Daily Inspiration: Meet Hikaru Just

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hikaru Just.

Hi Hikaru, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in a small town in Southern Japan. Many people visit Japan nowadays, but not a lot of people make it down that far south. It’s a flyover state, and kids who grow up there are often eager to get out.
I had a pretty unstable childhood with an abusive/absent dad and a single mom who raised me. As soon as I could pick up a pen, I started drawing and writing. It was an escape hatch from the reality of the rundown low-income housing we were living in and rebuilding life after escaping abuse. My mom couldn’t afford much, but she was able to get me pens and paper. I was always dreaming of the world outside of my small town. I was a weird child—I loved creating my own countries, languages/writing systems, and religions. I was often living in my own fantasy world as a child. It was not easy in a highly structured and homogenous society like Japan where nails that stick out often get hammered down. But, as I got older, I came back to earth and stopped creating. I focused all my attention on learning English to actually be able to get out of Japan. I thought it was a necessary tool to be able to create my own life. And I found myself in Utah, of all the places. Life led me to marrying a man at 19. Living in Utah, feeling the familiar sense of being an “outsider,” laid the foundation of my work. I draw alien girls because I’ve always felt alienated both in Japan and in Utah. Also, when I immigrated to the U.S., the government gave me an “alien number,” and it was another source of inspiration for the alien characters. During COVID, I started drawing again, and I expanded my art career to doing conventions, live painting shows, and murals and events, as well as selling my own merchandise and art prints. I did this for a couple of years. However, at one point, I got burnt out and took a 2-year hiatus, which coincided with my separation and divorce from my ex-husband. During this big life event I was going through as a 26-27-year-old, when most people get married for the first time, I had gained many valuable perspectives of being a woman in this world. I met people during our separation and dated for the first time after a divorce. I learned a lot about myself and what women go through by having these experiences and heartbreaks myself. And I realized that although I was married to someone I thought was my best friend in life, being kept in a comfortable cage could hold you back from flying free. I felt alone at times in this stage in life because I was shaming myself for wanting more and being a free-spirited woman. That’s when I realized I want to build a community where women feel safe enough to find their space and share their vulnerable stories. And I thought that speaking about my own experience was the way to do it. This is when I moved to Los Angeles and started creating again. I create illustrated stories of 3 alien girls living in a fantasy city similar to LA, and through them, I tell authentic and raw stories of womanhood in our late 20s. The late 20s is an interesting stage in life. We’ve experienced a heartbreak or two and realize the importance of having a supportive community. Some people are “ahead” in some ways, and their priorities are different, which can affect friendships. We are sobering up from the excitement of early adulthood, and we start to really feel the pressure and start questioning/having doubts about our choices. It’s the weird spot between being young and not so young anymore. A lot of people also experience life-changing events in their late 20s. I thought I had it all figured out at 19, but as I get older, I’ve learned that I don’t know anything. My illustrated stories/narrative essays tell my learnings and stories that I wish I had heard when I was going through divorce at such a young age and feeling alone and ashamed. My message and work is to empower women to live their own timeline and be true to themselves even when it’s hard. I’m also tapping into my inner child, who was using creativity as an escape hatch. But this time, I’m creating a hatch for other women to share.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve faced some challenges, such as the haitus I took. As an artist, disappearing from the scene for 2 years could be lethal, and coming back hasn’t been easy with social media being a completely different environment compared to the COVID era. I’ve completely rebranded myself because the work I share is very different now. However, I feel very strongly that without my haitus, a period when I just focused on “living” and “gaining experience” and working a corporate job, I wouldn’t have a story to tell. I wouldn’t be as empathetic or understanding. This period gave me a crash course on life. So, I had to take a detour and went through a lot of doubts; in the end, all of it was necessary. As an artist and writer, I firmly believe that you need to live to create work that resonates with the audience. I believe things happen for a reason.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I write illustrated narrative essays and comics about being a woman in our late 20s, often through my three main characters. I share most of my work through digital newsletters. I’m also participating in the upcoming LA Zine Fest on November 7th, and I’m planning on expanding my work more to printing media. I tell raw and honest stories about our struggles and reality in order to normalize what’s considered a “taboo” or “embrassing” to talk about. My artworks are characterized by pastel colors and often have happy vibes. I want to build a safe community for women to be true to themselves and live their lives unapologetically, and I figured the best way to do it is to start telling my stories first!

How do you think about happiness?
When I’m locked up in my room, creating is my favorite time. But I also love spending time with my cats, with my friends, and exploring new cities. I love to talk to my friends because I sometimes get inspirations from their stories. I also love reading comics by my favorite artists. I think I love these things because they are either rooted in my safe routine or expand my mind and views, and these are what I need to feel happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aliensisterhood.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliensisterhood/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
• Other: https://aliensisterhood.substack.com/