Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 163 "Lemon" Released (6000 words)
Monday, a workday.

The three assistants arrived at the studio on time, but Keiko Kaji was a little late.

She had barely sat down when Tatsuya Endo said, "Kachi-san, didn't you get enough rest over the weekend?"

Keiko Kaji leaned back in her chair and said, "Although we've been busy all weekend, there's good news. We were keeping it a secret before, but now it's confirmed, and we'll be able to make an official announcement this week."

"Huh? What's the good news?"

All three assistants looked at Keiko Kaji, curious about what confidential information it was.

Keiko Kaji stood up, cleared her throat with a light cough, and said, "Everyone, Sakamoto-sensei's work 'Chainsaw Man' has been confirmed to be adapted into an anime, and the project has already begun."

She rubbed her temples and said, "This is the first time I've been in charge of an animated adaptation, and I didn't expect there to be so much to do..."

"What?! It's getting an anime adaptation?!" Yuji Kaku exclaimed in surprise. "How long has Chainsaw Man been serialized already?"

Endo Tatsuya's face was filled with disbelief.

He has worked as an assistant for many comics, including some that were adapted into anime. However, these were all comics that had been serialized for one or two years, or even after they had finished being completed, before the anime adaptation was planned.

Tatsuya Endo said, "I remember Chainsaw Man started serialization in JUMP+ about two months ago, right? The weekly serialization in the main magazine has only been published for a few weeks... and it's already being adapted into an anime?"

Keiko Kaji smiled and nodded: "That's right, it's that fast. The investors are very optimistic about Sakamoto-sensei's potential, and it's an S-class sole-funded project. The production company has also been finalized."

“S-class sole proprietorship…” Ryuyuki gasped. “That must require a huge investment… Sakamoto-sensei is just too amazing!”

"As expected of Sakamoto-sensei!"

To secure such a high-profile anime adaptation project early in the serialization process is an extremely rare achievement in the entire comic book industry.

To this, Ken Sakamoto outwardly smiled, but in reality...

If I told you that the investor was some girl who was after my good looks, would you still be envious?
Okay, now I might be even more envious...

Kaji Keiko smiled slightly at Sakamoto Ken, who, unlike his three assistants, was not surprised because he already knew.

Ken Sakamoto stood up and said to Keiko Kaji, "You've been working hard lately, Keiko-san. I'll need your help in the future."

Keiko Kaji waved her hand and said, "It's my pleasure, it's my pleasure. It's an honor to be in charge of an animated work."

"That's wonderful. When will I be able to have an anime adaptation of my work..." Tatsuya Endo said with great emotion.

"First, we need to get past the serialization hurdle. My new work will be out soon!" Ryuki Shin said.

Keiko Kaji organized the schedule and said to Ken Sakamoto, "Sakamoto-sensei, I will arrange for the next JUMP serialization to include a message about the start of the anime project on the last page, and the cover of the collected volumes will also say that the anime project is in progress."

“Yes, yes, Kaji-san can arrange all of these,” Sakamoto Ken replied.

"Mr. Sakamoto, how far have we progressed with the storyboarding?" Keiko Kaji walked over to Ken Sakamoto's desk and asked.

The last time I talked to Keiko Kaji about the storyboard was at the animation production meeting. Later, because I had to meet with the president of NESX, I stayed up all night to finish the storyboard for the Reige arc.

Unexpectedly, the company president turned out to be Haruna Mikazuki...

Ken Sakamoto took out a thick stack of storyboard drafts and said, "I just finished organizing them, but I haven't shown them to you yet."

Looking at the stack of storyboards, almost as thick as two volumes, Kaji Keiko asked in surprise, "So many? How many chapters are there?"

She took the manuscript paper, and when her gaze fell on the serial number marked on the cover, her voice involuntarily rose a few decibels.

"Episode...55?!"

Keiko Kaji suddenly looked up, staring at Ken Sakamoto in shock: "Sakamoto-sensei! I remember the last time you showed me, it was only up to chapter 38, right? You've drawn so much more in the last few days?!"

Ken Sakamoto simply nodded calmly and said lightly, "Yes, because it's a continuous story, my train of thought couldn't stop, so I drew it all in one go."

"I drew seventeen chapters' worth of storyboards in one go..." Keiko Kaji felt that her understanding had been refreshed once again.

This is beyond the realm of genius; it's practically the work of a comic book god!

“A monster…” Ryusuke muttered quietly beside him.

Endo Tatsuya and Kaku Yuji were also stunned. They felt like they were about to burn out just by sketching the backgrounds based on the storyboard provided by Uesakamoto Ken.

As a result, Sakamoto-sensei himself was able to produce such a terrifying output within just a few days.

"Sakamoto-sensei, I'll read it right away!" Keiko Kaji, holding the thick stack of storyboards, quickly sat back down in her seat.

The three assistants immediately surrounded them, craning their necks, afraid of missing any detail.

Keiko Kaji turned the page to the sequel to Reige's story.

After she finishes reading a chapter, she hands the manuscript to her three assistants behind her, who then pass it around among themselves.

As Keiko Kaji turned the last page, she let out a long breath, leaned back in her chair, as if the content she had just read had a strong aftereffect.

Holding the storyboard, Ryuki Shinji carefully examined the scene of Reige and Denji in the school classroom and couldn't help but ask, "Sakamoto-sensei, have you ever created a romance manga?"

Endo Tatsuya had also finished reading, and he looked lingeringly disappointed, with a hint of melancholy: "I thought Reise was the real heroine, but... how could she... just die like that?"

“Sakamoto-sensei…” Kaji Keiko began, her words hesitant.

Ken Sakamoto looked at her and noticed that Keiko Kaji's eyes were a little red. She even took out a tissue and gently wiped the corner of her eyes.

"Are you... are you sure this part of the story is the final draft? Should we... make some changes?" Keiko Kaji asked.

Ken Sakamoto calmly shook his head: "That's the most impactful way."

"It certainly has an impact..." Keiko Kaji said with a wry smile. "I can already imagine the uproar that readers will cause on social media after this plot is published... But speaking of which, it reminds me of 'Looking Back'."

She continued, "From peaceful daily life to intense conflict, then the creation of an incredibly beautiful hope, and finally the complete crushing of that hope with one's own hands... Denji is really pitiful. The only female protagonist who truly experienced pure romantic love was killed by Makima."

Kaji Keiko remained silent for a long time. She looked at Sakamoto Ken and said, "I feel that Sakamoto-sensei will definitely do something even more unexpected to the heroines later... Could it be... Makima? Does she have a knife too?"

Ken Sakamoto simply maintained his enigmatic smile and said, "I haven't decided yet. Kaji-san will know when we get to that part of the drawing."

"Alright, alright, I won't interfere with your creative process." Keiko Kaji gently shook her head. "For someone with Sakamoto-sensei's talent, excessive interference from editors might actually have negative side effects."

She put away the storyboard and looked at her three assistants: "Everyone, you should learn from Sakamoto-sensei. In just a few days, you've drawn so many storyboards. Where are yours?"

Upon hearing this, Long Xingshen and the other two lowered their heads in embarrassment.

Keiko Kaji added, "I mean, we should learn from Sakamoto-sensei in terms of creative speed. As for the plot and stuff... cough cough, if you don't have Sakamoto-sensei's ability, don't do too many abstract things. If you're not sure, discuss it with me more."

"Yes, yes, yes..." the three replied hastily.

At that moment, Keiko Kaji's gaze fell on several other drawings on Ken Sakamoto's desk.

She asked in confusion, "Mr. Sakamoto, what are these drawings?"

Ken Sakamoto picked up the sheets of paper: "They're not comics, just some little things I drew for Mio."

Keiko Kaji leaned closer to take a look and saw that the drawing on the paper depicted a girl sitting on a high stool, with her legs crossed, playing the guitar.

Although the lines are simple, the girl's expression is drawn very cutely.

Keiko Kaji immediately gave a meaningful smile and said, "That's great... Speaking of which, Mio will be coming at noon today, right?"

Kaji Keiko had just finished speaking when
"Ding-dong-"

The studio doorbell rang.

Keiko Kaji and Ken Sakamoto exchanged a glance, then pointed towards the door: "I'll go open the door."

Ken Sakamoto spotted the pink color from afar on the small screen on the door lock; it was Mio's hair color.

"Thank you for your help, Kaji-san." Ken Sakamoto nodded, since he didn't have to get up anyway.

The door opened, and Natsume Mio greeted Kaji Keiko warmly when she saw her. She then immediately leaned out to look into the studio.

She visibly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Ken Sakamoto.

Although she had contacted him in advance, she was always afraid that Ah Jian might be snatched away by a bad woman at any time...

"Jian! I'm here!"

Natsume Mio took off her shoes and walked briskly into the entrance hall. Sakamoto Ken's gaze lingered on her for a moment.

As the weather gradually warms up starting in April, one very noticeable change is that stockings become thinner.

Today she was wearing a dark gray dress with black stockings underneath. The thin silk fabric draped over her skin, giving it a light brown, chocolate-like texture.

However, because the skirt hem covered the knees, even though Ken Sakamoto was a semi-expert on stockings, he couldn't quite tell whether it was a thigh-high or pantyhose style.

"Mio-chan, you look really good in that dress today," Keiko Kaji said with a smile.

"Hehe, thanks Kaji-san." Natsume Mio walked in quickly, carrying an insulated lunch bag.

"Jian, I brought a bento box~"

She placed the lunch bag on Sakamoto Ken's desk and then took a USB drive out of her handbag.

"Jian! I've finished the video for 'Lemon'! Come take a look!"

"So fast? Let me check right away." Ken Sakamoto took the USB drive and plugged it into the computer.

Keiko Kaji also curiously leaned over: "What is Lemon?"

"It's a song I wrote," Ken Sakamoto casually explained, clicking on the video file.

Music is coming from the computer speakers.

A melodious yet slightly melancholic guitar intro begins, followed by Natsume Mio's clear vocals.

Kaji Keiko's eyes widened immediately after hearing just the first sentence.

She initially thought it was just a casual little recording between a young couple, but the melody, the lyrics…

The video featured hand-drawn illustrations by Ken Sakamoto, accompanied by handwritten lyrics. Though simple, the combination perfectly complemented the singing, creating a wonderful atmosphere. When the song ended, Keiko Kaji remained rooted to the spot, unable to process what had happened.

"Kaji-san?" Natsume Mio asked somewhat nervously, "How do you feel about this song?"

Keiko Kaji looked at Ken Sakamoto, her eyes filled with disbelief: "Sakamoto-sensei, did you really write this song?"

"Well, just writing whatever comes to mind," Sakamoto Ken said modestly.

"Just something casually written?" Keiko Kaji said. "Sakamoto-sensei, you're too modest! The lyrics, the melody... it's practically a professional-level piece."

She then turned to Natsume Mio: "Mio-chan, did you do the arrangement?"

“No, that’s not it.” Natsume Mio quickly waved her hand and pointed to Sakamoto Ken. “Ken also composed the music. I just improved the accompaniment based on Ken’s composition.”

"The lyrics and music were both written by Sakamoto-sensei!" Keiko Kaji was utterly shocked.

The video now freezes on the last frame, displaying two lines of text:
Lyrics/Music: Ken Sakamoto

[Performed by: Natsume's Cat House]

"So Sakamoto-sensei actually studied music?" Keiko Kaji felt that her understanding of Ken Sakamoto had been refreshed once again.

"No, it's just a hobby." Ken Sakamoto remained as nonchalant as ever.

Keiko Kaji really didn't know what to say.

He's a monstrous genius at drawing comics, and now he's even this good at songwriting?

She then looked at Natsume Mio: "Mio-chan, are you planning to debut as a singer on YouTube?"

"Eh? Not really." Natsume Mio scratched her head a little embarrassedly. "It's mainly about the voice actor casting."

"Huh? Is it for voice actor selection?"

“Yes!” Natsume Mio nodded vigorously. “Ken told me that when casting, the production team will also consider the voice actor’s personal works and fan base. If I have my own original works and some popularity, it will definitely be a big plus during the audition.”

Keiko Kaji nodded and said, "Sakamoto-sensei is very thoughtful. That's true. Although I can recommend you to the production team, the final decision rests with the director and investors, and their requirements are very strict."

“So,” Natsume Mio looked at Sakamoto Ken, her eyes full of gratitude, “I really want to thank Ken for writing such a great song for me! If this video gets any popularity, my chances of being chosen as the voice actress for Makima will be even greater!”

Ken Sakamoto played the video again.

Mio Natsume also put some thought into the video production. Originally, it was thought that she would directly use computer fonts to type the lyrics subtitles, but unexpectedly she used handwriting, writing it out stroke by stroke. The font was delicate and surrounded the girl sitting on the stool singing and playing the guitar in the picture.

But the most crucial element is still the singing.

This version features only guitar accompaniment and lacks complex arrangements, but it is precisely this simplicity that highlights the clarity of Natsume Mio's voice.

"The melody of this song is so easy to remember; I feel like I'll be familiar with it after just one listen." Keiko Kaji was already humming along from memory.

This is one of the key reasons why the song "Lemon" became a global hit last week.

Some songs are incredibly catchy, but they are too difficult for the average person to sing, so their reach is limited, and they are even less likely to become popular in karaoke.

The melody of the verse and chorus of "Lemon" is extremely catchy without being overly sentimental, and together with the lyrics, it has created a phenomenal spread.

“Alright, the video is confirmed to be fine. Shall we release it now?” Ken Sakamoto said.

Natsume Mio immediately grabbed her phone excitedly: "Then I'll post it right away!"

She clicked the upload button on her YouTube channel, "Natsume's Cat House".

"All done!" Natsume Mio clapped her hands, then remembered, "Ah, the bento's getting cold! Ken, hurry up and eat lunch!"

She opened the two insulated lunch boxes. Today's lunch consisted of handmade rice balls and pan-fried salmon chunks, accompanied by thick omelets and a few cherry tomatoes.

"Mio-chan's cooking is really good." Keiko Kaji looked very appetizing.

Mio Natsume said, "But I only made two servings..."

Kaji Keiko covered her mouth and smiled, saying, "I didn't mean to disturb your lunch. I'll eat out later; there's a nice ramen shop nearby."

At this moment, the three assistants had already left on their own, and it seemed that Kaji Keiko still had a document to work on, leaving only the three of them in the studio.

As Natsume Mio ate her food in small bites, a pair of restless feet kept rubbing against Sakamoto Ken's feet under the table, making Sakamoto Ken slightly irritated.

Her eyes were fixed on the phone screen on the table, constantly refreshing the video page.

Ken Sakamoto first adjusted his posture, then said, "It was just posted, how can it get views so quickly? Algorithm recommendations also take time."

As soon as she finished speaking, Natsume Mio suddenly exclaimed softly, "Wow!"

"Jian! Look, look!" she exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the number. "There's an extra play button!"

Ken Sakamoto leaned over and took a look; the view count did indeed show "1".

Across from her, Keiko Kaji smiled and said, "Mio-chan, this view count might be from my click just now."

"Eh……?"

Natsume Mio's excitement faltered, and she pouted, but quickly regained her composure: "It's okay! Even if Kaji-san requested it, it'll still be the first one to play!"

However, she still put down her phone: "I'm just so excited, this is a song that Ah Jian wrote for me."

Ken Sakamoto thought for a moment and said, "Speaking of which, could I help promote your account?"

"Huh? How do we promote it?" Natsume Mio immediately perked up.

“I haven’t created a Twitter account under the author’s name yet,” Ken Sakamoto said. “JUMP+ book pages can have direct links to Twitter, so I’ll register an account and tweet about the video when I get there.”

"That's great!" Natsume Mio's eyes lit up instantly.

“That’s easy,” Keiko Kaji chimed in. “If Sakamoto-sensei needs to set it up, just give me the homepage link and I’ll add it for you right away. Also, once JUMP officially releases the anime adaptation announcement, you’ll need an author account to share it.”

"Okay, I'll register now." Ken Sakamoto immediately picked up his phone and clicked to register a new account.

To make it easier for readers to search, he used his real name, "Sakamoto Ken," as his pen name is also his real name.

In the personal profile section, he thought for a moment and typed the following line: "Cartoonist. 'Chainsaw Man' serialized in JUMP+, 'Looking Back'."

After setting it up, he sent his homepage link to Keiko Kaji: "All done, Kaji-san."

"Okay, I'll add it in the backend now."

Keiko Kaji immediately started working on her laptop.

Currently, Chainsaw Man has hundreds of thousands of views per chapter on the JUMP+ platform, and readers are highly active with an extremely strong desire to comment.

Once this official link is up, it's foreseeable that a large number of readers will soon flock to it.

By forwarding the link, you can generate initial traffic for the video.

According to the rules of this video platform, traffic grows like a snowball. It's slow at first, but once there's initial accumulation, the growth rate is very fast.

Moreover, it's perfectly acceptable for readers to interpret "Lemon" as the theme song for "The Chainsaw Man".

A great song is one that you can understand perfectly from every angle.

For example, the song "Lemon" is probably thought by most people to be a love song, but it was actually written for the TV series "Unnatural" and was dedicated to the "unnatural deaths".

Thinking about it this way...

It seems to be a better match for "Chainsaw Man".

……

Meanwhile, Mikazuki Haruna spent the entire morning drawing at home.

Because the art style has been adjusted, the requirements for drawing are now higher, so she and her four assistants are now under a lot of time.

She had thought about how Jian had completed so many storyboards in just a few days, and she wanted to take on the challenge.

The result... was a complete failure!
That guy is a monster.

At lunchtime, Aunt Hezi had already prepared the meal and plated it, just waiting for them to eat.

Haruna Mikazuki picked up her phone and looked at her JUMP+ bookshelf page. "The Young Lady" showed no signs of catching up with "Chainsaw Man," and the gap was slowly widening.

Damn it! I can't beat him!

Haruna Mikazuki clicked into the pages of "Chainsaw Man," browsed through them casually, and noticed a new blue bird icon at the bottom of the synopsis.

Huh? He finally opened a personal account.

Haruna Mikazuki immediately clicked the link and was redirected to Twitter.

After a moment's thought, Mikazuki Haruna clicked the follow button.

Since they both knew each other, there was nothing to hide.

When she decided to check what Ken Sakamoto had posted, she found that besides the first post, "I am Ken Sakamoto, the author of 'Chainsaw Man,' this is my personal Twitter account, please feel free to follow me~," the only other thing in the list was a retweeted video.

"Lemon"? A song?

Haruna Mikazuki clicked on the link with some confusion, and the page redirected to YouTube.

Now the video title and publisher are displayed.

“Natsume’s Cat House…” Mikazuki Haruna whispered the ID, her brows immediately furrowing.

"Natsume, Natsume...Natsume Mio..."

She started playing the video, but the moment the voices started, she immediately paused it.

It's her!
Why is it her again? !

(End of this chapter)