Full-time comic artist

Osamu Akimoto and Hirohiko Araki smiled slightly, "Tori Akino is nothing special."

……

Higashino looked at Tanaka, who was still the same as always, silent and working with his head down.

He didn't show any sadness or distress at not being selected for the manga award.

That's quite strange.

Tanaka looked up. "Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Toriakino?"

Higashino Hibiki laid out all his doubts.

He had wanted to know for a long time, and at this moment he couldn't care less about Tanaka's feelings.

"Well," Tanaka scratched his face, "I'm already very happy to be eligible for the Manga Awards. It's normal that I wasn't selected given my level."

If you don't have expectations, you won't be disappointed.

That's how Tanaka is.

Sometimes being pessimistic is a good thing.

……

On Monday, after nervously buying Jump, Kazuya Takasugi went to a nearby park.

There were two little kids on the park bench; they had also bought Jump and were carefully flipping through it.

"You must also be a reader of 'Slam Dunk'," Kazuya Takasugi thought with a sense of sympathy.

Last week, Slam Dunk went on hiatus, and he heard a lot of complaints.

Why did you suspend publication?

"Wouldn't it be better to just set a Guinness World Record for non-stop publication?"

Everyone does it this way.

Only readers who also read "Level E" don't care. Even if Akino Tori messes things up, he won't be like Togashi, who only updates once a month.

As for the readers of Diablo, they have already given up hope.

Kazuya Takasugi sat in the corner, swallowed hard, and flipped through the manga with trembling hands.

"It's been updated."

He and the children beside him exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

Kazuya Takasugi thought the voice sounded familiar. Looking closely at the two children, he suddenly remembered that they were the two little devils who had stepped on his shoes.

"It's an AJ11!"

"Wow, run!"

The two little devils quickly ran out of his sight.

Kazuya Takasugi could only stomp his feet in anger.

"Never mind, let's read comics instead."

The latest episode of Slam Dunk features Ryota Miyagi versus Hanamichi Sakuragi.

Ryota Miyagi was disdainful; Sakuragi Hanamichi was clearly a novice, and he wondered why Akagi had let Sakuragi join the basketball game.

He easily snatched the basketball from Sakuragi Hanamichi's hands.

Next, Sakuragi Hanamichi was defending Miyagi. This beginner had no idea what a foul was and hit Miyagi's hand directly. He then stole the basketball and laughed smugly.

With Sakuragi Hanamichi causing trouble, the two quickly got into a fight.

And so, the basketball game ended inconclusively. Thanks to Akagi Takenori's suppression, no further problems arose.

"Sakuragi and Miyagi don't get along well. Teamwork is very important. How can these two reconcile?"

Chapter 144 The Incurable

Ryota Miyagi decided to join the basketball club because he liked Ayako, and eventually fell in love with basketball.

This is exactly the same as Sakuragi; the two admired each other and became good friends.

The next day when they appeared on the court, the two of them were arm in arm, which surprised the basketball team, but also made them feel gratified.

With Takenori Akagi, the genius Kaede Rukawa, the exceptionally talented rookie Hanamichi Sakuragi, and the returning Miyagi, reaching the national tournament is no longer a dream.

As Kogure watched Miyagi instruct Sakuragi on feints, his heart was filled with excitement.

In the three years since he joined the Shohoku basketball team, except for when he first joined as a freshman, he finally saw hope again.

……

Hibiki Higashino Studio.

Oda looked at the new storyboard, pondered for a moment while stroking his chin, and suddenly raised his hand and asked loudly, "Tori Akino-sensei, I have a question."

Hibiki Higashino was pondering the pacing of the next chapter's storyboard when he heard Oda's voice, which startled him and made him tremble.

"What is it?" Higashino asked.

"This long-haired, androgynous guy, his name is Mitsui Hisashi, right?" Oda asked, puzzled. "Why dedicate so much space to exploring Mitsui Hisashi's inner world?"

It should be like a minor character; if a comedic moment is needed, it can be used.

However, the content of the two most recent chapters I drew focused entirely on Mitsui Hisashi.

The delinquents he brought created a tense atmosphere for the basketball team; their arrogant demeanor made you want to punch them.

Just when the Shohoku basketball team was thriving, Mitsui Hisashi's appearance was like a bucket of cold water poured on them, making Oda worry.

Hibiki Higashino smiled and nodded, "To delve into this character without utilizing his value would be a waste."

Oda nodded, understanding that there would be a plot twist, "I'm looking forward to what happens next."

Being an assistant allows you to learn about the plot of "Slam Dunk" faster, but you don't get the reading experience of a reader. It's a bittersweet experience.

Oda took out a notebook and quietly started writing, thinking that this part of the story might inspire him.

……

Mid-August, dusk.

Kanda Takehito lay in his bedroom, staring at the ceiling with utter boredom.

Since he was admitted to Tokai University in Japan, his parents have rarely paid attention to him.

After all, the fact that their kid, who spent all his time fooling around, was able to get into such a prestigious university was already a great relief to them.

"Tch," Kanda thought of this and said unhappily, "How superficial."

In 1993, he was still a good student. But he looked down on himself just because of a two-year gap in his academic career. He felt that his hopeless parents were the ones who were truly hopeless.

"Boom! Boom!"

Outside the window, there was the roar of motorcycles.

Kanda stood up and glanced cautiously at the chandelier. Standing at 195 centimeters tall, he was always worried about accidentally bumping into it.

"Takasato, what are you doing under my window?" Kanda smiled and looked down from the window.

Gao Xiang was his good friend. He had his hair slicked back and spent his days picking fights and fooling around.

However, Kanda knew that Takago was a reliable friend.

“You must be bored all by yourself,” Gao Xiang shouted, pointing to the back seat of the motorcycle. “Come go for a ride with me!”

Kanda replied, "This is annoying. I'll go down right away."

……

The motorcycle sped along the nearby mountain road. The wind whistled past, but Kanda Takehito paid no heed.

They soon reached the mountaintop, where the setting sun was particularly spectacular, bathing the world in a golden hue. Kanda stared blankly at the sun, as if he were seeing himself in it.

But the sun will still rise tomorrow, though he is completely lost about his future.

The motorcycle stopped; from here, one could overlook the scenery below the mountain.

"Let's come down and get some fresh air," Gao Xiang said.

The two of them leaned against the railing, their hair flying in the wind.

After a long silence, Gao Xiang suddenly said:

"I'm going to Kanagawa."

This sudden news startled Kanda. "Why?"

Gao Xiang replied, "I graduated from high school. My father didn't want me to keep messing around, so he found me a job. After all, people have to grow up."

He sighed, took a cigarette out of his pocket, and lit it.

"Whoo~"

He took half of the wind and half of the smoke.

Kanda pretended to be nonchalant, but in his heart he felt abandoned by the world.

Everyone else is growing, but he's still standing still.

"What do you want to do?" Kanda asked.

"I'm a materials clerk at a shoe factory," Gao Xiang flicked his cigarette ash. "I heard they're hiring workers to rush out a batch of basketball shoes. Oh, by the way, Kanda, you used to play basketball, right?"

“Hmm,” Kanda nodded, not wanting to say anything more.

Gao Xiang said, "You're so tall, you must be really good at basketball."

A gust of wind blew by.

"We still lost..." Kanda said softly.

"Huh? What did you say?" Gao Xiang asked.

"When are you leaving?" Kanda asked in return.

“Early September,” Gao Xiang replied.