Tokyo 1970: I'll draw Doraemon?

The fact that the first volume of "Naruto" sold over a million copies in a short period of time is partly due to the efforts of those who followed the trend.

"Comics always have an unexpected charm. As long as I'm still drawing comics, they will bring me countless surprises."

Looking at the cherry blossoms opening their buds in the cold wind, Osamu Tezuka felt a surge of emotion.

The era of comics he ushered in has grown ever stronger thanks to the efforts of countless geniuses.

In the future, comics may become a calling card for Japan, making Japanese people more friendly and harmonious.

"Comics, after all, are meant to bring joy to children."

……

When Naruto surpassed one million copies, it quickly became a major news story affecting the entire nation.

Even the bored middle-aged women who frequent the streets and alleys have started discussing this work.

"Mrs. Kuroda, do you know what? The 'bad' publications that we used to reject have now become mainstream. A single comic book has sold over a million copies!"

"Over a million? That's outrageous! What's wrong with this era? Comics are so popular now? This is terrible."

"Perhaps there's something wrong with us? A comic book that can attract millions of buyers must have its merits, right? We need to look at it from a different perspective."

When comics become mainstream, those who initially rejected them will change their minds and start to wonder if there's something wrong with them.

This is a positive benefit that Naruto has brought to the manga industry.

"Yes." Mrs. Kuroda nodded.

Faced with such a huge hot topic, how could Japanese media figures possibly let it go?

Shueisha's influence wasn't that great yet.

So the next day, the names "Naruto" and "Weekly Shonen Future" appeared in more than one or two newspapers.

Chapter 159 Huge Repercussions and the Embarrassment of Nagano Nori

The "shonen manga" that people often talk about in later generations refers to the three major Japanese shonen manga that even migrant workers know about.

One Piece, Naruto, Bleach.

From the moment Chinese people became aware of Japanese comics, this literary genre has shone brightly and become a mainstream perception in Japanese society.

Each comic book can sell hundreds of millions of copies, which is unbelievably exaggerated.

However, even in 1974, Japanese manga was still primarily read by children and students, and not part of mainstream culture.

So when Naruto, with its first volume selling over a million copies, became a topic of conversation even among middle-aged women, it seemed as if the manga had broken through a bottleneck, making even editors and manga artists who weren't affiliated with Mirai Publishing Company proud.

"Ah, Rumiko, you said you wanted to draw manga?"

In an ordinary family home in Shinichi, Japan, the head of the household, Takahashi, who was reading the newspaper, suddenly asked his youngest daughter a question.

“Yes,” Rumiko Takahashi nodded blankly, “I’ve always had this dream.”

She was a little confused because her parents had never really supported her drawing comics, thinking it was just a waste of time.

Even though she is introverted by nature and loves to draw, having imitated Fujio Akatsuka's "Osomatsu-san," Ryoichi Ikegami's "Spider-Man," and Ikki Hara's "Star of Giants," and devoted a great deal of energy to it, her parents still strongly opposed it.

In Japan during the 60s and 70s, opportunities were everywhere; as long as you studied hard, you could have a bright future.

Jobs are everywhere, so geniuses should use their talents on academic subjects, not on things like comics or football that are considered "frivolous pursuits" that will "destroy one's ambition."

She asked curiously, "Dad, why do you ask that?"

“Well,” the head of the Takahashi family scratched his cheek, covering his face with a newspaper, and said in a deep voice, “I’ve always felt that drawing comics is just a waste of time. It’s not popular entertainment, and it might be eliminated by society one day.”

"but……"

"The author of Naruto has sold a million copies of his books... That's amazing, the development of this industry. Maybe you could give it a try, and if that doesn't work, then you can read books."

He couldn't really do anything about it; his daughter was just too stupid, and she always failed math.

Try other directions; perhaps we can discover her talent.

"Yay!" Rumiko Takahashi couldn't help but cheer when her father finally relented.

At this moment, she was truly grateful to Mr. Oikawa for his contributions to manga, which allowed her, as a fan, to benefit from them.

Then came the layers of pressure. After that, comics were no longer just a trivial matter for her, but a heavy responsibility for her future.

She needs to work even harder.

"Thank you, thank you Dad, for understanding me."

She's the type who, even if she gets into a good university and has a bright future, can't help but want to draw comics.

Manga artists such as Fujio Akatsuka, Ryoichi Ikegami, Fujiko Fujio, Osamu Tezuka, and Ji Oikawa created a beautiful dream for her, and Rumiko Takahashi also wanted to become that kind of person.

"I'm going back to my bedroom to draw comics!"

She put down her water glass and went to her bedroom on the second floor.

With her hand already on the wall, Rumiko Takahashi turned around and earnestly explained:

"The author of Naruto is Oikawa-sensei, who is also one of the creators of Doraemon. Dad, don't forget that."

The head of the Takahashi family shrugged helplessly: "Okay, okay, I understand."

The footsteps gradually faded away. The head of the Takahashi family took the newspaper away and looked at the news reports, gradually gaining some understanding of the immense popularity of "Naruto".

"It's no wonder that Rumiko's manga, which she puts so much effort into, is so popular. Behind these million manga books are countless Rumikos."

"Manga is the future of Japan."

He came to this conclusion.

……

What happened to the Takahashi family is something that happens to many families in Japan.

Comic artists, newcomers, and enthusiasts who were not understood by their families suddenly felt much more relaxed after "Naruto" became a social phenomenon.

While they didn't offer the same level of support as the head of the Takahashi family, their family members were much less resistant.

"Let's draw a manga like Naruto."

With this hope from their families, many people saw the call for submissions for "Fujisho" and could submit their work as long as they had never done a serialized work before.

With such lenient requirements, it wouldn't be a problem for them to submit their work and give it a try.

As a result, people from all over Japan sent 35 pages of manuscripts to Miraisha, a company located in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

This was precisely Fujiwara Maki's trump card. She understood that as long as the results of the Naruto manga were revealed, it would spark social discussion and thus expand the influence of the Fuji Prize.

This level of public enthusiasm is beyond the influence of Shueisha or Kodansha.

“Developing a business is really as easy as pie,” she said, sitting in the conference room, looking at the news reports in the Tokyo Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun and Akahata newspaper. The corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up, even forming a checkmark.

"As long as Mr. Oikawa is there, the Future Society can overcome all obstacles."

"We have so many cards we can't possibly play them all."

"There is absolutely no need to worry about suppression from industry leaders."

"Because our work is of high quality."

The editors chatted away, their smiles never stopping.

Takei Toshiki gloated, "I really wonder what Nagano, the editor-in-chief of Jump, will think when he sees this, hahaha."

……

"I'm furious!"

In the editor-in-chief's office of Jump magazine, Nori Nagano watched the news anchor meticulously introducing the Naruto manga on television, and his mood worsened, his face turning red with frustration.

"The shonen manga called Naruto has generated a huge response, with tens of thousands of teenagers rushing to buy the manga. Even middle-aged people have become interested in Naruto."

The program then switched to an outdoor scene showing a long line outside a bookstore, with high school students and young working professionals reading "Naruto".

A scene of vibrant life and flourishing vitality.

With everyone discussing Naruto, Nagano Nori's attempt to block the "Fuji Prize" was completely futile.

Even more people began to learn about the magazine "Weekly Shonen Future".

The Fuji Prize, held for the first time by Mirai-sha, which brings glory to the manga industry, probably received more submissions than the Tezuka Prize, which has been held by Jump for many years!

At this moment, Nagano Nori understood completely.

"No wonder Mirai Publishing set a first print run of 02 copies for Naruto Volume 60. This manga is guaranteed to sell well."

"Maki Fujiwara released the second volume of the manga to boost sales of the first volume and achieve the goal of selling one million copies ahead of schedule!"

"My guesses were all wrong! Terribly wrong!"

Nagano Nori felt extremely embarrassed when he recalled his smug expression while drinking red wine. If outsiders found out about this, he would be unable to stay in Japan and would be too ashamed to face anyone.

Moreover, at this point, Mirai-sha is no longer able to suppress it.

In just two years, it grew into a manga magazine publisher comparable to Shueisha.

From now on, it will be a real battle, and underhanded tactics will be completely ineffective.

"This is a real headache... What manga can possibly beat Naruto?"

Even Nagano Nori, Japan's most renowned editor, was at a loss.

Overt strategies are always superior to covert ones, and ultimately, it all comes down to internal strength.

The female host was still reporting on the impact of "Naruto" next to his ear.

"Naruto transcends age barriers and possesses literary merit. Manga is no longer just for children..."

"Beep".

Picking up the remote, in frustration, Nagano Nori turned off the TV.

……

Not long after, the second volume of Naruto sold out and was reprinted.

However, no one cares about this achievement anymore.

After all, this is a work that is enough to defeat Naruto, which is published by Jump.