Tokyo life starting with painting

"Teacher Gangno, long time no see. Thank you for taking care of me about asking for leave."

Higashinoji nodded to Ryoko Okano, and then brought over a bag of horse meat jerky packaged in Kumamoto Prefecture as a souvenir - I couldn't help it, I bought too many. He only brought a few textbooks today, and the others were not horse meat. Just do Kumamon peripherals.

Madoka Fukushima and the others were eating happily over there.

"It's so embarrassing, but it's really a big help for Higashikata-san to come back so soon."

After thinking about it for a while, Ryoko Okano took the dried horse meat and answered the other party: "The Mutono Art University has made preparations. The activity mobilization book here has also been prepared."

"I have troubled you all this time." Higashino thanked him.

This is the reason why he stayed in the studio for so long - you must know that he had previously agreed to Okano Ryoko's exchange and study activities at Mutono Art University.

This matter still has to have a beginning and an end, and it cannot be made difficult for Ryoko Gangno.

"You don't have to be so polite." Ryoko Gango waved her hand.

She has always been very satisfied with her favorite disciple, and what she appreciates the most is that Higashinoji has never been arrogant and has always been friendly with the students in the studio.

As the only male student in the studio, Higashikata did everything he could, which naturally made her very tolerant of Higashino.

but

"Higashino-san, before we get down to business, I want to ask first." Ryoko Okano coughed dryly: "It's that Kumamon."

Before she could finish speaking, Higashinoji had already understood it. He lowered his voice and replied: "Bring it to Mr. Okano tomorrow."

"Yeah. Please excuse me, Higashino-kun, and then I'll give you a letter of mobilization from Mutono Art University."

Gangno Ryoko obviously knew that Higashinoji came to school today, so he directly took out a mobilization letter from the lesson plan in his hand and gave it to Higashinoji.

Tonoji took the lesson plan and looked at it roughly.

This is actually not much different from the mobilization letter for college students in the previous life. It probably means that the students of Hokuei Juku cannot do anything dangerous during the exchange and study period. If something happens, they will not be held responsible. This is also equivalent to a letter of responsibility.

It is similar in nature to the "no bathing in the river during summer vacation" type of responsibility letter that Higashinoji saw in China when he was a child.

After reading the mobilization letter, Higashino signed it without hesitation, stamped it with his seal, and handed it back to Ryoko Okano.

"Okay, I did receive it. Higashino-san, you should be free next Monday, right? I'm going to Mutono Art University for a week-long exchange."

"I can spare some time, but I may have to take my sister to the hospital for a routine check-up. Then I may take a leave. That should be okay, right?"

Higashinoji asked Gango Ryoko in a deep voice.

Next Monday, October 12th.

Every month, Higashinoji takes Chihaya Higashino to the hospital for a routine checkup. Now that another month has passed, Higashinoji will of course take her to the hospital.

"Well, that's no problem. I'll say hello to the teacher at Mutono Art University when the time comes."

As a teacher at Kita Yoshinori, Ryoko Okano naturally knows about Higashinoji's family situation, and also knows that he is living alone with his sister.

"Then please excuse me, Teacher Gangno." Higashino nodded in thanks.

That’s about it.

Then we just wait to go to Mutono Art University to visit and study next week.

There will be no other fluctuations in the next few days.

Higashinoji brought another batch of Kumamon peripherals and distributed them to the girls in the studio and Ryoko Okano.

Then it was time to draw comics.

The sales volume of "Midnight Ring" continues to rise, reaching 300,000 copies in a short period of time. Some people even commented that the sales volume of "Midnight Ring" is expected to challenge the average sales of one million copies.

On the other hand, there were many letters from readers of "Aoba" to Higashinoji.

These readers gnashed their teeth with hatred in the letter - I originally thought you had become a good person and stopped drawing horror comics to scare people, but who knew that you were even more outrageous than horror comics. If you watch "The Lonely Gourmet" on an empty stomach at night, that kind of The feeling of stomach cramps makes many readers go out to find restaurants for late night snacks.

This made them hateful and angry, and they wanted to pull Higashinoji out from behind the comics and beat him up.

So what if it's annoying? Don’t you want to see it?

Watching "The Lonely Gourmet" while eating, they really felt that it was a special meal. Even plain rice seemed to be enough to finish two or three bowls.

If you really don't have the conditions, you should make some instant noodles to appease your empty stomach. So there is such an interesting phenomenon.

These readers are scolding Higashinoji, an old thief, but at the same time they still want to read it. This is particularly contradictory.

These contradictory emotions are expressed in readers' letters, and the entire previous article is full of criticism of Higashinoji.

But the Japanese only have a few words to curse people over and over again, so when translated, it is similar to an interesting comment like "The old thief Higashino has lost his conscience, and Goro and I will live and die together."

Of course, this group of readers will scold each other, and in the end they will still say one sentence in the reader's letter - but you are indeed very good at drawing, and "The Lonely Gourmet" is very interesting. You must continue to draw it, otherwise we will go to hell with you. That Japanese food kiosk is your place.

The compliment after this plus the Japanese words like ‘idiot’ and ‘hanhan’ before it even have a slightly tsundere meaning.

This made Tonoji feel a little funny inexplicably.

"My readers are really a bunch of arrogant people."

After sighing inexplicably, Higashino looked down again.

In addition to the readers' letters sent by these little tsundere readers, there are also quite a few people asking questions below, asking whether Mr. Higashino is Higashino Tsukasa who designed Kumamon.

After all, Higashino Tsukasa had just appeared at Urashima Publishing House a few days ago and was photographed and posted in the newspaper.

Although the photos are not clear, as long as you compare carefully, you can find the similarities.

So the fans below are very curious.

Most of the fans who were previously a group of chaotic evil rebelled directly and became lawful neutral, raising the banner - Mr. Higashino and Tsukasa Higashino are the same person! Stop fighting! let's work hard together!

Of course, there are still some people who still have the same idea as before——

Higashinoji is an oil painter, but he knows ghost comics?

Mr. Higashino is a cartoonist and knows a lot about art design.

To this kind of question, Higashinoji has no idea of ​​replying for the time being.

After all, I will be interviewed soon, so I will be honest with you in the interview.

Of course, the gossip in newspapers and magazines is better than him standing up and admitting it.

The days passed like this, and soon the day came for Higashinoji to be interviewed.

On this day, Higashinoji got up early and started drawing a few pages of the original manuscripts of "The Lonely Gourmet" and "The Ring".

Then I played a two-player cassette game with Chihaya Higashino for a while. It was a game where a snowman shot snowflakes at monsters. After turning the monster completely into a snowball, he could push it away and crush other little monsters.

Higashinoji played with her for ten or twenty levels before putting down the controller and preparing lunch. After Higashino Chihaya had lunch, Higashinoji began to draw "Midnight Bell" and "The Lonely Gourmet" again, and then drew another Two pages later, the time came to 4:30 in the afternoon, and Higashino packed up and went out.

He went to Urashima Publishing House first. It was already five o'clock at this time. As soon as Hosokawa Koharu saw him coming, he took him into the publishing house without saying a word.

Urashima Publishing House had obviously cleaned it up, and even dedicated a table to Higashino Tsukasa.

An exclusive interview with a comic author is nothing more than having some casual conversations with the comic author, interviewing him about his recent activities, and then watching him create comics on the spot. This is probably the process.

It seems that the other party also cares about this interview.

Originally, this type of interview was supposed to be held at Higashinoji's home, but Hosokawa Koharu considered that Higashinoji had Chihaya Higashino with him, so he suppressed the matter and changed the location to Urashima Publishing House.

The people on the TV station's program team also respected Higashinoji a lot, and knew that Higashikata was now a hot news item, so someone was waiting at the editorial department door early.

"Teacher Higashino, thank you for your hard work." The male host in charge of this interview held the business card in both hands and handed it over with a very respectful expression.

"Well, thank you for your hard work. It's an honor for me to participate in the interview with your radio station." Higashinoji smiled and shook hands with the other party, and then said apologetically: "I'm really sorry, I don't have a business card."

"Haha, after all, Mr. Higashino is also a high school student, so it's natural that he doesn't have a business card." The other party extended his hand kindly and said repeatedly: "Please, please."

Higashinoji also smiled and nodded repeatedly, and at the same time took the time to glance at the name on the other party's business card.

The male host's name is Matsui Shun, a staff member of Japan TV Station.

The so-called Nippon TV Station, in fact, its full name is Nippon Television Network Co., Ltd. It is a wireless TV station mainly based in the Kanto Metropolitan Area as its broadcasting area. It has a long history in the industry and is very famous.

For such a TV station to make a special time slot to record an exclusive interview with Higashino, I have to say that the other party is indeed sincere.

But thinking about it carefully, Higashinoji felt that this decision was quite normal.

The TV station industry in Japan is not like China. There are various TV stations here, many of which are commercial TV stations, and everything is based on ratings.

Japan TV is such a commercial TV station, so it is quite normal that they would invest part of their resources in the designer of Kumamon.

Higashinoji entered the Urashima editorial office and was placed on a table, with cameras set up behind and on the sides.

Someone also made a special trip to take a close-up of the tabletop in front of him, preparing to take a close-up of Higashinoji's painting later when he was painting.

Seeing Higashinoji being surrounded, Hosokawa Koharu, who had been standing by and watching, felt his heart tightening for some reason.

It was like seeing her own cub go to the slaughterhouse. Higashinoji was not anxious, but she became anxious.

Will Tonoji be afraid and nervous later?

Will my hands be shaking and I won’t be able to draw?

Thoughts like this suddenly popped up.

She was obviously the one who arranged the interview, but she was the one who was most worried about it.

Her appearance made the male editor next to her couldn't help but take a second look, and then showed an expression of sudden realization.

No wonder Higashinoji is so powerful, Hosokawa Koharu's serious and anxious look says it all.

Hosokawa Koharu also said that he did not train Higashinoji, isn't this already exposed?

He made up his mind to ask Hosokawa Koharu how to train manga authors when he has time in the future.

Let’s leave aside the manga editor’s side and move on to Higashinoji’s side.

"That's about it for the interview copy, no problem, Mr. Higashino." Shun Matsui poured a cup of tea for Higashino and asked.

The so-called program copy is actually a thing that states what questions will be asked to Higashinoji later, so that he can prepare his answers as early as possible.

"Well, thank you Matsui-san." Higashinoji nodded with a smile.

There are no big questions in the copywriting, just asking about his motivations for creating comics and some design ideas of Kumamon. These things can be answered by just thinking about it, so they are not problems.

"Well, it's no problem, Mr. Higashino. You don't need to be too nervous during the interview later. Just relax." Matsui Shun reassured.

He has seen the kind of painters or novel writers who are soft-footed when it comes to interviews, and the topic changes are always rigid. In the end, it is he, the interview host who is responsible for smoothing things out, who feels uncomfortable.

But looking at Higashinoji's face, he was a little unsure.

Because the other person didn't seem nervous at all, he spoke freely, and his expression didn't change much. He was still cheerful and friendly to everyone.

Not to mention being nervous, the other person looked like he was staying at his home.

This psychological quality is indeed extraordinary.

Matsui Shun thought again that Higashino designed Kumamon even when he was still in high school, and he was quite capable. Looking at the familiarity with which he was now establishing good relations with other people at the radio station, Matsui Shun felt that he was the kind of person who should not be underestimated. A genius young man appears once in a thousand years.

After all, in the eyes of ordinary people like him, genius is equated with low emotional intelligence.

Most people spend a lot of time in one line of work and naturally tend to neglect interpersonal interactions.

But Higashinoji didn't feel this way.

They kept chatting like this until the equipment adjustment was completed, and Matsui Shun finally came face to face with Higashinoji.

The director outside the scene slightly dispersed the curious editor, and then made an OK gesture, indicating that he could start directly.

After receiving the instructions, Matsui Shun began to skillfully announce the back of the curtain.

"Hello everyone, everyone must have heard of the name 'Kumamon' recently, right? Yes, it is exactly the 'Kumamon' you are thinking of. This time we are also honored to conduct an interview with Mr. Higashino Tsukasa, the author of 'Kumamon' Interviewed."

Without Matsui Shun's signal, Higashinoji naturally greeted the camera: "Hello everyone, I am Higashinoji."

And the interview also started with this hello everyone.