Over the next two days, the major anime of the current season in Japan premiered one after another.
Unlike the previous season, which had featured a highly popular sequel such as Burning Sin Season 4, there was virtually no suspense this time. One-Punch Man was clearly going to continue dominating the weekly viewership rankings.
However, when the fourth season of Hikaru no Go premiered, its ratings also exceeded the peak data of its third season, reaching 5.71 percent and ranking second among all newly premiered anime this season.
The anime market had quietly entered a delicate phase.
Shirogane's two works immediately claimed first and second place in viewership at the very start of the season. It was easy to foresee that, over the next three months, few other anime would pose any real threat to either of them.
This truly was the most predictable winter anime season in history.
The first week of January passed quickly.
By now, whether it was admiration, disdain, jealousy, or reluctant respect within Japan's anime and manga industries, everyone was forced to confront the same question.
Just how big a storm was Shirogane going to stir up in this market?
It was simply too exaggerated.
Media coverage related to Shirogane and One-Punch Man never stopped.
Of course, for Rei, the popularity of One-Punch Man also boosted sales of his two ongoing manga, Hikaru no Go and Hunter x Hunter.
The average volume sales of Hikaru no Go surpassed twelve million copies. As for Hunter x Hunter, the series had been serialized for less than a year and a half, with only three volumes released so far. The third volume, released just two weeks earlier, achieved first-week sales of 6.01 million copies, raising the average sales across all three volumes to 9.13 million.
Judging by the current trend, it was highly likely that the series would exceed an average of ten million copies per volume before the Spring Festival, setting a new record as the fastest manga in Japan's history to reach that milestone.
It could only be said that, from the moment Rei entered the market with the serialization of Hikaru no Go to now, barely a year and a half had passed, yet he had already become the most sought-after creator in both the manga and anime industries.
In the following weeks, Rei gradually shifted more of his attention to his university final exams.
No matter how tolerant the Animation Department of Vocational University was of his commercial activities, he still had to pass his finals and earn the required credits.
Failing to graduate on time would be the real headline news for anime industry.
Fortunately, Rei attended classes diligently, and much of his professional work involved real production processes related to manga and anime. His work itself was a form of practice and learning, so he felt little pressure regarding the exams.
What did cause him some mild trouble, however, were the rumors spreading around campus about his relationship with Miyu.
After Miyu's identity as the manga artist Saki was exposed, her connection with Rei quickly became a topic of speculation, both online and offline.
Many of Rei's fans began paying close attention to Saki, imagining the relationship between the two as ambiguous.
Rei, having experienced similar situations back in high school, was already used to it.
Miyu, on the other hand, was far more relaxed.
Since rumors about her relationship with Rei began circulating, the number of boys pursuing her dropped sharply. Compared to a top-tier manga artist earning hundreds of millions annually, most suitors felt naturally intimidated.
After realizing this unexpected benefit, Miyu even deliberately began appearing near Rei's academic building to greet him. She considered him a very effective shield and trusted that Rei's personality wouldn't mind the rumors.
Meanwhile, in January, Hunter x Hunter also reached its highest popularity since serialization began.
The latest chapter surpassed the second-ranked Source War Chronicle by more than 1.1 million votes.
In terms of performance, status, evaluation, and the group's strategic focus, Hunter x Hunter on Dream Comic had completely overtaken Source War Chronicle, which had held the number-one position for three years. It became the unquestioned flagship title of the magazine.
After the story entered the Heavens Arena Arc, beginning with Hisoka blocking the entrance, followed by Gon and Killua learning Nen Ability and participating in arena battles, the long-laid foreshadowing finally paid off.
During the Hunter Exam, Hisoka had cornered Gon but spared him out of twisted admiration, even returning the number tag Gon needed to pass, an act that deeply humiliated Gon.
Hisoka had mockingly stated that he would only accept that number tag back when Gon could land a solid punch on his face.
In the latest chapter, after intense training at the Arena Tower, that promise was finally fulfilled.
Gon struck Hisoka squarely in the face with all his strength, returned the number tag, and was then utterly defeated by Hisoka once the latter became serious.
For many long-time readers, Hunter x Hunter had previously been seen as merely a good manga.
The early story arcs were undeniably awkward.
As the protagonist, Gon had barely any impressive individual battles. He often served more as a catalyst for teamwork, making crucial decisions rather than winning through sheer strength.
He had been spared by Hisoka during the Hunter Exam, and even his final victory there relied on Hanzo's mercy.
Some readers had complained, but the strength of the supporting cast kept them invested.
Since the introduction of Nen Ability and the Arena Arc, however, Hunter x Hunter truly revealed itself as an intense, strategic battle manga.
Although Gon still lost to Hisoka, the long-foreshadowed confrontation ignited the passion of the fanbase.
And after the Heavens Arena Arc, the story was set to enter the Phantom Troupe Arc, which Rei personally ranked second only to the Chimera Ant Arc in the original work.
By late January, the third episode of One-Punch Man Season Two officially aired.
Since King's appearance in the first episode, the character most discussed in the original work and the source of countless memes, his popularity skyrocketed. In just two weeks, he rose to second place in popularity, surpassed only by Saitama.
Of course, there were criticisms of One-Punch Man online as well.
The most common complaint focused on the new character, Garou.
Because the storyline was gradually entering the Garou and Monster Association Arc, and the plot needed to start shaping Garou while he was still relatively weak, many fans began to grow impatient.
"Seriously, why is Shirogane giving Garou so much screen time? Is this supposed to show his growth?"
"Won't he just get taken down by Saitama with one punch in the end?"
"I actually find Garou pretty interesting. He's bad, but he has principles. His thinking is strange, and you feel conflicted watching him, but you don't really hate him."
"Don't you get it yet? This storyline uses Bang's disciple, Garou, to connect the various characters of the Hero Association. Before this, most Hero Association members were just labels like 'S-Class Rank X.' It's impossible for Teacher Saitama to personally interact with and fight all of them in depth. A villain like Garou, whose strength is below top S-Class, is perfect for highlighting the charm of other heroes."
"That's true. I always thought Tanktop Master was just a muscle-brained gag character. But after his fight with Garou, I actually like him a lot. He's upright, loyal, and tough."
"I still like King the most. A regular gaming shut-in who somehow becomes the Strongest Man on Earth. I really want to see what happens when he runs into a Monster again."
"Do you seriously think King has no power? Think about it. Every time he's in danger, Saitama shows up. On the surface, he looks like a powerless ordinary guy, but in reality, he's the world's greatest summoner. His passive skill 'Summon Saitama' activates whenever he's in trouble."
"Wait… that actually makes sense."
"What I admire most about Shirogane is how a character who barely appeared has generated so many memes. Last season, they said King's 'King Engine' activated during battle, and now we know it's just his heart pounding from fear. When Saitama got punched to the moon and kicked off a crater to return to earth, that feat was also attributed to King, saying he used the moon as a punching bag and even tossed bombs into black holes. I lose it every time King appears."
"But won't this character's arc end soon? Since he knows he's powerless, it'll be hard for him to shine later. If a real big battle happens, he'll be exposed instantly."
"That's why you're just a viewer and Shirogane is a master. Do you really think he spent that much effort building King just to turn him into a one-off joke?"
"I still feel Season Two is slightly weaker than Season One. Mainly because Garou slows the pacing and cuts into Saitama's screen time."
"That's inevitable. Season One had the novelty of first appearances. Season Two has to build on an existing framework."
"To be honest, aren't all the later enemies kind of weak? Boros in Season One was portrayed too powerfully. Compared to him, later enemies don't give much pressure, so the excitement feels lower."
"The third episode already hit a 6.32 percent rating. Who knows how high it'll go by the end of the season."
Late January arrived.
After finishing a full week of exams, Rei finally welcomed his first winter break at university.
Freed from academic pressure, he was able to focus entirely on his work.
As a result, the quality of that week's manga manuscript improved noticeably.
At Illumination Animation Production Company, Rei also had more time to personally participate in the production of One-Punch Man.
The second season of the anime was essentially a prelude and setup for the Monster Association Arc from the original manga.
It introduced the Monster Association, gave Garou room to grow, and gradually developed the S-Class heroes of the Hero Association.
S-Class heroes.
Naturally, Season Two also included many famous memes from the original work.
For example, Bakuzan, the disgrace of the Dragon Level.
And storylines such as "King" instantly defeating the top Dragon-Level Monster, Centipede.
Overall, however, the season mainly focused on groundwork and buildup.
Rei's primary responsibility at Illumination Animation Production Company had already shifted to participating in the review and planning process for the third season of One-Punch Man.
By now, more than a dozen volumes of Hikaru no Go had been released, with an average per-volume sale of twelve million copies.
From manga royalties alone, Rei's income exceeded 200 million Yen.
Although Hikaru no Go merchandise sales were not explosive, they still generated tens of millions in revenue. Combined with overseas licensing fees, adaptation fees for film and animation, and profits from his earlier works, Rei's total income since entering the Japanese anime industry had surpassed 300 million yen.
Meanwhile, Hunter x Hunter and One-Punch Man were both enjoying peak popularity.
With ample funds available, Rei invested far more into the second and third seasons of One-Punch Man than he had in the first season.
Supported by Rei's capital, Illumination Animation Production Company gained the confidence to expand. The studio began hiring aggressively and moved into simultaneous production of both the second and third seasons.
After all, anime production is a meticulous craft. The more time that is invested, the higher the quality of the final work.
Of course, with One-Punch Man being so popular now, Rei, as the copyright holder, had no shortage of options when it came to merchandise partners.
Representatives from major merchandise manufacturers and distribution companies across Japan were calling him almost every day to discuss potential collaborations.
Even overseas, several companies reached out, hoping to cooperate on introducing the second season of One-Punch Man to international markets. Rei could only deal with these matters during his break.
After an exhausting day of work, Rei returned to his apartment.
With his current wealth, buying an even better home would not have been difficult. However, he preferred lively surroundings. Most luxury residences were located in quiet districts, while he favored the energy of the bustling city center.
He checked the time. It was already one in the morning.
"It feels like there's still so much to handle during the break."
"Right now, most of the copyright matters for One-Punch Man are being handled by the agency Misaki recommended. The cost isn't high, but it's clearly not suitable for long-term cooperation. I still need to hire people and establish a dedicated company to manage the operation and copyright development of my works," Rei muttered softly while soaking in the bathtub.
"Also, since Hikaru no Go and Hunter x Hunter are performing so well, my influence in the industry is completely different from before. I need to seriously discuss royalty and copyright-sharing ratios with Hoshimori Group."
When Rei first worked on Hikaru no Go, Hoshimori Group offered him a nine percent royalty rate on manga volume sales, which was standard for top-tier manga artists in Japan.
But now, with Hunter x Hunter reaching this level of success, there was still room to increase the share, even if only by one or two percentage points.
That small increase would translate into tens of millions in additional revenue. It was not a trivial amount.
Rei's current achievements could undoubtedly be described as top-tier. Among the manga artists still active in Japan, only a handful could rival him in overall influence.
Rei had initially thought that Hoshimori Group would bring this up on their own, sparing him the awkwardness of initiating the discussion. However, Hunter x Hunter had held the number-one ranking in the magazine for several months, and the group still hadn't made a move.
At this point, Rei knew he had to remind them himself.
"Why does it feel like I'm even busier after being reborn than I was in my previous life?" Rei laughed quietly to himself.
He stepped out of the bathtub and looked at his youthful reflection in the mirror.
The appearance of his previous life was gradually becoming vague and distant.
Rei smiled, walked out of the bathroom, and collapsed onto the bed.
As he cleared his mind, sleep quickly overtook him.
Then, during the dream, a cluster of memories from his previous life surged forward, vivid and sharp, as if they had happened just yesterday.
The next morning, Rei woke up and blinked in confusion for a moment before fully realizing what had occurred.
After nearly a year, fragments of his previous life's memories had finally resurfaced again.
And naturally, within that exceptionally clear flood of memories was something that immediately caught Rei's attention.
An animated work.
A brand-new one.
Something that felt less like entertainment and more like a piece of art.