"Touhou Gensokyo" is more of a fictional world than a theme.
The history of Gensokyo dates back several centuries, when monsters still existed in the world. The prosperity of human civilization gradually suppressed the power of monsters, and these powerful beings experienced an unprecedented crisis in their very existence.
To resolve this crisis, the monster sage Yukari Yakumo proposed and implemented an expansion plan: to create a virtual and a real realm around Gensokyo, dividing Gensokyo and the outside world into a "virtual" world and a "real" world, turning Gensokyo into a world that attracts "illusory things," drawing wandering monsters into Gensokyo and gradually strengthening its power. Afterward, she would use the Hakurei Barrier to isolate Gensokyo from the outside world, thus providing a place to live.
The powerful barrier blocks the outside of Gensokyo, preventing the outside world from confirming its existence, and furthermore, it is impossible to enter it from the outside. Monsters have established a civilization similar to an earthly paradise on the border of this oriental country.
The original Fantasy Township started as a game. Thanks to its open copyright, thousands of amateur writers created stories, manga, music, games, and even other derivative works around this theme, which also boosted the series.
Takumi had a fairly detailed setting in mind. He thought that if he opened it up to other mangaka, it would probably cause a sensation, but the risk was also great; 'after all, the manga fandom in Japan hadn't developed yet.'
But he was also attracted by another idea: to release part of Pokémon's copyright to expand the manga adaptation market.
It was an idea that suddenly came to him. In fact, if Pokémon's rights were opened up to other artists, it could be adapted into various stories. However, this idea lacked historical reference. The original copyright protection of this series was relatively strict, which restricted the development of the fandom and manga.
Takumi considered that there would be no major problem in releasing part of the copyright. As long as he held the setting of the Pokémon in his hands, he would have decisive authority, and the stories of other characters would develop from it.
Furthermore, releasing the copyright for manga would bring excellent results.
Hinotori Publishing's mangaka would be delighted to create stories with the help of animation broadcasting. They write stories focused on Pokémon, which evoke the animation from the Osaka television station. The animation promotes magazine sales, and magazines can also make the animation more popular.
This is the best of both worlds. The Pokémon series has great potential, and the timing is right. If done well, Takumi believes it is more suitable for increasing magazine sales than Touhou Fantasy Township.
"Which one should I choose...?"
Takumi asked with difficulty.
"It doesn't matter if I don't choose either."
When he was worried, Shiori suddenly said: "No one wants you to choose one of the two."
Shiori was also at the hotel. In three days, she stayed at Takumi's hotel for at least two and a half days. The excuse was to practice the lines for the second episode of Pokémon, but she always loved lying in bed reading manga.
And lying down, this boy even turned up the air conditioning, took off his coat, and lay on the bed in cool clothes, showing off his figure without hesitation.
She likes to bathe from time to time, and the bathroom door is always ajar.
Takumi couldn't help but suspect that Shiori was deliberately seducing him, but every time the idea came up, he immediately dismissed it. 'Shiori is a conservative person, and a sixteen-year-old girl would never do something like that.'
He still remembered the scene where Shiori swore not to fall in love too soon.
In the end, Takumi concluded that Shiori did not consider him a man.
"It turns out she considers me her best friend...".
This made him feel very complicated.
But something else also surprised him. 'Why was Shiori running to the hotel all day during the New Year?'
Shiori answered this question very clearly:
"I'm a good student. I don't know how many relatives come to visit me after I go home. My parents almost treat me like an exhibit and praise me wherever I go. I can't stand it. It annoys me so much that I go out and hide."
She ran away from home under the pretext of tutoring. Others knew she would be tutoring during the winter break and praised her for her sensibility and even for helping the family relieve financial pressure.
Shiori's lies were very good. She still kept the money she earned as a voice actress, so it was difficult for others to find out.
So Takumi said nothing and allowed her to use his room as a refuge. Naturally, he also told Shiori about the authorization of the Pokémon and Touhou Fantasy Township manga.
"Choose both."
Shiori's suggestion made Takumi smile bitterly. Indeed, Shiori was right. No one forced him to choose one.
But Takumi had to lead both themes, and it would be difficult to implement them. In desperation, he included both as candidates and decided to talk to Genji upon returning to Osaka. If he had enough energy, he would choose both.
In fact, more themes attract more readers. Hinotori Publishing's two weekly magazines now feature two manga by Mirai-sensei, a total of seven articles from the Gundam and Magical Girls series. If two more types are added, the manga magazines will be enriched and their quality will improve.
The theme is decided, and the rest is a new manga.
The choice of this manga was also very difficult. Takumi initially planned to choose a manga with a simple style. This was because his experience with Detective Conan had taught him that simple manga were easier to let go of and let others draw.
If he started a manga like "Death Note," Takumi might take several years to draw it.
So it was easy to find an assistant: Takumi thought of manga like "Doraemon," "Crayon Shin-chan," and "Chibi Maruko-chan." After thinking about it, he gave up again.
He wondered:
"Do you want to dedicate yourself to children's manga?"
The answer, of course, was no. Pokémon animation was about to be broadcast, so he no longer needed to write children's manga. Besides, the main readers of Weekly Shōnen and Weekly Shōjo Manga were not elementary school students.
If the "Doraemon" series were serialized, magazine sales would not increase much, and readers might not be satisfied.
Takumi's current readers are young people and some adults between thirty and forty years old. These people are also the target audience for mainstream culture. They love to read and spend money. Publishing manga for them can generate the greatest economic impact.
So Takumi changed his mind and decided that the manga that would boost sales must be intense and impactful. He could use an intense story to attract readers and create a sensation, and the story shouldn't be too long so that it could be completed quickly.
A few days later, he wrote the manga's title:
"Fate/Stay Night."
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