Full-time comic artist

By then, the remakes of "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" and "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day" will be able to make another fortune.

"More than 60,000 copies," Hibiki Higashino was also somewhat surprised by this result. In his previous life, the DVD sales of "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" were around 70,000, ranking third in the sales of Japanese anime, after "Evangelion" and "Bakemonogatari".

Based on this performance, it might even surpass "Bakemonogatari".

He stroked his chin, deep in thought.

"Teacher, look, everyone's lining up to buy the fourth volume of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' on DVD!" Tetsuro Araki said to Hibiki Higashino, pointing to the video store not far away.

This is why he invited Hibiki Higashino to showcase the amazing results of "Puella Magi Madoka Magica".

Seeing it with your own eyes is far more impactful than any data.

With this successful collaboration, who knows, maybe Tori Akino will come looking for me for future projects!

Higashino Hibiki looked over and the scene looked exactly like people queuing up at night to buy a popular visual novel.

Just then, two buyers passed by the two men, and Tetsuro Araki quickly stopped them.

Are you buying "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" DVDs?

"Of course, what else can we do!" said the one who seemed a bit simple-minded.

"You're not thinking of buying the discs we have, are you?" the shrewd one questioned. "You'll have to wait in line yourself. We've been waiting for ages. We've been waiting since 10 a.m. until now, 11 a.m.

“Of course not,” Tetsuro Araki said with a forced smile. “How do you all feel?”

"How do you feel?" he said naively. "Of course it's great. The original plot is wonderful, and the production quality is unexpectedly high. You'll definitely regret not buying it."

Chapter 377 Rapid Progress

"Puella Magi Madoka Magica is one of the best anime in recent years. It would be a shame if you couldn't buy the DVDs to collect it."

He looked at the fourth volume of "Little Circle" on DVD in his hand and smiled foolishly.

The companion next to him nodded in agreement, "All these people in line have the same thought, otherwise they wouldn't be in such a hurry to buy them. They're just worried that they won't be able to buy them later."

Listening to what the two of them said, Higashino Hibiki nodded repeatedly.

In the world of animation, "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" is like "Hanzawa Naoki" in the Japanese drama genre; both are in a class of their own.

Araki Tetsuro puffed out his chest, feeling extremely proud. He said to Hibiki Higashino, "This time it was a great success!"

"Yes, Director Araki, thank you for your trouble."

"Oh, it's all thanks to the teacher."

Two passersby looked at them and then walked around them.

"These two middle-aged men are really strange."

Higashino heard their panicked cries and turned around to see the boys running away quickly.

Hibiki Higashino felt deeply helpless, "These past two days, quite a few people have been calling me 'uncle'..."

Tetsuro Araki also sighed.

They were all moving from their prime to middle age, and Higashino Hibiki understood his feelings.

Compared to this, being considered "bizarre" is nothing; directors and manga artists are inherently extraordinary.

"Besides animation DVDs, music albums and videotapes also sold incredibly well."

Tetsuro Araki led Higashino Hibiki on a stroll, talking about all aspects of the revenue generated by "Puella Magi Madoka Magica".

This far surpasses the profits Hideaki Anno gained from "Evangelion".

After all, Madoka Magica is an anime that is bound to succeed, so there's no need to divide the pie or set up an anime production committee.

Madhouse, Shueisha, and the television station are enough to operate the business.

Correspondingly, Higashino Hibiki's licensing fees have also increased, since they are calculated as a percentage of revenue.

He's not stupid, and he holds a high position with valuable works in his possession, so he'll strive to make his own profits.

"It still has to be 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'," Higashino Hibiki remarked.

It truly deserves its reputation as a work that has generated economic benefits; it is the most shining gem in the animation industry since the millennium.

His earnings from drawing comics for over a decade were no more than the total revenue from the "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" animation.

It's only been two and a half months, and the future profits are still plentiful.

……

The next day at noon, at Higashino Hibiki's house.

"Hibiki, aren't you working too hard?"

During lunch, Higashino said with concern, "You could learn from your teacher, Akira Toriyama. Earn enough money and then retire, drawing concept art in your spare time."

Hibiki Higashino was eating tempura shrimp when he heard this and paused for a moment. He put down the shrimp and said seriously, "I don't have any plans to rest right now. Not everyone can let go like Toriyama-sensei. But... let's eat first."

After finishing lunch, he began drawing storyboards for "Bakuman".

There's never enough work, especially since he started working two jobs at once.

He stopped thinking about Higashino Shio's words, and then sighed as he thought about the leisurely Toriyama Akira.

"That's true, the income from 'Little Circle' is more than enough."

Even if he doesn't draw manga, "Slam Dunk," "Death Note," "Madoka Magica," and now "Hanzawa Naoki" can bring him a steady stream of income.

In this respect, he is no less than Akira Toriyama, and may even be on par with Eiichiro Oda, who has been drawing manga all along.

After all, he has already drawn so many wonderful comics. Ten or twenty years from now, his work will not fade into obscurity and will continue to shine brightly.

……

The manga "Hanzawa Naoki" has reached its eighth chapter.

After much effort, Hanzawa obtained information through an insider, learning that Higashida's hidden villa was in Hawaii.

He then used his connections with Watari Shinobu to seize the villa.

The company's senior executive, Managing Director Owada, has a high opinion of Hanzawa. Having also come from the Industrial Central Bank, he wants to make Hanzawa a trusted confidant.

Therefore, as long as Hanzawa takes over the villa, Owada can turn Hanzawa's situation around.

The comic has finally reached a relaxing point.

The 5 million yen loan that had been suffocating Hanzawa was finally coming to an end.

However, Kurosaki from the National Tax Agency also found the villa and took away this victory.

Banks can't go against the IRS.

Hanzawa Naoki and Kurosaki clashed, with Hanzawa declaring, "I will repay this debt tenfold! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, that's my principle!"

The manga ends with another brief chapter as he and Kurosaki lock eyes.

Hanzawa Naoki's crisis remains unresolved; the culprit, Higashida, has not been found, and Hanzawa has not been able to recover a single penny.

He's been busy for so long, but in the end, it's all been for nothing.

Even though the manga remains depressing, Hanzawa, seemingly resourceful, repeatedly fails. The story goes in circles and ends up back where it started.

But the comics became increasingly popular.

More and more office workers are buying Shonen Jump magazine, and through word of mouth, they are eagerly reading "Hanzawa Naoki".

This comic is setting a trend.

"Why is that?" Hiroya Oku couldn't understand.

He worked so hard to draw "Gantz," and this manga finally reached the pinnacle of Seinen Jump, only to be easily surpassed by "Hanzawa Naoki."

While he was drawn to the compelling story of "Hanzawa Naoki," he didn't think the work could reach such a level.

It's simply...

It transcends the boundaries of youth comics!

This comic has not yet completed a single story, and has only been serialized for 8 chapters. The most exciting part has not yet appeared, but it has already gained a lot of fans.

"Could this be... the Bird Autumn Effect?"

“No, teacher,” the assistant said.

"What is that?" Hiroya Oku asked.

The assistant said, "Society nowadays emphasizes the group too much and neglects the individual. Employees live without dignity. People like Hanzawa Naoki, who fight against the corrupt group with all their might, are like heroes, shining brightly and inspiring admiration."

He used to encounter a lot of troubles when he did part-time jobs.

Young employees who have to endure the seniority-based promotion system are capable but cannot be promoted and suffer exploitation from their superiors.

All they could do was endure and wait until the older generation of employees retired so they could get a higher-level position.

The company doesn't need talent, it needs seniority. If this continues, employees will accumulate resentment and either give up or quit, choosing to conform to the environment.

Hanzawa, such an unconventional person, is simply the ideal self that every working person aspires to be.

Therefore, I love "Hanzawa Naoki" and admire "Hanzawa Naoki".

The assistant asked, "Teacher, do you understand?"

Hiroya Oku nodded thoughtfully, "So it was a victory for the subject matter."

However, the only person who can draw "Hanzawa Naoki" is Akino Mirai.

……

Today is Sunday, and Koji Yoshida came to deliver sample copies of Jump to Naruto Yashiro.

Yashiro was extremely excited, feeling the importance that Yoshida Koji placed on him.

To receive a sample copy, you need to have a manga serialized in Jump. He's just a newbie who just got shortlisted and doesn't deserve such an honor at all.

He straightened his chest and said, "Yoshida-san, I forgive you."

Koji Yoshida didn't introduce himself to Akino-sensei, which made Naruya Yashiro feel depressed for a long time.

"Forgive me?" Yoshida was puzzled. "What is it?"

“It’s all in the past.” Yashiro waved his hand. “There’s no need to talk about it anymore.”