Hot Summer Martha
Hot Summer Martha (ホットサマー・マーサ, Hotto Samā Māsa) is a primary antagonist featured in the work of Rohan Kishibe, Pink Dark Boy.
It also appears in TSKR Episode 10 and in the third season of the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan TV drama.
Appearance
Hot Summer Martha is a creature whose upper body consists of four dark spheres. One sphere is its head, having a downward pointing arrow resembling a nose on the center of its face. Below it is a curved line akin to a mouth. Two spheres protrude from each corner of its head, which are its eyes. The final sphere protrudes from the back of its head. All of its spheres have elongated and curved ridges that run along the surface from one end to the other, culminating at the top similarly to a melon.
Its design originally consisted of three spheres, only having the top two spheres as its eyes. However, Kyoka Izumi changes Rohan's manuscript and makes it have four spheres instead, as she was worried that its design looked too similar to Mickey Mouse.[1] In the TV drama, they also make it blue instead of black in the Pink Dark Boy Volume 95 cover and the creature's figure to avoid any copyright issues.[2]
Hot Summer Martha's head is attached to a pelvis with two large legs and a spike for a tail. Its legs also have lines running along them similar to the spheres. There are three clawed toes on its feet.
Color Schemes
Abilities
Born from Shadows
Hot Summer Martha emerges from the combined shadows of several moths and insects that are attracted to light. As soon as it appears, it prepares to have a feast.[2]
Its other abilities are unknown but it is strong enough to rival Pink Dark in combat.
History
TSKR Episode 10
On July 7, 2021, Kyoka calls Rohan regarding concerns she has for his Hot Summer Martha design, because having three circles in the design could lead to consumer complaints. However, Rohan rebukes that three circles is a design that even ancient Celts would have drawn.
Throughout the next three months, Kyoka has conversations with Rohan's doppelgänger via text messages and meetings to discuss his work. Kyoka has a designer change Rohan's design to have four circles instead of three. Kyoka sends Rohan text messages about Hot Summer Martha being a major hit and that his work is a masterpiece. The real Rohan eventually reads these messages on October 7, confused as to what she's talking about. He immediately calls Kyoka asking what she did to his manuscript and why she changed his design to have four circles instead of three without telling him. Kyoka is extremely confused and mentions she already returned his manuscript to him two weeks prior after they scanned and published it.
Rohan is replaced by his doppelgänger again for the following three months until January 7, 2022. A figure is created for Hot Summer Martha and Kyoka brings it to Rohan's office.[1]
TV Drama
The TV drama expands on Hot Summer Martha's origins and shows kids reacting to the arc while reading the manga.[2] Kyoka feels bad for changing the character's design and suggests creating a new character that has three circles instead of four, suggesting that it could be Hot Summer Martha's little brother, "Hot Summer Brother". While Rohan isn't amused, Kyoka continues suggesting alternatives such as a little sister that could have cute colors like pink and yellow, but Rohan then throws her out of his house.[3]
Ken Oyanagi believes that the character having four circles is ugly and that it makes no sense for it to have a third eye in that placement considering the creature's abilities and biology. His hatred for the design eventually leads to him wanting Rohan to be prohibited from drawing manga. Ken challenges him to a game of rock-paper-scissors where he could steal Rohan's skills if Rohan loses. However, Ken's hatred for the Hot Summer Martha design eventually leads to his loss as he makes a fist whenever he is angry and Rohan had placed the Pink Dark Boy volume cover in front of him during their match. Before leaving, Rohan signs the back of the volume with Hot Summer Martha's original design, giving it to Ken as an autograph.[3]
Chapters
Manga Appearances
Live Action AppearancesGallery
Original design with 3 spheres
Pink Dark Boy against Hot Summer Martha
Pink Dark with a sword and Hot Summer Martha
Hot Summer Martha with 4 spheres
Figurine of the character
Rohan concerned about the figure's design
Sketch of its original design
Original manuscript
Hot Summer Martha's meal time
Rohan concerned about the figure's design
Volume 95 cover
Front and back of Volume 95
Hot Summer Martha figure in the drama's exhibition
Model Sheet
