Full-time comic artist

"Napoleon is already in the pot."

Higashino sighed.

Then I saw Akemi Akemi's murderous gaze.

……

Higashino, it's been a long time.

I specially sent you some pork today. Because it was transported via cold chain, you don't need to worry about the meat spoiling.

I have mixed feelings, and I've cried a few times in the last few days.

I never expected it to be like this; it seems to be the fate of agricultural students.

You probably never expected this, but the piglets we painstakingly raised for a year and a half ended up being slaughtered by us.

That's just as you wished.

Sigh, you must not feel pressured. Just enjoy the "Napoleon" properly, that's how you can appreciate its value.

The package also contained some homemade bacon; I hope it's delicious enough.

I miss you so much, Nishimura.

……

Thinking of that letter, Higashino Hibiki shook his head.

The Japanese are so obsessive; they can actually do something like this. He's worried that Nishimura might develop a mental disorder because of it.

However, it must be said that "Napoleon" is indeed delicious.

Just as he was savoring the moment, Sasaki called.

"The sales figures for the first day of the Slam Dunk Volume 1 manga have been released."

"What's the approximate data?"

“10 copies,” Sasaki replied. “Nationwide, a total of 10 copies of the single volume were sold on Saturday alone.”

Higashino Hibiki was astonished.

This is just offline purchases. If online purchases become more convenient, it's hard to imagine how high the sales volume will reach.

"Could there be a problem with the data?" Hibiki Higashino asked incredulously.

“We’ve done the statistics several times, and this is the data,” Sasaki replied. “It’s truly a remarkable number.”

At this rate, the initial edition of 100 million copies of the single volume will sell out in no more than twenty days.

“So the editorial department immediately decided,” Sasaki replied, “that it would be reprinted a week later. And the second volume will also be released at the same time.”

Hibiki Higashino rubbed his sore arms. "Let's not do the autograph session."

It was truly a bittersweet experience.

"Haha," Sasaki laughed, "I didn't expect there would be thousands of people participating at the same time. You must have worked hard."

"It's really tough," Higashino Hibiki said, rubbing his stomach, which was still a little sore. Akemi Akemi was really strong.

His own useless physique was no match for him.

Chapter 151 Making Animation

Oda greeted the security guard at the entrance of Musashino Art University and then headed towards the faculty dormitory.

He was engrossed in creating his own comic strip when he suddenly felt a gust of wind blow past him.

Oda turned around and saw Hibiki Higashino running in shorts and a tank top. He was surprised. "This is the first time I've seen Akino-sensei doing morning exercises... What's going on?"

After watching Higashino Hibiki run away, he went straight to the classroom and dormitory. The dormitory manager waved to him and asked if he had eaten breakfast.

Oda showed his little fangs to thank the other party, walked to Hibiki Higashino's dormitory on the second floor, took out the key from under the blanket by the door, opened the door and went in.

Tanaka hadn't arrived yet. Of the other two assistants, one was in class and the other was also in class.

Now he's the only one left.

Three breakfasts were laid out on the table: fragrant toast, eggs, and bacon. Oda sat down and began to enjoy them with relish.

"Oh! This bacon is delicious!" His eyes lit up. "It's like I can see the pig being taken good care of. I should ask Miss Akimiya where she bought the bacon."

He squinted his eyes, eating with great pleasure and enjoyment.

Not long after, Higashino Hibiki returned, his body steaming with heat.

He was covered in sweat, indicating he had been running for a long time.

"Why did you suddenly decide to go running?" Oda asked him.

Hibiki Higashino replied, "I used to have a habit of exercising in the morning, but I neglected it because of drawing manga. Now I'm just picking it up again."

He has recently felt that his health is getting worse and worse, even worse than when he was in social work.

After working so hard drawing comics for so long, I've become rich and powerful, and I even have a beautiful girlfriend. If I were to die suddenly again, it would be such a waste.

Higashino took a shower in the bathroom, changed his clothes, and then quickly finished his breakfast.

While he was sipping milk to soothe his throat, Oda suddenly asked him, "Tori Akino-sensei, do you know which supermarket you bought this bacon from? It tastes really good."

Hibiki Higashino almost spat out his drink. He patted Oda's shoulder and said, "It won't happen again. That's the pure heart of a young boy."

Nishimura will never again be so devoted to his livestock.

Oda was bewildered, only knowing that these bacon were a rare treat. He looked at the breakfast in the field, licked his lips, and began an internal struggle.

Hibiki Higashino tapped on his desk. "Let's get to work."

……

The next morning, Higashino Hibiki continued his morning run. It was just getting light, and the summer breeze was refreshing.

He ran around the school until he reached the school gate, where he saw a familiar face: Ozawa Hibiki, the president of the animation club, dressed in a suit and tie, walking toward the school gate.

"He's a senior now," Higashino Hibiki remarked.

Hibiki Higashino still has vivid memories of the animation festival in the summer of 1994.

Time flies, and those once vibrant and energetic students now need to find jobs.

“Tori Akino-sensei,” Ozawa bowed and greeted him first.

"Senior Ozawa," Higashino returned the greeting.

"Slam Dunk is truly an excellent work," Ozawa exclaimed. "Even though I don't understand basketball, I was deeply moved while watching it. The ending of the Mitsui Hisashi arc left me with a lot of emotions."

"You flatter me." Higashino Hibiki asked, "Are you looking for a job?"

“Yes,” Ozawa nodded, “It’s at Nikken Sekkei, and this is the second interview I’ve had.”

“Congratulations,” Hibiki Higashino said, then asked, “Aren’t you going to continue making animations?”

Xiaoze shook his head with a wry smile, without saying a word.

Ultimately, very few people can turn their hobbies into a career.

Even someone with his high level of education wouldn't be able to get a supervisory role at a large production company like Gibson. After all, animation production requires experience more than academic qualifications.

Even if you manage to get into a large animation production company, you'll only be in a low-level position like production assistant or animator, with a huge gap in salary and benefits compared to Nikken Sekkei.

Hibiki Higashino, who works in the animation industry, has heard about the low wages and benefits, and it's truly heartbreaking. A wage gap of more than five times is not impossible.

Since the failure of the agricultural cooperative project of the animation club, Ozawa Hibiki has given up making animation.

Perhaps he will try it again in the future when he achieves success and has spare money, but not now.

Hibiki Higashino seemed somewhat disappointed.

"I drew up an animation script and wanted to hire an animation studio to produce it, but now that I look at it..."

"Leave it to us!" Ozawa grabbed Higashino Hibiki's hand, and in his haste, he dropped the file folder he was holding onto the ground.

"Won't this bother you?" Hibiki Higashino asked.

"Absolutely not!"

"What about work?"

Tell them you'll definitely do it next time!

Ozawa spoke with absolute certainty, but after a moment, he hesitated, scratched his head, and said, "I need to contact the current president of the animation club first."

A Chinese restaurant near Musashino.

Hibiki Higashino looked at the new president of the animation club, "Asahina-san... so it was you."

Asahina's eyes lit up. "Higashino-kun, you have a new animation script?"

She was really excited.

After leaving Hibiki Higashino, it became difficult for them to achieve success.

There might be some small successes, but compared to appearing on television and causing a sensation with "Hey—Come Out," the difference is enormous.

She thought that period of time was a dream, and that it never happened.

After being carried by a top student, she initially thought it was her own achievement, but eventually had to accept reality, which troubled her for a long time.

"Are you really going to let us make it?" she asked eagerly.

Higashino nodded.

He didn't have time to handle the animation company's affairs, and he didn't trust the people outside the company.

Considering her younger sister Mei's situation, after much deliberation, she decided to approach an animation club.

Actually, the first person he planned to look for was Asahina.

Hibiki Higashino knows this rich young lady very well. She's someone who loses money making animations, so Hibiki Higashino can just leave her alone.

Now that Asahina has become the president of the animation club, that would be perfect.

Compared to Ozawa Hibiki, Higashino Hibiki and Asahina were more unrestrained and didn't need to be polite with each other.

Moreover, Higashino looked to the side and saw Minami Chiharu happily eating sweet and sour pork.