Tokyo 1970: I'll draw Doraemon?

Although I didn't suffer any losses, my competitors gained an advantage. Doesn't that mean I suffered a loss?

"If only I had..."

After comforting himself for a long time, Nagano Noriyuki finally started reading the specific content of the article.

"Barefoot Boy is a great work. It can enrich the comic book genres of the magazine and also enhance the magazine's style."

This is the type of work he needs most.

Although Jump is moving very fast, it is also moving very dangerously.

Compared to Magazine and Sunday, it has a very bad reputation among parents.

Despite gaining fame through "Shameless Academy," several years later, Jump magazine still couldn't shake off the stereotype that "the serialized works are all violent and pornographic, and children will be corrupted by reading them."

Only responsible works like "Barefoot Boy" can reverse parents' discrimination against "Jump".

"Unfortunately, this isn't ours."

Nagano Nori shook his head.

"Detective Story is also very interesting. You can see that Kenji Hirokane has a lot of ideas. His comics are rooted in the current society and express the feelings of many people. Kenji Hirokane's future is limitless."

No matter what kind of magazine it is, it needs a manga artist like Kenji Hirokane.

"Of course, the most important thing is Parasyte. As long as Oikawa is there, Weekly Youth Future will be invincible and will never fail."

He really wants to have a cartoonist like that.

"Fortunately, Future is just a youth magazine and doesn't directly conflict with Shueisha."

Patting his chest, Nagano Nori felt somewhat fortunate. Competing against that magazine, which was united, highly managed, and had signed the most influential manga artists, would be a headache even for him.

……

On September 29, 1972, a groundbreaking news story made headlines on the front pages of newspapers large and small.

Even weekly newspapers would publish an extra edition at this time.

No matter which newspaper people buy, they will immediately see the same news: Kakuei Tanaka visits China and signs the "Joint Statement between China and Japan," officially establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries!

Members of all political parties in Japan were bombarded with this news. Conservatives, pro-Taiwan factions, and Showa right-wing forces within the Liberal Democratic Party reacted strongly, with voices criticizing Kakuei Tanaka rising one after another.

In contrast to their grief, the comic book community was celebrating wildly.

“This is truly a wonderful thing. Communication is a prerequisite for achieving peace,” Osamu Tezuka told Fushimikawa. He may have made calls to many people, but he still couldn’t shake his joy.

“That’s what I think too,” Fushimikawa said.

Regardless of the outcome, the honeymoon period between China and Japan has indeed greatly benefited China's development.

Both sides got what they needed: one gained the market, and the other obtained the much-needed equipment.

If it weren't for the US blockade and the burden of history, this should have started long ago.

"If channels for cultural exchange between people could be opened up soon, I would like to go to China and meet Professor Wan Laiming."

"I made up my mind to make animation after reading Wan Laiming's 'Princess Iron Fan'."

Osamu Tezuka added.

This 1941 Asian feature-length black-and-white animated film with sound made Osamu Tezuka realize that Asians were also capable of creating works comparable to European and American animated films.

His later comic, "My Monkey King," was inspired by "Princess Iron Fan."

“Then we’ll have to wait,” said Fushimikawa, who knew about history. “Don’t be too optimistic. It will take at least ten or eight years before China and Japan can reach the point of cultural exchange.”

"You mean the honeymoon period between China and Japan can last this long?" Osamu Tezuka was very surprised, his tone revealing delight. "That's wonderful!"

Fushimi River remained silent.

That's certainly true.

……

While the honeymoon period between China and Japan is important, it will take a very long time before cultural exchanges can truly open up.

At that time, Fushimikawa was almost middle-aged.

He'll probably be successful in his career and have two or three children, but it all seems so far away.

The important thing now is the establishment of Weekly Shonen Future.

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Oikawa."

On this day, at Miraisha, Fushimikawa met an acquaintance, who was also his first mentor, Fukuda Tomoyuki.

Because of himself, he left Shogakukan and chose Miraisha. He projected his future onto Weekly Shonen Future, a publication that had not yet been born and whose future was uncertain.

To be honest, Fushimikawa was somewhat moved.

What about "Ikkyu-san"?

“Shogakukan is full of talented people, and someone else will take over.”

"What did Arima say?"

“We had drinks yesterday. He celebrated for me and said he would come over after finishing the serialization of ‘Ikkyu the Clever’.”

“Then…” Fushimikawa extended his right hand, and the two clasped hands tightly. “It’s a pleasure working with you!”

"Happy cooperation!"

……

In the summer of 1970, a college student submitted a manuscript to Shogakukan.

After reading his debut work, Tomoyuki Fukuda had only one thought.

This person has a bright future and will become Shogakukan's ace!

As he predicted, Sunday quickly caught up with the top tier thanks to Oikawa's work.

Despite various twists and turns, in the end, Oikawa saves everything.

His opinion of Oikawa was correct; this man is always trustworthy.

So he came again today, seizing the last chance to partner with Oikawa.

"Please let me see your new work, a new work that can rival the 'Shonen Future' title."

Chapter 107 Naruto

Doraemon is not a good candidate to elevate a newly launched magazine with a manga.

It is precisely because Weekly Shonen Sunday has hundreds of thousands of regular readers that the teen version of Doraemon was able to expand its reach and quickly gain influence.

If Doraemon were published in a niche magazine with a circulation of only tens of thousands, it would take several years to build a readership before it could become famous.

Because Doraemon lacks sensational elements and generates much discussion, its most valuable quality lies in its ability to touch people's hearts, which requires a genuine connection between the author and the readers.

The diffusion rate is not good.

Therefore, Oikawa could not continue the style of "Doraemon"; he needed a classic shonen manga.

It will excite and delight readers, making them eager to debate which character is stronger!

"I'm really curious."

Fukuda Tomoyuki's hands trembled as he opened the storyboard and setting book brought by Oikawa.

This is the new work by Oikawa Ji that he has been looking forward to for a long time.

It must be very interesting and cause a sensation in the industry.

"That's just the kind of person he is; he can always bring surprises."

……

The protagonist of the manga is Naruto Uzumaki, a boy whose body contains the Nine-Tailed Fox, the strongest tailed beast.

He was studying at the Konoha Ninja Academy and was worried about graduating.

……

This is what Tomoyuki Fukuda summarized after watching it, but in terms of the plot progression, Naruto was surprising enough to him.

The 54 pages contain a perfect expression of the protagonist's character: Naruto, who is mischievous on the outside but lonely and vulnerable on the inside, and who longs for recognition from others.

Secondly, there's the worldview: ninja academy, graduation exams, clone techniques, multiple shadow clone techniques... all these novel things constantly bombard the brain, making Fukuda Tomoyuki excited and happy.

The comic contains much more, including the progression of emotions and the development of well-rounded characters.

The story is simple and easy to understand, yet it contains so much...

"What an amazing first episode! It's practically a hexagonal opening! I've never seen such an exaggerated work before!"

The opening of Naruto was bound to cause a sensation; it was praised by many as the strongest opening in Jump.

In Fushimikawa's opinion, the only work comparable to the first episode of Naruto is Death Note.

The latter half of Death Note, with its intellectual battles between L and Light, is thrilling and possesses the unimaginable amazement that mystery works can offer.

Naruto is strong in every aspect, reaching a state of perfection.

No one could judge that it would happen to fail to pass the serialization meeting three times in a row.

"As expected of Oikawa-sensei..." Fukuda Tomoyuki said in disbelief, "I was fully prepared and full of expectations, but you still gave me a wonderful surprise!"

In 1972, there was no Dragon Ball, no Hunter x Hunter, and many of the tropes of shonen manga had not yet emerged.

The emergence of a comic book more than 20 years ahead of its time brought an unparalleled shock.

The key point is that this is not a work like "Evangelion" that is based on a specific historical context, but a type that people will like no matter when.

Standing on the shoulders of giants, Naruto can practically serve as a textbook for action-packed shonen manga.

"So," Fushimikawa looked at him with a smile, "you, the editor, approve of Naruto?"

“Of course!” Fukuda Tomoyuki nodded repeatedly. “Although the ninjas here are different from regular ninjas and have many superpowers, similar to Yokoyama Mitsuteru’s ‘Iga Kagemaru’, none of that matters. The most important thing is the fun of the manga, and the ninjutsu in ‘Naruto’ is very interesting.”

"only……"

"Just what?"

Fukuda Tomoyuki said somewhat dejectedly, "The setting is so perfect, and as the editor, I have no chance to intervene. What's the point of my existence? It makes me sad just thinking about it."