Thursday, at Haruki's apartment
Haruka had come by to pick up the usual chapters for next week. As they sat together, Haruki poured coffee into two cups, passing one to her before settling with his own. Haruka began reviewing the new chapter of both Fullmetal and JoJo. As expected, the chapters were strong. There wasn't much she could critique, but it was her job as editor to go through them carefully, even if only to confirm the quality.
"Haruki," Haruka said after a pause, looking up from her notes, "JoJo Part 1 has been on sale since December 1st. With three weeks in, and with all five volumes out, sales have already reached two million. That's a really strong start, especially considering JoJo Part 2 is only seven chapters in. Your fanbase has grown a lot compared to when you were serializing Natsume and Initial D."
Usually, when a mangaka finished a major work, there was a drop in readers. But Haruki had broken that pattern. Month after month, his readership kept climbing. It was proof his momentum came not just from one series, but from his skill as a mangaka.
"Oh, two million already?" Haruki said, surprised. "I remember when we released the first three volumes of Initial D. After three or four months of serialization, we had just crossed 1.1 million. And that was with weekly releases. For JoJo Part 1 to hit this number so quickly, it's a really strong start."
Haruka smiled. "So, you've been saying you want to take a break. Now that you finally have some time, have you decided where you want to go? If not, I actually have a suggestion."
Haruki had been indecisive. His assistant, Kazuya, had all given him ideas, different destinations and reasons, but he hadn't settled on anything.
"As usual," Haruka continued, "Los Angeles is about to host one of the biggest anime expos in the U.S. They invite mangaka, voice actors, and directors from all over. It's a huge stage for the industry. Normally, I wouldn't suggest it, since you're not fond of public events. But since you wanted a break, this could work for both rest and exposure. You already have a strong base in Japan, but overseas, not many people know your name yet. This could help you reach further."
"That's a great idea. I should go," Haruki said after a moment. He had met Sora a few times in the past two years, though she had been busy with her new publishing house. Their contact had dwindled to the occasional call every few months. Back when Haruki was still adjusting to Tokyo, Kotone had gone abroad to the U.S. on a student exchange, and their contact had also lessened with time. If he went to America, it would be a good chance to see Kotone again.
"In that case," Haruka said, "Echo Shroud will handle the arrangements for your U.S. trip. You'll only need to appear on stage for one day."
Haruki nodded. This would quicken his world point collection and expand his presence internationally. Japan had always had peculiar tastes in anime. While many dedicated fans already knew his name, he hadn't produced any mainstream hits apart from Madoka Magica. That series was still considered niche, though it had broken into the mainstream spotlight. If he wanted to rapidly gather world points and grow his fanbase, the U.S., one of the few major powerhouses alongside Japan, was the right place to start.
"Yes," he said at last. "I'll go to L.A. for the Anime Expo."
"Great. I'll speak to the editor-in-chief. The expo begins next week, so you'll need to start preparing for your trip."
Los Angeles, USA
Inside Maya Productions, producer Michael Harris sat across from agent Rebecca Cole, the two deep in discussion about the studio's standing this year.
"This anime has been successful," Harris said with conviction. "I think it has a strong chance of becoming Anime of the Year at the Liora Awards. Maya Studio has won Best Visuals five years straight, but never Anime of the Year. This time, with such a powerful emotional drama theme and the weight behind it, I think we finally have a shot."
Cole leaned back, shaking her head slightly. "I wouldn't be so sure. You're a near guarantee for Best Visuals as usual, but Anime of the Year is another story. My client mentioned Japan has an extremely strong contender this year. Really strong. He's a mangaka, and she was his assistant. From the way she spoke, I got curious and checked the anime myself. It just wrapped last week, same timing as your series. Honestly? It's a serious rival. It's called Madoka Magica, and I'd say it has an even stronger chance at Anime of the Year."
Harris frowned, taken aback. "Did I hear that right? From the name alone, it sounds like a magical girl show."
"Yes," Cole said with a small nod. "It is. At first, I thought the same. But it deconstructs the magical girl genre, then reconstructs it in a way that's entirely new. You know how the Liora Awards lean toward works that reinvent a genre. Madoka did exactly that, and it actually worked. You should check it out. Maybe next year will be your turn."
Harris's confidence faltered. "I wouldn't be too sure about even Best Visuals next year. I heard Wes Merrick has picked up a new project. He's already broken our streak twice in the past decade, winning Best Art Direction both times. And from what I hear, he's been in Japan recently. If he's working out of there, the competition will be brutal."
Cole felt a pang of sympathy. Maya Studio had pioneered visual direction. Their five-year streak of Best Visuals nearly tied the longest record in the industry. If they won this year, it would make six, just one short of the all-time record of seven. But whenever they clashed with Merrick, the results had been crushing defeats. Now, with the record within reach, it felt like a mountain loomed between them.
Still, Harris leaned forward, determination hardening his voice. "We've prepared for this. We expected Wes's return, so we've developed a new art style using the latest technology. I don't believe any other studio can match it. We're putting everything into a single project this year. Just twelve episodes, but based on an incredibly strong work. This time, we'll win. And we'll finally cement Maya Studio as the greatest visual studio of all time."
[Note: Can you guess the anime?]
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