"Well, it's just a small amount anyway. No big deal," Akifumi said with a shrug.
"A few hundred thousand yen for renting the recording studio and paying the singers. Nothing that would break the bank."
"By the way, congrats on 'Anohana' debut sales!" Mihari changed the topic with a deep breath.
"First day sales of Volume 1 were 4,148 copies, and Volume 2 was 8,658."
"That's it?" Akifumi asked, somewhat surprised.
Mihari rolled her eyes. "Akifumi-sensei, that's actually a normal sales figure."
"Yeah, normal..." Akifumi nodded.
"But is this considered good or bad?"
Some authors only release one work in their lifetime, but others release dozens of volumes.
Compared to that, Akifumi only had four short stories and a couple of volumes, so he felt like he was behind.
But still, compared to other top artists, his numbers weren't too shabby.
"Well, as long as it's not bad," he muttered, not thinking too hard about it.
"By the way, Akifumi-sensei, do you want to do a signing event in October?"
[100] Lure More People In, Then Hit Them Hard! [40 PS]
'A signing event?' The mention of it made Akifumi think back to an earlier conversation.
It had been brought up by Mihari during the summer, but at the time, due to the hot weather and various other reasons, he had brushed it off.
Now, hearing the idea again, he started to reconsider it.
The goal of a signing event is mainly to connect with fans, boost sales, and increase one's personal fame.
Back then, Akifumi didn't care much about fame.
Money? As long as it was enough, he had a laid-back attitude.
Even though he had Guilty Crown (a successful work) in his hands, he hadn't put in much effort.
His work was always done at the pace of one chapter a week.
But now? Things were different.
Fame and money? The more, the better!
If that's the case, then hosting a signing event definitely seemed necessary.
Seeing that Akifumi was silent, Mihari misunderstood.
She spoke up, "Isn't Madoka set to air in October?"
"That will definitely attract more new fans."
"With that as an opportunity, you could launch a signing event, along with a Madoka limited edition, and it would definitely make a big sale!"
"Of course, this is just my unrefined suggestion; you'd be the one to decide the details."
After hearing her explanation, Akifumi couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.
He remembered when they first metshe was still a newbie who made mistakes even with internal memos.
Now, in just half a year, she had grown so much.
"You've really made progress, huh? Minano-san wasn't wrong about you!"
Hearing Akifumi's genuine compliment, Mihari froze for a moment, then a shy blush crept onto her face.
"Wait... Are you complimenting me?"
"You can confidently drop that '?' mark now. You've grown into quite the capable editor!"
So, this is how he sees me?
Haha, that's a bit embarrassing!
She couldn't help but smile, proud of herself.
Getting recognition from outsiders is always pleasant.
It's even better when it comes from the mangaka you're responsible for.
But after a moment of feeling happy, Mihari snapped out of it and asked,
"So, what do you think about the signing event?"
"You've laid out all the benefits, so why would I refuse?" Akifumi chuckled.
"Though it might be a bit tiring, I'm kind of curious about how popular I am right now."
"I just hope there won't be no one showing up that day, that'd be embarrassing."
Mihari chuckled. "Let's just hope when the day comes, you won't complain about there being too many people."
"Alright, how about October 1st? It's a Sunday."
"Sounds good."
"The event will start at 10 AM. I'll let you know the specific location later, but please make sure to help with the promotion on SNS, okay?"
"Well, I don't want too few people either. That'd be really awkward."
......
After hanging up, Akifumi turned his attention back to his drawing desk.
It was Saturday, and it was time to work on 'WorldEnd'.
He replayed Mihari's words in his mind:
'Madoka limited edition, huh?'
That gave him a bit of an idea.
If a finished manga could be reprinted and upgraded with better quality and extra content for a second sale, why not release a light novel for 'World End' first?
His earlier misstep was thinking only in terms of manga.
As a manga artist, he automatically assumed the work had to be released as a comic.
But after reconsidering, he realized the two ongoing works Anohana and Madoka were still being serialized.
He couldn't start a new serialization until one of them finished.
If he wanted to release a paperback, he'd need at least 9 chapters completed.
The current difficulty of managing these two ongoing series was greater than he initially thought.
In WorldEnd , the story focuses on everyday life, the little moments shared by the protagonist and the "fairy warehouse" girls.
These peaceful moments make the impending death even more poignant.
When adapting this into a manga, Akifumi felt it would be easy to focus on this theme of "everyday life" since that's what the story emphasizes.
The main difficulty came with Guilty Crown.
After thinking it over multiple times, Akifumi finally decided to make some adjustments to the plot.
First, he would set the story's background during the "Lost Christmas" of 10 years ago.
He needed to address this right at the start, or fans who've never seen the original anime would feel disconnected and confused.
As for the method of storytelling, he could use a dream-like format, similar to Madoka, but with more information provided.
Secondly, he would tighten the story's pacing.
In the anime, one episode, excluding OP/ED, runs for about 22 minutes, which is equivalent to two manga chapters.
But there's no need for that much content.
Some parts of the original felt drawn out and unnecessary.
Akifumi remembered that when he first watched it, he almost fell asleep during the first two episodes.
He didn't want to replicate that slow pacing in his manga.
The final version would likely be around 24-26 chapters, much shorter than the 44-episode anime.
The character designs also had to be spot-on.
Cute characters are essential! Only when the characters are lovable will their deaths have the emotional impact needed to resonate with readers.
Lastly, the tone of 'WorldEnd' would also differ.
While Madoka and Anohana are more about daily life with a touch of sentiment, Guilty Crown would be much more action-packed.
He would add more battles, making it a more intense, exciting story that would appeal to a wider audience.
This would definitely not be some kind of "bait-and-switch" to get fans in just to disappoint them.
It was a carefully thought-out decision.
The protagonist's initial weak personality would also undergo a crucial transformationthis is an essential element of a "hot-blooded" story.
[101] Branching Out [50 PS]
"Come to think of it, the day the protagonist turns dark will probably shock the readers even more, right?"
Given these reasons, the progress on Guilty Crown has been incredibly slow.
It's been over a week, and I've only just finished the second chapter.
On the other hand, for 'WorldEnd', I've already finished four chapters in the same amount of time!
The speed difference is obvious.
"By the way, I also need to fit in the background story for the Sword-Breaker production." And let's not forget Departures — Anata ni Okuru Ai no Uta."
It's a project that can't be left out.
The main point here is that, for now, both of the works I'm handling will take quite some time before they meet the fans.
Since 'WorldEnd' was originally a light novel, it can fill that gap during this waiting period.
Writing light novels is much easier compared to drawing comics.
Even with a basic template, with my speed of typing about 10,000 words an hour (keep in mind, that's typing speed writing requires thought, it's not just copying!), it would take no more than a week to finish a whole 5-volume series.
Such an easy opportunity should not be missed, right?
With this thought in mind, I made my decision.
'I won't rush drawing the manga today. I'll write the first volume of WorldEnd novel instead.'
I mean, others manage novels, illustrations, and animations all in one go why not expand my own business with novels? It seems reasonable, right?
As for whether writing a light novel means I won't hold the rights to my manga anymore well, that's a joke.
Do they really think Shueisha only deals with manga?
Everyone in the ACG industry has a hand in it, with manga being their most successful venture.
With the copyright in one company's hands, I can still do whatever I want with it!
Of course, there's no rush on the light novel for now.
"I'll bring it up with Otosuna-san after the signing event."
After organizing my plans, I picked up my phone, updated my SNS, and then got back to work.
...........
"Is there really no way out?"
The girl crossed her long, supple legs, the sound of her stockings rubbing against each other creating a subtle "sssst" sound.
Her long, dark hair, dazzlingly pale skin, and perfect features along with legs that could easily steal the attention of any man were the traits that made her stand out.
But right now, the girl's mood was clearly off.
Anyone could feel the frustration radiating from her.
Not that the woman sitting across from her, Machida Sonoko, who had known her for a year, would need to be told.
Although Machida was also a beauty, dressed in professional attire and looking both elegant and competent, she still couldn't compete with the youthful, energetic aura that radiated from her companion, Kasumigaoka Utaha.
It's like how men might have many requirements for women, but women only need to meet one 18 years old.
Though, even a bit younger wouldn't be an issue.
Looking at Kasumigaoka, who seemed irritated, Machida sighed, "Although I don't want to sound so absolute, it's the truth. The sales for 'Koisuru Metronome' volume 3 were too low. It's going to be tough to release volume 4."
When she said "tough," it was essentially a decision to cancel the series.
With the current situation, the company couldn't afford to keep pouring resources into promotion.
In fact, the third volume's release didn't use much of those resources either.
With all the newcomers receiving more attention, or newer works that had won awards and had fans eagerly waiting, it made more sense to invest in those, rather than a series with mediocre sales, or even low ones.
As the ever-dedicated Utaha listened, she caught the underlying meaning in her editor's words.
But she wasn't ready to accept it.
She couldn't bear to see her first work end like this.
"But... volume 3 has gotten so many good reviews, and the quality has improved so much!"
Machida was well aware of this, but...
"Shi-chan, you have to understand. If the previous works didn't capture people's attention, readers gave up long ago. How will they know about your improvements if they didn't even see volume 3?"
Machida sighed again, then added, "Look at it from a different angle. Your level of skill right now is already impressive. If you start something new, it might sell like hotcakes!"
"Let's not focus too much on this series, alright?"
Utaha pursed her lips, her gaze shifting away, and she remained silent.
It was as if she was protesting without words.
Machida could see this, but she didn't push further.
Ultimately, this was something Utaha had to come to terms with herself.
No amount of persuasion from others would help.
At that moment, both their phones vibrated at the same time.
Machida, who had no reason to be concerned, instinctively picked up her phone.
Looking at the notification, a surprised expression appeared on her face.
"Signings Event?"
Utaha, turning her head in confusion, asked, "Isn't that pointless? For a no-name author like me?"
She recalled the first volume, when she had just won the company's Silver Award.
They tried to boost the first volume's popularity with a signing event, but it fell flat.
"I'm in an even worse position now than when the first volume was released," she said with a bitter smile.
"Even if I wanted to do a signing event now, the company wouldn't invest any resources."
But Machida, ever the professional, kept her thoughts to herself and instead reassured her with a smile.
"Well, it's not exactly what you're thinking."
"?"
"You know Warriors of Love and Hope-sensei, right? The manga division just found a new talent. They announced a signing event on SNS."
'Warriors of Love and Hope?'
Utaha froze for a moment, then immediately grabbed her phone.
The notification read, "Warriors of Love and Hope just posted a new update."
Without hesitation, she clicked on the link.
After reading it, she nodded thoughtfully, "October 1st, huh?"
"You're following him too?" Machida asked, curious.
Utaha, expressionless, responded, "Isn't it normal to follow someone impressive?"
She didn't mention that she was a fan.
"True enough," Machida agreed.
"But he really is amazing."
"I even cried reading 'Anohana' yesterday."
"I heard he's younger than you and still in high school. What a monster!"
Utaha quietly thought to herself, 'So the rumors were true... and he's only a second-year in high school...?'
"Anyway, you should reconsider my suggestion," Machida said, trying to change the topic.
[102] Signing Event [100 PS]
"I've already paid the bill. I still have some work to do, so I'll be heading out first."
After saying goodbye to Machida Sonoko, Kasumigaoka Utaha let out a quiet sigh.
"Am I really have to give it up?"
That thought crossed her mind, and in that moment, she couldn't help but recall why she started writing light novels in the first place.
Since she had always been at the top of her class, studying had never been a challenge for her.
Even at the beginning of her second year of high school, she had already finished learning all the coursework in advance.
The lessons in class felt redundant and meaningless.
Bored, she decided to challenge herself with something newwriting novels.
Traditional literature felt too difficult for someone with little life experience, so she turned to light novels instead.
And as it turned out, she actually had a talent for it.
