"Hello, Kimi Bookstore... Ah, I know you're out of stock... But I'm very sorry, the magazine sold out, and we're still rushing to replenish it."
"Sun-san, don't just stand there like an idiot, ask the publisher why the 10,000 extra copies haven't come out yet!"
It became popular, and people started paying attention to Detective Conan. The speed of its popularity was astonishing, and the effect was demonstrated in just one episode.
Hinotori Publishing's editorial department was bustling. 70% of the new issue of the magazine sold out in one day, forcing them to print 10,000 additional copies to meet the demand that would arise in the coming days. Although the extra print run wasn't large, Weekly Shōnen magazine hadn't been reprinted in a year, and the increase in sales this time was very gratifying.
"Kenji, have the rapid report results been tallied yet?"
"The statistics will be ready soon, just wait."
Kenji was engrossed in calculations, sweating profusely. Each copy of Weekly Shōnen magazine sold includes a postcard-like questionnaire, where readers can choose their favorite works and rate them. The rapid report consists of manually counting the oldest collected postcards and providing a preliminary ranking of the manga in that issue.
"I really don't know what the editor-in-chief is thinking. This issue of the weekly magazine must be number one with Detective Conan. What's the point of statistics?"
Kenji complained inwardly, but his subordinates didn't dare to stop writing. The rapid report must be tallied on the second day of its publication. Generally, it is based on the opinion of readers in Osaka and nearby cities. Of course, the rapid report is just a quick and approximate conclusion. The true authority still depends on "Kōhyō."
Kōhyō is a comprehensive analysis of a magazine issue. Generally, it can only be calculated in the third week after its publication. It collects readers' opinions from all over the country through postcards, uses computers to count and distinguish, and can calculate detailed information, such as the average age of readers of each manga, the proportion of men and women, etc.
"The rapid report is tallied!"
After calculating the last number on the computer, Kenji stood up and said, "Detective Conan is in first place, with 96% of the votes."
"..."
Suddenly, the entire room fell silent, and the busy editors stopped working. Although everyone expected Detective Conan to be first, no one imagined that the percentage of votes would be so high.
96% of readers voted for Detective Conan, which was a heavy blow to the entire editorial department and the other artists, as it was like mocking the other manga in Weekly Shōnen magazine for being useless.
Sun-san was stunned as he looked at the documents in his hand. 'Tomato's new work was published last week, and the rapid report was not bad, but the percentage of votes was only 69%. The first episode of Detective Conan received 96% of the votes. Could it be that the kid was better than the seasoned professional artists with an established readership?'
'Did he make a mistake in his decision at that time and lose a gold ingot for nothing?'
"That's good."
After a long while, Kurosawa's calm voice resonated: "It's good that a genius appears in the original manga industry. Only then can competition and effort be fostered, and only then can Tatsuryū Publishing's monopoly on novel adaptations be broken." Kurosawa believed that
if there was a genius in any industry capable of setting trends, the rest of the people would rise to the occasion and the entire industry would prosper. The other editors came to their senses and thought it was the same truth. They couldn't help but admire Kurosawa: 'The editor-in-chief is different from ordinary people. He doesn't change his expression in such matters. Look how visionary he is!'
They didn't notice that Kurosawa's thighs, hidden by the table, were trembling. He also felt complicated, but more joyful. The beginning of Detective Conan was great, but they couldn't relax. Everything had to be planned long-term.
"Editor-in-chief, the president has asked for you."
At that moment, a sudden announcement came to the editorial department.
...
Takumi didn't know what was happening thousands of kilometers away. Weekly Shōnen in Saitama Prefecture would only be on sale today. He rushed to the bookstore early in the morning.
However, upon reaching the door, a girl absorbed in reading bumped into him with a thud.
"I'm sorry!"
The girl couldn't see his face clearly due to her hat. She tilted her head and apologized in a very dry voice. Takumi noticed that she didn't care and waved his hand. The girl quickly took her away.
"Why do kids nowadays read books while walking?"
Takumi entered the bookstore, but didn't see Weekly Shōnen for sale in the manga section.
"Manager, hasn't Weekly Shōnen arrived yet?"
he asked.
"You've come to buy it too?" The bookseller looked at him in surprise and said, "I'm sorry, that girl just bought the last copy. You'll have to look elsewhere."
This bookstore orders more than a dozen copies of Weekly Shōnen every week, which is too many. 'Why is it so popular nowadays?' The bookseller was very surprised.
"Thank you." Takumi had no choice but to look for it elsewhere, but he still couldn't find the latest issue of Weekly Shōnen after searching throughout the prefecture.
'Small towns are small towns. How can it be so hard to find even a magazine!'
Just as Takumi was about to give up, his newly bought mobile phone rang.
"Hello, Takumi. This is Kurosawa. Have you read the latest issue of Weekly Shōnen?"
The cheerful voice of the editor-in-chief, Kurosawa, came from the other end of the phone.
"Don't even mention it. My town is too small. I can't find it anywhere," Takumi complained.
"Haha, that's normal. Our magazine is ordered about 100 times a week in a prefecture. On average, each bookstore only has a dozen copies. If there's a good new series, it's easy to run out of stock," Kurosawa replied with a smile. With the development of the internet, readers in small prefectures can quickly get informed.
This issue of Weekly Shōnen has already attracted attention online, and there are many manga fans in Japan. Of course, such a small number would sell out quickly.
"From what you said, is Detective Conan's performance not bad?"
Takumi asked.
"It's not just good, it's simply a miracle," Kurosawa thought, "but he believed that Takumi shouldn't be praised too much. If young people become proud, they can easily decline."
"The results of the reader survey haven't been published yet, and I don't know the specific situation." So Kurosawa opted for a moderate response: "It seems the situation won't be bad; you can rest assured."
"By the way, Takumi." He changed the subject and said, "I've contacted the school for you, Osaka's N.º 1 High School."
Osaka's N.º 1 High School? Takumi was stunned. 'It was one of the top three high schools in Osaka. He hadn't expected Kurosawa to find such a good school for him. The top scorer in the high school entrance exam seemed to have chosen it. However, this might be good for others, but it was a disaster for Takumi.'
"Can you change it? Find me a key high school. How can I handle manga with such a strict academic system?"
Takumi believed that the main characteristic of so-called key high schools was that they had stricter requirements for students than ordinary schools. Only strict standards and excellent educational resources could achieve university entrance exam glory again and again.
Kurosawa's response was a little stiff: "We've also taken that into account. You don't have to worry. The principal of Osaka's N.º 1 High School agrees that you don't have to go to school on weekdays. As long as you take the mid-terms and final exams each semester and maintain your grades among the top 50 in the school, the school will retain your student status."
'Damn it, he can still stay in the top 50 of the key high school without going to school. Does Kurosawa trust him too much?' Takumi wanted to curse him. He felt that Kurosawa didn't care about school at all. He helped Takumi find the best school, but if he got expelled, 'wouldn't he be able to fully dedicate himself to drawing manga?' The editor-in-chief had good intentions, but with Takumi's photographic memory, he wasn't afraid at all.
"Well, thank you for your help,"
Takumi thanked him. 'Indeed, if you think about it from another perspective, if he maintains stable grades, he doesn't need to go to school to get a diploma. Where can you find something so good!'
"Huh..."
Kurosawa was prepared to face Takumi's anger, and even thought of an excuse. The other party's gratitude made his preparations vanish into thin air, and he felt really uncomfortable. 'What's wrong? Does this kid really trust that he can study while drawing manga? ...Too much?'
"There's one more thing, Takumi." Kurosawa pondered and continued: "It so happens that you haven't come to Osaka yet. Our editorial department is short-staffed, so we won't assign you a responsible editor for now."
"How about we assign it to you after you start school?"
Takumi was moved. Of course, he had no problem with it. In fact, he didn't need anyone's guidance to draw manga.
He quickly accepted.
The conversation between the two ended there. After hanging up the phone, Kurosawa, who was in the principal's office, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Did he accept?"
An old man sitting across from him was calmly preparing tea.
"Yes, he accepted everything." Kurosawa nodded with a bewildered expression: "But, Director, why did you suddenly convince him?"
He felt very strange. Both the school and the editor had been chosen by the old man in front of him. Kurosawa had originally planned to look for a similar school.
"The first episode of Detective Conan was very well received in the market. Since you believe in its potential, I will do the same." The old man gently blew on the teacup, and a light shone in his eyes: "Don't worry about the editor. I have other candidates."
"This is a piece of cake, but Kurosawa, if the child's profits are fleeting, I will recover all my investment!"
"Yes."
Kurosawa nodded. 'He vaguely sensed that the president had other plans, which, of course, was not a bad thing. With the president's support, he could not only train an artist but also create an iconic benchmark to lead the flourishing development of original manga.'
Now, it was more important to maintain the enthusiasm generated by the first episode of Detective Conan. Kurosawa had received the manuscripts for the second and third episodes. Although there wasn't a shocking image at the end of the first episode, the subsequent plots were quite appealing.
Kurosawa believed that in a few weeks, Detective Conan would become a true sensation.
He believed even more in his own vision. If there was an editor who could improve Takumi's drawing skills, when he could draw high-quality manga with complete freedom, like the last scene of the first episode...
Japan, no, the global manga industry would be excited by Takumi!