Full-time cartoonist.

Chapter 246 Cruel
It was the first time I met Higashi Higashino, Mr. Soma, but I had a good impression of him. He is the kind of person who draws manga in a down-to-earth manner.

He has a shy personality and doesn't like to take the initiative to speak.

Higashino chatted with him for a while, and got a general understanding of Soma Ichiro's situation.

He started to work hard to become a cartoonist when he was in high school. In 90, he finally drew an animated cartoon called "Cosmic Railway Heroes".

""Cosmic Railway Hero"!" Someone beside him shouted in surprise.

Higashino Hibiki and Soma Ichiro looked over and found that it was Yamamura Shoudao.

The eyes of the three people looked at each other, and Shancun restrained his surprised expression. He folded his arms in embarrassment, turned his head aside, and explained: "I'm not eavesdropping, I just happened to hear it here. It's your voice that came into my ears."

Soma didn't mind, and greeted the mountain village with a smile.

"You are Mr. Ichiro Soma, the author of "Cosmic Railway Heroes"! I like this manga very much. The protagonist's spirit of repeated defeats and battles is really inspiring." Yamamura finished speaking enthusiastically, and sighed, "It's just a pity that it was cut in half in 93."

That was before Higashino's "Soul of Chess" started serialization, no wonder Higashino had no impression.

Yamamura Shoumichi really can't spit out ivory, but Mr. Soma didn't care. He said with a wry smile: "It was November 93. It was snowing, the air was very cold, and the mist coming out was clearly visible, and my fingertips were frozen stiff. When Editor Sasaki informed me that I was cut in half, my heart was colder than my fingertips. Haha, ha..."

He teased himself and laughed, but when he saw Higashi Higashi and Yamamura Morido didn't follow suit, the laughter became smaller and smaller.

Higashino breathed a sigh of relief. He was really worried that the time when Mr. Soma would be cut in half was Christmas on December 12th. "Spirit of Go" passed the serialization meeting at this time. Fortunately, it had nothing to do with him.

"Soma-san," Yamamura asked, "Have you not drawn manga since then? I've been looking forward to it for a long time."

The corners of Soma's mouth froze, "I'm sorry, after "Cosmic Railway Hero" was cut in half, I didn't get the chance to serialize again. It's true, 6 years have passed, and I haven't written a manga that satisfies the editorial department. Ha...haha...ha..."

Yamamura quickly bowed, "I should apologize! I'm sorry! I took the liberty!"

The more he does this, the more embarrassed Soma becomes.

Higashino smoothed things over, "Is it "Cosmic Railway Hero"? I'll take a look."

Soma breathed a sigh of relief, "There is a big gap between the works of Akino-kun and Tori Akino-kun."

Yamamura nodded, "That's true."

The air was still again.

The three stared wide-eyed.

Higashino couldn't take it anymore, so he left here.

……

The waiters of the New Year's party wore red uniforms and shuttled in the hall.

Higashino walked through the crowd, walked to a corner, and began to enjoy the peace amidst the noise.

Not long after, a handsome guy in a red suit came to Higashino with two glasses of champagne.

"Thank you," Higashino took the cup, walked to the side sofa and sat down as if no one else was there, and drank slowly.

"Eh?" The visitor was stunned.

He walked up to Higashino Hibiki again.

"Is there anything else?" Higashino asked.

He introduced himself, "I am Xu Feigang, and the painting "The Prince of Tennis" is being serialized. Hello, Mr. Akino Niao."

Higashino was stunned, and quickly put down the champagne in his hand, apologizing, "I'm sorry, it's me..."

He regarded Xu Feigang as a waiter.

This is all the fault of Shancun Shoudao!乆

Infected by his idiot gene.

Xu Fei just glanced at his red suit and didn't care, "It doesn't matter, it's just a coincidence."

Higashino breathed a sigh of relief, stood up and shook hands with him, "Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you. "The Prince of Tennis" is a sports-themed manga. I've been reading it too, and it's very interesting."

For a period of time after "Slam Dunk" ended, "The Prince of Tennis" was the most popular comic.

Xu Fei just found another way, he is a genius.

"I'm glad you think so," Xu Fei just laughed.

He said with relief: "Actually, when "The Prince of Tennis" was serialized, I was competing with Mr. Akino's manga. It turned out that "Millennium Actress" is a milestone manga. I am still far from the teacher's realm, and I have benefited a lot."

"Tori Akino-sensei, may I ask, can you give me some advice on manga?"

Higashino lowered his head, thought for a while and said, "Pay more attention to rest, your body is more important than your career, that's all."

"Hey...thank you!" Xu Fei just bowed and apologized in astonishment.

……

The New Year's meeting officially started, and editor Yahagi was the moderator. After the chairman of Shueisha took the stage, Sasaki took the stage to give a speech, summarizing the work of jump.

Kazuhiko Torishima stood aside and applauded Sasaki.

After more than an hour, the New Year's meeting will end, and everyone will be free to move around and chat together.

Several people from Toei Animation Production Company found Higashi Hibiki and walked towards him. Director Kaede Inoue looked depressed.

Seeing this scene, Torishima Kazuhiko stopped them.

"The end of "Slam Dunk" is an unchangeable reality." Kazuhiko Torishima said to Toei's senior management: "So please don't bother Mr. Akino Tori."

Someone at the top asked anxiously: "Editor-in-Chief Bird Island, "Slam Dunk" just entered the national competition, how could it end so quickly? There are still many, many things to draw. Just like "Dragon Ball" back then."

He craned his neck to look at Higashino Higashino, who shook his head.

Torishima Kazuhiko said firmly: "I promised him that he will decide the end time."

Toei's high-level executives had an ugly expression, "You will regret it!"

In the New Year's party venue, the quarrel gradually became louder, and many people looked over with curious expressions.

"What happened?" Yamamura asked Akimoto next to him.

Akimoto shook his head slightly, not even understanding his old qualifications.

Yamamura looked at Higashino and thought, "What happened?"

"Could it be that Akino Tori is dissatisfied with the animation of "Slam Dunk"?"

"No, the people from Toei Animation are more anxious."

"Tori Akino has taken back the animation copyright of "Slam Dunk"?"

As a writer of reasoning comics, his brain is running fast.

"It must be big news!"

……

Kazuhiko Torishima persuaded Toei's top management to leave without letting them affect Hibiki Higashino.

Sasaki came to Higashino, and he said, "Mr. Torishima has paid a lot."

"I know." Higashino nodded.

The end of a pillar-level cartoon must be full of turbulent waves.

Sasaki silently patted Higashino on the shoulder.

After a long while, Sasaki said with emotion, "The former Mr. Torishima would not do this. As he grows older, he has really changed a lot."

However, the most important thing is the timing of Higashino serializing "Slam Dunk".

That was when "Dragon Ball" ended, jump sales dropped sharply, and it was about to be overtaken by "Weekly Shonen Magazine", which was a very dangerous time.

Shueisha needs a savior, and Kazuhiko Torishima needs a pillar.

So he was able to agree to harsh conditions.

Now, jump has "One Piece", "Hunter x Hunter", "Leader of the End of the Century", and "Naruto", which is the most luxurious moment.

With the end of "Slam Dunk", the impact will be reduced.

Higashino's completion of "Slam Dunk" is the result of the right time, place and people.

After a while, the peace gradually subsided, and there was no attention on Higashino Hibiki.

He found Soma Ichiro standing alone, and walked over.

"Mr. Soma, why are you here alone?" Higashino smiled kindly, "Aren't you used to this place?"

Soma Ichiro looked at Higashino Hibiki with probing eyes, and he was also very curious about what happened just now.

After realizing that it was impolite, he tilted his head slightly, pressed his glasses, and returned Higashino with a soft smile. He said, "That's not the case. I'm thinking about how to develop the manga I want to draw now."

He had just chatted with other cartoonist teachers for a long time, and had some ideas.

"It's really hard work, then I won't bother you."

"It's okay, I'm also a little unfamiliar and at a loss," said Ichiro Soma, "Many of the teachers I knew back then didn't attend the New Year's party. It's really different."

"Jump is like this."

The jump is too cruel, except for a few evergreen pines, no one can guarantee that he will always be eligible to be serialized.

Up and down, there are always old people going.The newcomer is here.

"Actually, I don't want to participate in the New Year's party today, because I haven't produced any results." Soma said with a smile: "But editor Sasaki said that I am immersed in drawing manga, and my brain is easy to get rusty. Why don't I come out and chat with others, maybe I will get inspiration."

"I really can't help it." He shook his head helplessly, but the smile on the corner of his mouth was always there.

Higashihiro said, "Mr. Sasaki is very concerned about you."

"Well," Soma Ichiro nodded solemnly, "We have been friends for 10 years."

"This time I must serialize!"

……

time flies.

In the blink of an eye, it was February.

After drawing the manga, Higashino asked the assistants if they had a booklet of "Cosmic Railway Heroes".

There are no comic shops selling them now. If you want to buy them, go to a second-hand shop, which is quite troublesome.

"I will bring the comic "Cosmic Railway Hero" next time." Omori raised his hand and said.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Omori said, "I'm very impressed with this manga, and I've read it carefully many times."

Higashino asked curiously, "Why?"

Omori explained, "To be honest, Mr. Soma's drawing skills are quite poor, even a basic high school student can draw. As a result, with his excellent plot, his manga was serialized, and later it was animated."

"I was poor at drawing at the time, and I was honing my drawing skills. "Cosmic Railway Heroes" gave me a lot of confidence, and I can also serialize it!"

Higashino Hibiki: "That's really good."

"But as my drawing skills got better and better, the feeling I got from "Cosmic Railway Heroes" gradually changed, becoming despair," Omori confided, "The plot of the manga is much more important than the drawing skills. I can hone my drawing skills, but I can't become a drama-based manga artist like Mr. Soma Ichiro."

"How sad."

His drawing skills are very strong, but he can't be serialized. Soma Ichiro's drawing is very poor, but he can get the serialization qualification by virtue of his excellent plot, and Omori's motivation has dropped sharply.

The comics that once brought momentum became natural moats.

Omori asked: "Mr. Akino, why do you suddenly want to watch "Cosmic Railway Heroes"?"

Higashino talked about the New Year's party.

Omori was surprised when he heard this, "Sensei Soma has been drawing manga all the time, I thought he had given up a long time ago. After all, after "Cosmic Railway Hero" was cut in half, I haven't seen his work again."

Higashino said: "Editor Sasaki said that Mr. Soma has been working hard to submit new works, and until now, he is still working hard."

Omori shook his head, "Mr. Soma's comics are outdated..."

……

After a while, Sasaki came to the door.

Akemi Akimiya opened the door, expecting him to enter.

Invite him to sit down on the sofa, and serve tea and snacks graciously.

If it weren't for the fact that Akemi Akimiya was pregnant with "Sakura Mission", Higashino would have enjoyed it.

"Mrs. Higashino," Sasaki said directly, "I have contacted an editor of "RIBON". She is very interested in your comics. This is her business card."

"Thank you very much!" Akemi Akimiya bowed.

Sasaki said, "It's my job."

Things went well for Akemi Akimiya, and Higashino also thanked Sasaki for keeping him for dinner.

"There is no rush to eat, and the work is not over yet."

Sasaki smiled. He took out three documents and handed them to Higashino Hibiki.

Higashino turned the pages and looked, "It's time to sign the contract money again, I forgot."

He is familiar with this contract, he has signed it many times, and the amount has already reached the ceiling, so there is nothing to worry about, and he signed directly.

Sasaki put away the two contracts and stood up, "Then I will take my leave first."

"Why are you so anxious?"

"There is still work to do," Sasaki's expression became serious, with a bit of entanglement, "It's about the contract money from Mr. Soma."

"That can't be delayed, I'll see you off." Dongye stood up.

"It's not a contract," Sasaki sighed, his eyes showed a look of fatigue. After hesitating, he said, "Mr. Soma's contract fee cannot be renewed."

"Eh?" Higashino Hibiki was surprised, "Why?"

Sasaki replied, "Somata, it's been a long time since it was serialized, hasn't it?"

It was cut in half in 1993, and the contract bonus of Jump has been maintained to 2000, so Jump is already very good.

For the most ordinary cartoonist, his annual contract fee is also the annual salary of a baseball player.

It's more than a few million yen.

The amount Higashino took at the beginning was 2000 million yen.

He didn't know the amount of Soma Ichiro's annual contract money, but the sum of all these years was not a small sum.

Higashino has no objection to the profit-based jump that has done its utmost to benevolent and righteous.

He was very concerned, and asked with a solemn expression: "Mr. Soma's new work, can't it pass the serialization meeting?"

Sasaki nodded.

　Thank you for the three meals of live fish and Miss Meinuo for the reward of 500 points, and thank you for the reward for daring to be a pioneer.

　　Thank you all for your well wishes,
　　
　
(End of this chapter)