It had been a week since Evermark Productions released the Code Geass teaser, and the buzz still hadn't died down. Both the industry and the public had been waiting for June, and now the anticipation was only building.
As this project had international staff with world-class directors, the hype wasn't just in Japan. People all over the world were talking about it. Fans were still dissecting the teaser, making threads, edits.
Meanwhile, Mizushiro and the production team were tied up in long meetings. With only a month left before the premiere, the pressure was starting to build.
The big announcement dropped just days later: Code Geass would air two episodes per week. At first, Haruki had planned to release double episodes for the entire season, but once the team grew and new heads of department were brought in, they revisited the strategy. After heavy discussion, they settled it. The first batch of 14 episodes would run twelve episodes, airing two per week, while the second batch of 12 would slow to one per week.
The news lit up the fandom. Some were excited, thrilled to get more content quickly. Others worried about pacing, wondering if two a week would burn through the material too fast. Either way, the conversation was everywhere, and Code Geass had become the most anticipated work of June.
On Evermark's official website, many people expressed concern over the release. Industry voices debated the strategy as well. Mizushiro was seen as reckless with such a big project. Some insisted he should follow the industry standard, refined over years of trial and error, as the most optimal way to release content. Others worried it could give less time to polish each episode and potentially reduce profit. And no one in the industry fully understood why he was doing this.
Fans voiced their doubts too:
"Why is Mizushiro rushing production of Code Geass? We didn't ask for an early release. Please don't rush it. Make it live up to our hype."
"Yes, Mizushiro, you've built a dream team for this anime. Don't rush it."
Content creators and channels began covering the news of Mizushiro's bold strategy.
"I don't want to sound rude, but I don't think Mizushiro knows much about how anime is actually released, outside of the story itself. I'm not trying to hate, but maybe he should listen to his team members more."
"This might turn out to be a good strategy, or it could kill the hype Code Geass has been building."
"If Mizushiro's method succeeds, I don't think he'll get the credit. There are so many talented staff on this project. If it fails, though, the blame will fall squarely on him."
Yet, all this chatter only kept Code Geass in the spotlight. Anticipation kept rising, and hype for an original anime hadn't reached this level in what felt like forever. Both the industry and the public were focused on one title.
On the other side, Fullmetal Alchemist had just dropped a new chapter in Echo Shroud's latest issue. Edward, Alphonse, and Winry had returned from visiting their master, only to learn of Hughes's death. The weight of it hit the brothers hard, and the way they processed the grief made readers feel like they weren't just fictional characters. They were real people.
That same day, Mizushiro's feed began filling with comments again.
"The way Ed and Al reacted… no shounen MCs have ever felt this raw."
"Winry's line about wanting to make apple pie for Hughes crushed me. That hit harder than any battle."
"It's not the death itself anymore, it's how they live with it. That's what makes it hurt."
The shift from Code Geass hype to Fullmetal Alchemist's somber reality was stark. Yet both conversations kept Mizushiro in the spotlight. Fans went from buzzing about Code Geass to Fullmetal Alchemist in the span of a week, and the overlap between the two conversations only made Mizushiro's name louder. One side was all excitement for what was coming in June; the other was reeling from what had just been released. Together, it kept the spotlight fixed right where it had been for months: on Haruki and his work.
That same week, Haruki sat in his apartment, drawing the final chapters of JoJo Part 2. The double release in Echo Shroud had pushed Haruki's assistant team to maximum capacity, and Haruki was working nonstop. Just then, a system notification appeared:
"Congratulations, host. Fullmetal Alchemist has reached No. 1 in Echo Shroud. You have won the S-tier lottery."
Seeing the reward, Haruki felt a flicker of disappointment. He wouldn't be able to use it for another year, and only for anime. With manga, the wait would be even longer until completion. He pushed the thought aside and returned to his desk, when he suddenly remembered something.
He had written the opening theme for JoJo Part 3 but never handed it over. Picking up his phone, he called Haruka.
"Hey, Haruka, I just remembered. I finished the OP for JoJo, but I forgot to give it to you. You can come pick it up tomorrow or today, whichever you prefer."
"Oh? Did your friend write the new OP for JoJo too?" Haruka asked.
Haruki took a deep breath. "It's me. I wrote all the music I gave you for my manga."
Haruka said, amused, "So you're coming out of hiding now? Now you're not worried about disrupting your quiet life?"
Haruki sighed. "That excuse doesn't work anymore. It's time to tell the truth."
Haruka chuckled. "Well, looks like you've been busy these past few months. If you haven't checked the rankings, Fullmetal Alchemist just hit No. 1. Congrats."
"I saw it. I've been meaning to do something special for the fans. Their support pushed Fullmetal this far. What do you think?"
"Oh? So what do you have in mind? Another opening? And Haruki, don't even think about a double release. Fullmetal Alchemist isn't long enough for that."
Haruki laughed softly. "Don't worry, it's not about doubling chapters. I was thinking about writing an ending theme. The next few arcs are going to be very emotional, and I think it would fit perfectly. So, come by tomorrow. You can pick up the songs for both Fullmetal and JoJo."
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