Tokyo 1970: I'll draw Doraemon?

"Horikawa, is today your birthday? As your teacher, I should forgive a student for making a small mistake on their birthday. So, it's alright, calm down, just don't let Director Shiraishi know."

The old headmaster grumbled, "I'm almost retired, I can't control him anymore. If he insists on punishing you, there's nothing I can do. Honestly, he used to be my student, how did he become such a serious person?"

Horikawa could no longer hear what Fujino was saying after that.

The words "your birthday" echoed in his mind.

He asked incredulously, "You...you know my birthday?"

“Of course,” Fujino nodded. “There are only 203 students in your year, so it’s not a big deal to remember their appearance, names, and dates of birth.”

Fujino had always done it this way. He had forgotten his original intentions; it had just become a habit, and he continued in this way.

Horikawa listened with tears welling up in his eyes.

He thought he didn't care about birthdays, but he was still deeply moved when someone mentioned them.

Not to mention that this person is the school principal.

“Don’t look at me with such admiration,” Principal Fujino said, turning his head slightly embarrassed to look southeast, his tone filled with reminiscence.

“I also have my own selfish reasons. Many students have forgotten, after all, I’m getting old. But Fushimi, who graduated 3 years ago, I can still feel like I can see him now.”

Horikawa asked curiously, "Does Fushimi-senpai have a question?"

Fujino shook his head: "He is very mature and has a way of thinking that far surpasses that of adults. Although he didn't focus on his studies, he still got into Waseda University. He was busy working hard for his future in high school and never let up."

He sounded like a very remarkable person, and Horikawa was astonished.

"Is it because he has few friends? Is he always lonely and needs you to think about him often?"

“Of course not,” Fujino shook his head again, a smile on his face as if showing off. “Fushimi has a lot of friends, not just in his year, but all over the school. Horikawa, do you know? At Fushimi’s graduation ceremony, several girls were vying to hug him goodbye.”

"Everyone wanted to see him from the front, the side, and the back. Because he was very charismatic and always cared about the people around him."

Horikawa scratched his teeth, feeling completely outclassed.

This senior named Fushimi is a true all-rounder, excelling in academics, execution, emotional intelligence... without a single weakness.

They are born to make people feel inferior.

"Then what is it that you still think about Grandpa Principal?"

His future is clearly bright; he will either become a senior executive in a company, a scholar, a politician, or an artist—a person who is useful to society.

“I don’t know either,” Principal Fujino sighed.

He didn't explain further, but instead took a step forward.

"I wonder how Fushimi's dream of becoming a manga artist is going."

……

Such an outstanding senior, his dream was to become a cartoonist!

In that case, anything is possible in his current situation.

After all, success in comics is not easy and even involves some gambling.

Talent is a must, hard work and sweat are indispensable, but most importantly, there is a touch of luck.

Many talented people have remained silent for more than a decade before suddenly making a name for themselves; this phenomenon is countless in the comic book industry.

Countless people's dreams of becoming comic artists have been shattered during the difficult period of settling down.

"Senior must have given up, right? After all, he has a bright future ahead of him, and there's no need for him to waste his time on a comic book that seems to have no end."

Horikawa walked back to the classroom, lost in thought.

"Ah, Horikawa, have you seen the principal?"

Akira Toriyama, carrying his schoolbag, hurried past him and asked anxiously, "I went to his office, but he wasn't there."

Horikawa snapped out of his reverie and asked curiously, "What do you want with the principal? And it's strange that you're carrying a backpack in the middle of the day."

“You definitely won’t believe what I’m saying,” Akira Toriyama said with a smile. He took off his backpack, unzipped it, and showed his friend what was inside. “I’m going to give these to Principal Fujino.”

"What!" Horikawa exclaimed in surprise. Akira Toriyama's backpack was clearly full of comic books.

The Doraemon and Parasyte manga volumes are currently very popular, displayed in the most prominent positions in bookstores, tempting many students to spend their pocket money to buy them.

Three out of ten people in the school have these books.

The amount of stuff confiscated by the head of the teaching department could probably fill half a classroom.

"Is it your birthday today too?" Horikawa asked with a strange expression. "Even if it is, there's no need to provoke the principal."

"Birthday? Why bring this up all of a sudden? Oh well," Akira Toriyama sighed. "I wanted to give you a surprise."

He opened the inner compartment of his backpack and took out a doujinshi titled "Tomie's Beloved". The cover alone was quite daring, which made Horikawa blush.

"This is my favorite doujinshi, I'll give it to you."

"Thank you!" Horikawa said sincerely as he took the R18 doujinshi. "This has been the happiest birthday I've ever had!"

It wasn't because of any Tomie doujinshi, but because neither the principal nor his close friends forgot to celebrate his birthday.

"Hehe." Horikawa carefully put away the very useful "Tomie's Beloved" and decided to keep it under his bed for easy access at any time.

After all, this is a friend's thoughtful gesture.

"You mean the principal? I know where he is. I'll take you to him right now."

……

The two returned to the corridor and found Principal Fujino sitting on a bench, still gazing into the distance.

He still misses that unfamiliar senior.

Horikawa sighed. The principal was probably just like him, always worrying about Fushimi-senpai because he didn't believe he could succeed.

If a genius goes astray, the teacher will not stand by and watch.

"headmaster."

"Oh, Horikawa, you're back again. And with Toriyama." Principal Fujino was pleased to see the two of them.

“It’s Akira who’s looking for you.” Horikawa pushed Akira Toriyama’s shoulder and couldn’t help but say, “Principal Fujino, you don’t really need to worry. Just like you said, Fushimi-senpai matured early. He knew it would be difficult for him to become a manga artist, so he chose another path.”

Upon hearing the surname Fushimi, Akira Toriyama opened his mouth. He picked up his schoolbag, intending to hand it to Principal Fujino immediately.

Principal Fujino said to Horikawa, "Is that what you think? You're underestimating Fushimi. Becoming a manga artist probably won't be a problem for him."

"Yes, yes." Akira Toriyama nodded, arms crossed.

"Right now, he should be working as an assistant for some cartoonist, working hard to make his debut. When he graduates from university, he will have plenty of time and will achieve something."

He explained further, but Horikawa didn't believe him, and even Akira Toriyama couldn't help but shake his head.

"Principal, you underestimate Fushimi-senpai. Actually..."

Akira Toriyama opened his bag, took out two single-volume books, and handed them to Fujino, saying, "Please take a look."

Taking the comic book, Fujino looked at the author's name, "Oikawa II," with a strange expression. He scrutinized Toriyama Akira's face, speechless for a moment.

"This is the first time I've ever seen such a bold student as you."

"No!" Akira Toriyama quickly waved his hand and said hastily, "This is something Fushimi-senpai asked me to bring to you. There's also a letter he wrote to you tucked inside the title page."

Fujino was taken aback, and his cloudy eyes suddenly became bright.

His right hand trembled as he took out a folded pair of reading glasses from his breast pocket and placed them on his nose: "Let me see."

……

“Principal Fujino, I have been in Tokyo for three and a half years. I am about to finish my studies and have made some progress in my dream of creating manga. I have not let you down.”

"I wonder how school is? Are the younger students very naughty? If you really can't control them, you should be stricter. Some kids these days are rebellious."

“At my manga signing event, I unexpectedly met my junior Toriyama. I specifically asked him to bring my work back to you, and I hope you will not punish him for it.”

“In Tokyo, I met many wonderful people. Fujiko Fujio, my editor Takei, always looked after me... and many other like-minded people.”

“I am living a fulfilling and enjoyable life in Tokyo. My career is developing rapidly, and everything is going my way, so you don’t need to worry about me.”

I hope you are in good health.

Student, Fushimi River (and Kawaji) stayed. "

After reading the letter, Fujino carefully folded it and tucked it into his comic book.

Then he let out a long sigh.

"That puts my mind at ease."

Knowing that Fushimikawa was safe and sound, he relaxed and then belatedly looked at the Parasyte manga.

"He's become so amazing... much better than writing novels. He made a good choice."

“Fushimi-senpai is one of the best,” Akira Toriyama couldn’t help but say. “In Tokyo, I competed with thousands of people just to get his autographed volumes. There are so many people who admire him and love his work.”

"Wait a minute!" The principal and his friend were getting more and more mysterious, so Horikawa couldn't help but ask, "So what exactly is the situation with Fushimi-senpai? Why did he ask you to bring his best-selling manga to the principal? Did he participate in the creation of these two magazines? And, to be loved by thousands of people, what exactly did Fushimi-senpai do?"

"Who is he?!"

"Huh?" Akira Toriyama was taken aback. He looked at his excited friend with surprise and said in a surprised tone, "Didn't you realize? Fushimi-senpai is of course the author of 'Doraemon' and 'Parasyte,' Oikawa-sensei."

He spoke simply, but Horikawa felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. He didn't know what kind of expression he had on his face, but it must have been quite something.

"Fushimi-senpai? He's become a legend in the manga?"

Chapter 104 Awards Ceremony, Widespread Praise

"Which unlucky kid had their comic books confiscated by the principal?"

"It's a standalone book...that must cost a lot of pocket money, right?"

"Huh? Why is the principal smiling so smugly?"

"That's so strange."

……

In September, Future Magazine, founded by Future Publishing, had been published for six months.

During this period, thanks to the joint efforts of many cartoonists, the circulation of Weekly Young Future has grown from 15 at the beginning to 32, which is now one of the top young manga magazines.