Tokyo: Oreimo

Recently, Clannad has seen a reversal in its reputation online, leading to a surge in sales. From 10,000 copies in the first week, it has now sold 40,000 copies in the fourth week.

This speed is almost as fast as FSN.

Although he threw away all the strange cursed items the company received, he still felt a bit uneasy. What comforted him was that, because he had taken precautions, the screenwriter used Gen Urobuchi's pen name this time.

If it's not a real name, then it can't be selected, right?

"Don't talk nonsense, I just caught a cold."

Takashiro Ryouno heard his mutterings and looked down at him.

It's currently tutoring time, and Ryosuke is still sitting in his usual spot.

"When the seasons change, you should pay attention. You're always reminding others, but you never pay attention to it yourself."

Even with the heater on in the room, she would insist on wearing long cotton socks, but when it came to herself, she only wore shorts.

They say boys have higher body temperatures and are more robust, but they still sneeze.

The girl pouted, pulled the thin blanket off the bed, and threw it to him.

"Since you tutored me in my studies, I'll reluctantly lend you my blanket."

Ryosuke was caught off guard when the blanket was pulled over his head. The fragrance of the blanket filled his nostrils, like a mixture of milk and jasmine.

He couldn't resist taking a sniff of it, then draped the blanket over his lap and said thank you.

Ling Nai blushed slightly after seeing his actions.

It can even smell things and figure out whose blanket it is! Is this guy a pervert?

Her heart suddenly skipped a few beats, and the girl quickly changed the subject.

"But come to think of it, even if you were cursed, you deserved it, didn't you?"

"?"

"It's normal for players who like your stories to hate you for writing those kinds of stories that make people cry their eyes out and doing such cruel things to the characters you create."

Ryoko Takashiro considers herself one of them, having had her feelings toyed with by Ryosuke several times so far.

While I wouldn't actually go so far as to curse him, I do occasionally think about whether I should get a little revenge on him.

“It’s heartbreaking to say such things to my brother. I’m trying to heal everyone, but I’m always misunderstood by so many people.”

"Isn't this just spreading pain? Liuli has been coming to school with red eyes every day lately, it seems like she's been crying for several nights in a row."

"If you can't feel pain, you can't feel love, right? This is a necessary process."

Ryosuke said with absolute certainty.

"Like Madoka Kaname, how could she have made that wish to change the world if she hadn't experienced that kind of cruel reality?"

"And you, if you hadn't just stood by and watched Xiaoxi collapse in the snow, you wouldn't have had the motivation to collect the Light Orbs, would you?"

Ryosuke roughly estimated that Ayano spent more time playing Clannad than FSN, getting a longer gaming experience for the same price.

"You are a complete and utter heretic."

Ryosuke Takagi glared at him. When it came to twisted logic, Ryosuke always had a whole set of arguments that Ryosuke couldn't refute at all.

These past few days, she has successfully collected all the orbs of light and created a perfect ending where everyone is happy, thus letting Ryosuke off the hook.

"By the way, what are you writing now? The Madoka Magica script is finished, and the game has been released."

"I'm writing a new novel because my editor asked me to."

Ryosuke did not hide anything.

"What? You just can't stop for a moment. If you have such a strong creative desire, draw some NAME for me. Sakura has just finished, and I can't find anything to do at the company, so I always want to draw something."

Takashiro Ryouno was somewhat troubled.

Her original intention was to join the original animation team for "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" and participate in the animation production.

However, because of school, I can only participate on Saturdays when other members work overtime. On weekdays, I can't keep up at all, so it's pointless.

The fragmented nature of painting made her very uncomfortable, so she simply gave up on it and decided to focus on reviewing the overall art style.

This kind of work is quite easy for her; she can just glance at it, find anything that's not right, and then pick up a pen to make corrections.

What usually takes a week for the staff can be completed by her in just one morning.

"You want to draw comics again?"

Ryosuke slightly raised his head.

"Anyway, I'm just killing time. Serializing can be quite interesting sometimes, seeing my work in a magazine."

"If you have this idea, why not just create it yourself?"

Ryosuke said.

Before collaborating with me, didn't Rumiko Takashiro, a woman of great stature, also have experience creating best-selling manga?

"It's all your fault..."

Takashiro Ryouno muttered something to herself.

"Ok?"

Ryosuke didn't understand what she meant and looked at her in confusion.

"I've lost my confidence..."

"what?"

"Having read so many of your stories, I haven't been able to create anything more compelling than yours..."

Takashiro Ryouno finally spoke her mind.

After being influenced by Ryosuke's works, she would always try to create some deeper works, but she would always give up due to a lack of life experience.

This is a normal phenomenon; people tend to imitate and emulate those who are successful.

It's like a moth drawn to a flame. Knowing full well that it's impossible, the pure passion of the past, the ability to create something from a flash of inspiration—it seems like that's gone forever.

"So you take responsibility!"

You're not comparing yourself to just me, you're comparing yourself to the industry's top figures.

Of course, Ryosuke would never say such a thing out loud.

Even if he said it, no one would believe him; most people would probably think he was schizophrenic.

"Okay, I need some time to prepare."

Ryosuke agreed for the time being, but he had only just finished the beginning of his current work.

Once I've accumulated enough manuscripts, I'll find the time to draw for her.

Whether it's a manga or a light novel, the sooner it's created, the more likely the animation adaptation can be handled by the company.

After all, the copyright is in their own hands.

"How about we try painting something different this time?"

Ryosuke suggested.

"Just don't produce works like Clannad, I don't want to cry while drawing."

Takashiro Ryou glared at him.

"It's not that kind of story; this time, the protagonist will be a god."

Chapter 130 is scheduled for release in July.

Kadokawa Manga Editorial Department.

Iori Setsuna picked up the now-cold coffee and took a sip.

The bitter taste melted on her tongue, but she was in a good mood.

Three animation adaptation proposals were spread out on the table, all of which were works she was in charge of.

Based on the current progress, she is certain to be in first place in the department's performance evaluation at the end of the year.

With her editor-in-chief as a backer, she has no shortage of good resources. With the popularity of the "Cardcaptor Sakura" anime, similar works are currently easy to get approved.

"Since Saito left, things have been going much more smoothly in the department."

Thinking about her experience at the company last year, Iori Setsuna was so angry that she trembled, and she kept a low profile for the entire year.

Cardcaptor Sakura's sales were even more terrifying than Moon Witch Transformation's. Due to the huge success of the anime adaptation, the editor-in-chief had to poach people from Shueisha in order to suppress Saito's promotion.

"If it weren't for him, that position of deputy editor-in-chief should have been mine."

"I don't know what kind of luck this guy had, but Rumiko Takashiro was able to create such best-selling works under his guidance."

Iori Setsuna still doesn't think she made a mistake back then; she's just an author.

She only became famous because Kadokawa promoted her.

Just like her works, there are also new comic artists who, through proper management, can still be adapted into animations.

"That Saito guy is an idiot. He actually resigned before the anime even aired, and he didn't even want his bonus."

"They handed over 'Cardcaptor Sakura' to that good-for-nothing Nomura, and they're already planning to end it after only a short run? A work with this kind of popularity should be serialized for a long time, right?"

She heard that the other person had apparently changed careers and joined an animation production company, working on some kind of original animation.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but laugh.

He probably couldn't make it at Kadokawa, so he just took any job to make ends meet.

"Ms. Iori, there's a fax from the bookstore." The department assistant walked to the workstation and handed over a piece of paper.

This is the sales data for the current issue of individual volumes from Kadokawa Shoten.

After that, he went to other editors.

The publishing department reports the sales figures of each work to the editorial department every month, which helps the editors judge market trends.

She took it and glanced at it. When her gaze landed on the top of the list, her fingers tightened slightly.

Cardcaptor Sakura is prominently featured among the top three best-selling manga volumes.