Celsys

Tomoaki Yokotsuka

Note: The following is an interview from when he was the App Development Director. He is currently responsible for the development of distribution solutions.

- What kind of work do you do?

Recently I've been focusing on developing apps for developing Japanese content that will be consumed worldwide, particularly manga and animation. One of the products I'm in charge of is Clip Studio Paint.
My main jobs are specification development, where I think of how to turn requests from users into actual features in the app, and coding, where I decide what will be in each app update and create source code for those things according to the specifications.

- Could you give us a simple run-down of the products you work on?

Clip Studio Paint is an app for a wide range of purposes, and when it comes to creating manga, you can make print manga like for commercial magazines, as well as manga to be posted online or viewed on digital devices. One major point that sets CLIP STUDIO PAINT apart from other software is the fact that you can create black and white manga and full-color illustrations with the same program.
Other things that I think are unique about it are how naturally you can draw and paint with the brushes, its specialist manga tools like frame borders, saturated lines and balloons, its effect functions to help illustrators and manga artists, such as toning effects and watercolor effects, and its great range of ruler functions like perspective rulers and concentric circle rulers for easier drawing.

- What parts of your job make you feel the most fulfilled or proud?

I find it extremely fulfilling to be able to actively turn my ideas into features in the app I am in charge of. Nothing makes me happier than when we release that software and lots of people use it and like it. Of course, there are times when things don't go so well. I frequently hit a wall.
But CELSYS likes people who keep trying without being afraid of failing. I want to take on a lot of new challenges in future.

- What will you be working on in future and what are your aims?

I'm in charge of several products at the moment. I aim to capitalize on the strengths of each app to create the greatest possible synergy between them.
I want to provide even better services for our users in future and help our company to grow.

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