Tokyo: Oreimo

Kenta Kimura placed the reviewed manuscript on the table and pushed it back.

"Mr. Haruba, let's change the subject this time. If we submit this to the Tezuka Award, the best we can get is an honorable mention, and there's a very high chance we'll be rejected."

He offered targeted advice regarding the work he was working on, titled "Super Magical Three Sisters".

"If this kind of subject matter is released at this time, it will most likely not make a splash in the market."

"After all, in the magical girl genre, there's already a mountain called 'Rumiko Takashiro'. It's very difficult to climb over that mountain."

Kenta Kimura spoke the truth.

"Does Editor Kimura think my drawings aren't good enough? Not as good as Rumiko Takashiro's?"

Arina Haruba showed a defiant expression on her face.

"That's not what I meant. It's just that the Tezuka Award is mainly judged on the storytelling aspect, which is your weakness."

"For comics, it's not enough to just draw well."

"Tsk."

Chun Changyoucai pursed her lips.

"More than once, editor Kimura has always compared me to that manga artist."

"Huh? Really?"

Kenta Kimura chuckled awkwardly.

After all, given their similar appearances and ages, it's inevitable that people will have higher expectations for Haruba Arina.

Kadokawa has done a lot of promotion by leveraging Rumiko Takashiro's persona as a genius shoujo manga artist.

"It's just that I have a partner who can write stories. I can work with CLAMP and create works like Cardcaptor Sakura."

Haruba Arina put the manuscript that the editor had returned into her backpack.

"A cartoonist with a hollow reputation, just good at self-promotion, his drawing skills are about the same as mine, right?"

The girl expressed her opinion in front of Kenta Kimura without any hesitation.

This left the editor with a bewildered expression, both amused and exasperated.

How should he respond to such remarks?

Even if you're creating something independently, Rumiko Takashiro has a previous work called "Moon Witch Transformation". Shouldn't you be more low-key before you reach her level?

Chunba Yucai snorted coldly.

Since Rumiko Takashiro gained popularity, both Shueisha and other publishers have been able to promote her.

Whenever I submit my work in person, I always encounter similar replies.

Saying that someone already has someone is nothing compared to this.

Kenta Kimura's words were relatively tactful; some editors would have been more direct, telling her to stop drawing similar themes.

"Why should I? I'm just taking advantage of the script."

"But in terms of drawing skills, I'm not inferior either, am I?"

Chunchang Youcai was very dissatisfied.

It's infuriating to be compared to someone for no reason, and to make matters worse, to lose.

After her manuscript was rejected, she didn't want to say another word and walked straight to the exit of the conference room.

Just then, a commotion arose outside.

Chapter 146 If we're going to compete, then we should be fair.

Ryosuke and Ayano followed Hideo Nomura into the building, looking around curiously.

"It feels completely different from the atmosphere at Kadokawa."

Along the way, Ling Nai was drawn to the murals on the corridor walls.

Unlike Kadokawa Group, Shueisha is a publishing house, not a conglomerate.

Just stepping inside, you'll see vibrant comic books hanging on the walls.

Popular shonen manga such as Dragon Ball, Yu Yu Black Book, and Slam Dunk are prominently displayed within the company.

"Hey, how about we decorate our building like this too?"

Ling walked over to Ryosuke and whispered something to him.

It's clear that the girl really enjoys the Shueisha environment.

"That was the original plan. We would start the renovation once we had more artwork."

A comfortable and engaging office environment can also enhance employees' enthusiasm for their work.

Ryosuke also plans to set aside a separate area as a figure display area after finalizing the business cooperation with the toy factory.

Led by Hideo Nomura, the two walked through the corridor and entered the editorial office area.

As soon as the two stepped into the office area, they immediately felt dozens of eyes on them.

To be precise, it fell on Takashiro Ryōno.

Even with a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, her blonde hair still couldn't be hidden.

"She came in with Nomura, so that must be Rumiko Takashiro-sensei, right?"

"Huh? It really is a blonde beauty. I thought the rumors circulating online were just rumors."

"If Kadokawa knew they let this great guy get away, the editor-in-chief would probably be furious, right?"

Whispers came from all directions, and Ling Nai subconsciously moved closer to Ryosuke.

She pulled her hat brim even lower, feeling somewhat unaccustomed to the sudden influx of so many unfamiliar gazes.

"Wow, they're really popular."

Ryosuke winked at her.

With such a masterpiece preceding her, Rumiko Takashiro's fame had already spread far and wide, and the rumors about her being a blonde beauty were also exposed by Kadokawa as a promotional tactic.

"Hmph, isn't that just common sense?"

Ling Nai put her hands on her hips and glanced at him with a hint of pride; she had seen this kind of scene of being watched many times before.

When "Moon Witch Transformation" first became a hit, whenever I went to Kadokawa, editors would come up to me asking for autographs, saying that their children loved her work.

Now that he has two more works to his name, it's normal for him to be so popular.

"Teachers, this way please."

Hideo Nomura led the two further into the inner passage.

The surrounding discussion continued.

"Who is that person following Rumiko Takashiro?"

"assistant?"

"How could that be? Have you forgotten that Cardcaptor Sakura is a collaborative work? It should be a collaboration with CLAMP-sensei."

"So young."

"It's a pity. I wish Gen Urobuchi could have come along. I heard they've both joined the same company now, right?"

"You're actually a fan of that devil?"

"What are you thinking? What I mean is, we can now deliver razor blades offline, huh? Let that old scoundrel give me back my Mami-senpai!"

Hearing the discussion among the young editors around her, Takashiro Ryouno almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Ryosuke, on the other hand, had a perfectly calculated look on his face.

So wearing an extra vest was the right thing to do. He specifically had the company release a message saying that Gen Urobuchi was actually a greasy middle-aged man over thirty.

This way, no one will associate it with themselves, and this trick is very effective.

As for the real-life issue, Takashiro Ryouno is enough; he doesn't want to be besieged at his door because of it.

It is worth noting that Ryosuke noticed a blonde girl with twin tails standing at the door of a conference room at the other end of the corridor.

"This hair color is very similar to Ling Nai's."

Ryosuke couldn't help but take a second look.

It's definitely not an editor. Judging from his clothes, he looks like a high school student. Is he also a cartoonist who came to submit his work?

"I thought there were very few beautiful girl manga artists like Ling Nai, but look, there's one here."

What struck Ryosuke as odd was that, unlike the other editors who were looking at Ayano, the other person's eyes were fixed entirely on his face.

He tilted his head at her, and the girl with pigtails immediately copied him, tilting her head back and giving him a sweet smile.

She's quite cute, seemingly a completely different type from Ling Nai.

I wish my younger sister had this kind of personality.

Ryosuke couldn't help but sigh. If it were Ayano, she would definitely glare back with a fierce look at this moment.

"What are you looking at?"

She heard Ling Nai muttering beside her and noticed Ryosuke's gaze.

Curious, she followed his gaze and noticed that he was staring at the beautiful girl opposite him, so she immediately frowned.

Ryosuke felt something soft resting on his waist.

Looking down, she saw Ling Nai's hand, which was placed on her most vulnerable part of her body in the gesture of turning a door lock.

"You idiot, you came here to do serious business, but you can't take your eyes off pretty girls?"

The blonde girl muttered a curse under her breath, then twisted the hair hard.

"hiss...."

Ryosuke quickly slapped the other person's hand away and glared at his sister.

Is it appropriate to do something so outrageous when you're out and about?