks to the audience as well. You've been, well, silent so hopefully you're all sipping tea and deep in thought and not asleep or something. Join us next month for more character chats!