Previously, I was involved in a magazine that mainly covered graphic designers. One of the reasons why I aspired to be in the editorial department was the influence of the editorial designs of Hideki Inaba, who also happens to be one of this issue’s interviewees. As mentioned throughout this article, graphic designs of the time often told stories or symbolized some sort of music or fashion. Graphics that completely integrated these ideas, or even emphasized thoughts or some kind of interpretation of the creator themself, are the graphic designs in the form of visual culture that captivated my heart.

However, the environment and trends surrounding the creative scene, naturally changed during the ten-odd years I was in the editorial department. The same goes for graphic design, as methods and main focus started to shift towards issues of branding, strategies, and business. This was a natural process, but to me who’d experienced the things that I did, the designs felt unsatisfactory, and I may have had no choice but to leave my position.

Someone once said that graphic design is a visual language. It is a tool that enables a type of communication in areas that cannot be reached by words. I believe in these words deeply. That's why, apart from things such as signs and pictograms that are premised on sharing the same recognition, I'm honestly disappointed with categorical designs that are simply reflections of tastes or trends. No further communication is born from that. Since all curiosity and seeds of self-reflection are hidden among the excess scraps that are omitted in the process of improvement, if numerically expressed results become our everything, how stale and bleak our world will become.

The four individuals who responded to the interviews have completely different roots, come from various generation, backgrounds, and varying perceptions and approaches to graphic design. However, all of their works not only allows for the viewer to be passive, but also creates ripples in the pools of emotions and evoke lingering memories. Works that can create such rich and human-like communication are only brought to life by both jumping through the hoops and guidelines or awareness of objective perspectives, as well at tapping into the designer or artist’s inner resources.

In this day and age, where the field of design has become ambiguous in its subdivision, I cannot be completely sure of what is considered graphic design. While the definition of graphic design will continue to change with the times, there is no doubt that the creator's bottomless imagination is going to be the factor that pushed the possibilities of this field. This magazine issue, to me was a kind of about returning to the source. The four designers and artists mentioned here did not only cooperate in their interviews, but aroused a new excitement for graphic design, and for doing that I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude.