Full-time cartoonist

"It's finally over."

Takahashi Kazuki pressed his temples and breathed a sigh of relief.

He witnessed a miracle.

When this miracle first started, Takahashi Kazuki took it for granted;

But as the miracle intensified, his mouth opened wider and wider.

One month, two months, three months...

This miracle lasted for more than three months.

It finally ended today.

"Xiao Zheng ranked first for sixteen times...it's terrible."

In April this year, "Yu-Gi-Oh!" produced by Toei Animation was broadcast, and he only took the first place in Komasa, and his results have been mediocre since then.

Winning the first place consecutively is simply impossible for him, no, for all cartoonists.

But "Slam Dunk" did it.

"horrible."

…

"Sixteen times." Oda Eiichiro said, "Toriakino-sensei is getting more and more scary."

The man in his heart was nothing unusual when they met before. Ordinary, like an easy-going otaku.

But now, the image in Oda's impression is gone. Now I can only think of his outline, the image is getting blurry and blurred, it seems like a black shadow, like a villain.

The insurmountable villain, I was trembling under his feet, without any courage to struggle.

"How could I think that?" He slapped the table and stood up, very tough.

"Down with Akino Mirai! The world belongs to Eiichiro Oda."

He is looking forward to the day when he can proudly declare: "I am the king of the world."

"Impossible, impossible," the assistant waved his hand, "Tori Akino-sensei cannot be surpassed."

Oda was suddenly discouraged.

"Whether Xiaozheng's grades or the sales volume of the single volume, the teacher is far behind." The assistant continued to make up for it.

"Poof!" Oda seemed to have vomited three liters of blood, and held his chest and stopped moving.

…

The basketball game has come to an end, and the comics will continue to be daily content for three or four months. Five days a week is enough, and Hibiki feels much more relaxed.

He also lived a 9-to-5 life.

Sometimes I feel bored.

I feel extremely uncomfortable when I'm tired, and my body doesn't get used to it when I finally have some free time.

Hibiki Higashi feels like he is a hard worker.

Fortunately, now, he has toys to pass the time.

"It's so careless."

Hibiki Tono held a card in his hand and looked at it over and over.

"There are no details, the pattern on the back of the card is ordinary, and it also looks a bit inferior. No wonder it can't achieve results."

This card is Blue Eyes White Dragon.

Different from the one everyone knows, this Blue Eyes White Dragon is produced by Bandai.

Previously, Bandai purchased the copyright of Yu-Gi-Oh's cards and produced 200 copies of the cards.

However, this did not make waves in the market.

I just produced three editions in a row and then stopped.

Higashikata wanted to buy it, but couldn't find a place.

This set was given to him by Takahashi Kazuki.

"Yu-Gi-Oh Cards also have their downturns." Hibiki Higashino murmured to himself.

This set of cards had no game rules and could only be collected. After looking at them for a while, he put them away.

"Higashino, TV! TV!"

When Higashino was slandering Bandai, Akimiya Akemi ran over and shouted loudly.

"TV Asahi, hurry."

As she spoke, she excitedly sat down next to Higashikata Hibiki.

"What's wrong?" Hibiki Higashikata was confused, but he still turned on the TV and broadcast it to TV Asahi.

"Ah, this."

…

On November 5, 1998, the trailer of "Unknown Flower Name" was aired.

"This is the first 24-minute cartoon of "Future Society". " Hayao Miyazaki thought with a straight face.

He watched "Comic Manga Hiyori" before. Although the animation's results were very good and the audience recognized it very much, what should he say?

He didn't like it very much.

It's too much of a parody of a historical figure, and it doesn't form a complete line for the narrative of the story, and it seems far-fetched.

More ideas, less story, that's about it.

So I didn’t watch much.

"Has Director Hayao Miyazaki been paying attention to Mirai Tori Akino-sensei?" Someone once asked him out of curiosity, and he just nodded.

He pays attention to Tori Akino Mirai not because of his comics, but because of his achievements in animation that no one pays attention to.

In 1994, at the Tokyo Student Animation Exhibition, he watched "Hey-Come Out!" 》This animation.

Now, "Hey - come out!" "The specific content of Hayao Miyazaki is still clearly visible. He remembered the cause, development, climax, and ending.

The bottomless hole that swallows up people's garbage also reveals the depth of darkness in the human heart.

Until the end, it returns everything. The hole is still the same hole, but human life is different. They will bear the malice they inflicted on the hole.

Among the works on environmental protection, Hayao Miyazaki would like to call it the shortest and most effective.

Such an ending shocked Miyazaki for a long time. Why didn't he come up with such a contrasting ending?

Therefore, Hayao Miyazaki has been thinking about the creator of the story, Hibiki Higashino, for a long time.

It's a pity that the other person went to draw comics and got good results.

Hayao Miyazaki can only focus on Hibiki Hibiki's animation works.

"Summers with you, dreams for the future."

"Great hope, I have never forgotten it."

"In the summer of 10 years, I believe we can meet again."

"With the best memories..."

The trailer aired, and this ethereal voice with sad singing pulled Miyazaki out of his memories.

On TV, Meiko Honma, Jinta Sukai, Naruko Anjo, Shu Matsuyuki, Chiriko Tsurumi, Hisakawa Railway...

Characters appear one by one, images of childhood and adulthood intertwined.

At the end of the trailer, between the green mountains and forests, the sun rises with morning light, and the shot changes.

"Broadcast on April 1, 1999, "We still don't know the name of the flower we saw that day."

Hayao Miyazaki coughed slightly, "What a long name."

Through the trailer, he got some understanding. It was about friendship, love, character growth, etc. It was slightly different from the animation he wanted to see.

"However, it will be a very good work."

Just through this song, he seemed to feel the meaning of "Unheard Flower Names".

"Excellent animations appear one after another, which is really good."

With a sigh, he ended his break.

…

"This trailer is pretty good," Hibiki Higashino said.

In the future, he will often watch the trailers of upcoming cartoons on Station B. The audience can see the investment in the work in the trailers.

Whether it is a shabby ppt style or a well-made work, it is very clear.

The "Unheard Flower Name" that Hibiki Higashino saw was the latter.

It’s not shoddy, the character’s movements are not distorted, and the BGM sounds great, which is enough.

"You see, I, a layman, do not manage the company, so "Future Society" is operating normally. "He said proudly to Akimiya Akemi.

"You are just too lazy to manage." Akimiya Akemi exposed him, "Perhaps if you directly manage the "Future Society", it will produce more works and its influence will be even more amazing. "

"Probably," Hibiki shrugged.

"But that's another story."

…

After two months of vacation, Higashino Hibiki returned to class.

In the traditional Chinese painting class, there used to be more than 20 students, but now there are only a few here and there.

Akimiya Akemi no longer teaches courses, but lets students deal with graduation projects and thesis matters.

Hibiki Higashino also started his graduation project.

He wanted to paint an ukiyo-e.

After all, he has the guidance of Akimiya Akemi, so he knows more about this than the average person.

Picking up the pencil, Hibiki Higashi began to draw a draft, but there was no idea in his mind, it was empty.

Suddenly he remembered something, and there was a memory in his brain. It was an animated movie he watched back then.

The story had a sense of stream of consciousness, reality and movies intertwined, and it was impossible to distinguish between truth and fiction. He was just shocked. In the end, there was nothing in his mind, just watching a hilarious scene.

This animation is "Millennium Actress" directed by Satoshi Kon.

There is a fragment of Ukiyo-e here, which remains in Hibiki Higashikata's brain, and suddenly appears now.

He had originally forgotten about this movie, but with the appearance of Ukiyo-e, "Millennium Actress" suddenly impressed him, and he remembered all the clips in the movie.

Closing his eyes, the movie replayed in Hibiki Higashi's mind, from the love between the heroine and the patriot, to finally letting go, reminiscing about his life, and leaving quietly.

Higashino opened his eyes and drew what he wanted to draw. It was among the warring crowd. There were people waving samurai swords and people holding muskets. The times were intertwined. There were people riding on white horses. Run to the distance.

"It's such an interesting painting," Akimiya Akemi stood behind Hibiki Higashino at some point. She looked at the draft with interest in her eyes.

“I feel like I’ve seen a story, but I don’t know what it is like.”

Higashino Hibiki looked at her with a smile, "Maybe it's because I have gone through the changes of the times and pursued my lover, and finally discovered that the period of life I am pursuing is the most precious."

Akimiya Akemi couldn't understand, how could such a painting express such rich meanings?

But she understood that there must be another story in Higashino Hibiki's heart, and this story was absolutely meaningful.

"Come on," she patted Higashi Hibiki's shoulder, "I'm waiting."

…

In "Slam Dunk", Xiangbei has begun preparing for the national competition. But before that, the story of Coach Anzai, the story of Rukawa Kaede, and the story of Takenori Akagi will unfold slowly, so there is no rush.

Time flies by and it’s December 25th.

Snowflakes were falling in the sky, and pedestrians wore scarves.

Asahina Yuko left school and walked through the bustling streets of Tokyo.

"Merry Christmas" lights are flashing everywhere here. In front of the mall, there is a big pine tree decorated with candy canes, Christmas rings, bells, and various small gifts. At the top, there is a small star. A twinkle.

This is a holiday for children, and Santa Claus gives gifts to children.

There are children beside me, holding the hands of their parents. After walking out of the mall, they are eager to go home and wait for Santa Claus to deliver gifts.

Asahina Yuko also had this idea when she was a child and firmly believed that Santa Claus existed.

Her dream before was to have a doll, which always came true.

The latest style, the doll has long golden hair and is exquisitely made.

She has grown up a bit, and by the time she is 11 years old, she is no longer so childish. Dolls and stuff, for little girls to play with.

Her dream became a Dragon Ball stand-alone book, but it never came to fruition.

"I really miss it." Yuko Asahina said sincerely.

Over the years, her dream has been realized step by step, and she has become a supervisor. Although she is still a newcomer in the industry, she is already on the right track.

It's just that these men and women around me have turned Christmas into Valentine's Day, getting tired of being together, teasing and talking non-stop.

Asahina Yuko couldn't understand.

Even today, she had a good idea on a whim and hurried to the "Future Society" company to record it.

Why not cherish the time?

"Tori Akino-sensei must still be working." She firmly believed.

Asahina Yuko's paralyzed face softened for an instant.

"He's always been like that."

Suddenly, Asahina Yuko became more motivated. She strode forward to the next traffic light, surpassing the crazy men and resentful women.

There seemed to be an exciting and uplifting tune in my mind, and my steps became brisk.

Asahina Yuko enjoyed this moment until...

"Eh?"

She froze.

"That is?"

Higashino Hibiki held Akimiya Akemi's arm, kept moving closer to her, and nestled on Akimiya Akemi's shoulder.

After being pushed twice in disgust by the other party, he still showed a disgusted expression and held his arms tightly without letting go.

"Eh!"

Asahina Yuko stood there.

…

"As expected, we are going on a date at Christmas."

Higashino Hibiki said to Akimiya Akemi: "You can paint at any time, but Christmas is only one day a year."

Although it is snowing in Tokyo tonight, it is lively and romantic.

"These lights, this snow, and these trees are so gorgeous."

"Yes," Akimiya Akemi nodded helplessly.

But gradually, she also got lost in the Christmas atmosphere.

Santa Clauses on the roadside are distributing small gifts to the children, there are elk cars on the street, and colorful lights are intertwined in front of you.

The crisp sound of Merry Christmas song continues.

Akimiya Akemi, who wanted to draw comics all night, is now relaxed.

“It’s good to go out and walk around, maybe you’ll get some inspiration.”

"but……"

"Where have you brought me?"

This is Uniqlo in a nearby shopping mall. It is also decorated brightly during Christmas.

In front of Akimiya Akemi, there is a Christmas costume with bare thighs.

There are also antlers, which adorn the hats.

"How is it? Is it beautiful?" Hibiki asked expectantly.

Everyone knows Sima Zhao's heart.

Akimiya Akemi understood.

"Give it a try."

"Okay...okay..."

Akimiya Akemi couldn't resist and reluctantly agreed.

Entering the changing room, before she even took off her clothes, she heard a rustling sound.

Listen carefully, it's coming from the changing room next door.

"Hmm~"

Akimiya Akemi leaned against the wall, listened carefully, and finally understood that there were lovers kissing.

There was also an anxious voice, "Hurry."

She couldn't stand it anymore, so she opened the door and walked out, throwing the Christmas sexy clothes on Hibiki Hibiki, "You can wear it yourself."