GR: Because you invest so much into the characters' personalities and appearance, do you dream about them as people at night? ML: I work too hard, so I'm too tired. I just sleep! GR: Do you like making male figures more than female figures? ML: Even if a male figure is ugly, he still has appeal. But if a female is ugly, she won't. GR: It's the double standard of society. ML: Actually, if you look at all of them, no one is smiling. GR: Is that because there are no girls? ML: You look at Ken and Barbie and they're always smiling. In the ordinary world everyone's not smiling. But that doesn't mean they're not happy. GR: Is Hong Kong a good place to be an artist? ML: No. They only like traditional art. Even for Gardener, it's not good. In Hong Kong it's difficult because people are so materialistic. They do not recognize my figures as art but as toys. In Japan and France, they think of me as an artist. It's totally different. GR: How has your attitude toward art changed as you've grown? ML: I'm certain that I've changed in 12 or 15 years, even since 3 or 4 years ago when Water Garden exhibited. A lot more people know about me in Hong Kong because my art is more simple, more direct. People weren't as attracted to the paintings and the figures leave more room for development in the future. People are interested.

GR: Do you design your boxes and packaging, too? ML: It's not very complicated. It's just names and information. It's the last thing I do. GR: Most of your art is by and for yourself. Was it hard making the cell phone holders for Sony? ML: There were difficulties, but I just tried to ignore them. Nothing is so difficult. The most important thing is that I'm alive, I can do what I can like, and I have money to buy my pencils. GR: Are you going to animate your characters? ML: There's a French company that's using them. It's too far to work with them closely. They send scripts, but I've been too busy to read them. GR: Would you be sad if a little boy got hold of one of your figures and played with it violently? Stuck a firecracker up it or something? ML: I'd be happy. People often collect my things and leave them in the bags. People don't even know that the crazy children can wear each other's shoes because they don't open the boxes. They just collect it; that's all. They also ask me for autographs. For what reason? But when people ask, I have to do it. GR: Do you still get crazy smiles when you look at your work? ML: Yes, yes. Because they've arrived.

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