Full-time comic artist

Mei Higashino looked at her with a puzzled expression. "That's ridiculous, Riko."

"Ah, no, I mean, does your older brother work at Mudhouse?"

"It's not for work. Oh, he's here."

Riko looked over and saw two people facing them: director Tetsuro Araki and author Mirai Toriaki...

"Your older brother is... Director Araki!" Riko covered her mouth.

……

"Mei, have you been waiting long?"

Higashino waved to Higashino Mei, then said to Araki Tetsuro, "Director Araki, no need to see me off."

"Okay." Tetsuro Araki nodded, said goodbye to Mei Higashino, and stepped into the elevator.

Pear was dizzy. "Senior, why did your brother leave... wait..."

She pointed at Higashino Hibiki, her mouth trembling, "Could it be... could it be that... Bird... Bird Akino-sensei is...!"

“That’s right.” Mei Higashino took Hibiki Higashino’s arm and proudly introduced, “This is my genius older brother, the manga artist Mirai Toriakino.”

“Brother, this is my junior, Riko, Otoha Riko.”

"Hello, Otoha-kun," Hibiki Higashino said, looking at Riko Otoha's twin tails. "She looks just like Mei from before."

They are all very energetic and small in size.

“Brother.” Pear bowed.

"Hey, why are you calling me 'brother' too?"

"I'm so sorry, senior!" Pear touched her face. "I'm dizzy and my brain isn't working properly."

An hour later, while eating sushi at a nearby upscale restaurant, Riko looked at the two siblings in disbelief.

"My senior is actually the younger sister of manga artist Toriaki Mirai!"

"I brought you here today, but don't tell anyone it's for your sister Akemi. She's been wanting to eat sushi for a long time."

"Yes~"

……

Jump Editorial Department.

"Tori Akino-sensei will be my assistant!"

Amano Akira's astonished voice echoed throughout the editorial department: "Am I dreaming?"

“Not an assistant, but a collaborator. For example,” Sasaki pointed at her, “you do the script, he does the artwork, and you collaborate for two months.”

This is better than letting Akino waste time in the assistant position.

With Akino Aritori joining the cast, the transition period for "Katekyo Hitman Reborn!" will be completed smoothly.

Attracting more readers is a positive factor for "Katekyo Hitman Reborn!"

Akino Mirai also has high hopes for "Katekyo Hitman Reborn!", calling it a pillar for the future of "Weekly Shonen Jump".

The series he was optimistic about at the same time, Gintama, has now become a household name.

"Mr. Amano, what are your thoughts?"

"Of course I agree! In fact, this is something I've always dreamed of."

She had considered adapting her work into an anime while collaborating with Akino Mirai, but she couldn't even dream of it.

This person is her idol.

Akira Amano in 1973 was three years older than Hibiki Higashino.

When Akira Amano went to university and dreamed of becoming a manga artist, he saw the high school manga "Hikaru no Go" in Jump, and his amazement was indescribable.

As Amano Akira continued to encounter setbacks, his admiration for Tori Akino Mirai grew even stronger.

“Okay,” Sasaki nodded as expected. He picked up the microphone on the table. “It’s time to ask him what he thinks.”

Jump connects two comic book artists, so naturally it has to start with the one with the lower status.

If Akino Mirai had agreed from the beginning, Amano Akira would have vetoed it.

That put Akino in an awkward position.

Akira Amano looked at the microphone expectantly, yet also with trepidation.

……

"I want to draw a comic book with the goal of becoming a comic book artist. What do you think?"

During the meal, Higashino Hibiki ignored Riko beside him and asked Higashino Mei.

“About manga artists,” Mei Higashino said, resting her chin on her hand, “you know so many people in the same industry, so drawing manga like this is naturally a breeze for you. Togashi-sensei and Hirohiko Araki-sensei have such legendary life experiences. People will like what you draw.”

Higashino Hibiki nodded. "Is that so?"

"But..." Higashino Mei questioned, "Brother, is this all the manga you want to draw?"

Pear's mouth gaped open as she looked at Higashino Mei in astonishment.

She tugged at Mei Higashino's clothes.

"What's wrong, Pear?"

"Otoha-kun, what are your thoughts?"

The Higashino siblings stared at Riko Otowa.

This stunned her, and she wanted to bury her head in the sand like an ostrich.

Teacher Tori Akino's gaze was as scorching as the sun.

She opened her mouth, "Abba, Abba Abba."

"Huh?" Higashino Hibiki was taken aback.

“Oh, I understand,” Mei leaned closer to Riko’s mouth and nodded. “Riko is saying that the idea is great, but if it were drawn by Tori Akino Mirai, it would disappoint the readers.”

“Me!” Riko glared at Higashino Mei.

This senior she respected is now actually trying to trick her!

Although that's what she thought, she would never dare to say it.

"Is that so?" Higashino Hibiki asked, holding the rice ball with a troubled expression. "Then there aren't many works I can draw."

Even "Bakuman," a work that influenced a generation of manga artists and inspired countless people to embark on the path of manga artistry, is not worthy of his current status...

So what other works are available to choose from...?

Does this mean I'll have to retire from writing?

"Mei and Riko don't approve?" Hibiki Higashino murmured. "In that case, there's no point in him being an assistant..."

He originally wanted to join Yamamura Morimichi's team to see how the manga artist group created their works and use them as material.

His phone rang.

"Wait a mininute."

Higashino Hibiki stood up and walked to the side.

"Editor-in-Chief, is there anything I can help you with?"

Sasaki laid everything out.

Chapter 361 The Way of the Hot-Blooded King

A rumor has started to circulate.

Akino Toriyama plans to draw a shonen manga, collaborating with a man named Akira Amano, titled "Katekyo Hitman Reborn!"

Readers were overjoyed and spread the news far and wide, as this was Teruaki Akino Mirai's first shonen manga!

Thank goodness, he's finally drawing the most common Shonen Jump artwork!

It was just a very ordinary wish, but the fact that it came true was such a pleasant surprise.

Akira Toriyama's disciple, Mirai Toriyama, has consistently drawn sports manga, unorthodox mystery manga, dark magical girl manga, romance manga, and more...

But there's no epic, heroic storyline!

Akira Toriyama's god-level battle panels were not utilized at all by Akino Toriyama.

The readers were all anxious after reading this.

The subtle action sequences in "Slam Dunk" and "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" have always been a source of great frustration for them.

For example, in the episode of "Slam Dunk" without any dialogue, the intense competition on the court, depicted solely through visuals, is enough to get the reader's blood pumping.

Madoka Magica features battles between magical girls and witches, but the witches are abstract entities and cannot be depicted in the same way as battles in Dragon Ball.

"I hope this time it will be a fierce battle!"

They had been longing for this for so long—to see battle scenes in Jump that were like works of art.

However, there is one thing that has puzzled everyone:

Who is Akira Amano?

……

After receiving Sasaki's call, Higashino Hibiki immediately said goodbye to Higashino Mei and Riko. After paying the bill, he rushed to Shueisha.

He made up his mind halfway there and agreed.

After all, this was his idea first, and he couldn't put Amano Akira and Sasaki in a difficult position.

Moreover, he understands that he is unlikely to draw shonen manga in the future, and he has always been aware of the readers' regrets. To make sure that readers no longer have regrets in two or three months is a meaningful thing for Higashino Hibiki.

At the same time, he also wanted to draw a battle scene.

When he arrived at Shueisha, he met Akira Amano.

"What's the teacher's decision?" Amano Akira looked at Higashino Hibiki with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation in his eyes.