Tokyo 1970: I'll draw Doraemon?

But soon, the real mother rushed out the door, still wearing an apron around her waist.

She hugged her son tightly and kissed his face excitedly.

Indeed, what mother wouldn't recognize her own son's voice?

……

After reading the short comic, Suzuki Jiro was extremely shocked.

At first, he was impressed by the solid foundation of the younger generation.

The artwork is superb, perfectly capturing the expressions of disappointment in each mother's eyes without appearing cluttered or stiff. It's more than enough for a serialized comic.

Even the panel layout is superb, full of dynamism while maintaining a sense of visual continuity. It's immediately obvious that the artist has thoroughly studied Osamu Tezuka's "Manga Classroom" to achieve this level of skill.

He's only eighteen years old, yet he possesses skills that rival those of seasoned manga artists who have worked in the field for over a decade. It would be a real shame if Fushimikawa didn't pursue manga; it would be a waste of his talent.

However, after watching for a short while, he stopped thinking about techniques or storyboarding and became completely immersed in the short story.

Thinking of the mothers whose hopes were dashed, he directly felt the cruelty of war.

He once again felt disgusted by the unjust wars his country had waged in the past.

"Without lengthy preaching, but through a subtle description, Fushimi directly states his thoughts..."

"What a remarkable young man. I will probably never forget his work."

That's how big the gap is between ordinary people and geniuses.

No amount of effort can catch up.

but……

“I used to want to create works that touch people’s hearts.”

I'm so unwilling to accept this.

……

"Waaaaah! Fushimi-senpai's drawing is amazing! I want to become like that someday and draw manga that expresses my true feelings!"

The boy beside Suzuki Jiro couldn't help but choke up.

Like many cartoonists, he was inspired to enter the comics industry by a particular work.

Jiro Suzuki seemed to see his former self in him. He too had embarked on his journey of drawing manga because he loved Osamu Tezuka's "Astro Boy".

"What's your name?" he couldn't help but ask.

Perhaps this young man will be like himself in the future, forgetting his original aspirations because of the blows of reality. Thinking of this, Suzuki Jiro felt a sense of pity.

I can share some life experiences with him, as an ordinary person.

"Hello, sir, my name is Toriyama..."

"Amin, hurry home!"

"Okay! Coming right away!"

Called by his friend, the boy, who was halfway through his sentence, bowed to Suzuki Jiro and quickly ran away.

Watching his retreating figure, Suzuki Jiro shook his head slightly. This guy was clearly no good; he should go find Fushimikawa instead.

……

Fushimikawa's house was quite eye-catching, completely different from the old houses of his neighbors. The exterior was simple and grand, and the courtyard inside was clean and tidy. Through the huge floor-to-ceiling window, Suzuki Jiro saw Fushimikawa drawing manga.

"They started painting not long after graduation. Didn't they even get a moment's rest?"

Jiro Suzuki felt much better. At least he realized that even geniuses have to work hard; success doesn't come out of thin air.

He entered the Fushimi house and knocked on the French windows.

"Bang bang."

……

Back home, after putting down his graduation certificate and carefully collecting the gifts from his friends, Fushimi Kawa practiced painting in the best-lit living room, as was his usual habit.

This is something that requires diligent study and practice; one cannot become a well-rounded individual simply by relying on excellent works in one's mind.

Although it was tough, it wasn't too bad.

Literature is a completely different matter; he lacked the talent to become a writer.

In an effort to improve his life, he plagiarized articles such as "The Showdown at Summer Camp" and "The White House Blackout for Life" during his elementary school years.

Japanese children are not as good as American children, and Japanese politicians are not as honest and compassionate as American politicians.

These opinions swept across Japan.

At the age of only 10, Fushimikawa became a household name as a genius.

The generous royalties lifted the Fushimi family out of poverty, and he himself received the Prime Minister's Award. He was surrounded by praise and encouragement, achieving both fame and fortune.

But as he continued to delve into literature, Fushimikawa discovered his weaknesses.

His writing is weak and ineffective, failing to evoke empathy from readers.

Famous novels can captivate readers with just a few words.

With his excellent stories, he might become a well-known writer, but he will never become a top figure.

Having realized this, Fushimikawa changed tracks.

The future of Japan is manga, and he chose to become a manga artist, working hard since junior high school.

"Bang bang."

A knocking sound came from the window. Fushimikawa looked up and saw a middle-aged man in front of him.

……

"I am Suzuki Jiro, your senior."

At the Fushimi residence, Suzuki Jiro sat cross-legged and explained his purpose.

“I saw your comic book ‘Mothers’ at school, so I couldn’t wait to ask you about it…”

He wasn't as eager as he claimed; instead, he remained silent for a while before asking, "How did you create this comic?"

Fushimikawa sat opposite him, his mind flashing through the efforts of the past five years.

I studied the teaching materials drawn by cartoonists, learning their storyboards, through the changing seasons, day and night, without a single day of relaxation.

Combined with the Russian short films he had seen in his previous life, the comic book "Mothers" came about.

With a slight smile, Fushimi Kawa raised his palm, speaking with an air of ease.

"It's not difficult for those who know how."

Having received no answer, Suzuki Jiro felt relieved.

“That’s true,” he chuckled, “Only with this kind of mindset can you create interesting comics.”

It's not difficult for someone to understand; he truly hoped that one day he could say such a thing.

"You can call this number after you get to Tokyo. I do know a bit about the manga industry."

After saying that, he left, leaving only a business card.

"Fujio Fujio..."

He picked up the business card and looked at it, then paused for a moment, and subconsciously said:

"This is the author of 'Doraemon'."

Chapter 3 Waseda University Manga Club

In early April, after saying goodbye to his hometown, Fushimikawa arrived in Tokyo and became a freshman at Waseda University.

What club or organization do you want to join?

"Let's go with the Literature Club, since we're in the Literature Department."

"That's no fun at all. The swimming club is much better, hehe."

"hey-hey."

In the large classroom, the students around Fushimikawa burst into laughter.

High school students work very hard to get into a good university.

They study hard every day, their sleep time is reduced to less than five hours, they attend the most tutoring classes, and they write the most test papers.

Even Fushimikawa himself listened attentively in class, which is why he was able to get into Waseda University.

So when freshmen reach university, they suddenly feel liberated and begin to pursue a rosy youth.

"Fushimi-kun," Naoya Onishi, who was also a neighbor in the Fushimi River dormitory, asked curiously, "What about you? Which club are you going to join? Baseball? Or soccer?"

Fushimikawa shook his head slightly: "I don't have any plans to join a club yet."

He wouldn't play house.

Having honed his skills and with ample time available in university, he plans to dedicate all his energy to serializing his comics.

"Eh~ Is that so? That's a real shame. Waseda has so many interesting clubs, like the manga club I joined..."

Ignoring Naoya Onishi's rambling, Fushimikawa packed his backpack and stood up: "I'm going back to the dorm first."

"Okay, okay."

……

In spring, even the air smells sweet.

The open space between the teaching building and the dormitory for students in the Faculty of Literature is a place provided by the school for clubs to recruit new members.

The place was bustling with people, many of whom held up homemade signs, inviting interested freshmen to join their clubs.

The place was bustling with noise and very lively.

Unlike the other freshmen, Fushimikawa was not excited. He ignored the tempting offers of the Experience Club and the Photography Club and walked forward with his head down.

In the end, Xiaohui still avoided showing herself.