The manuscript for My Hero Academia was complete. The carefully inked pages, the dynamic storyboards, and the first chapters introducing Izuku Midoriya and his impossible dream were ready to face the world. Marcus, dressed in a subdued yet elegant suit that accentuated his heroic frame, stood before the imposing offices of Shueisha, one of Japan's largest manga publishers.
He hadn't made an appointment. He was relying on a more direct approach.
At the reception desk, he bowed slightly, with the respect and precise formality of a native speaker.
"Good morning. My name is Marcus Kane. I would like to meet with an editor, please. I have a manuscript I wish to present."
The receptionist, a young woman accustomed to anxious authors, looked up and... was momentarily speechless. Marcus's sculpted good looks, his quiet charisma, and his perfect, unaccented Japanese created a disarming cognitive dissonance.
"Uh... Do you have an appointment, Mr. Kane?" she managed to say.
"No, I do not," he admitted with a disarming smile that made the young woman blush. "I know it's unusual. But I truly believe in my project. If someone could just take a look, it would be a great honor."
His quiet confidence and impeccable manners had their effect. Instead of turning him away, she made a flustered call. A few minutes later, a middle-aged editor, Mr. Tanaka, came down, looking slightly annoyed.
"Yes? What's so urgent?" he grumbled.
Then he saw Marcus. His annoyance shifted to curiosity. The man before him was nothing like the stereotypical otaku. He looked more like a Hollywood movie star.
"Mr. Tanaka, I presume?" said Marcus, bowing again. "I am Marcus Kane. Thank you so much for your time."
Intrigued despite himself, Tanaka led him to a small meeting room. Marcus retrieved his portfolio with a certain grace and presented his manuscript.
"My Hero Academia..." Tanaka read, skimming the first pages. His expression, initially skeptical, changed as he turned the pages. He saw the quality of the art, the narrative mastery, but most of all, the striking concept.
"A world where 80% of the population has superpowers... and the hero has none?" he murmured, interested. "It's... risky. But potentially brilliant."
The discussion that followed was fluid. Marcus not only spoke perfect Japanese, but he understood the nuances of the market, cited classics with respect, and explained his vision with contagious passion. He didn't seem like an amateur, but a professional.
"Your Japanese is impressive, Mr. Kane," Tanaka remarked. "Where did you study?"
"I've always been passionate about your country's culture," Marcus replied truthfully, omitting the detail that this "passion" had been downloaded into his memory by a cosmic accident. "I've dedicated my life to studying it."
After an hour, Tanaka stood up, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
"This is unusual. Very unusual. But I want to present this to the editorial board. Leave your manuscript with me."
Marcus bowed one last time. "Thank you very much. I am immensely grateful."
Leaving the building, Marcus felt a surge of optimism. He had used every tool at his disposal—his appearance, his manners, his knowledge—to push open a door that was closed to most newcomers.
A few days later, as he was training on the rooftops of Shinjuku, his phone vibrated. It was an email from Mr. Tanaka.
Subject: My Hero Academia
Mr. Kane,
The board was impressed. Your project is bold, fresh, and has enormous potential. We would like to offer you a contract for a serialized trial run in Weekly Shōnen Jump.
Please contact us to discuss the details.
A broad, genuine smile illuminated Marcus's face. A victory. A real one. Not won by brute force, but by talent, preparation, and a little bit of charm.
He looked out at the city sprawling before him, the neon lights beginning to glow in the twilight. He was Utopian, the hero. And he was about to become Horikoshi Kōhei, the mangaka. Two dreams, two lives, beginning to take flight in the night sky of Tokyo.