Full-time comic artist

Most cartoonists are energy-conscious; they prefer to recharge rather than rest.

"Jump Festa will be held again this year."

Naoko Takeuchi saw the message and said it to Yoshihiro Togashi.

Togashi was invited to participate in "Jump Festa" in 98. At that time, the pilot OVA of "Hunter x Hunter" was broadcast.

"Hmm," Yoshihiro Togashi nodded perfunctorily and started playing the game again.

"Shall we go take a look?"

"Let's forget about it."

"go Go."

"I'll give you a million, just leave me alone."

That's how it is. So now, Higashino Hibiki looks around and realizes that very few of the people he knows have participated in "Jump Festa".

This left him unsure whether to be happy or frustrated.

……

On December 15th, snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

Television reports indicate that snow has fallen in many parts of Japan.

The impact on transportation was very similar to the scene in the "Cherry Blossom" chapter where Takaki goes to see Akari. The station was deserted, the carriages were empty, and the tram struggled to move through the snow.

And this snow will continue for several more days.

Even fewer people will come to "Jump Festa".

"It's been so cold these past few days."

"I'm sealed in a kotatsu."

"Let whoever wants to go go."

More pessimistic voices have emerged online.

Akemi Akemi shut down the computer, then looked at Hibiki Higashino and asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

Hibiki Higashino put on the Ultraman Tiga mask, his eyes shining. "Of course it doesn't matter, I don't care how many people are there."

This is something Shueisha should discuss.

……

On the 18th, Shueisha sent a driver to pick up Higashino Hibiki, but he was the only one who got in the car. Akemi Akemi went to see Mr. Akemi, as they had their own driver and Higashino Hibiki didn't need to worry about it.

Two hours later, Hibiki Higashino arrived safely at the Makuhari Messe exhibition hall.

He looked up and saw the words "Jump Festa" in large English letters.

There's also a logo on the side.

It's a design by Akira Toriyama of a child wearing a Jump pirate hat, which is very easy to remember.

"Why are there so many people..."

Despite the heavy snow, countless people were waiting outside the exhibition hall, and Higashino Hibiki was dizzy from looking at the exhibits.

They stood in a long line, chatting amongst themselves in small groups to pass the time.

"There must be tens of thousands of people..."

Didn't they all say they weren't coming?

Higashino Hibiki was quite taken aback.

Upon seeing the car arrive, the staff who had been waiting at the scene stepped forward, opened the car door for Higashino Hibiki, and respectfully said, "Teacher Akino, thank you for your hard work."

"Thank you," Higashino Hibiki said.

He followed the staff into the exhibition hall through a small door, where the wind and snow stopped and it became much warmer.

"Tori Akino-kun, thank you for your hard work today."

Another person came forward to greet them; it was Takashi Sasaki.

He was the person in charge of the event for Jump.

“I’m much more relaxed now,” Higashino Hibiki said with a smile. “I just got on and off the bus and I’m here.”

Behind Sasaki were several other people, including representatives from V-Jump and Jump Square.

V-Jump is a magazine founded by Kazuhiko Torishima, responsible for publishing information on games and manga. The card information and effects from Yu-Gi-Oh! are introduced to readers through V-Jump. It is part of Torishima's reform plan.

"JUMP SQUARE" is a monthly manga magazine, and "Kishin Douji" is its current representative work.

By 2001, a famous manga, "Claymore," will be published here.

"Tori Akino-sensei, 'Earring' is truly a wonderful manga."

"I am truly grateful for your dedication to 'Jump Festa'."

They enthusiastically tried to get close to Higashino Hibiki.

Hibiki Higashino replied, "Because it's what I wanted to draw."

Seeing that he was a little uncomfortable, Sasaki explained the arrangements to him, gave him an internal staff ID card, and let him go out to enjoy the scenery.

……

The tourists haven't arrived yet, and the staff seem quite nervous.

Although they had made thorough preparations beforehand and were prepared to handle a large number of customers.

The stage actors were nervously memorizing their lines, while some closed their eyes to rest.

The cosplayers were wearing jackets and holding hot water cups.

Bandai Namco, Capcom, Square Enix, and other game companies set up booths and placed their billboards in prominent positions, ready to launch their campaigns.

Higashino Hibiki looked at these things and felt a sense of novelty.

He had never participated in similar events before, nor had he ever been to a comic convention, so he was very interested.

Before he knew it, he arrived at the location selling "Earrings," right at the main entrance to the venue, which is the most important item at "Jump Festa."

"Hello." A staff member greeted us.

"May I take a look?" Hibiki Higashino asked.

“Of course,” he said.

According to staff, there are 10,000 copies of the "Earrings" book here, and another 40,000 copies in the warehouse.

It seems the Jump editorial department is very confident.

Higashino was curious about where they got their confidence from. There were also pessimistic comments online. They were only printing 50,000 copies. Weren't they afraid they wouldn't be able to sell them all?

The staff member smiled and said, "This is a work by Mr. Tori Akino, only 50,000 copies."

Hibiki Higashino: "Thank you."

"Huh?" He was taken aback.

Higashino looked at the price tag again; one copy cost 2000 yen.

He flipped through it; the paper felt smooth to the touch and was thicker than the ones in Weekly Shonen Jump.

The printing quality is excellent, and the images are clear.

After all, it's a standalone book with collectible value.

He looked at it carefully and found nothing missing. The color draft he had drawn also looked good.

Hibiki Higashino put down the single volume, thanked him, and went to the Akira Toriyama exhibition hall.

"Aren't you going to take a closer look?" the staff member asked in surprise.

“I know all the details.” Higashino pointed to his head.

The staff member shook his head slightly.

The exhibition hall for Akira Toriyama's works is right next to the exhibition hall for Mirai Toriyama's original manuscripts; the master and apprentice are right next to each other.

Higashino Hibiki went inside and sighed once again.

"Toriyama-sensei's drawings are so good, I really admire him."

His imagination is truly terrifying; his drawings of machines and animals are distinctive and detailed, as if they were real.

Hibiki Higashino felt that even if he continued drawing manga for decades, he would never reach that level; it was a level that could only be achieved through talent.

"What you said makes me blush."

Someone spoke to Higashino Hibiki behind him.

“Toriyama-sensei…” Hibiki Higashino was taken aback, “You’ll be there too?”

"The editor from Torishima insisted that I be there, and I had no choice," Akira Toriyama said helplessly.

"And I also have a lot to say to you."

At Higashino Hibiki's wedding banquet, he said they would meet again soon, but it turns out he meant now.

After a moment of surprise, Higashino complained, "Mr. Torishima didn't even inform me, really."

Akira Toriyama said, "There's no need for that."

Hibiki Higashino: "That makes sense."

The two of them sat side by side and chatted, telling the stories behind each storyboard.

Ten minutes later, at Akira Toriyama's request, they arrived at the Mirai Toriyama Storyboard Exhibition Hall.

Akira Toriyama first came to the "Millennium Actress" section.

"It's so well drawn..." he exclaimed. "I've actually been wanting to talk to you about 'Millennium Actress,' this manga can be called a work of art."

Hibiki Higashino's creation, "Millennium Actress," greatly surprised Akira Toriyama.

This unconventional manga in Jump really appealed to Akira Toriyama.

“When I saw ‘Millennium Actress’ in Jump, I couldn’t help but groan,” Akira Toriyama said. “The content is very profound, whether it’s anti-war or the meaning it’s pursuing, it surpasses many other manga.”