Tokyo: Oreimo

Ritsu Saito paused for a moment, his professional instincts prompting him to start sorting through the clues from the first two episodes, and he sensed something strange in them.

The magical girl setting of this work was mentioned earlier.

"By making a contract with Kyubey, you can have your wish granted. The price is to become a magical girl and fight tirelessly to eliminate witches and protect the city."

"However, this price seems too insignificant compared to the miraculous power of wishing."

After all, shouldn't gaining power be considered a reward?

At least in all the magical girl-themed works he had seen, most of the magical girls were chosen ones.

Becoming a magical girl and going on adventures is something most viewers who like this kind of work would yearn for, right?

"This character has appeared again, Homura Akemi."

Ritsu Saito turned to a new page.

The black-haired girl wanted to stop Mami Tomoe from taking Madoka Madoka further, stating that this 'witch' was her prey, and promising to bring Kaori and Kyubey back safely.

But he was defeated by Mami Tomoe in one move.

"This witch is different from the ones before."

Ritsu Saito noticed the lines in the notebook that belonged to Homura Akemi.

"A pre-battle warning? Which side is she on?"

"The subsequent plot should be that Mami Tomoe is defeated and Madoka signs the contract."

He made a deduction.

"In the previous part of the content, it was mentioned that Madoka Kaname has excellent qualities. No matter how you look at it, she would probably choose to make a contract in a critical moment, which is a very common tactic."

As Ritsu Saito continued flipping through the pages, he sensed that the dialogue seemed to deliberately encourage the reader to empathize with Mami Tomoe's state of mind.

If Mami Tomoe were to encounter danger at this point in the story, Madoka Kaname would probably not hesitate to sign a contract to become a magical girl.

......

But a few minutes later, when Ritsu Saito finished reading the last page of his notes, his expression suddenly froze.

It felt like I'd been punched hard in the face, and my head was ringing.

"Will you really fight alongside me from now on? Will you always be by my side?"

"I'm so happy. This is the first time I've fought with such a blissful feeling."

"There's nothing to be afraid of anymore; I'm not all alone."

“…”

How could things have unfolded like this?

A shiver ran through Saito Ritsu, spreading from his feet to his entire body.

"this...."

Ryosuke, sitting opposite him, smiled with his eyes narrowed and took a small sip of his coffee.

"its not bad, right?"

Saito Ritsu nodded with a sense of loss, glanced down at the unfolding of the last scene in his notebook, and felt a malice that almost overflowed from the pages.

"I have to say, as expected of you. If you combine it with Rumiko Takashiro's original artwork... you should be able to maintain the patience of most viewers."

"Yes, that's why the impact is even more intense when things have developed to this point, isn't it?"

"I thought the overall style would be closer to Sakura's, but I was too naive."

"This work is, in some ways, more impressive than your previous work, and it might even redefine the market's perception of the magical girl genre."

Ritsu Saito closed his notebook.

Judging by personal preference, as an adult, he would undoubtedly prefer the work in his hand.

"Are you really going to let me be the animation director for this work?"

Saito Ritsu said this, but his hand remained on the notebook, showing no intention of returning it to Ryosuke.

"Well, strictly speaking, it's a joint supervision between you and me, and I also believe that Editor Saito has the ability to produce it."

Ryosuke extended his hand and placed it in front of the other person.

"So, it's a pleasure doing business with you?"

Without hesitation, Saito Ritsu took his hand.

Chapter 92 Company Site Selection

"If possible, please ask Ms. Rumiko Takashiro to make some simple revisions to the draft later, which would be more intuitive."

Before leaving, Ritsu Saito escorted the Takashiro siblings to the Kadokawa Building entrance and, after much deliberation, offered his suggestion.

"Should I have Ling Nai work on it? That's fine, but the picture I drew should already convey the meaning clearly, right?"

Ryosuke was somewhat puzzled.

He meticulously drew the key storyboards; for something like that, having a general concept is usually enough.

"..."

Who could understand those kinds of paintings?!

Saito Ritsu's lips twitched. The boy in front of him seemed to lack awareness of his own painting skills. Even though he had seen countless paintings, he would have difficulty recognizing those abstract things.

Previously, he relied entirely on the characters' dialogue to determine the plot's direction.

"Well, since Editor Saito has made this request, I'll have Ayano complete the full storyboard."

Ryosuke's reply relieved Ritsu Saito.

That would be best. It would be too much to ask him to set the overall style and tone of the entire work based on abstract art.

......

Two days have passed since I met Saito Ritsu.

Ryosuke, along with Ryouno and Hououin Saori, went through the process of notarizing the articles of association and obtaining proof of capital payment required for company registration.

Thanks to Phoenix Institute's advance preparations, the process went quite smoothly. Before officially going to the Legal Affairs Bureau for establishment registration, all that remained was to select the location of the company's headquarters.

August 22, Earth Sunday.

Ryosuke took Ayano to Tokyo, having arranged a time in advance with Phoenix Inu Saori to decide on the location of the company's headquarters.

At the entrance of Akihabara Station, Hououin Saori had been waiting for a long time.

Today, she wasn't wearing her usual otaku outfit; instead, she opted for a more casual look, which is unusual for her.

A black spaghetti strap tank top, layered with a loose white jacket, casually draped over the shoulders, revealing one shoulder.

Her long hair was tied into a ponytail and hung down her back, and she wore a pair of loose sunglasses.

Upon seeing Ryosuke, she tilted her head, flicked her sunglasses with her finger, and her clear eyes were full of smiles.

Do you like your outfit today?

“…”

He was openly flirted with in front of his younger sister.

Phoenix Inu could rattle off a whole bunch of things that girls would only say to their boyfriends or romantic partners.

However, Ryosuke was somewhat used to it and instead carefully examined her entire body.

To be honest, this outfit is quite ordinary, but it looks really good on Phoenix Inu.

"It suits you perfectly."

He didn't hold back his praise.

"Humph."

Noticing Ryosuke's gaze, Ling Nai let out a soft snort. The girl stared directly at Hououin's chest, her expression slightly displeased.

What? Is this lewd body of yours showing off to me?

Ling Nai looked down and compared herself to the other person. Although she had a significant advantage among her peers, she was still quite a distance behind in terms of size.

"It's getting late, let's hurry up, we have several places to visit today."

Phoenix Inu Saori pursed her lips, took the initiative to speak, and turned to lead the way.

'He was looking at me seriously; he's become bolder than before.'

Her heart beat a little faster.

.....

In one afternoon, the three of them visited more than a dozen office buildings for rent or sale.

They are located in different places, namely Akihabara, Nerima, and Suginami.

After viewing all the properties, the three of them found a coffee shop and sat down to discuss the matter.

"Let's rule out those dilapidated buildings in Akihabara first?"

Ryoko Takashiro was the first to offer her opinion.

"It's too far, and the facilities are old. I don't want to paint in that kind of environment."

The reason she came along today was because Ryosuke mentioned that in order to save on rent, they could terminate the lease on the studio and move all their belongings to the company, so they wouldn't have to travel back and forth between the two places anymore.

So, visiting the painting venue in the future was naturally a very exciting experience.

But if it's Akihabara, I'd rather not.

Although the presence of computer stores in this area has attracted many game companies and shops, gradually creating a strong otaku atmosphere, it is not suitable for all factors combined.

Phoenix Inu nods, agreeing with her sister's statement.

"Indeed, the price per 3.3 ping (3.3 square meters) is nearly 20,000 yen, which is too high compared to Nerima."

"What are Shi Yuze's considerations?"

She rested her chin on her hands, her cheeks pressed against the backs of her hands, and turned her head to look at Ryosuke Takagi.