Full-time cartoonist

What Hibiki didn't know was that while he was socializing with Akimiya Akemi and enjoying the envious gazes of other cartoonists, there was a person silently staring at his back. .

"That's Tori Akino-sensei?" Asada followed Kubo's gaze and suddenly realized, "You want to meet Tori Akino-sensei? Are you being shy now?"

He thought about it carefully. Kubo Daito was born in 1977, one year younger than Mirai Tori Akino. Even though he is usually a guy who goes his own way, he still has some youthfulness in him.

"Oda-kun has always told me," Asada said, "He learned a lot from Mr. Tori Akino, and he is still benefiting from it now."

"You come with me, I will introduce you to him," Asada said with a smile: "Although Mr. Tori Akino became famous at a young age, he is gentle and easy to get along with. The short story "BLEACH" you drew this time was very popular, Xiao If your results are at the forefront, you may be able to serialize them. Before you serialize, you can ask Mr. Tori Akino for advice. Mr. Kishimoto, who drew "Naruto", also worked as Mr. Tori Akino's assistant for a period of time. The results of "Naruto" are the same as Not bad.”

He was haranguing, and Kubo was growing impatient.

"Editor Asada, no need, I don't want to say hello to the seniors."

He seems to be very different. When he meets teachers who like comics, he has an attitude of avoiding them.

"It's so awkward." Asada was startled and patted Kubo on the shoulder, "You will regret it in the future."

But this is also the mentality that only young people have.

Kubo, who is both a painter and a poet, should be pretty good if he maintains this spirit.

Thinking of this, Editor Asada shook his head and left, leaving only Kubo and others huddled in the corner.

"Those seniors must be looking at me condescendingly," Kubo wrapped a champagne glass with a paper towel to prevent the condensed water droplets on the wall of the glass from getting his fingertips wet, and then took a sip, "But I'm not inferior to them, why should I go Ask them for advice?”

…

At the New Year's party, Higashino Hibiki met Torishima Kazuhiko.

"Akimiya-kun...oh no, it should be Akimiya-sensei now," he looked at Akimiya Akemi and laughed, "Congratulations on getting what you wanted and finally starting to serialize comics."

"It's Editor Torishima," Akimiya Akemi bowed in thanks, "Thank you for your continued teaching."

When she submitted her article to Shueisha, the editor she contacted was Torishima Kazuhiko.

Novice cartoonists always learn a lot from the editor they first contact, and they always maintain a good relationship with the first editor.

For example, Akira Toriyama, such as Yoshihiro Togashi.

"I've wanted to hear you say this for a long time," Torishima Kazuhiko said with a smile. "When you say this, it proves that you have become a cartoonist."

A look of emotion appeared on Akimiya Akemi's face, as if she saw Torishima Kazuhiko, who had been waiting so hard for her to become a talent.

Torishima Kazuhiko continued: "A person as stupid as Akimiya-kun can become a manga artist, which proves that there will never be a shortage of new people in this industry."

"You are really going too far." Qiugong Mingmei said angrily.

"Yes, Mr. Torishima, you said the wrong thing," Hibiki Higashino said smoothly.

"Yes," Akimiya Akemi nodded seriously.

"How can you compare newcomers to Mingmei? You're looking down on them."

"What did you say?" Akimiya Akemi looked at Higashino Hibiki, her eyes widened in disbelief.

Torishima Kazuhiko smiled happily, "Hahahaha, that makes sense."

When Akimiya Akemi's thumb and index finger found their way to Hibiki's waist, Hibiki apologized repeatedly before calming her down.

After making a joke, and looking at the lively crowd, Torishima Kazuhiko leaned close to Higashino Hibiki's ear and whispered: "In July this year, I will resign as editor-in-chief."

Dong Yexiang was surprised, "So fast?"

"Yes." Torishima Kazuhiko nodded with his eyes closed, "I have already handed over to Sasaki, so you don't have to worry."

"Sorry." Dongye Xiang lowered his head.

Maybe it has something to do with him finishing "Slam Dunk".

"No, no, no," Torishima Kazuhiko raised his index finger and shook his head, "I can't do it anymore."

Torishima Kazuhiko was born in 1952 and is just 49 years old.

As the editor-in-chief of a comic magazine, this age is quite a bit older.

He should be responsible for more macro-level work.

The previous editor-in-chief of Jump also resigned at roughly this age.

Thinking of this, Higashikata felt better.

He thought about how after Kazuhiko Torishima took office, during his time in charge, he solved the jump sales crisis that Nobuhiko Horie was at a loss for.

Discovered Oda Eiichiro, Kishimoto Masashi, Shimabukuro Mitsunen, Xu Feigang, Takei Hiroyuki who drew "Shaman King", Yabuki Kentaro who is serializing "Black Cat", and future pillars, "Bleach" author Kubo Tideto.

These people will be the pillars and backbone of Jump in the next ten years. In other words, in the past five and a half years, Torishima Kazuhiko has laid a solid foundation for "Weekly Shonen Jump".

Even after the new century, when paper magazines declined, sales of Sunday and Magazine dropped by one million, and Jump still had a dominance of more than 2 million, you can know the great achievements of Torishima Kazuhiko.

Higashikata's heart was hanging in his stomach, and he no longer worried about Torishima Kazuhiko.

"Besides," Torishima Kazuhiko blinked one eye and said mysteriously, "Maybe I have been promoted? That's not even possible."

"Then I'll congratulate you in advance." Hibiki Higashino raised the champagne, "Cheers."

…

The New Year party is over.

When Higashino Hibiki raised the champagne and teased Akimiya Akemi, "Cheers to your eyes."

Many people left in twos and threes.

"Tori Akino-kun," Hongushi Hongzhi suddenly appeared. He put his arm on Hibiki Hibiki's shoulders, looked at the blushing Akimiya Akemi, and joked with a smile. "You two are really sweet."

"Teacher Bengong, what's the matter with you?" Higashikata asked shamelessly and nonchalantly.

"Are you going to attend this year's second gathering as in previous years?" He said seriously, "Ah, I'm sorry, I forgot that Mrs. Higashino is here."

Hibiki Higashino couldn't laugh or cry, "You are really messing around, talking about things that are not true. After joining Shueisha, every year at my New Year's party, Mingmei will wait for me to go home."

This was the case even before the two of them confirmed their relationship.

"Yeah." Akimiya Akemi nodded.

Hongzhi Hongzhi pouted, "Oh, really, I want to punish you for being unsociable."

"I've stopped drinking. I really can't help it. I'm sorry."

He is a man who drinks and has sex, which will destroy his body.

If he chooses one of the two, Higashino Hibiki can only give up drinking without hesitation.

"That's it." Akimiya Akemi patted Higashino Hibiki's shoulder, very satisfied.

Hibiki Higashino once heard that Japanese people often party after get off work.

If the husband comes home early every day, the wife will say that he is unmotivated and unsociable.

Fortunately, Akimiya Akemi is not like this.

…

The two of them have decided to leave the New Year's party.

"Teacher Akimiya, you are still here."

It's her editor, Ms. Fukatsu.

"I suddenly have an idea about "Sakura Mission" and I want to discuss it with you."

At night, in the bar near the New Year Party Hotel, work and conversation began again.

This communication did not end until after 12 o'clock.

When I got home, it was already one o'clock.

"You can't get rid of it after all."

Akimiya Akemi and Higashino Hibiki smiled bitterly.

…

The New Year's holiday is over.

The assistants are back at work.

"Tori Akino-sensei, have you watched the winter "Akamaru Jump"? There is a short story in this issue that is very exciting." As soon as he entered the studio, Tanaka said to Hibiki Hibiki excitedly.

"The name is "BLEACH", and it describes the story of the death battle."

Hibiki nodded, "It's very interesting, but Mr. Kubo is still too immature as a cartoonist."

The story is good, but the storyboarding is a bit poor.

However, considering that he is still a newcomer, Hibiki Higashino is not so picky.

Yoshihiro Togashi also drew poorly at the beginning.

Looking forward to the future of Kubo.

In fact, Hibiki Higashino really wants to see the Soul Society chapter, which is the pinnacle of "Bleach", but he still has to wait.

"I feel fine. Teacher, you are standing too high." Tanakai complained.

"The protagonist of "BLEACH", Kurosaki Ichigo, is very handsome. Although Rukia is flat, she is also very cute." Tanaka, an otaku with a somewhat decadent air, likes Kubo's comics very much. "The lines are very interesting and the clothes are very fashionable. ...In short, "BLEACH" has too many advantages."

"Yeah." Higashikata nodded while listening.

What Tanaka said is that "Bleach" can become one of the three major migrant comics, something superior to "One Piece" and "Naruto".

This is Kubo's talent.

…

Although Tanaka has always been an assistant, the topics he and Hibiki discussed were more like what enthusiasts would say.

As for the other assistant, Omori, the topic he talked about today was about the industry.

"In more than half a month, it will be February," Omori held his chin with the tip of his pen and pondered: "This "Shogakukan Manga Award" will be announced. I wonder what works will be there? "

"Tori Akino-sensei, did you know there would be "Slam Dunk"?"

Dong Yexiang shook his head, "I don't know this yet."

"It would be too much to do without you this year."

He counted on his fingers the shounen comics that have achieved outstanding results in the past two years.

""Naruto", "One Piece", "Inuyasha"..."

"You should just concentrate on your work," Higashino said, dumbfounded. "What's the use of thinking about all this?"

In fact, accomplished cartoonists do not value these awards.

Unlike actors and directors, they don't need fame, they let their works speak for themselves.

Even if the famous Akira Toriyama is not liked by his comic readers, it is still a work without achievements.

Whether they can win the award or not, most of them maintain an indifferent attitude.

On the contrary, Omori, who has no serialization, has been concentrating on this aspect, which is a bit reversed.

"Omori-san," Hibiki Higashino said, "If you have time, you should improve yourself."

"Yes." Omori nodded casually.

For him, he has already experienced the fruitless results of his efforts, so what he thinks about more is that he failed to get a chance.

Most of the comics serialized on Jump are not as good as his drawing skills.

Hibiki Higashi shook his head and started drawing comics.

As a time traveler, he works so hard because he knows that his efforts will definitely be rewarded.

I can't compare my feelings to my own, so I won't say anything.

…

The time came on January 20th.

In the winter, the wind is biting and the students still have to go to school.

Winter break is usually from Christmas to the 8th, and spring break is at the end of March.

This arrangement seems to be to let the cold winter sharpen the students' body and mind.

maybe.

It has just snowed in the past two days, and there is hard-to-find ice on the ground, which is smooth and smooth.

Souma Satoru moved carefully on the ice, while the students beside him were skating very vigorously.

"Satoru," someone tapped Sōma Satoru on the shoulder, almost disrupting the balance he managed to maintain, "it's so cold today."

"It will be colder after the snow day," Sōma Satoru nodded in agreement.

Just as he was speaking, the primary school student in front of him accidentally fell down.

Then, like dominoes, many people fell down.

"Hahaha." My friend couldn't help laughing.

Then, he too fell.

…

The friend blushed and followed Sōma Satoru for a while.

"There are still two and a half minutes left..." he muttered suddenly.

"Ah?" Soma Satoru turned around and asked, "What two and a half minutes."

"I'm thinking about the plot of "Slam Dunk"." My friend said seriously: "This way I will forget the embarrassing thing that just happened."

In the Sanwang battle, the time was only the last two and a half minutes, and Xiangbei fell behind by 8 points.

Sakuragi and Akagi teamed up to block Zebei's goal for the first time when he made a layup.

"Gorilla, there is still a chance."

Sakuragi turned to Akagi and said proudly.

This sentence made Akagi deep in thought. In the past two years in Shohoku, every time he fell behind in a game, he was the one who said this sentence to encourage his teammates.

The result was to no avail.

But now, he is finally not alone.

At this time, Sanno's coach Domoto's palms were sweaty. He did not expect that this game would be so difficult.

Shohoku's substitutes all thought they would have a chance to win.

When the situation was looking good, Fukatsu interrupted Miyagi's dribble, and the ball hit Miyagi's knee and flew out of the court.

Hisashi Mitsui, who was nearby, tried his best to run towards the basketball.

But he had no strength left, and right in front of Mitsui's eyes, the ball was about to fall off the court.

There is not much time left for Xiangbei. This is an extremely important offensive opportunity.

"Go away, Asan!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi flew past Mitsui, and he threw himself at the basketball regardless of the danger.

In front of him is the technical stage.

Seeing the scene where Sakuragi Hanamichi worked so hard, Takenori Akagi couldn't help but think of Haruko's original words:

"Although he knows very little about basketball...but maybe one day...he will become the savior of the basketball club...brother. He is Sakuragi-san!"

While everyone was stunned, Hanamichi Sakuragi touched the basketball and put it in Mitsui's hands, but he fell from the air and hit the technical table hard on his back.

Cheers for Xiangbei started to ring out one after another.

Sakuragi Hanamichi's fighting spirit moved everyone.

The same goes for readers.

"Sakura is so handsome, damn it!" my friend burst into tears in the middle of winter.

Sōma Satoru squinted his eyes and asked, "Did you feel too much pain from the fall just now?"