The manga Ajin: Demi-Human is widely known for its intense action scenes, detailed gun battles, and realistic tactical equipment. Surprisingly, however, its creator Gamon Sakurai has revealed that he is neither a military expert nor a gun enthusiast.
In a statement that surprised many fans, Sakurai admitted that before working on the series, he did not even know about the M4 carbine rifle. While he enjoyed watching American action films, his technical knowledge about firearms and military gear was very limited.
This revelation stands in stark contrast to the content of Ajin, which frequently features detailed firefights, tactical strategies, and accurate depictions of modern weapons and equipment. According to Sakurai, the realism seen in the manga is the result of extensive research rather than personal expertise.
For every weapon or piece of equipment featured in the story, Sakurai studied reference materials intensively. He examined photographs, technical references, and other sources to understand the design and functionality of each item so he could draw them accurately.
In one particular story arc, Sakurai revealed that he spent over one million yen to ensure the visual accuracy of the weapons and equipment he illustrated. The money was used to acquire research materials and reference sources that would help him portray the gear realistically.
He described the entire process as a “research hell,” due to the significant amount of time, effort, and money required. While the results helped Ajin gain recognition for its realistic action scenes, the research workload also became a major challenge for the creator.
Because of this experience, Sakurai considered using fictional weapons in his future works to reduce the research burden associated with drawing real-world military equipment.
However, even that approach proved to be difficult. When attempting to design original fictional weapons for a project, Sakurai said he still needed around six months just to determine the main weapon used by the core team of characters.
This highlights that even fictional designs require significant planning and development to make them believable within a story’s world.
Sakurai’s experience also illustrates how many manga creators conduct serious research to maintain the quality of their work. Details that may seem minor to readers often come from extensive behind-the-scenes study.
For fans of Ajin, this revelation offers a new perspective on the dedication required to create a realistic action manga. The accuracy seen in the series ultimately comes from a combination of hard work, deep research, and a strong commitment to visual authenticity.
