Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 125 The Dream Team Assembles (5600 words)
On Monday morning, Ken Sakamoto stood in the center of his studio on the first floor, looking around.

After several busy days, the place has taken initial shape.

Four professional drawing tables for assistants are arranged along the window with the best lighting, next to which is a matching ergonomic chair.

A brand-new bookshelf stands against the wall, though it is currently empty.

On the shelf in the corner, printers and scanners were also ready.

In addition, I also bought some snacks and drinks and left them here so that everyone can come and get them anytime.

In contrast, the living area upstairs appears rather rudimentary.

Apart from the bedding and several boxes of clothes he had moved from his old apartment to his bedroom, the other rooms were empty.

However, the studio on the first floor is the most important thing right now.

Ken Sakamoto checked the time; there was still half an hour until his appointment with his assistants at nine o'clock.

He walked to his main drawing table, sat down, and drew a few more pages of storyboards.

Soon, the doorbell rang.

Ken Sakamoto got up to open the door, and standing outside was Shin Tatsuyuki.

The 25-year-old seemed less reserved than when he was in the editorial department. He was wearing a simple hoodie and jeans, and carrying a backpack. When he saw Ken Sakamoto, he quickly bowed slightly.

"Good morning, Sakamoto-sensei!"

"Good morning, Ryu-san, please come in." Sakamoto Ken stepped aside to let him in.

As Ryūyuki stepped into the entrance hall and saw the brand-new studio inside, a hint of surprise and envy flashed in his eyes: "Sakamoto-sensei's studio is really nice."

“Pick a spot, and we’ll start once the other two assistants arrive,” Ken Sakamoto said.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang again.

This time, there were two people standing outside the door.

The older man, who looked to be in his thirties, was dressed in a simple dark sweater and casual pants. His expression was somewhat calm and even a little weathered. He was Tatsuya Endo, who later created "Spy House" in the previous week.

The other was younger, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a plaid shirt, with a gentle and reserved demeanor; he was Tomoharu Kaku, the author of the later "Hell Music".

Kaji Keiko found the contact information for both of them at Sakamoto Ken's request, and then got in touch with them.

It is said that after receiving the invitation and reading the manuscript of "Chainsaw Man", the two accepted without hesitation.

"Sakamoto-sensei!" The two greeted Sakamoto Ken immediately upon seeing him.

"Endo-san, Kaku-san, welcome." Sakamoto Kenshin welcomed them in.

“Editor Kaji has already spoken to us.” Kaku Yuji adjusted his glasses, his voice tinged with excitement. “It’s an honor for us to have the opportunity to study at Sakamoto-sensei’s studio! Editor Kaji told me that Sakamoto-sensei had read my old manga that was serialized in Jump Square… uh, the one that got canceled, which is why she contacted me. I never imagined that anyone would actually read my work…”

Tatsuya Endo chimed in, "Yeah, my manga was over ten years ago. After that, I was always working as an assistant to other teachers. I thought that was it for me. I never expected that Sakamoto-sensei would even know about it..."

Kenjiro Sakamoto said to Tomoharu Kaku, "Although 'Mafia King' is a bit rough and has problems with its setting and pacing, I can see its potential. The idea is good, but it just hasn't found a suitable way to express it."

He then turned to Tatsuya Endo: "Although Endo-san's works are from a while ago, I like to look at old magazines. Your drawing style is very solid and your stories are very imaginative. Like Kaku-san, you just lack a clearer idea, or rather, an opportunity to polish your ideas."

Endo Tatsuya remained silent for a moment, looking at the young manga artist who was almost ten years younger than him with a complicated expression.

Finally, he took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Ken Sakamoto.

"Please continue to guide me, Mr. Sakamoto!"

Upon seeing this, Tomoharu Kaku and Yukinobu Tatsuyuki immediately followed suit and bowed as well.

"Please give me your guidance, Mr. Sakamoto!"

Ken Sakamoto accepted it readily, crossing his arms and a confident smile playing on his lips.

"Don't worry, everyone who comes to our studio has only one goal—" He looked around at the three of them, his tone resolute, "In the future, those who leave here will all be independent and capable comic artists!"

The three assistants looked up and saw the light flashing in Sakamoto Ken's eyes, and felt a surge of heat rush to their heads.

Become a true cartoonist!

Instead of drawing those terrible works that are serialized for a few months and then hastily ended.

This is the thing they've been looking forward to the most in their lives.

Ken Sakamoto didn't give them much time to reflect; he clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.

"Alright, let's familiarize ourselves with the workflow first."

He walked to his workbench, where the photocopied originals were already prepared.

“First, you need to familiarize yourselves with the upcoming plot and unify your art style,” Ken Sakamoto said. “As you should know, the 11th episode of Chainsaw Man was just released on JUMP+ this morning.”

Long Xingxin and the other two nodded. As assistants who were about to join the company, they naturally followed the latest serialization as soon as possible.

Ken Sakamoto pointed to the three stacks of A4 paper that had already been photocopied by the printer next to him.

Ken Sakamoto continued, "However, the manuscript I submitted to editor Kaji was already up to chapter 22."

"Eh?!"

Upon hearing this, Tatsuyuki Ryuko, Tomoharu Kaku, and Tatsuya Endo almost simultaneously exclaimed in disbelief.

"Chapter...22?!" Tatsuya Endo, who had been an assistant in the industry for over a decade, exclaimed in surprise, "Sakamoto-sensei, did you draw all of this by yourself? This speed..."

"Editor Kaji said that Sakamoto-sensei used to create all his own works... This is a weekly serialization, and he managed to keep 11 chapters in reserve for his own works..." Ryuki Shin exclaimed in amazement.

Ken Sakamoto interrupted their exclamations: "Here are photocopies of the original manuscripts for chapters 12 to 22. I made three copies. Take some time to look through them."

"Yes!"

The three of them immediately became serious and respectfully accepted the printed paper.

Without saying another word, they immediately sat down at their respective drawing tables and began to carefully peruse the paintings.

The more they looked, the more horrified they became.

It's not just because of the terrifying amount of backlog, but also because the quality of these 11 episodes has not declined at all. On the contrary, as the plot deepens, the conflicts become more intense, and the visual impact of each episode is stronger than the last.

All three are professional comic book practitioners, and they know very well how incredible it is to maintain such a high-intensity weekly serialization while also maintaining such high-quality storyboarding and artwork with a cinematic feel.

An hour later, after all three had finished looking through the copies, they put down the photocopies and looked at Sakamoto Ken again, their eyes completely changed.

Admiration, respect, and even a touch of awe.

Furthermore, I increasingly feel that coming to Sakamoto-sensei's studio was the right decision.

"Alright, have you finished watching?"

Sakamoto Ken then picked up another stack of manuscript papers from his desk.

"This is your next task: storyboards for episodes 23 to 29 of 'Chainsaw Man'." Ken Sakamoto handed the manuscript to the three of them again.

"No... how many words?" Ryuki Shin was slightly taken aback, weighing the storyboard in his hand.

"All the storyboards were approved by the editor," Ken Sakamoto added.

"..."

None of the three knew how to evaluate Sakamoto-sensei in front of them.

That's probably why I can't debut...

Can the differences between people really be this huge?!

“My requirements are very simple.” Ken Sakamoto’s tone left no room for doubt. “Complete the drawing strictly according to the storyboard, including outlining, backgrounds, applying screen tones and blackening, and maintaining a consistent drawing style. You have all seen the previous content, so you should all understand.”

Ryuki Shin and the other two were looking at the storyboard in their hands.

"This is a storyboard??" Tatsuyuki Shin flipped through it in disbelief. "It's incredibly detailed!"

Yuji Kaku nodded in agreement: "Yes, they even marked the background perspective... The storyboards from the studio I used to work at were practically abstract paintings; it always took me ages to guess what they were..."

Tatsuya Endo said, "With storyboards like these, we can focus on the drawing itself, which will definitely improve our efficiency a lot."

Ken Sakamoto smiled and said, "Alright, let's each choose a spot and try drawing a few pages today to get to know each other's styles."

The three assistants said no more, immediately found seats, and quickly got to work.

Kenjiro Sakamoto sat back down at his main workbench and began drawing the storyboard for episode 30.

After finishing a few pages, Ken Sakamoto looked up to observe the work of his three assistants.

As expected of Fujimoto Itsuki's right-hand man from last week's playthrough, he has now managed to recruit all three of them to his team, which is practically a dream team rebuild.

In just one morning, the three of them had already completed several pages of the manuscript. Ken Sakamoto took a look and found the lines to be smooth, the details to be accurate, and it could even be said to have exceeded his expectations.

“Very good.” Ken Sakamoto nodded in satisfaction. “Continue according to this standard.”

The time soon came to afternoon.

The studio doorbell rang again.

Ken Sakamoto got up to open the door, and standing outside was Keiko Kaji, carrying a laptop bag.

Today she wore a light gray knitted cardigan paired with dark blue wide-leg jeans, maintaining her comfortable and simple urban style.

"Editor-san." Ken Sakamoto stepped aside to let her in.

Keiko Kaji took off her flat shoes in the entryway, revealing socks underneath. This time, they were bright orange cotton socks, with the character "悟" (enlightenment) circled on the instep.

really……

Ken Sakamoto thought to himself, "Could it be that all the socks in Kaji's house are actually collaborations with anime?"
If you collect all seven pairs, will you be able to summon Shenron?

When Keiko Kaji entered the studio, she saw her three assistants working diligently, and a smile of satisfaction appeared on her face.

"Looks like everyone's got into the zone," she whispered to Ken Sakamoto.

The three assistants looked up and greeted Keiko Kaji.

"Editor Kaji."

"Kaji-san."

Keiko Kaji smiled and replied, "Thank you for your hard work, everyone."

She said to Ken Sakamoto, "Sakamoto-sensei, school is about to start, so I came to check on you. After you start school, if you have to go to school, I can help you with anything at the studio."

She glanced at the empty drawing table in the corner and said, "By the way, is no one using this table? I can stay in Sakamoto-sensei's studio to finish any work that doesn't require me to go to the company, and I can also exchange ideas with everyone."

Kenjiro Sakamoto said, “That’s perfect. Kaji-san is very experienced and can also give some guidance on their individual works. I think everyone has the potential to debut as a manga artist.”

Upon hearing this, the three assistants immediately showed expectant expressions.

"That would be great!"

"Please, Jia Zhi, edit this!"

Keiko Kaji quickly waved her hand: "Not at all, not at all. Ryu-san was recruited by Sakamoto-sensei after a chance encounter at the editorial department and seeing his artwork. Kaku-san and Endo-san were specifically asked by Sakamoto-sensei to contact me. When it comes to vision, Sakamoto-sensei is the best."

Upon hearing this, Ryuki Shin said with emotion, "Yes, at that time I was being scolded by editor Uchimura and was even thinking about changing careers. It was Sakamoto-sensei who came over and said that my work had great potential and invited me to be his assistant... To be honest, I was so moved that I almost cried."

Ken Sakamoto said, "The story of your manga is indeed terrible, but the idea is good and you can see its potential. Don't give up on that idea of ​​fighting the supernatural with the supernatural. Try to explore it further, and you'll definitely succeed."

Ryuki sighed: "Editor Uchimura is right. My story's entry point is too ordinary, and the interaction between the male and female protagonists is not interesting. It lacks a climax that can attract readers."

Upon hearing this, Ken Sakamoto nodded thoughtfully.

He leaned against the edge of the table, tapping his fingers lightly on the surface, and said, "The supernatural... is it just urban legends? Actually, other things can also be called the supernatural."

He paused, then said casually, "Like... aliens?"

"alien?"

"Like third-kind encounters, alien abductions, and the like... if you combine that with the existence of ghosts in reality..."

Long Xingshen was stunned for a moment, then as if struck by lightning, he jolted violently, his eyes widening instantly!

He slapped his thigh and stood up excitedly!

"Yes! That's right! Aliens!" He spoke rapidly, his face beaming with excitement. "The male lead is an alien enthusiast, but he scoffs at ghosts! The female lead, on the other hand, is a paranormal lover who studies urban legends every day, but thinks aliens are pure nonsense..."

He became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing with his hands in the air: "Then, the male protagonist, who firmly believed in aliens, encountered the high-speed old woman, while the female protagonist, who did not believe in aliens, was abducted by a UFO!"

Keiko Kaji thought about it carefully, nodded, and commented, "Hmm... if we're just talking about creativity and character design, this idea is indeed very appealing, and it's acceptable to me."

Ryuki took a deep breath, turned to Sakamoto Ken again, and bowed deeply.

"Sakamoto-sensei! Your words really hit the nail on the head! Thank you so much!!!"

He then looked at Keiko Kaji, his eyes eager: "Editor Kaji! After I finish drawing the storyboard, may I ask you to review it?"

Kaji Keiko smiled and nodded: "Of course, no problem. I'll be at the studio often in the future, so you can talk to me anytime."

She then added, "However, there's a prerequisite: we must first finish the work on Sakamoto-sensei's side."

"Definitely!" Long Xing nodded vigorously, quickly sat back in his seat, picked up his pen, and began to scribble furiously.

When Endo Tatsuya and Kaku Tomoharu saw this, they exchanged a glance and saw hope in each other's eyes.

Staying at Ken Sakamoto's studio not only allows you to participate in the creation of a great work, but also to receive his personal guidance. Even editor Kaji will be stationed at the studio, so you can discuss the manuscript with him at any time...

In the past, if they wanted to talk to an editor about their manuscript, they had to go through a lot of trouble to make an appointment, since editors usually have their own writers in charge and it's difficult for them to find time to mentor newcomers.

Perhaps, those manuscripts they have can be polished into works that can actually be serialized.

In the following time, the three assistants focused on drawing. It must be said that they were all experienced assistants, and they were very quick to imitate and unify the drawing style.

After just one afternoon of working together, the lines and background style they created were already highly consistent with Ken Sakamoto's original manuscript.

From a purely technical standpoint, they are even better than Ken Sakamoto himself, with more stable lines and richer background details.

At 5 p.m., the studio closed on time.

Ken Sakamoto works a standard eight-hour workday, with an hour-long lunch break.

He didn't want to turn his business into a exploitative workshop that squeezed his assistants dry, since he didn't have any deadlines to meet.

The three assistants packed their things, said goodbye, and left.

Keiko Kaji stayed behind to help organize the manuscripts completed that day, scanning and backing them up.

At that moment, Ken Sakamoto's phone, which was on the table, vibrated and the screen lit up with a LINE message notification.

The sender was Natsume Mio.

Natsume Mio: "Ken, sorry to bother you~ You're not working, are you? Do you have some time?"

When Sakamoto Ken saw the message notification, he clicked on it directly and replied.

Ken Sakamoto: "Just finished drawing it."

Just seconds after the message was sent, Natsume Mio called immediately.

Ken Sakamoto pressed the answer button.

"Jian! We're going to school tomorrow to pick up our student IDs! There'll be all sorts of registration and stuff, are you ready?"

Ken Sakamoto said, "Yes, I remember it. I know it well."

"Huh? Did Ah Jian already do some research beforehand?"

Ken Sakamoto smiled and said, "I guess so."

On the other end of the phone, Natsume Mio was sitting at her desk in her room, holding a thick stack of printed documents.

She had gathered all of this information online and consulted with senior students about enrollment strategies, thinking that she could bring Ah Jian along to register tomorrow.

Judging from his tone, it seems he had already done the research?
However, the girl's thoughts quickly shifted to another direction.

Since he's familiar with them, then...

"That's great!" Natsume Mio said. "Ken, can you help me tomorrow? I'm afraid I won't understand the procedures... Shall we go to school together?"

Ken Sakamoto didn't mind; he was going to school anyway, so going together wouldn't hurt.

"Okay, let's go together then."

"Yay!" Natsume Mio cheered on the other end of the phone. "I'll come to your house first tomorrow morning! Your house is close to the school!"

"Well, see you tomorrow."

After hanging up the phone, Ken Sakamoto saw Keiko Kaji holding a stack of manuscript papers, looking at him with a half-smile.

Although he didn't put the phone on speakerphone, the studio was very quiet, and Kaji Keiko had obviously heard what happened on the phone.

"Sakamoto-sensei, are you going to register at school with Natsume-san?" Kajieko tidied up her manuscript and put it into a file folder, her tone tinged with a touch of wistfulness. "It's so nice to be in university..."

Ken Sakamoto said, "I also want to experience a university campus."

Kaji Keiko laughed upon hearing this: "Sakamoto-sensei, the way you're talking makes it sound like I'm a working professional who graduated from university a few years ago, and that I only miss my university days after graduation, right?"

Kenjiro Sakamoto smiled slightly but did not reply.

For him, university life was indeed a thing of the past.

Keiko Kaji continued, "Well... but speaking of which, university life isn't so easy. Everyone is busy with studies, part-time jobs, clubs, and... dating. It feels like university club activities aren't as lively as they were in high school."

"What about Kaji-san's university?" Ken Sakamoto asked curiously.

"I was immersed in comics every day. In those four years, I read almost every comic book available in the nearby comic book cafes, internet cafes, and libraries. I didn't buy many though, because I didn't have much money at the time," Keiko Kaji said.

Ken Sakamoto recalled his university experience from the previous game.

Back then, I didn't participate much in club activities. I was either working or drawing, but more often than not, I was... juggling relationships with three people.

"It's probably because middle school is when you're truly in school, and you only have to think about going to school. But university is really no different from entering the workforce," Ken Sakamoto said.

Keiko Kaji nodded and said, "That's right... Sakamoto-sensei has such insights even before he's in university."

Ken Sakamoto recalled everything from last week's episode, and in the end, he could only let out a soft sigh.

"yes……"

　This chapter has over 5600 words, which is roughly equivalent to three updates!

　　There's another chapter of at least 4000 words coming up at 8 PM, which I haven't finished writing yet.

　　Thousands of dollars today!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)