Beyond Earth, Beyond Expectations: MOON CIDERS - The Interview
Josh B.
I’ve been a fan of anime and manga for practically my entire life. The stories and artwork produced by Japan present a wholly unique style that I thoroughly enjoy. As a result, I’m always on the lookout for a new series to pick up and recommend to others. Those of you who read my article on this year’s AnimeNYC may recall I got to meet with the PR team of NIUHI, an emerging online manga platform for independent Japanese artists. And, thanks to our continuing communication, I was able to interview the team behind NIUHI’s flagship series, MOON CIDERS!
SideNote: This interview was conducted with Sakura Shimizu, the producer of MOON CIDERS, who was gracious enough to answer my questions on behalf of TALI, the manga artist duo who created the series.
Before we get into the interview, here’s some background on the producer and creatives:
Sakura Shimizu was born and raised in rural Kansai, Japan, and joined KOMODO in 2024. At NIUHI, she oversees original content development and works closely with independent creators.
Sakura Shimizu worked in the anime and manga industry for many years, having been a producer for 2022’s Tokyo Mew Mew New and having done planning work for 2024’s Smells Like Green Spirit.
TALI is the name for a manga artist duo from Kagawa, Japan, consisting of Takafumi (writer) and Ginko (illustrator). They debuted in Gangan in 2009 and won the Grand Prize at the Square Enix Manga Awards.
In 2012, TALI made their serialization debut with 6 no Trigger in Shogakukan’s Gessan and have been active as serialized manga artists ever since. Their notable works include Do Humans at the End of the World Need Civilization? and Katagiri-san, the Last-Minute Blocker.
While their earlier works have garnered some acclaim, in my opinion, MOON CIDERS is where TALI really came into their own as creatives. So, without further ado, let’s get into our exclusive interview with producer Sakura Shimizu!
JOSHUA BRAFMAN (JB): Can you tell us what MOON CIDERS is about?
SAKURA SHIMIZU (SS): The series combines breathtaking, dynamic artwork with a powerful story that pushes readers to question what justice really means. It’s also a very special project for us because MOON CIDERS is NIUHI’s first-ever original manga, created by award-winning Japanese artist TALI, who is from Shikoku. And for the first time, their work is being translated into multiple languages so fans around the world can experience it.
In terms of the story, MOON CIDERS is a sci-fi action manga set in a future where humanity has expanded its peaceful life from Earth to the Moon. Everything changes when a massive, unknown creature—simply called ‘it’—suddenly appears and begins preying on humans. Just when all hope seems lost, a mysterious warrior descends from the stars. Known only as Moon Cider, this figure becomes the last line between survival and complete destruction.
JB: How long have you been making manga for?
SS: MOON CIDERS is developed by TALI, who made their debut in 2009 and has been working as a professional manga artist for about 16 years. I’m lucky to be a producer of the project at KOMODO. Prior to working for KOMODO I worked as a producer in anime and live-action drama, mainly in content for female audiences.
JB: Where did the idea for MOON CIDERS come from?
SS: TALI has said the origin was pretty simple—they wanted to draw a road-movie, but on the Moon. Once they started exploring that idea, the story and characters of MOON CIDERS began to take shape.
JB: Did any other mangaka, film or television inspire you to make MOON CIDERS?
SS: The goal was to create a story about space development. We love the atmosphere of a journey shaped by the characters’ emotions, and that feeling carried into this project.
JB: What is your creative process like?
SS: TALI is a creative duo made up of Takafumi and Ginko. In their workflow, Takafumi develops the story and storyboards—his strength has always been storytelling—while Ginko, whose strength is illustration, brings the artwork to life. Both originally aspired to become manga artists independently, but after meeting, they realized how naturally their skills complemented each other and decided to work as a team. Today, they continue creating together while balancing their work with raising their two children.
JB: Can you tell us how you came to work with NIUHI?
SS: Even before we discussed working together on MOON CIDERS, I had been following TALI’s series Tariya on X and really enjoying it. I later discovered that TALI had drawn fan art for one of my favorite games — fan art I already loved and often revisited. It made me appreciate their artistic range even more. When NIUHI began exploring original works, I wanted to do something exciting and new—something that would surprise readers—so I decided to reach out directly to the email address listed on TALI’s X profile. One of the key points was that many fans of TALI’s fan art were actually overseas. TALI had long wanted to reach readers beyond Japan, so I think NIUHI—which operates not only in Japan but also in the U.S.—felt like a natural match for them.
SideNote: NIUHI continues to be an incredible resource for those of us who want to experience new and engaging manga. If you’d like to read the series for yourself, check it out on NIUHI’s official website, or the newly-released NIUHI app for iOS devices!
JB: What's it like to work with NIUHI? How are they different from the traditional manga publisher?
SS: We want artists to create the stories they genuinely want to tell, without an editorial voice steering the direction. I believe that freedom has been a meaningful change for TALI. We also allow creators to set a serialization pace that suits them. That kind of flexibility is another difference from traditional publishing.
JB: How did MOON CIDERS become the flagship series for NIUHI?
SS: As I talked with TALI—not just about their creative philosophy, but also about everyday things unrelated to their work—I began to feel that we could create something new together. Based on my own experience as a producer, I sensed a kind of chemistry between us. One of the key reasons I wanted TALI to create NIUHI’s first original manga is that they already had experience running a serialized series. I felt that by working with TALI, we could complement each other’s strengths and build something together in a way that neither of us could do alone.
JB: Do you or NIUHI have any plans to make a physical book release of MOON CIDERS some day?
SS: We want to keep building up the episodes, and once the story has enough volume, we’re hoping to produce a physical print edition.
JB: What's coming next for MOON CIDERS that has you excited, and that fans should look forward to?
SS: Since MOON CIDERS is a story TALI truly wants to tell, I also experience each new chapter for the first time only when the manuscript arrives. And every time, I’m surprised by how boldly the story develops. I can’t go into detail yet, but I’m confident readers will have the same sense of discovery and shock. In Episodes 1 and 2, we see people who have moved from Earth to the Moon, and at first the world seems not so different from life on Earth. But Episode 3—which was just released a few days ago—contains many moments that make you realize this place is nothing like Earth. In Episode 3, we also meet a new character, Getta. His background and upbringing bring an entirely new perspective to the story. And for the first time, we start to see another side of Usagi, who had always come across as quiet and cool. I think readers will enjoy seeing these new layers of the characters unfold.
JB: Do you have a message for your overseas fans?
SS: Our goal is for as many readers as possible to enjoy MOON CIDERS, and hear from folks what they like about it, what they don’t like about it, where they would like to see the story go next. We’re also continuing to expand the number of supported languages. We started with Japanese and English, and now the series is available in French - thanks to community translators, Episode 1 can also be read in Korean. MOON CIDERS has a very different kind of story than your typical action manga, and it only becomes more intriguing as it goes on. I hope readers stay excited—there’s a lot to look forward to in the upcoming episodes.
Final Thoughts
MOON CIDERS is a fascinating sci-fi experience unlike any other and I’d like to extend my deepest thanks to Ms. Shimizu, for taking the time to answer all of my questions, and Ms. Yukie Adachi, for keeping in contact after AnimeNYC and facilitating this entire interview. The series is not only available to read in its original Japanese, but in English, French and Korean, thanks to the active translation community that is integral to NIUHI’s community.
Episode 3 of MOON CIDERS was just released online and the entire series can be read for free, right on NIUHI.
