Interview at futanari.org
futanari.org: kamitora, when did your psudeonym “Paper Tiger” first surface?
kamitora: I think it was around 1991 or ’92. I don’t remember whether I did a doujin first, or if my first work was published in A-Bomb. Other translations of “Kami Tora” seemed to mean “God Tiger”, which sounds badass, but is a little too pretentious, even for me(^_^).
futanari: Shimokata Kouzou 「霜方光造」 has been quite gracious toward you and your work, and I am feverishly awaiting to make my “First Contact” with him at A-Kon. How did you both first become acquainted?
kamitora: I met Kouzou through Buck39, who’d been writing back and forth with him for a while. Kouzou’s a great guy and a wonderful artist. He’s very kind and thoughtful, and it’s fun to hang out with him, despite the fact we don’t share a language!
futanari: Regarding Buck, many patrons of the 0bsidian and bakunyuu boards do not understand or realize the relationship you have; are you in a position to elaborate on that topic?
kamitora: Buck39 and I have known each other for many years, and he’s a good friend. We met at a convention where I’d been selling doujins. He’d bought the previous year’s book, and wanted to get that year’s (which I think I had, but it was the last doujin I produced). I think Buck’s got some kind of big breast fetish (why he wanted more works from me is still a mystery)!
Buck39 does have a major breast fetish . . . his tastes are similar to my own, but illustrated on a different. . . stature of female
futanari: Regarding bakunyuu, you are exposed to inhuman breast proportions. How large of a breast is too large for you to handle?
kamitora: I’m not a fan of big boobs, really. Seems like kind of a misuse of flesh. Guess I wasn’t bottle-fed. I don’t draw big boobs, therefore, and anything bigger than her head would seem overkill to me (but I prefer them quite a lot smaller than that).
futanari: Out of the myriad of your illustrated fetishes (futanari, submission, femdom, maledom to name a few), which one do you most prefer or enjoy?
kamitora: Tough question. Depends on my mood, really. Most of the futa stuff can be just an alter of a non-futa sketch, but I’ve spent more time on costumes these days, especially for the futa works. Submission can mean many things, and it seems that almost all my pics have some element of submission/domination. I find “happy sex” pics a little boring, since I have happy sex in real life! The weird or nastier side of sexuality is best left to illustration and fantasy.
The femdom is by far the easiest subject matter to dream up. Male genitals are obvious and pronounced, and it’s easier to get an idea across in one drawing rather than a series of panels (almost required when doing something regarding female genitals, unless one brings the camera up RIGHT THERE). Denial, overstimulation, and arousal are all easier to portray with a male subject. Female denial and overstimulation are much more elusive subjects to draw. Women are less visually-oriented, less sexually aroused by the male form (at least, less obviously aroused).
Male dominant/female submissive is difficult to portray (aside from the generic trappings of whips and cuffs, etc). I’m still trying to figure out exactly what kinds of pics will resonate with female submissives (the way my femdom pics resonate with male submissives). Drawing a female submissive is kind of redundant. Women desire to be submissive (men do to, occassionally, but only in the bedroom, not so much in other aspects of life). There is one thing all women want: to be irresistible to men. There must be some aspect of this phenomenon that can be explored and exploited.
futanari: Although you illustrate femdom, your personal views often clash with the art. Could you reinterate your point for this question?
kamitora: I don’t really illustrate “femdom” do I? It’s more “male submissive” than “female dominant”. Semantics, I suppose, but the trappings of the female superior genre rarely are present in my drawings. The focus is always on the male, there is never any “goddess” attitude or “worship” involved. There is never any non-sexual domination, and the action is always focused on the male being dominated rather than the female who’s dominating. I personally find the “Mistress” and “Goddess” kinds of femdom laughable. Women in my femdom pics are much more interested in playing with their male toys than receiving praise/adoration from their slaves. The girls would rather “rape” their boys than force them to do dishes or kiss their feet or buy expensive jewelry (which are hollow to me and less sexual forms of domination). I don’t think I’ve ever done a femdom pic where the girl isn’t fully clothed, or is receiving any kind of sexual gratification from her male slave (except for
the “Pedestal” series, where that kind of contact is the point).
I guess it’s kind of a CFNM thing. I try to portray a kind of innocent cruelty in my dominant females, as if they really don’t comprehend the scope of their injustices. The males are treated as playthings, but they are sexual playthings, not lower life forms. Women have sexual power, but it is power by proxy, ie; they must receive there power through the penis (not even really through the male to which it’s attatched). Whether this power is derived from inducing an erection, or denying it’s release, it’s the penis’ strength that is controlled and/or usurped in some form or another. What is the hottest woman in the world without a penis to acknowledge it? Absolutely nothing at all. I do not doubt that every woman has had the odd fantasy of castrating a male (figuratively or literally), to possess that which she does not have. The next best thing to castration (thankfully) is brief possession, brief power. A woman has no greater power than when her man is erect, subject to her most unreasonable whim. Conversely, a man’s power is at it’s lowest ebb when he is aroused sexually. Once the erection is gone, reason returns, and men go out and invent shit or go to the moon or something. Women sometimes feel cheated between their legs, but that stems no doubt from thousands of years of male subjugation, confronted by the simple fact that those with penises made the rules.
Aren’t cha glad you asked this question? I am an equalist, I do not see men or women as superior to each other, they are, simply, different. But power is exchanged through the penis, not the vagina.
futanari: The theme of this interview could be summarized with this question: What is your definition of futanari? I believe that is a valid question because some of your images can literally be interpreted as newhalf 「ニューハーフ」 (shemale).
kamitora: Another tough question. I guess my simplest definition of futanari would be a female with a penis. A being that possesses both male and female sexual organs, but is female otherwise. A hermaphrodite? Maybe, but a hermaphrodite might not possess a female mind. “Dickgirl” would be a term I’d accept. Unlikely any of my [said] futas were born with a penis, rather some kind of transformation has occured after puberty.
futanari: Definitely intriguing elaboration of your personal definition. I understand a little more of your work now. Although you are often inhibited by time, I think it would be interesting to see an American doujinshi/comic circle to have products sold at Comiket. Theoretically, which Western artists would you inquire to illustrate in your doujinshi?
kamitora: In theory; Ronzo, Tab A/Slot B, Evhor, Sirkowski, Dtiberius, Arctic, Whizzer Black, Hentai Kid, Pittman, Sius. Plus lots of others I can’t think of at the moment.
futanari: Which stand-alone futanari or shemale artists do you prefer?
kamitora: Most I wouldn’t know [personally] by name. There’s always Jin-Jin, Hideaki Mimasaka, Minnarm (Ziro Arima), Kinky Jimmy, Newmen, Youhei-Kozou, Shimokata Kouzou.
futanari: So what do you think of the mascot and Futanari’s Day (April 4th)?
kamitora: Mascots are always fun, though I couldn’t really see one single character representing my own stuff very well. As far as Futanari’s Day, I wouldn’t object to contributing something to get in the spirit of things. The mascot pic looks great (though I’m not sure about the veiny boobs).
futanari: By the way, what do you think of Kouin N 「工員N」 being polled the futanari artist of the year? Anybody else in the vote you would have voted for?
kamitora: Kouin N has a great style and wonderful colors. Nice dynamic artwork, too. Arai Kei has an interesting, sort of ethereal thing going on. Aoi Makita has a good, imaginative style that always works. Boas does great faces and scenes. I’ve always liked Ronzo’s work; It’s fun and expertly drawn and inked. I’m not familiar with the others on the poll by name, but I’m sure I’ve seen their work.
Off the list, I’d have probably voted for Ronzo. Some glaring omissions from the list are Mimasaka, Minnarm, Kouzou, Trump, Newmen, and me, dammit! It’s fear of a Kamitora planet(^_^)!
futanari: To conclude this little interview. . . with two words, describe your model mate.
kamitora: No tattoos.
Font: futanari.org
