The designer but also artist and musician from Lislo (and Toulouse), Akira, was at the media library to sign his album, “Le Rugby? Thus was it!”, which tells the story of the birth of rugby.
Where did this desire come from?
It’s a childhood dream. The Covid period was the trigger for the rethinking of my desires. An inner voice told me, “Go for it.” I turned the essay into making my dream come true. And then, the rugby world championship in France was the right time to address the subject.
What are your influences ?
Comics are part of me and especially Franco-Belgian comics. When I was little, I started with Tintin, Asterix, Gaston L gaffe, Leonard, etc. Later, came XIII, Largo Winch, Thorgal and then Japanese comics, manga, comics, Dragon Ball, etc.
Can you present this album, “Rugby? So it was!” ?
It’s a comic book that goes back 200 years to look at the creation of this sport or rather its legend, with a touch of mythology. What if the birth of rugby, the story of this young footballer taking the ball in his hands, had not happened quite as we are told?
