Interview with story writer Tiffany Van Peenen.

Cam and Tiffany at the Mitten Kitten tournament, Michigan.

 

I think I know the answer to this, but it was a while ago, so I’ll ask again. What is your favorite sports manga?

TVP: Currently, it is Haikyu!! Which is incredible and made me cry. But I also like Kuroko’s Basketball, Kurogane, Prince of Tennis, and honestly any sports manga. I love a character that works hard and really strives to be the best. Even manga that is not truly in the “sports” genre, but has the same elements is a good read. Hikaru No Go is a great one, it has all the elements of a sports manga, but it's about the Japanese board game, Go. Another one that comes to mind is Aozora Yell, which is half music/ half sports/ half wholesome school crush. Honestly, any story that is upbeat and is leaning towards a happily ever after will pique my interest. I’m a simple creature.

I have a relatively narrow window of experience with Japanese media, and I kind of rely on you for help with that. What parts of Rorasuketo’s story are more Japanese, and what do you think sticks out as American?

TVP: I was very inspired by Kurogane when we first started story-boarding Rorasuketo, which also has a ghost helping someone learn the sport they loved in their lifetime. I tried to include the basic plot structure from classic sports manga and video games into the plot for Rorasuketo. I wanted to make sure there was a believable flow to the events, so Kady didn’t become like, super powered overnight. I don’t read a lot of American comics, so I’m not sure how common spiritual friendships are in those, but that is something that feels very Japanese mediaish to me. There are so many manga/anime with other world friendships/partnerships, like YuYu Hakusho, Death Note, and Toilet-bound Hanako-Kun (to name a few of the more popular ones). And I love this trope. It’s a classic for a reason. Oh! Shaman King, which is a great ghost-friendship manga/anime. I need to stop before this is just a manga recommendation list.

What sticks out to me as the most American thing about our game is the focus on mental health. In Japanese media, mental health tends to be glossed over, or patched up quickly, or used only as a plot point to explain why a character disappeared or did something shocking and “bad” or “distasteful”. It is rare that mental health is discussed openly and positively, a good example of that would be Yuri on Ice (which we both love). I love that you’re bringing mental health into Rorasuketo, it is so incredibly important in the roller derby community. I know a lot of leagues will talk the talk about how roller derby is for everyone, but very few are walking the walk. I would love roller derby folx to play this game and go back to their leagues and say “hey, I think we should hire a counselor to come work with us and help ensure we’re meeting the needs of all our league members”. I’m sure that is the pipiest of pipe dreams, but it is a dream nonetheless. 

There are so many Cinderella stories, especially when it comes to sports. What makes a Cinderella story more compelling to you? What elements are at play?

 

TVP: I think Cinderella stories are so compelling because we can all relate to Cinderella. We all feel like people walk all over us and we have to clean messes we didn’t make and at the end of the day we want someone to come fix our problems with the wave of a wand and we can live happily ever after. But in modern Cinderella stories, especially sports ones, you see an underdog team rise up due to hard work, dedication, and grit. Which, as adults, is far better than someone else fixing all your problems. We all want to believe that if we just work hard and do our best, that we can be winners. We cheer for the underdog in the stories because no matter how confident we seem on the outside, or how cool and laidback other people see you as, we feel like the underdog in our own lives far more often than we feel like the hero. It’s this element that makes it easy to imprint these characters and teams onto ourselves. We watch them overcome their trials and it makes us feel like we can overcome our problems too, even if just for a minute. They give us hope.

I’ve asked you for help in developing an indigenous teammate. You named her, in fact. What about the lived experience as an indigenous person do you feel it’s important for others to recognize?

TVP: I think the most important thing that I want people to know is that Indigenous people are still here. The number of people I’ve met who asked me what race/heritage I am from, and are surprised when I tell them I’m a citizen of the Cherokee nation, is astounding. I was once in a group of people and one guy was guessing everyone's ancestry, and when I stumped him and finally gave my answer he responded with “I always forget that that's an option”. Indigenous people are still here, and there is no one “right way” to be Indigenous. We do not need to dress up to prove we’re Native, or speak our languages fluently, or smudge everyday. We don’t need to conform to antiquated ideas of what Native means to the general population. While I love seeing Indigenous culture being brought into the mainstream through media, I really want people to understand that your Indigenous friend can be Indigenous without ever wearing a ribbon skirt/shirt, beaded jewelry, or moccasins. But if they are wearing all that they probably look deadly af and are heading to a pow wow. Go with them and learn about the tribes whose land you’re living on.   

You and I were more or less at the height of our derby careers when I first started working on Rorasuketo. We’re now both retired. What positive derby memories stand out the most?

TVP: I have a million positive derby memories. Several with you. I remember geeking out with you when we made the charters for our teams. We felt so cool being in the top 20! And when our teams played each other and we ended up on the jam line together. <3  I got to be league president when KZoo hosted the first WFTDA Continental Cup, and that was incredible. I never felt cooler than that weekend, and I didn’t even skate. So many of my friends from area leagues came to help KZoo host, and it really made me appreciate how many connections I’ve made with so many incredible people. Before I retired my league job was Photographer Liaison, which I might have made up, but I loved it. Best league job of my career, hands down. I loved talking to all the photographers who shared their talent freely with the teams. KZoo used to host an annual Zombie Prom, and it was at one of those dances where I met Chet Lives, who has become one of my best friends and is a Michigan derby super star/announcer/fan/volunCHET. I’ll never forget meeting my husband, when he gave me a penalty at the first whistle of the first scrimmage I ever got to play in. When my little sister passed her evals, I cried because I was so proud of her and so excited for everyone to see what a beast she was on skates. Warming the bench at my first official bout with my derby wife, dreaming of when we’d be the cool chicks on the track. I have so many more, I need to stop before I bore you all.  

I wonder sometimes if Rorasuketo would make someone want to play for real. If someone were to join a roller derby league tomorrow, what advice would you give them?

TVP: I would love if playing Rorasuketo inspired folx to put on skates and play for a team themselves. Like, how Whip It inspired so many people to join their local leagues. Seriously, how cool would that be??

My best advice to a new skater would be to volunteer to NSO [Cam says: Non-Skating Official, like scoring, penalty box timing, etc.] as often as possible. The officiating community in roller derby is amazing. Many of my favorite people were derby officials, and as I’ve been retired for a while now, more of my officiating friends keep in touch than the skating ones. A lot of teams encourage new skaters to NSO before they’re ready to roster, but they usually stop once they can skate in bouts and scrimmages. Don’t do this! Keep officiating. You will learn so much more than by just skating. You will make friends with the coolest and smartest people. You will have a better understanding of the rules and how calls get made and be a better, more compassionate human.

My next best piece of advice is to do all the things, not just practice, but the volunteer events, the watch parties, the BBQ’s, the team bonding. Do all of it if you can. My closest friends were made when we were the same people at all the volunteer events. Those teammates were my dreammates and the ones I knew I could always count on to get a job done, and to make me laugh the entire time we did it. Skating together made us teammates, but volunteering together made us friends, and all the other extra stuff we did cemented them in my life forever. Do the extra things. Just do them. What I’m saying is, skating is great. It's fun, and you get to hit people and look cool. But the stuff I did off the track is what I miss the most now.

My last piece of advice is to not skimp on your protective gear! You only get one set of knees and one brain. Buy the helmet and knee pads that fit you best and have good safety specs. And the Sisu mouthguard, life changing. Wash it weekly, minimum, thank me later.