We continued our conversation with Shiki and asked her about the most challenging aspect of being an artist in today’s world. Here’s what she shared with us: “I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, it’s taking care of my mental health. Making personal comics about childhood traumas or grief, and putting it out there for everyone to see, it takes a toll on me. The process is painful, to say the least. But I’m lucky enough to have a supportive and kind community. And I’m working on overcoming the way I get affected by the few hurtful comments I get on some of my Stories.”

Next, the cartoonist shared work from contemporary artists that she particularly admires: “Sarah Andersen inspired me to start publishing my comics online. And Meg Adam encouraged me to be vulnerable with my audience through mental health-rooted comics.”

When asked about the most rewarding aspect of creating her comic series and sharing it with her audience, Shiki responded: “The most rewarding thing about sharing my work is undoubtedly how the readers connect with my comics. When I read comments or messages about how one of my stories resonated with someone or helped them through difficult times, I feel overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude. And I know that the pain I go through while revisiting difficult moments in my life is truly worth it.”

Lastly, we were curious to know which of the strips Shiki has created so far is her personal favorite. Here’s what we found out: “‘The Pastry Chef’ is definitely one of my favorite comics. It holds a special place in my heart because it’s rooted in a real precious memory. It was also one of the first deep personal comics I released, and seeing how people connected to it, I decided to make more heartfelt stories.”