Full-time comic artist

Under the same sky, many people are unable to sleep.

Odagiri lay on the bed, his face flushed with excitement.

He gave up his winter break and played chess with some students from other places who weren't going home.

Today, I was recognized by Shinoda 4-dan and officially joined the Go Association, taking another step closer to my dream of becoming a professional Go player.

Recalling his past self, he suddenly felt that everything had changed, as if he had become a completely different person.

No matter how I thought about it in the past, I could never have imagined that I would be like this now.

"I want to become a professional Go player."

The moonlight reflected off the snow, making the room exceptionally bright.

Odagiri stretched out his palm, looking at the ceiling with a resolute gaze.

Unfortunately, because I hadn't played Go online for a long time, when I logged back into "IGS", my opponent and teacher, Mr. Hibiki Higashino, wasn't online, so I couldn't share this good news with him.

Moreover, this afternoon, Mr. Shinoda brought rice cakes and soba noodles, adding some festive atmosphere to the otherwise quiet Go academy.

He led everyone to watch TV for a while, to take a break and refresh their minds.

That was the anime "Hikaru no Go".

Odagiri had been focused on learning Go and hadn't paid attention to this work for a long time, so he was surprised to find that there was already an anime adaptation.

He was deeply moved and felt a strong connection to the game between Fujiwara no Sai and Akira Touya.

He used to be just like Hikaru Shindo now, completely unable to understand the charm of Go.

However, he really wants to play Go with Sai right now.

After the animation ended, Odagiri looked at his companions.

Everyone was extremely excited, clenching their fists, their eyes practically shining.

"You too?" he asked in surprise.

"Uh-huh!"

"Hikaru no Go is so interesting!"

I sometimes watch it in private.

They glanced furtively at Shinoda, a fourth-dan player, and whispered among themselves.

How could a student who loves Go not like "Hikaru no Go"?

Shinoda was well aware of this; in fact, he himself followed the updates every week.

He pretended to put on a stern face, "You need to concentrate on learning chess. If you want to become a professional chess player, you must first pass the professional chess player preliminaries from among hundreds of people. Only after winning three games can you have the ticket to the professional chess player exam."

Even so, only two or three people will eventually become professional Go players.

"It was no easy feat. You gave up your specialized studies and endured years of hardship. Your parents even gave up their jobs back home to come to Tokyo and live as dependents in order to accompany you in learning Go."

"Is becoming a loser what you want?"

"I'm sorry, teacher." Odagiri and the others knelt together, bowing their heads in apology.

Shinoda was taken aback. Seeing the students' disappointed and regretful expressions, he realized that he had spoken too harshly.

He coughed and smiled, "You guys work really hard usually, so it's understandable that you relax a little sometimes, just be careful not to overdo it."

"Yes."

“It just so happens that there’s a book signing event for the ‘Hikaru no Go’ manga this weekend, near the Go Institute. I’ll take you there.” Shinoda also really wanted to see that young man again.

A boy named Hibiki Higashino unexpectedly became a serialized manga artist, and now his works are being adapted into anime and sold as collected volumes.

He achieved remarkable success, making a significant contribution to the popularization of Go.

"Oh! Thank you, teacher!"

The students cheered and jumped up.

Odagiri smiled as he thought of this.

Will Mr. Hibiki Higashino, who loves Go, also like "Hikaru no Go"? Will he also go to the book signing event?

Perhaps we'll just miss him.

I don't know what he looks like. Is it possible to meet him and let him see how I've grown?

He couldn't help but look forward to the book signing event this weekend.

……

Higashino Hibiki woke up to find he hadn't slept so comfortably in a long time.

He looked out the window and saw that the ground was covered with a thick layer of white snow.

Akimiya and the others are building a snowman in the yard.

He shook his head and glanced at his phone subconsciously. It was already nine o'clock. There was a call record from director Tetsuya Endo.

Higashino Hibiki quickly dialed back, and it took half a minute for Endo Tetsuya to answer.

The noise from the other end was too loud for Higashino Hibiki to hear clearly, but it sounded like he was drinking.

"Sorry, I was at a party just now." Endo Tetsuya's voice was much clearer, probably because he had left the private room.

"You haven't slept all night, and you're still having a dinner party?" Higashino asked in surprise.

Judging from this, the ratings must be pretty good.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Tetsuya Endo said nonchalantly. “I’m used to staying up late anyway.”

“Ha...ha…” Hibiki Higashino thought for a moment. Making animation is indeed hard work, and working overtime and staying up late are the norm.

Some people even sleep on the floor at the company, working against the clock.

"Oh, right!" Tetsuya Endo exclaimed excitedly, "You don't know yesterday's ratings?! 15.3%!"

Higashino Hibiki wasn't sure about the ratings, but he nodded in agreement and offered dry congratulations.

"It seems you don't understand how good this result is," he explained. "Yoshihiro Togashi's 'Yu Yu Hakusho' had an average viewership rating of 17.6% after its anime adaptation. Excluding earlier works like 'Chibi Maruko-chan,' 'Yu Yu Hakusho' is definitely among the top, a national masterpiece!"

Higashino Hibiki suddenly realized that if it was understood this way, then the viewership ratings for "Hikaru no Go" were quite good, almost an exaggeration.

"Why?" he asked, surprised and curious.

“It’s not clear yet,” Endo Tetsuya said. “However! We have to hold a banquet. Whether or not Professor Tori Akino will come, there will be a second gathering. Everyone really wants to see you, the hero.”

Hibiki Higashino could only politely decline, saying, "I have to go home, and I also have a book signing tomorrow. I'm really sorry."

"Yes, I understand." He was led into the room by his subordinate's arm around his neck, and he quickly said to Higashino Hibiki, "I'll hang up now. I'll give you feedback as soon as I have any results."

Hibiki Higashino listened to the busy tone on the microphone, his anticipation for the future of "Hikaru no Go" growing stronger.

Chapter 65 Book Signing Event

"Higashino, let's go play together!"

Akemi Akemi pushed open the door and found Nishimura speaking, while Kitamoto stood by helplessly watching him act silly.

“He’s not in the dorm right now,” Akemi Akimiya explained. “He hasn’t been home for a long time; he went home for winter break.”

"What a pity, it's been so long since I've seen Higashino," Nishimura said, head bowed. "What on earth has that guy been up to? I was hoping to go to Akino Mirai's book signing with him..."

Kitamoto nodded.

Hibiki Higashino, who used to be very kind and friendly and could talk to anyone, has become somewhat aloof in the past year.

He was somewhat worried that Higashino Hibiki had lost contact with many of his friends, and that his friendship with him might also be affected.

"A signing event with Akino-sensei..." Akemi Akemi covered her mouth in surprise, suddenly realizing that something very interesting was about to happen.

I want to see him.

Watching the two men from the Northwest leave dejectedly, she also became interested.

……

Hibiki Higashino looked at his clothes in the mirror; it was a very ordinary style for winter.

She wore a black trench coat over a white sweater on top and jeans on the bottom.

Higashino Ichiro's original suggestion was to change into a sharp suit, which would make him look more like a successful person.

Higashino Shio rejected it. Usually, she doesn't have many ideas, but this time she was quite firm. From a female aesthetic point of view, the author wearing a suit would actually hinder the display of her talent.

When you think of writers and cartoonists, you rarely imagine them dressed like they're doing a mechanical job. People with creative work should be more relaxed and casual.

Higashino Hibiki walked to the entrance hall, where Higashino Shio and Higashino Ichiro were waiting for him. They looked at Higashino Hibiki with relieved smiles.

"You need to rest more in the future, okay?" Higashino straightened Higashino's collar, looking at his worsened complexion, and said with a pained tone.

“Yes, Mom.” Higashino Hibiki nodded.

"I'm off."

He then nodded to Higashino Ichiro and walked out of the room.

Looking back at the two people who had seen him off, Higashino Hibiki waved goodbye.

He just got back yesterday, and he's leaving again early this morning.

Choosing to draw comics and complete my studies means giving up a lot.

In the end, his younger sister, Higashino Mei, still hadn't come home for vacation, and they hadn't seen each other for a long time.

With regret, Hibiki Higashino boarded Shueisha's car and headed towards the signing location.

……

Jump Studio.

Nobuhiko Horie looked at the new year's reports, his expression somewhat unpleasant.

In July of last year, under Yoshihiro Togashi's strong demands, Yu Yu Hakusho was finally brought to a close in a do-or-die manner.

The negative impact of the end of this hugely popular work was immediately apparent.

Jump's sales have dropped by around 25.