"When Mami-san's head was chopped off, I think everyone felt bewildered, shocked, and confused. How could this happen?"
"But the truth was, it could happen!"
"Think about it, fighting evil entities with endless magical powers, does that sound like an easy job?"
"Of course not."
"If it were us, mere mortals, we'd never stand a chance.
"They could easily play with us."
"Being a magical girl was never a carefree job."
"It's just that this genre was originally aimed at children, so while we may have recognized that magical girl battles were tough, no one ever really peeled away the thin veil that we all subconsciously ignored."
"But warrior of love and hope-sensei, didn't hesitate to peel away the glossy exterior of magical girls."
"Perhaps because young people are full of creativity and aren't afraid of things like this, he stripped away that shiny surface and showed us the true realitythe magical girls who gain power through hope still die in battle!"
"Or maybe this is the fate of magical girls who crave hope?"
"I'm not sure, but it's certainly a thought-provoking direction."
"Anyway, let's get back to today's main topicthe author's new work Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai!"
"As soon as I saw the colored cover for the first issue, I knew that even if the author hadn't explained everything in detail last friday, the rumors that circulated earlier had already been disproven."
"From this image, it's easy to see the sincerity and skill the teacher has put into this work."
"Just like Madoka Magica was a story with a large ensemble cast For a more detailed explanation on ensemble works, the novel goes into more detail, so I won't embarrass myself by explaining here."
"But just to give a simple summary: It's not about focusing on just one character. Every character has their own story behind them, making them feel like real people with depth."
"Of course, the most important thing is to make you accept these characters!"
"If you don't buy into them, no matter how much effort goes into describing them, it's a failure."
"But the author clearly succeededjust look at how many people were heartbroken and sad when Mami-san's head fell off, right?"
"Clearly, this work continues the same style as the previous one, with an ensemble cast."
"When I saw the six characters on the cover, I had this idea. After finishing the first chapter, I was even more convinced."
"Still, in this picture, the author didn't focus on the background but instead used a relatively blurred form to present it, leaving a lot of space for interpretation."
"Why is leaving space a good thing? Because it allows the author to add more content!"
"In the original blank space, there's now a group of children gathered in a circle, seemingly discussing something. This was the most surprising and heartwarming detail in the whole picture! It's a clear sign of the author's sincerity!"
"From their hair colors, it's obvious they correspond to the characters in the picture, standing in different positions. Can't you tell who's who?"
"And since they aren't standing together as they did before, can we guess that, for some reason, their relationship has changed? It's no longer as friendly as it used to be?"
"This is confirmed in the content of the next chapter."
"Just from the first picture, we can infer so much."
"So naturally, my curiosity about the work itself deepened."
"However, after reading the first chapter, I found myself puzzledaside from the introduction, it didn't seem like much had happened."
"Some fans might say, 'It's just one chapter, why the rush? Shouldn't the characters be introduced first?'"
"Yes, you're right. But the truth is, a top-tier artist like the author can't make such mistakes."
"Forgive me for putting the sensei in the top-tier category directly, but in my opinion, any artist capable of creating a masterpiece like Madoka Magica has skills that rival any top-tier artist."
"The only reason they aren't considered top-tier is that they haven't released enough works yet."
"Back to the pointif you look at other top-tier manga artists, none of them would waste an entire chapter on filler content."
"So where's the problem?"
"With this question in mind, I reread the chapter, again and again, and slowly realized there were several things I hadn't considered before."
"Why is the male lead so cold towards the female lead? Why do other characters ignore her? Why...?"
"Luckily, these questions can be answered in the work itself: The female lead isn't actually a human!"
"Besides the main character, no one else can see her!"
"Flip to the fourth page of the manga, and in one panel, the male lead is grabbing some dishes from a cabinet."
"In the glass of the cabinet, we can see his reflection, but not the female lead, who's standing behind him, hugging him."
"When I discovered this truth, I realizedit wasn't that the mangaka's skills had declined, but rather, we hadn't paid close enough attention."
"It's surprising how many details are right in front of us, but we still fail to notice them. It's probably because modern manga usually lays everything out plainly, making it easy to understand, but this has robbed us of the habit of thinking deeply."
"After realizing this, when I went back to reread the first chapter of Anohana, I found so many interesting details that made me look forward to the next chapters."
"However, I won't go into specifics here about what I found interesting or what I'm looking forward to. After all, every reader has their own perspective."
"Shakespeare once wrote that "there are a thousand hamlets in a thousand people's eyes.""
"The joy of manga comes from what it offers to each individual. If I just lay out all the answers for you, it wouldn't be as fun to figure out yourself, right?"
"Anyway, thank you all for patiently reading my ramblings."
After reading this post, Tanaka, Tadakuni, and Tabata exchanged looks.
Tanaka scratched his head, saying, "I feel like I'm reading a completely different manga than everyone else!"
"Obviously! The fact that we understand it this well means we're the ones who posted this!" Tadakuni responded.
"What are you doing, Tadakuni?"
Tadakuni, who had been fiddling with his phone, finally looked up.
"I'm calling the expert!" he said.
"Look at this levelthis person's a pro! Really impressive!" Tabata said.
Tanaka rolled his eyes. "Come on, hurry, flip to the fourth page of Anohana and see if what they said is true!"
Tanaka immediately followed the order.
The three of them stared, wide-eyed.
"Wow, it's true!!"
"This isn't your typical mangawhy's there a ghost in it?!"
"Wait, I don't think the mangaka ever said anything about this!"
"The mangaka's words were about summer and growing up and friendships... so this isn't a daily life story, what is it?!"
"Damn, I just can't figure it out!"
"Doesn't matter, the setting's still pretty awesome!"
"Come on, let's go read it again!"
In this reading session, the three of them unsurprisingly found themselves immersed in even more enjoyment.
"Darn it! Why does it have to end here?!"
"The summer monsters are seriously fiercecan't wait to see the protagonist's face when they realize it's all real, not just a hallucination!!"
"I wonder what happened between these characters to bring them to this point."
"..."
The conversation paused as the three exchanged looks, their faces twisted in frustration, and they groaned in unison:
"Darn it! This series doesn't even have a collected volume! We'll have to wait for the weekly chapters!!"
"Our wallets are never going to survive this!!" x3
[060] A Storm is Approaching
Elsewhere,
Akifumi, seated on the subway, casually scrolled through his phone, reading the flood of comments.
"Give the author a big shout-out!"
"Unbelievable! These details I totally missed it!!"
"Read the post, then re-read the mangasuddenly, the fun level skyrocketed! Thanks, OP!!"
"I thought the author's work had gone downhill, but turns out, I just didn't get it!!"
"Darn it, another new series to follow! I guess I have to buy Weekly Shonen Jump now!!"
"With so many amazing series in there, it's a solid investment!"
"I'm a girl, so those intense Weekly Shonen Jump stories don't really grab me."
"Same here."
"..."
The title of the post Akifumi was reading stood out clearly:
"Does anyone really think the author's Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai has gone downhill? Here are some clues you missed!"
"Speaking of which, it doesn't feel too good for the author to get directly involved, huh?"
If it was discovered, it would surely be another addition to his list of embarrassing moments, right?
Yep.
That long comment was written by him.
Just like the previous post, where he mentioned that this work meant even more to him than Madoka Magicathat wasn't just empty talk, it was the truth!
As for why...
Madoka Magica was loosely based on a manga he'd read before, with just a few tweaks.
On the other hand, Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai was based on an anime he remembered, and adapted it according to his own ideas.
To describe the difference between the two works:
The former is like a daughter brought into a second marriage, already grown and independentno need for much care, just a little attention, and in return, they'll help in old age.
The latter, though, is like a child he raised with painstaking effort from the very beginning!
No blood relation, but their father-daughter bond is undeniable!
So, on the day of the new issue's release, Akifumi was keeping a close eye on it.
When he noticed some skewed opinions online, he took a moment during class to write that detailed review.
As everyone saw, the mood soon shifted in a positive direction.
"Hey, what's Akifumi-kun looking at?"
A graceful, melodic voice interrupted his thoughts.
Akifumi looked up to see Shiina Mahiru standing beside him. "A review of a newly released manga."
"By the way, Shiina-san, do you read manga?"
"Not really."
Figures.
Someone like her definitely wouldn't have much in the way of hobbies outside of school.
Shiina Mahiru thought for a moment before speaking again: "But I often hear the boys in class talking about it."
"Is manga it really that fun?"
"Some people think it's fun, others find it boring." Akifumi casually reply it.
Shiina Mahiru nodded thoughtfully before breaking into a smile:
"But Akifumi-kun seems to think it's fun, right?"
"Of course!"
Even though he's now the creator, that fact doesn't change.
If anything, being the creator only strengthens his belief in it.
"Listening to you talk about manga, I'm... kind of interested in it now."
"Want to give it a try?"
"Eh?!"
Shiina Mahiru blinked in surprise before quickly waving her hands, her face flushing:
"No, I can't afford it."
"I have a ton of light novels and manga at home, and besides, you won't be..."
He paused, and Akifumi added: "Just making sure, but you're not planning any trips during the break, are you?"
"Trips..."
Her eyes briefly sparkled with longing, but then that glimmer was extinguished by a sense of loss.
She shook her head, voice tinged with disappointment: "No, I'll be alone."
"Even during the break, nothing will change. Probably."
Her eyes clouded with a faint sadness, a wordless confusion about the future.
"Ouch."
Shiina Mahiru lightly rubbed the back of her head, looking at Akifumi with a puzzled expression:
"Why did you hit me?"
"Just saw a idiot zoning out on the train, couldn't resist reminding her to snap back to reality."
Shiina Mahiru tilted her head:
"Are you calling me an idiot?"
"Who else could I be talking about?"
"Eh! I'm not an idiot!"
She scrunched her nose and pouted slightly, clearly annoyed.
Akifumi didn't pay much attention to her irritation.
"Well, during the break, you'll still be cooking for me right? so how could you be alone?"
"You forgot that, and yet you're saying you're not an idiot?"
Shiina Mahiru froze, and then her previously perfect features brightened into a dazzling smile.
"Akifumi-kun, you really are too much! It's already vacation, and yet you're still making me cook!"
Akifumi shrugged, "Not my fault. You insisted on cooking for me, and now you're stuck with me as your bossy overlord."
"You're calling yourself an overlord? Akifumi-kun, you're such a character," she giggled.
He ignored her teasing and returned to the previous topic:
"Since you're not doing anything special for the break, why don't you come over and read manga when you're bored?"
"I've got plenty here."
The girl's face lit up with clear interest.
"Eh, really?"
"Why not?"
"I've already read them, so if you can enjoy them, you're just helping them get more use."
Shiina Mahiru hesitated for a moment but then tried to refuse:
"Wouldn't it be a bother to you, Akifumi-kun?"
In response, Akifumi reached out and ruffled her delicate, shimmering golden hair with his large hand.
"If you're worried about that, then you shouldn't have agreed to help me cook my food in the first place."
"Ugh!"
She let out a little groan, but her tone remained gentle: "Akifumi-kun, you really are cruel!"
"You messed up my hair!"
"Well, you were practically asking for it with that 'come bother me' look on your face."
"I was not!"
"By the way, do we have any ingredients at home?"
What an awkward change of topic!
But...
'Is this what it feels like to trust a friend?'
It's nice.
Shiina smiled tenderly: "We still have some."
"I don't need to go shopping today."
"Got it, then let's head home."
"Mm, let's go home~"
"Ugh, this weather's getting hotter."
"It's already July, after all."
........
When they enter his apartment Shiina smiled softly: "Akifumi-kun, you should rest now. I'll go cook."
"You really don't have to rush to cook as soon as we get home!"
Akifumi shook his head helplessly, knowing full well she wouldn't listen, so he let her go.
At the same time,
A certain blonde girl with twin tails, holding a stack of original manuscript pages, arrived at Akifumi's door.
[061] Just a Neighbor [30 PS]
After days of hard work, Eriri finally beamed with satisfaction.
"Finally I'm done! That went smoother than I expected!" she declared cheerfully.
