Chapter 66: A Big Target
Sakamoto Ken followed Kaji Keiko out of the live broadcast room, with Mikazuki Haruna hurriedly catching up behind.
After catching up to Sakamoto Ken, Mikazuki Haruna reached out a hand but then pulled it back, ultimately not patting Sakamoto Ken’s shoulder.
She said, “Sakamoto Ken Sensei, are you heading back now?”
Sakamoto Ken turned back to look at Mikazuki Haruna and said, “Yeah, I still need to go back and work on my manuscript.”
“Oh oh, I need to go back and work on my manuscript too~” Mikazuki Haruna said, “How about riding in my vehicle? I can drop you off on the way.”
“No need, I live pretty far away.” Sakamoto Ken said.
“Doesn’t matter if it’s far, I’m driving anyway.” Mikazuki Haruna insisted.
The current situation was extremely delicate; they had already met offline, and he had expressed that he actually had ideas about that Young Lady manga.
From Haruna’s reaction, she was extremely concerned about it.
Favorability is something with a very common theory: the “mere exposure effect,” where people develop fondness simply because they are familiar with something.
So, the more often a person appears in front of someone, the easier it is to develop favorability toward them.
At present, Natsume Mio could be easily handled, that glamorous woman hadn’t been met yet, and as for Mikazuki Haruna…
The private space in a vehicle was an ideal breeding ground for favorability.
Moreover, it was her vehicle, her dominant space, and a key point in maintaining balance was to take the initiative oneself.
Sakamoto Ken ultimately rejected Mikazuki Haruna’s kind offer to drive him back; this girl’s expression clearly showed a bit of disappointment.
Mikazuki Haruna couldn’t exactly force him into the vehicle, but she thought, in that dream, when we first met, you got in my vehicle…
By now, the three had arrived downstairs at the Shueisha Building, and the vehicle come to pick her up was already waiting by the roadside.
“Alright then, I’ll head back first, Sakamoto Ken Sensei~” Mikazuki Haruna waved to Sakamoto Ken.
Sakamoto Ken also waved back to her until he watched her get in the vehicle and it drove out of sight, then he breathed a sigh of relief.
Kaji Keiko had been standing beside Sakamoto Ken the whole time; she said at this moment, “Sakamoto Sensei, I think Miyuki Haru Sensei really wants to have a deep exchange with you.”
“Yeah.” Sakamoto Ken nodded and said, “After all, she’s a rival; I feel she has a particularly strong desire to win.”
“Oh?” Kaji Keiko said, “Sakamoto Sensei observes so carefully? I didn’t sense it at all.”
Sakamoto Ken shrugged and didn’t answer.
Kaji Keiko continued, “So, are you heading home now?”
Sakamoto Ken replied, “Yeah, taking the train.”
“Goodbye, Sakamoto Sensei; I still need to go check out the bookstore.” Kaji Keiko smiled slightly and waved to Sakamoto Ken as she said.
“Eh? Perfect, I’m going to check out the bookstore too.” Sakamoto Ken said.
The bookstore was right next to Shueisha, with few people inside and an exceptionally quiet atmosphere.
They naturally walked to the manga magazine section and saw 《Weekly Shonen JUMP》 on the shelf.
It was already Friday evening, and the sales peak for this week’s magazine had long passed, with only a few copies left on the shelf.
“Next, I’ll do my best to fight for a cover opportunity for Sakamoto Sensei; at that time, readers buying the magazine will see Chainsaw Man at first glance—that’s an exposure opportunity on the scale of two million copies.” Kaji Keiko picked up a JUMP, looked at the front and back cover, and said.
“Thanks, Editor.” Sakamoto Ken thanked her.
“However, our focus is still on the WEB; it’s just that a few old guys in the Group leadership aren’t interested in digitalization, so they still see the weekly as the most important business…” Kaji Keiko said.
“Even with sales declining year after year, they haven’t caught on?” Sakamoto Ken asked.
“Of course; we still use fax machines for some business exchanges.” Kaji Keiko said, “Magazines like these, the unsold ones end up sent to the paper mill, pulped back into paper pulp to print new magazines…”
Putting down 《Weekly Shonen JUMP》, Kaji Keiko picked up the 《Bessatsu Shonen Magazine》 next to it.
The cover featured an illustration of Aku no Hana by Oshimi Shuzo, with of course the Chainsaw Man text nearby, along with Eren’s big head.
At this point in time, who knows if Isayama Hajime had already planned, years later, to draw the scene of Mikasa chopping off Eren’s head and holding it to kiss…
“Sakamoto Ken Sensei wants to create a work that everyone knows too, right.” Kaji Keiko said.
“Of course, every manga artist thinks that way.” Sakamoto Ken nodded and said.
“That’s not easy; too many works shine only in the opening and then fade into the crowd.” Kaji Keiko said.
“Even hugely popular works can’t escape this fate; plenty of manga get forcibly continued past when they should end, or keep pumping out sequels…” Sakamoto Ken said.
Kaji Keiko covered her mouth and smiled, saying, “You mean being driven by commercial interests to forcibly tack on a dog’s tail?”
Sakamoto Ken shrugged noncommittally: “Many popular works can’t escape this fate.”
“Those famous writers forcibly continuing successful works have their reasons.” Kaji Keiko said, “After all, every super popular manga is a combination of perfect timing, location, people, and all sorts of factors; even the writer themselves often can’t explain why they could create such an amazing work.”
“So… after achieving success once, extending that work as long as possible is the smartest… or rather, most profitable choice.”
“There are also writers who can continuously produce excellent works.” Sakamoto Ken said, “Like Rumiko Takahashi Sensei.”
Rumiko Takahashi Sensei was the most typical representative: Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, and Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon were all super successful long-running works.
“What, Sakamoto Sensei’s goal is to become a writer like Rumiko Takahashi Sensei?” Kaji Keiko teased.
Sakamoto Ken shook his head and said, “Takahashi Sensei is the eternal god; I’d be satisfied with three or four works selling tens of millions.”
“Hahaha, Sakamoto Sensei, your goal is indeed huge; that would already rank very high among manga artists.” Kaji Keiko covered her mouth and smiled, saying, “But, I have high hopes for you!”
