The National Times - French YouTuber takes on manga after conquering Everest

Ines Benazzouz, known everywhere as Inoxtag, published his first graphic novel "Instinct" on Thursday, a story about a young man with the power to perceive the aura and intentions of those around him.

The 22-year-old content creator started posting video game footage in his mid-teens, and his livewire energy has catapulted him to superstardom among young French people, with some 20 million subscribers.

But it was the release in mid-September of the film capturing his preparations to climb Mount Everest -- despite no prior experience -- that brought his fame to new heights, with the documentary garnering more than 38 million views on YouTube.

Now, in collaboration with "Kaizen" director Basile Monnot and cartoonist Charles Compain, Benazzouz said he "dreams" of one day seeing his manga adapted into an animated series.

-'Influence'-

Benazzouz, a longtime manga fan, decided to take the plunge in February 2023 when he met Compain, a business engineer who dreamed of becoming a manga comic artist.

"A lot of people ask me to work with them," said Inoxtag. "But when I met Charles, something just clicked."

The YouTuber hopes to follow in the footsteps of "Radiant," a French manga that has sold over a million copies and is the only one to be adapted into an animated series in Japan.

Benazzouz, who swore off social media during his Everest ascent, said he has learned from the criticism he received over his climb -- particularly from mountaineers -- about environmental issues and over-tourism.

He said that he still gives himself "breaks" from screens and acknowledged his frustration over the "politicisation" he has faced on social media.

"I don't want to talk about politics", he told AFP, though he acknowledges his "influence" with young people.

"My only job is to pass on optimism and good values," Benazzouz said.

K.M.Thompson--TNT