The hall quieted as the moderator spoke into the mic. "Please give a warm welcome to today's guests, Kotone, creator of Violet Evergarden."
Applause rose as Kotone walked out from backstage, offering a small, reserved smile as she took her seat on the panel. A few fans waved small banners.
"And next, the author of The Beginning After the End, TurtleMe."
"And finally… the creator of 5cm/s, Voices of a Distant Star, and Madoka Magica, please welcome Mizushiro."
The audience erupted. Some people nearly fell off their chairs trying to get a better view. Haruki gave a small nod and sat between them.
A young woman stepped up to the mic. "Hi, I'm Hailey. My question is for Kotone. Violet Evergarden… it felt so deeply emotional. Was there something personal behind it?"
Kotone paused. "To be honest, no. This idea had been in my mind for years before I started drawing, but I didn't know how to execute it. When I started college, I saw many people who didn't know how to express the messages they wanted to share. I had a rough draft already, and from that I just decided, I want to make something people will enjoy. If you were looking for an inspirational backstory, I'm sorry, I don't have that kind of story. I just had a clear idea of what I wanted to do, and I did it."
A few fans nodded appreciatively, while someone muttered, "So… no tragic diary hidden in her childhood, huh?"
Next, a tall boy with dyed streaks in his hair raised his hand. "I'm Justin. My question is for TurtleMe. In The Beginning After the End, Arthur often looks confident, but the narration shows he's full of doubt. Why did you write him like that?"
TurtleMe nodded. "When I first pitched the series, I wrote him as a perfect hero, flawless, fearless. The studio rejected it outright. They told me, 'We don't care if he wins. We want to care if he hurts.' So I deleted everything, kept only the skeleton of the plot, and rewrote Arthur as someone terrified of failing in front of people who think he's invincible. That fear became the heartbeat of the whole story."
A few people clapped quietly.
A bespectacled man stepped up. "My name's Ryan. This is for Mizushiro-sensei. Your stories… especially 5cm/s and Voices of a Distant Star… they always feel like they're reaching for something far away. Why is that?"
Haruki leaned on the table, thinking for a moment. "Honestly, my answer is the same as Kotone's. I just wanted to make a romance anime that felt different from what was on the market at the time."
A man in a red hoodie raised his hand. "I'm Connor. This one's about Madoka Magica. How did you come up with the idea? Like… what made you turn something that looked so innocent into something so dark?"
Haruki's expression shifted slightly. "I've always loved the magical girl genre. When I was a kid, those shows were filled with hope, and that stayed with me. Even though Madoka Magica takes a darker turn, at its core it's still about hope, about how far people are willing to go to protect it. So in a way, I stayed true to the heart of the magical girl stories I grew up with."
There were murmurs in the audience. "I think he's just trying to justify this…" one fan whispered. "Hope? In Madoka? Are you serious?" another muttered. Someone in the back muttered jokingly, "Next he'll say it's a feel-good horror show."
Another student spoke quickly before the moderator could call on anyone else. "I'm Lauren. Can you share any news about Code Geass?"
Haruki said. "I want you to set your expectations high, like something that will be remembered in history. And even then… this anime is going to exceed them."
The crowd murmured with excitement. People had already expected something good from him, and hearing Mizushiro say this made them even more hyped.
A girl with a sketchbook in her hands leaned forward nervously. "So… I don't really have a question about anime, but… will you ever do a world tour? Like signing manga volumes and meeting fans? Even if it's not a signing event, just a gathering?"
Haruki chuckled quietly. "That's a lot to ask. I can barely manage a single signing event, and you're asking me to tour the whole world. Maybe someday… visiting one country at a time. But that's still far in the future."
Finally, a girl from the back stood with a hesitant smile. "I'm Jessica. This is for Kotone, as we heard, you used to be Mizushiro's assistant. How do you feel knowing your anime might go head-to-head with Mizushiro's for Anime of the Year?"
Kotone hesitated, then answered softly. "Proud. Because years ago, I wouldn't have believed I could create something that stands alongside his. I still remember assisting him when he was making Rurouni Kenshin. That work is still in my heart, it's something I think will stay with me forever. No matter who wins, this already feels like enough."
A young man stepped up to the mic. "I'm Aiden. Mizushiro, I have a question about JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Why did you use an art style from the '80s? It feels completely outdated. Also, in the latest chapter, the Pillar Men — Esidisi, Wamuu, and Kars — their names sound like band names. Why?"
Haruki replied, "I'm very inspired by '80s and '90s manga, comics, and everything from that era. This was my first manga, so I naturally drew from that style. And yes, the Pillar Men's names are references to music from that era, you'll see more of that in future chapters."
After answering a few more questions, they signed copies of their works for fans.
The next day, Kotone came to drop Haruki off at the airport. "I'll see you back in Tokyo. Take care," he said as they hugged briefly before he headed toward his gate.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)