Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 90 How to handle Ah Jian? (Please read on!)

3174 million, is that enough?

Sitting at her work desk, Mikazuki Haruna was looking at her bank account on her phone.

This is the pocket money she has saved up that she can use at any time.

If you want more, you'll have to ask your parents again.

Today, she confirmed something with her junior schoolmate, the voice actress Natsume Mio, about his debt in the dream.

First, it was confirmed that the manga "Young Lady, Sniper Rifle, and Pantyhose!" was one he would create in the future, and now it has been confirmed that this debt is real.

The dream was indeed real, and in reality, because I published "The Young Lady" ahead of time, the predetermined future was changed.

This comic was originally supposed to be published by a small publishing house, but it never gained much popularity and only had a very small readership.

Although there were few readers, everyone liked them, and she got to know A-Jian through that reader group.

Actually, I'm a reincarnated person with memories of my past life!

But why do I only remember things related to him? If I had any more knowledge of the stock market or investing, turning 3000 million into 3 million wouldn't be difficult, right?
What a pity. Perhaps the gods didn't want me to make a lot of money; they just wanted me to meet them again.

To be fair, that guy is actually quite handsome, and she really likes both the manga "Lady" and "Chainsaw Man".

Wait... something's not right?!

Mikazuki Haruna suddenly thought of something that didn't make sense.

She and A-Jian started their serialization on JUMP+ on the same day.

In other words, before this day, A-Jian had already submitted "Chainsaw Man" to editor Jia Zhi.

According to that memory, he should have drawn "The Young Lady" and submitted it for publication.

After all, Ah Jian had no idea that I had copied his comics at that time.

Something's wrong. Something's totally wrong!
Mikazuki Haruna frowned in thought, but couldn't figure it out at all.

She quickly gave up thinking about it.

It doesn't matter. Whether he draws "The Young Lady" or "Chainsaw Man," as long as he's Ken Sakamoto, that's all that matters.

Moreover, Sakamoto Ken is definitely not in any relationship with them yet. Unlike in that memory, where he was with her, saying sweet words and making her happy, he was actually dating two other women at the same time.

Although I have no memory of what they look like, it's possible that one of them is Natsume Mio.

However, he had already been punished at that time.

It must hurt a lot to be stabbed in the body.

Now that we're starting over, of course we won't let you suffer those three cuts and six holes again.

Because, well, there won't be those two anymore, only me.

Just follow the steps I remember to take him down.

First, let me help you resolve your debt issues.

I always feel that Ah Jian's personality is slightly different from that of the person I remember. Maybe it's because "Chainsaw Man" is very popular, so he has an expectation of his royalties and is not so anxious about money.

In that case, he probably won't accept the money if I transfer it directly, right?

How can we give him this money in a way that makes him accept it willingly?

"Another page finished!"

"Forty-Yuan-sensei's brushstrokes are still so delicate; the texture of the stockings is drawn so well."

"I really look forward to the anime adaptation of Haru Mitsuki's manga. If dynamic camera work is added, the visuals will definitely be even more impressive."

The four assistants worked on the other side, taking a short break after finishing a page and chatting casually for a few minutes.

Huh... it's being animated?

Hearing their discussion, Mikazuki Haruna had this idea.

How about I invest in adapting your work into an anime?
Haruna Mikazuki is in the art club and has taken a course on the theory of the animation industry.

As mentioned in that course, due to a relatively conservative investment philosophy, the vast majority of Japanese animation productions adopt a system called a "production committee".

Simply put, this involves several companies, including publishers, television stations, advertising agencies, and merchandise manufacturers, jointly investing in an animation project to share the production risks. Under this model, the "original work usage fee," or one-time licensing fee, that the original author receives is very low.

A standard 12-13 episode seasonal anime might only cost a few million yen.

Some are even lower, costing only one million, or even several hundred thousand.

This is the usage fee for the entire season of the original work, not just one episode.

The bulk of the profits comes from "secondary utilization royalties" after the anime airs, including DVDs, figurines, games, and IP collaborations...

But it's only the production company that makes money. After layers of profit sharing, what the writer actually receives is pitifully little, usually only 1% to 5% of the retail sales.

Moreover, this money has to go through the publisher first, and then be distributed to the author according to the contract, so the author ends up with even less.

This method simply cannot resolve the debt that Ah Jian owes immediately.

But there are exceptions.

If a production committee system is not adopted, but a single company produces the entire project, it will bear all the risks and also keep all the profits.

In this model, the production company will give the author more revenue, and the original work usage fee can be set higher. After all, with fewer stakeholders, everything is easier to negotiate.

The former seeks stability, not merit, but avoiding mistakes.

The key point is that even if there is a loss, it is not the responsibility of one party alone, but the responsibility of the entire production committee.

Did the publisher fulfill its responsibilities? Was the low viewership due to issues with the television station? Did the advertising agency do a good job of promotion? Were the products from related manufacturers too perfunctory? ...

Everyone started arguing and shifting blame onto each other.

This reflects a typical Japanese mindset: since everyone else is responsible, then no one else is...

The latter is about betting on a blockbuster product; it could lead to huge profits or huge losses.

Traditional production companies don't have many people who dare to take on such responsibility alone; if they lose a lot of money, they'll have to apologize.

What if I were to invest?
Haruna's eyes immediately lit up.

Although Haruna Mikazuki's family is in the retail business, she has had dealings with the entertainment industry before.

Previously, her family's shopping mall had collaborated with several popular anime IPs. The mall also had areas selling anime, games, and related merchandise, and had some connections with those animation production companies and copyright holders. Her father got to know the president of Hitotsubashi through this.

When the time comes, I'll convince my dad to invest in this animation, buy the rights in advance, and then talk to production companies. I'm sure some companies will be willing to cooperate.

If the production cost per episode is 20 million yen, then a season would cost a little over 200 million yen. Even if the production quality is raised a bit, 300 million yen could be managed.

Moreover, this was not a loss-making business done purely for Ah Jian.

With the strength of "Chainsaw Man", it will definitely make money.

She has a higher opinion of Chainsaw Man than of her own ongoing series, The Young Lady.

Who knows, once the collected volumes are released, a whole bunch of production companies will be vying for the rights to "Chainsaw Man," and the price could be driven up to a level that even her father wouldn't easily agree to...

It's only been a month since it started serialization, and its popularity hasn't expanded yet, but I've already secured it ahead of schedule.

However, the most crucial point here is...

He absolutely must not find out beforehand that I was the one orchestrating all of this behind the scenes.

Investors can use one of our subsidiaries, or simply establish a new company to represent us.

In short, I must not reveal my existence until all contracts are signed and the money is transferred to his account.

Once he has accepted the copyright fee and everything is settled and there is no going back, I will appear before him as an investor representative or in some other capacity.

correct!

To ensure he can't escape, special clauses need to be added to the contract.

Invite him to participate in the animation production himself, serve as the original work supervisor, and offer him a very high salary.

Of course, a penalty for breach of contract should also be set accordingly.

Hmph, by then, I'll have taken the money and signed the contract, let's see how you run away then.
Mikazuki Haruna leaned back in the ergonomic chair, her legs elegantly crossed, gently swinging her small feet encased in black stockings, a confident smile on her face.

Now, you're completely under my control.

(End of this chapter)