Even someone like Akifumi, who had long since become numb to money, couldn't help but feel a rush of anticipation.
"How many copies?"
Mihari glanced at the printed report in her hand. Despite her efforts to stay composed, excitement crept into her voice.
"First, Anohanatotal sales for the past month: 3.82 million copies."
"Specifically, 1.95 million for the first volume and 1.87 million for the second."
!!
"How much?!"
"3.82 million copies!"
"If I remember correctly, Anohana has only sold about 3.22 million copies in Japan so far, right?"
"That's correct."
"Aha ha ha." Akifumi couldn't help but take a sharp breath, momentarily contributing to global warming.
Was making money from manga always this insane?
Due to overseas publishing contracts, his cut was only 10%. But with each volume priced at 800 yen, that still meant a royalty of 80 yen per copy sold.
Just from these 3.82 million copies, he had already earned nearly 300 million yen.
And since more volumes had already been printed, total circulation was likely at least 5 million coppies.
Which meant, just from Anohana alone, his earnings would surpass 400 million yen!
Although Akifumi had anticipated that overseas sales would be impressive, this number far exceeded his expectations.
After all, Anohana had been in circulation for almost a year in Japan and had only just crossed 3 million total sales.
Meanwhile, in just one month overseas, it was already nearing 4 million?
Looking at the sheer scale of the difference, Akifumi couldn't help but blurt out:
"Is it too late for me to move over there and start fresh?"
Mihari, who had been reveling in her success at shocking him, suddenly froze.
'Wait, what? Was her star creator really considering jumping ship?!'
A sense of panic surged within her.
When the call fell silent for a moment, Akifumi let out a dry chuckle. "Relax, I was just joking. Don't take it seriously."
"So, what about the other titles?"
Mihari still looked skeptical but decided to move on. "Next up, Puella Magi Madoka Magicatotal sales: 5.62 million copies."
"2.86 million for volume one and 2.76 million for volume two."
!!
Madoka's power was on another level! (voice cracks)
This sales figure was absurdso absurd that even absurdity itself had to bow in submission!
With just Anohana and Madoka Magica, his royalties had already surpassed 750 million yen.
And if he added Your Lie in April into the mix
That might actually push his earnings past half a small target (1 billion yen)!
Although Your Lie in April was priced lower at 450 yen per volume, it had six volumes in totalmore than both Madoka Magica and Anohana combined.
"So what's Your Lie in April's sales?"
"The total stands at 11.68 million copies."
That meant an average of 1.94 million per volume.
Royalties? At least 490 million yen.
"In just one month, I hit half a small target"
After his initial shock, Akifumi found himself growing eerily calm. He silently opened his creator dashboard on Steam and let out a deep sigh.
"??"
Mihari was confused.
Why the sigh? Wasn't this an absolutely insane sales performance?
She suddenly grew nervous again. "Akifumi-sensei, are you not satisfied with the sales overseas?"
"In fact, with these numbers, only about ten other mangaka in all of Japan could even come close to your success"
Before she could finish, Akifumi cut in.
"The sales are great. I'm very satisfied."
His eyes, however, lingered on another figureThe Witch's House, with total sales of 4.58 million copies.
Despite similar numbers, the earnings difference was staggering.
The problem? The Witch's House was a game, not a manga.
With games, he had to deal with development costs, publishing fees, platform cuts compared to manga, the profit margins weren't even in the same league.
For a fleeting moment, he considered launching his own distribution platform or maybe even founding his own publishing house.
"Forget it."
"A monthly revenue of half a small target. What's there to complain about?"
If he hadn't published overseas, he wouldn't have earned a single cent from these sales.
In that sense, this half a small target was practically free money.
Mid-July
Time flew, and by mid-July, the atmosphere among third-year students had grown noticeably tense.
Gone were the days of casually hanging out after school.
Even with summer break approaching, only a few had the luxury to plan vacationsmost were focused entirely on studying.
Even Kato was no exception. She attended cram school daily and studied relentlessly during weekends and holidays. Her grades were improving at an impressive pace.
"You're studying through summer break too?"
That sounded tough.
But Kato's dedication was a reminder of what an ordinary person could achieve through sheer effort.
As for Akifumi, this summer held another significant milestone.
With the Top 128 for the scriptwriting competition soon to be announced, the next stagefilming and productionwas about to begin.
He couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement for what was to come.
[222] You wouldn't want that, right?
"Ahem, long time no see, everyone! In the blink of an eye, another month has passed."
"Time sure flies, huh?"
"Not too long ago, I was just an ordinary high school junior, and before I knew it, my manga suddenly went viral."
"Balancing school and drawing is easy enough, but keeping up this insane creative pace... Couldn't you guys cut me some slack?!"
"I mean, 'Akame ga Kill' just started serialization, and now you want me to start another project? Even a workhorse wouldn't be treated this harshly!"
"So, in response to the flood of requests in the comments asking me to draw 'CLANNAD'my answer is... it will debut on the 13th of this month!"
"Sigh, what can I say? I'm just a soft-hearted artist who loves my fans. How could I possibly ignore such reasonable requests?!"
"Oh, and on the same day, Volume 3 of 'Akame ga Kill' will also be released! I hope you all enjoy it!"
"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I plan to release a new volume every month."
"That's all for the latest updates..."
On the last day of school in July, Tanaka recalled the update from his favorite creator earlier that month. A wide grin spread across his face.
What could be better than passing all your finals and buying your favorite mangaka latest work on the first day of summer break?!
Well, there was one thing...
"What the hell is wrong with you two?! Wasn't this semester's finals ridiculously easy?! How did you both still manage to fail?!"
"Hahahaha!!"
As Tanaka laughed smugly, Tabata and Tadakuni clenched their teeth in frustration.
"Damn traitor!!"
"How the hell did you pass?! Were you secretly studying behind our backs?!"
Tanaka averted his gaze, feeling a little guilty.
After watching 'CLANNAD,' he couldn't help but feel inspired to study a little.
He hadn't put in much effort before, but hey, he was only a junior in high schoolit wasn't too late to start!
And sure enough, his efforts paid off. While he didn't see a massive improvement, at least he managed to escape the danger zone!
Now he could enjoy a stress-free summer break!
Seeing Tanaka hesitate to respond, the two exchanged glances, suspicion written all over their faces.
"No way..."
"You really did study behind our backs, didn't you?!"
"Ahem." Tanaka let out a dry cough and said, "Well, when you're really bored, you might just end up studying, right?"
Both of them stared at him, eyes wide in shock.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Tanaka?! You actually studied willingly?!"
"What kind of nonsense is 'studying because you're bored'?! I've never heard of such a thing!!"
Tanaka shrugged innocently. "Beats me."
"Damn it!" x2
"Since when did Tanaka become so cocky?!" x2
The two glared at each other, exchanging a silent understanding before flashing sinister grins.
Stepping forward, each grabbed one of Tanaka's arms and locked him in place.
"??"
"What are you guys doing?! We're still at school!!"
"Nothing."
"Yeah, what could we possibly be up to?"
Despite their words, their smirks were as devilish as ever.
"Say, Tanaka..."
"Don't use that creepy tone on me, damn it!!"
Ignoring his protests, the two continued.
"No one ever said you can't come to school just because you passed, right?"
"Yeah! You know, for club activities or maybe... voluntary study sessions!"
"Hah! Do I look like an idiot? This is summer break! Who in their right mind would willingly come to school?!"
"True, true..."
Tabata's smirk deepened into something downright demonic. "But, you wouldn't want your parents to accidentally discover your secret stash on your computer one day, would you?"
[Note wwwwwwwww]
"!!"
Tanaka forced a confident expression. "Hah! Like you guys could ever find out where I keep my stash."
"D drive, inside the 'Study Materials' folder, under 'Foreign Language Teacher'..."
Before Tadakuni could finish, Tanaka let out a pained cry. "AAAAH!"
"Fine! I get it! You want me to come to school, right?! I'LL COME!!"
The two grinned as they released him, patting his shoulders.
"That's our bro."
"We knew you wouldn't abandon us."
The next day.
Tanaka strutted out of the bookstore with two brand-new books in hand, relishing the envious stares of fellow fans.
But the excitement of getting his hands on them didn't last long after he returned home...
"Sigh."
Letting out a heavy sigh, he wore a sorrowful expression. "Is this what life is?"
A never-ending cycle of suffering.
The thought of having to drag himself back to school in just two days made his heart ache.
"The only thing that can heal this pain... is a good story."
Looking at the third volume of 'Akame ga Kill' and the first volume of 'CLANNAD' in front of him, Tanaka hesitated.
"Which one should I read first?!"
His rational side told him to start with 'Akame ga Kill.'
His emotional side urged him to pick up 'CLANNAD.'
"Since I can't decide, I'll leave it to fate!"
He pulled out a coin and flipped it into the air.
'Clink!
Heads!
"So, heads means I start with 'Akame ga Kill'?"
Setting 'CLANNAD' aside, he gave it a longing glance.
"Don't worry, I'll come back to cherish you soon!"
Flipping open 'Akame ga Kill' Volume 3, Tanaka instinctively recalled the previous volume's events.
The power of the Imperial Arms had been fully revealed.
Without an Imperial Arm of his own, the protagonist had been completely overpowered.
However, using an Imperial Arm with an incompatible wavelength either rendered it useless or harmed the user instead.
"I wonder what kind of Imperial Arm the protagonist will get."
"What kind of story awaits in this volume~?"
With anticipation bubbling inside him, Tanaka dived into the third volume of 'Akame ga Kill.'
"Whoa, this 'Beast Mode 2.4' Imperial Arm is insane!"
"At first glance, it looks like a cute little puppy, but it has an incredible battle record!"
"And that girl, Seryushe seems adorable, but damn, she's ruthless."
She had undergone extreme mechanical modifications on her own body!
"But man, the power is ridiculous!"
A single blast from her laser cannon wiped out an entire mountain!
The combat data was absolutely insane!
"With this level of power, how can any normal person stand a chance?!"
That thought haunted Tanaka as he continued reading. And when he saw Seryu facing off against Mine and Sheele, his heart tensed.
While both of them were strong assassins, their opponent was a complete monster.
Could they really win against this beast?!"
[Note]
I'm back
Hopefully now, I can keep up the stable update again.
If you can please give this a story a power stone, or you can go to my p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL to access more than 50 advanced chapters and making me happy...
[223] There's an Honest Fan Here!
Even though Tanaka had an inkling of what was coming after seeing Seryu's actions and portrayal, when the moment actually arrived.
When Sheele died in battlehe still found it hard to accept.
Sure, she didn't have that many appearances, but she was still a member of the protagonist's team! And not just thatshe was a beautiful, kind-hearted girl!
And now, just like that she was gone. It was heartbreaking.
Tanaka understood that this was meant to intensify the conflict between the two sides, but the way it happened still made him feel awful.
Especially when he thought back to why Sheele had joined Night Raid in the first place, and what she had been fighting for.
But could he really say that Seryu was at fault? Not really.
With the way she had been raised by her parents and teachers, it was only natural for her to see Night Raid as enemies.
After all, people's perspectives are shaped by the world they live in.
As a member of the Imperial Guard, she had never truly seen the darkness that engulfed the Empire.
To her, everything seemed perfectly normal. Even though her understanding of "justice" was twisted and one-sided, she was simply a product of the world she was born into.
At that moment, Tanaka finally understood the fundamental conflict between Night Raid and the Empireit wasn't just about power or politics.
It was a clash of completely different worldviews. And in such a battle, there was only one possible outcome: in the end, only one side could survive.
When the second volume of Akame ga Kill was being released, Akifumi had already finished drawing the third.
After reviewing the previous volumes, he decisively removed the ambiguous romantic subplot between Sheele and Tatsumi.
Why? Because it was unnecessary.
There was no way such a short story arc could genuinely make readers fall in love with Sheele, only to then feel devastated by her death.
At least, that's what Akifumi thought.
Rather than wasting precious pages on pointless romance, it was better to develop the characters themselvesto make the audience care about them for who they were, not for their relationships.
And when it came to this battle, Akifumi chose to make it as intense as possible, highlighting not just the physical fight but also the ideological conflict between the Empire and Night Raid.
After a year of drawing manga and countless revisions, making these kinds of refinements was second nature to him.
