Tokyo 1970: I'll draw Doraemon?

The plan for a shonen manga magazine can now be implemented.

Fushimikawa's idea was to draw "Naruto," a manga that, despite its many flaws, is world-famous, especially among readers in Europe and America, and even surpasses "One Piece," which dominates it in Japan.

This situation only ended when Naruto concluded.

Although Japan's economy is growing, it desperately needs recognition from the outside world, especially from developed countries in Europe and America.

The Japanese would be extremely proud and honored if their own country's comics were liked by Europeans and Americans.

For this work that can make one stand tall, Naruto will become a manga with unprecedented popularity.

Miraisha could also overtake its competitors and reach the status of leading shonen manga publishers like Shueisha.

The only shortcoming is that Fushimikawa is not good at storyboarding battle scenes.

Apart from Parasyte, none of his other comics involve fighting.

Parasyte is more about strategic battles, and the combat scenes are mostly static, stationary attacks.

Now, a capable assistant has appeared.

That is Akira Toriyama, the world's number one fighter in the combat realm.

If that junior is really Akira Toriyama, the author of "Dragon Ball," then Fushimikawa absolutely cannot let him off the hook.

This not only guarantees magazine sales, but also provides him with the best opportunity to learn.

So even though he couldn't confirm the authenticity of his identity, Fushimikawa extended an invitation to his junior to meet after he finished his work.

The location is right at the backstage entrance of the stadium.

After the book signing ended, Fushimikawa immediately went to look for talent, afraid of missing out on some potential talent.

Wearing a hat and avoiding the crowd, he arrived at the lounge, but there were already many people there.

Searching with his eyes, Fushimikawa finally spotted Akira Toriyama.

The boy was sitting cross-legged, facing the wall, reading a comic book, his body completely blocking the contents of the comic.

Fushimi didn't dare to make a sound, afraid of attracting attention, so he slowly walked over and patted Toriyama Akira on the shoulder.

"Toriyama-kun, come with me."

"what!"

Akira Toriyama roared and quickly closed the doujinshi he was reading.

So tense? Fushimikawa asked curiously, glancing at the manga cover.

"Tomie... already has an 18+ doujinshi this early?"

It's only 1972, and there are already so many tricks up their sleeves. People learn bad habits so quickly.

“You…” Fushimi Kawa recalled the fan service scenes in the early episodes of Dragon Ball and said to Toriyama Akira knowingly, “It’s perfectly normal for boys to like these things, don’t be shy.”

Chapter Ninety-Eight: How about working for me?

Fushimi walked ahead, while Toriyama Akira, his face flushed, covered his face with his hands and followed behind with his head down.

He looked completely unpresentable.

Upon entering the backstage lounge, Akira Toriyama quickly offered an explanation.

"I was so bored while waiting that I took it out...and looked at it."

“Hmm,” Fushimikawa nodded, “It’s still Tomie’s clones, quite creative.”

Akira Toriyama felt even more ashamed.

Later, he became a cartoonist, and a reporter asked him, "What scene do you remember most vividly?"

He couldn't possibly say that he was caught by his most admired comic artist reading the artist's lewd doujinshi, could he?

I simply can't bring myself to say it.

"Alright, alright," Fushimikawa said, having had enough of the joke, and then asked him, "Are you planning to go to university?"

Akira Toriyama breathed a sigh of relief and quickly shook his head: "I don't have your talent, teacher. Maybe I'll end up working for a company?"

He put the bag of doujinshi he was carrying on the ground, pushed it back with his foot, and hid it behind his back.

"I see. If your dream is to be a manga artist," Fushimikawa looked up, "how about working for me?"

"What?!" Akira Toriyama looked at Fushimi Kawa in shock, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. "Fushimi-senpai, are you inviting me? Did I just faint from embarrassment?!"

“Working for me isn’t anything special.” Fushimikawa shook his head. “The monthly salary is only seventy or eighty thousand yen. If you can’t become a manga artist, there’s no potential for advancement.”

Nowadays, Japanese companies offer excellent benefits, implementing a lifetime employment system and a seniority-based promotion system. As long as you work for a company long enough, you can be promoted to management and obtain a respectable job.

It's different for a cartoonist's assistant. No matter how talented the cartoonist is, if you yourself are not good enough, the final result will only be a regrettable exit.

Without Hirokane Kenshi's confidence, many people wouldn't have the courage to gamble their future on manga.

"Seventy or eighty thousand!" Fushimikawa said casually, but Toriyama Akira was taken aback by the number. "Is there really such a high salary?"

Not only did they not charge tuition fees, but they also offered him a high salary. How should he choose? Akira Toriyama didn't need to think about it at all.

"But... I'm worried that I'm not capable enough."

"Just come in and learn at your own pace."

Many of the assistant's tasks can be done by ordinary people, such as blacking out colors, attaching halftone dots, and writing lines.

If Toriyama Akira hadn't met him before, he would have worried that the man in front of him was a fraud.

With almost no requirements and shockingly generous compensation, only a scammer could arrange such a job for you.

unless……

"Fushimi-senpai..."

Akira Toriyama's eyes were filled with tears. Was he being treated so well because he was a junior?

"I...I want to draw comics!"

He agreed.

……

The third CM Comic Con has also successfully concluded.

The emergence of 18+ doujinshi has made Fushimikawa look forward to the rise of cosplay culture, but he doesn't know how many years he will have to wait.

On August 5th, Akira Toriyama, who had not yet left Tokyo, visited the Oikawa Studio.

The senior artists painted with such seriousness and focus that he felt inferior to them.

Fushimikawa noticed his drawing skills; while they weren't exactly amazing, Toriyama Akira's major in high school was design, so he could easily be a competent assistant.

His talent cannot be judged in a short time.

Fushimikawa decided to wait until after he graduated from high school, to work inside Oikawa Studio, and spend more time getting to know him before making a decision about his identity.

"The organizers of CM Comic Con are having a celebration party tonight. Do you want to attend?"

He invited Akimichi Toriyama.

Akira Toriyama hesitated for a long time, opened his mouth but did not answer.

“Just say it,” Fushimikawa frowned. “Don’t beat around the bush like a girl.”

“I…” Akira Toriyama scratched his buzz cut and said embarrassedly, “I’m actually a pretty shy person. It’s the result of a long period of mental preparation that I was able to come to Tokyo to participate in the CM exhibition.”

“Okay,” Fushimikawa nodded, “Then I won’t try to persuade you any further. Just have fun. If you have any thoughts later, just tell me directly. Don’t keep them to yourself.”

Akira Toriyama was deeply moved.

Leaving my familiar hometown and arriving in unfamiliar Tokyo, it's so wonderful to have my senior from high school by my side.

He felt the warmth of home.

At 6 p.m., Fushimikawa took Akira Toriyama back to his hotel, and then went to the restaurant where they had met the previous year.

"Mr. Oikawa, you've arrived."

The first-year student who was greeting the manga club members at the entrance was very excited when he saw Fushimikawa. He said respectfully, "I'll show you the way."

“No need to trouble you,” Fushimikawa said, holding up his palm. “I know the location.”

The junior student looked somewhat regretful, nodded, and watched Fushimikawa leave.

"I was so surprised to actually meet this famous cartoonist. I was absolutely right to join the Manga Club."

The second-year student next to him said, "You're actually a little late. Last year, Oikawa-sensei often came to the manga club to teach us how to draw manga."

"Oh! That's such a shame! I wish I had been born a year earlier."

……

At this year's CM Comic Con organizers' gathering, Hideki Kurokawa was the speaker.

Fujiwara Maki sat to the side, keeping her presence to herself.

Fushimikawa looked around and noticed many unfamiliar people.

He probably won't attend the next gathering.

As everyone toasted and drank, Fushimikawa lost his real name, and everyone else addressed him as Oikawa-sensei.

Gradually, the presence of this pen name far surpassed that of his real name.

"Mr. Oikawa, Parasyte is selling very well, congratulations."

Someone spoke to Fushimikawa, who recognized the voice and turned around in surprise: "Onishi, you..."

Naoya Onishi, his former close dormitory neighbor, now seemed very reserved in his presence.

It's not called Brother Chuan, but Teacher Oikawa.

Fushimikawa immediately understood Lu Xun's feelings; a thick barrier had formed between the two of them.

"Thank you," Fushimikawa asked, "And who are you now?"

"My manga hasn't improved much. Although I still participate in manga club activities, well," Onishi said apologetically, "I can only support you as a reader."

The harder he tried, the more he felt the gap between himself and Fushimikawa.