Thanks much to those who sent postcards and letters. I haven't been able to answer them all, but I hope you'll understand, as I'm putting the time and energy for that into my next work. The second collection of my art work had some difficult aspects to it in terms of size and price, so I'm both thankful and relieved to see that it appears to have been quite well received. Many people have said they prefer my analog work over my digital work, but I'm personally convinced that going digital is unavoidable. It's the only way to avoid the risk of having my art work degraded as it goes through the publisher-printer-distribution/transportation stages. One thing I do intend to work on, however, is to ensure that I can create digital imagery that is just as high in quality as analog art. And in that regard, I hope, dear readers, that you will understand that I am by no means ignoring your wishes. Many of you, quite understandably, have expressed the opinion that "Hey, Shirow, you ought to use the time and energy invested in this stuff to create more manga!" Well, rest assured, this year I will. And I'll draw the manga with good old fashioned ink. As far as my work in other media is concerned, it's frankly been terribly disappointing for me, so I don't intend to do anything in that area for some time. Masamune Shirow, March 20, 1999