Full-time cartoonist.

Chapter 116 Slam Dunk
After Kazuhiko Torishima signed Oda, he and Higashino went to the study.

Akimiya and the others were very curious, and looked at Sasaki, who shook his head, expressing that he could not tell.

Oda lowered his head in disappointment, he returned to the work table, and began to conceive of a character design.

This is his hobby, and sooner or later he will be able to use it.

When Higashino didn't see it.

Oda drew a boy wearing a straw hat and a vest. He has a scribbled face, his eyes are just two dots, and he is confidently pointing his finger to the sky!

"If there are serialized works in the future, we must let this person be the protagonist, and give him a name, Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy!"

……

In the study, Torishima Kazuhiko sat down without being polite.

"Ah, I really didn't expect that the kid who contributed to the Manga Awards in 1993 has grown into a highly popular author now."

"Thank you, Mr. Torishima." Higashino sat across from him and said gratefully, "If it wasn't for you, I might not be where I am now."

Even though he said that, he was slandering in his heart. As soon as he sat down, he talked about human relations. How cunning, Mr. Torishima.

I am directly at a disadvantage.

"I saw your talent, the most important thing is," Torishima Kazuhiko recalled: "When I first met you, I was still bald. It was really interesting and full of vigor at that time, but now it is not as good as before."

Higashino smiled indifferently: "Spirit is for newcomers. My grades are very good now. I just need to keep my feet on the ground and continue to serialize."

Torishima Kazuhiko frowned, this is not good news.

Glancing at Higashino Hibiki, he didn't know whether this sentence was sincere or he wanted to put forward conditions.

So continue to explore.

"You should really keep your feet on the ground." He pointed the table with his hand, stood up suddenly, and picked up the medal awarded by Higashi Higashi from the Ki Academy, "I watched the live broadcast more than a month ago. You were shining brightly, Akino-kun. There are very few young people who are as successful as you are at the age of 19."

"You're too much." Higashino nodded, and this was something he was proud of.

Promoted the development of Go, this kind of thing, ordinary comics can't do it.

""Soul of Chess" has been around for a while, and I have won Xiao Zheng's first place a few times." Kazuhiko Torishima put down the medal, turned around, and looked at Higashi Higashino, "Even "Dragon Ball" surpassed it, no wonder it can affect the chess academy , hold an event just for you."

What Kazuhiko Torishima said was exactly the plot after Zuowei and Toya Yukihiro played chess and before Zuowei disappeared.

During the climax, it did not lose to "Dragon Ball", surpassed "Rurouni Kenshin", and crushed "Jojo Part [-]".

"Compared to what I said now... Ah, I'm sorry, I said too much." He paused, looking like he said something wrong.

Higashino understands that when this person comes in, he first builds relationships, then arouses young people's desire to win, and finally compares the ups and downs of "Soul of Chess", and wants Higashino to choose to finish "Soul of Chess" between the strong contrasts. .

This is what Higashino Hibiki has to do.

But you can't raise it yourself, but let him raise it.

"Mr. Torishima, it is precisely because of this that I will continue to work hard." He said: "Success has been hard-won for me. If I don't have the ability to guarantee the bottom line, I am worried that I will fail completely."

"Continue to serialize "Soul of Chess", maybe the grades can still improve. In the last few chapters, Xiaozheng's grades are in the 5th to 8th place, which is not low."

Higashino refused to give in, which made Kazuhiko Torishima very upset.

Since it's not good to play tricks, then you can only sell it miserably.

"Tori Akino-kun, to be honest, jump has lost its former glory. Horie Nobuhiko is also at the end of his rope."

"At this time, the senior management decided to appoint me as the editor-in-chief of Jump, and I will take office after the New Year's meeting. In fact, it is not only hoping that I can perform miracles, but also to throw the blame away."

"I'm under a lot of pressure now, and I have dark circles under my eyes. It's really difficult. When I close my eyes, it's a difficult situation. I really hope that there is someone who can help me share it."

"Alas." Torishima Kazuhiko sighed long.

He sat down in frustration, showing the powerlessness of a middle-aged man.

"I know this person, the person who can save Jump!" Higashino said loudly.

There was hope in Torishima Kazuhiko's eyes. He held Higashi Hibiki's hands, hoping that he could say his name.

"This person is my assistant Eiichiro Oda! I have a hunch that he can become a great cartoonist comparable to Mr. Toriyama! The next era belongs to Oda!"

Torishima Kazuhiko was taken aback for a moment, then fixedly looked at Higashi Hibiki.

"At this time, you are still joking!"

Higashino Hibiki was not joking, but Torishima Kazuhiko would definitely not believe it, and everyone would not believe it.

Except for himself and Eiichiro Oda.

Higashino doesn't eat soft ones, and Torishima Kazuhiko can't take hard ones either.

He simply said directly: "Mr. Higashino, do you have any ideas about serializing new works?"

Higashino let out his breath slowly and nodded, finally it was the critical moment.

……

In the study, he took out a stack of mirrors and handed them to Torishima Kazuhiko.

The name of this comic is "Slam Dunk".

"Basketball?" Torishima Kazuhiko looked up unexpectedly, "Basketball is too popular in Japan and even in Asia. Although the confrontation is good, it is difficult to show it."

It is very difficult for the carrier of comics to depict the fierce confrontation of basketball.

Some editors even think that basketball is weak and low confrontation, and that is the problem of the artist.

Baseball is easier than basketball.

Pitches, hits, runs, it's easy to draw subjects and dynamics.

Kazuhiko Torishima is different from the general editors, he decided to take a look at the content first.

"The setting of the protagonist Sakuragi Hanamichi is bad, and it has many shortcomings, which is good."

"The character design of Kaede Rukawa for the second male lead is also good. His high-cold personality is very suitable for the classic duo of mindless and unhappy, and can draw a lot of laughs."

"Sakuragi Hanamichi joined the basketball team because of the girl he likes, which is very comical."

After reading the beginning, Kazuhiko Torishima was a little embarrassed.

Of course it is eligible for serialization.

But he couldn't grasp the result.

Because the popularity of basketball is low, the opening is comedy plus bad fights, in order to attract readers.

The direction of the plot is also in line with the hot-blooded comics.

But can such a work really become a popular work?

It looks a little ordinary.

Kazuhiko Torishima raised his head, "Excuse me, do you have the finished manuscript?"

"It's not the original manuscript of the work," Higashino said, "I only drew a manga version of an NBA basketball game, do you want to see it?"

Torishima Kazuhiko said seriously: "Please show me, please!"

Higashino rummaged through the desk drawer, and it was Jordan's slam dunk from the Bulls.

There were only three original manuscripts, and only one scene was described. After reading it, Kazuhiko Torishima was shocked.

This is the scene where Jordan makes three shots with the lever. In reality, it takes 3 to 5 seconds. In the comics, many scenes were cut.

Different angles, Jordan's expression, and the reactions of other players and opponents.

The shots are coherent and the expressions are in place, it's almost like seeing Jordan slam dunk.

"And this realistic painting style," Torishima Kazuhiko thought while touching the manuscript paper, "It's completely different from "Soul of Chess". This kind of painting style can show the expressions of the characters and increase the sense of substitution!"

"The artist has become stronger." He glanced at Hibiki Higashino, speechless, "already reaching the level of a first-class artist."

"Although it's a waste of time to draw like this, as long as Akino can be patient and draw, readers will definitely like it."

In general, he didn't find the problem, but instead had a feeling of "gaining knowledge".

Whether he can break through the boundaries of basketball comics, he still can't guarantee.

But this comic, this drawing method and technique, has the possibility of success.

That's enough.

"Reduce the funny content and increase the basketball game," Kazuhiko Torishima said to Hibiki Higashino: "Even if Xiaozheng's performance is insufficient at the beginning, I will not let "Slam Dunk" be cut in half."

His attitude is very clear.

(End of this chapter)