Full-time comic artist

Hibiki Higashino didn't have time to answer.

"What a pity!" he sighed.

"Hmm?" Akemi Akemi looked at the TV and noticed that "Spirited Away" appeared in number 14.

“I’m a big fan of Spirited Away, and I especially love this anime,” Hibiki Higashino said regretfully. “I only came in fourteenth place, and I didn’t even make the top ten. People really don’t know how to appreciate it.”

Akemi Akemi realized that Hibiki Higashino was viewing the live broadcast as a spectator.

He gets nervous about a project and sighs when it doesn't do well.

He didn't focus all his energy on the success of his comics.

Really...

"Impressive." Akemi Akemi patted Hibiki Higashino on the shoulder and smiled.

"What's so great about it! Spirited Away is only 14," Hibiki Higashino muttered. "I want to see what anime is in the top ten..."

Ghost in the Shell, Fullmetal Alchemist, My Neighbor Totoro, Ghost in the Shell Stand, Mushishi, Lupin III, Mobile Suit Gundam, Castle in the Sky, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and more...

Neon Genesis Evangelion!

"Alright, they're all excellent works." Higashino Hibiki was convinced.

It's not that Spirited Away wasn't good; it's that there are just too many good works out there.

"Evangelion is still in a league of its own."

Hideaki Anno's animated film hit the sweet spot for the Japanese.

No matter what award it is, EVA always manages to get involved.

"The animation category has a total of 80402 votes, followed by the manga category with 78980 votes!"

As the host finished speaking, Higashino Hibiki swallowed.

He dared not imagine which manga could rival EVA.

“Phoenix is ​​artistic enough, but it’s an old manga after all, and young people today don’t know much about it,” Higashino murmured.

"Could it be Dragon Ball? Or One Piece?"

He couldn't see clearly, he really couldn't see clearly, it was just too difficult to choose.

Yoshihiro Togashi, Akira Toriyama, and others waited patiently for the results.

Chapter 400: The Birth of Japan's Number One Manga

"Dad, come play with me."

Eiichiro Oda was staring intently at the television when he suddenly heard his daughter's sweet, coquettish voice.

"Forgive me, maybe next time," Oda said with a smile. "Dad has very important things to do right now."

He feels he has a very good chance of being voted the best manga in Japan right now.

His lifelong dream is to create the number one manga in Japan, and he absolutely cannot miss today's grand event.

"Huh? Dad's just watching TV. Mom said we shouldn't disturb him when he's in his studio."

Hearing his daughter's innocent voice and seeing her disappointed little face, Oda couldn't help but feel apologetic.

The cartoonist himself never had time to take care of his daughter, let alone play with her.

"I'm such a bad father..."

Oda felt deeply remorseful, "Okay, I'll do it now..."

He stood up, but before he could finish speaking, thunderous applause erupted from the television.

"The manga that made it into the top 100 Japanese media arts list is—Berserk!"

This is a masterpiece ranked 25th in the comic book rankings; it's an absolute gem.

Berserk is considered by a significant segment of the population to be the most unique manga and the best-drawn work.

"What is it, Dad?" the daughter urged.

Oda stared blankly, and said in a daze, "If you want to watch TV, wait a bit."

"Waaah!" the child cried out and ran away, "Mommy, Daddy bullied me!"

Oda, however, couldn't care less about his daughter.

……

The Higashino family.

"Dad will definitely be number one." Higashino Mirai was full of confidence in Higashino Hibiki.

"Perhaps," Hibiki Higashino hesitated. The world-famous "Berserk" was the last one; the manga before it was unimaginable.

"Dad is the strongest!"

Higashino Hibiki nodded emphatically upon hearing this, "Yes! That's right!"

His son gave him the confidence to win first place.

Fist of the North Star, Hunter x Hunter, and Ushio and Tora appeared one after another.

Higashino Hibiki's heart was pounding.

He felt like he was back on the night of the Tezuka Award ceremony, when he was in the spotlight and nobody knew him. Now he was famous, and he had a wife and son by his side.

"Times have changed, and I should still be perfectly fine now!"

……

In the lower left corner of the Weekly Shonen Jump editorial office, a television set is hanging.

At this moment, the editors stood intently in front of the television, watching the live broadcast of the selection process.

They looked very unwell.

Of the manga works published so far, Shueisha has only published three. Two of them are by Yoshihiro Togashi alone.

Japan's top manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, has lost its reputation.

"How could this happen?" the bottle muttered.

Only Sasaki remained unfazed, calmly looking up at the live stream without uttering a word.

"Yu Yu Hakusho, Azumanga Daioh, Parasyte! We're almost in the top 10!" Koji Yoshida's heart was practically leaping out of his throat.

"So far, not a single manga by Tori Akino-sensei has appeared. How is that possible!"

His lips were dry. "It must be in the top 10! Absolutely!"

"The twelfth ranked manga... is One Piece!"

The 12th comic has appeared.

There is still no manga featuring Akino Mirai.

"A manga that's been number one in Weekly Shonen Jump for several years is only number twelfth, so what are the remaining manga...?"

Even Yoshida Koji was on the verge of despair.

"What a pity."

What exactly are the top 10 comics?

The editorial staff were abuzz with discussion.

The fact that One Piece, which was highly anticipated, fell outside the top 10 ranks surprised and unsettled them.

In a voting contest with no entry requirements, Weekly Shonen Jump, with its highest circulation, should have been in first place.

……

“Only twelfth place…” Eiichiro Oda was very disappointed, but he quickly cheered himself up, “But it’s okay, I still have a lot of room for improvement.”

"Keep it up," Chiaki Oda said softly, stroking her husband's hand.

Oda nodded, touched. "Yes, thank you, Chiaki."

"Are you alright now?"

"It's alright now."

“Then…” Chiaki Oda’s gentle expression fell, and she said sternly, “Go play with your daughter. You have to keep your promise. She’s making such a fuss and it’s driving me crazy.”

"Um... let's wait a bit longer."

Oda was amazed by the speed at which women could change their expressions, saying, "I'm very curious about the top 10 manga."

……

Koji Yoshida clenched his fists to his chest and bowed his head in silent prayer.

He dared not look, but only listened intently.

"The 11th ranked manga is... Death Note."

"Phew~" Yoshida couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

He used to hope that Death Note would be number one, but at this moment, being number 11 is already very good.

This eased his anxiety a little.

The anxious atmosphere in the editorial department was swept away. The appearance of two consecutive Shonen Jump manga finally gave them the confidence to look at the next works.

Yoshihisa glanced at Sasaki and sighed, "As expected of the editor-in-chief, his composure is extraordinary."

But they didn't notice the fingernail marks on Sasaki's hand.

Sasaki's brows relaxed, and his expression softened.

"As expected, it's time for Miki Torino to shine."

……

"That's great!" Akemi Akimiya exclaimed, clenching her fist in excitement.

She had been nervous for a long time, worried that Higashino Hibiki would be sad and upset.