Chapter 78: Gotouge Koyoharu
It was already mid-March, and Sakamoto Ken had temporarily set aside the Chainsaw Man manuscript these past few days to focus entirely on drawing Look Back.
On Wednesday morning, all 143 pages were completed.
The call for submissions required scanning the manuscript into an electronic version, so Sakamoto Ken approached Editor Kaji.
Sakamoto Ken: 「Editor, I’ve finished drawing the short story for the call for submissions. Can I borrow the company’s scanner to make an electronic version?」
Kaji Keiko: 「Of course, no problem. Sakamoto Sensei, has there been progress on the Chainsaw Man manuscript?」
Sakamoto Ken: 「I’ve been rushing the short story manuscript these past few days, so Chainsaw Man is still at chapter 16, but next I’ll focus on creating Chainsaw Man.」
Kaji Keiko: 「No problem at all, you have a lot of stockpiled manuscript. I think you still need to rest appropriately.」
Kaji Keiko: 「By the way, my schedule is fully booked these two days with work for the Chainsaw Man volume release. The earliest I can pick up the manuscript is probably Friday.」
Sakamoto Ken: 「Is Editor at the company? How about I come over directly?」
Kaji Keiko: 「That would be perfect! Just contact me when you arrive at the company. I really can’t get away right now. Sorry for the trouble, Sakamoto Sensei!」
Kaji Keiko: 「Right! Sakamoto Sensei, for the round trip from the company to your home, just take a taxi directly. The company can reimburse it.」
Sakamoto Ken: 「That’s great, I’ll head over right now.」
Kaji Keiko: 「Waiting for you~」
In his previous life, Sakamoto Ken had only dealt with one small publishing house, and his understanding of major publishing house editors’ work came mostly from documentaries and TV dramas.
In the JUMP model, one editor handles one writer, essentially acting as the writer’s full-time agent, responsible for discussions about the work, creation, publication, promotion, even business negotiations and interviews requiring appearances, and all other matters.
In the era before the internet was widespread, editors would collect readers’ letters for writers, summarize useful feedback for them, which also allowed writers to avoid public appearances and protect their privacy.
This practice was still popular in 2015, sending survey forms or comment letters via email. Some popular writers’ editors even hired part-time help to sort through large volumes of reader letters.
Even into the 2020s in his previous life, many writers were unwilling to appear in public, with even the president not knowing their appearance—only the editor was familiar, like Gotouge Koyoharu, who later created Demon Slayer.
This model allows editors to truly understand the work and the writer; some editors even know the work better than the writer themselves.
The downside is that it consumes too much manpower, as one editor only handles one serialized work, forcing JUMP to take the path of meticulous cultivation with a very limited number of new works launched each year, but a very high probability of producing excellent works.
Sakamoto Ken organized the manuscript, put Look Back into a file bag, slung on his backpack, and headed out.
He booked a taxi in advance, waited by the main road for just two minutes, and a black sedan pulled up.
They say the Japan Taxi Association is the biggest gang—as soon as you get in, you’re being robbed, and it’s absolutely true.
The pricing standards set during the economic bubble period haven’t changed to this day.
Those who take taxis are either rich people too lazy to drive or those whose companies reimburse them, with the latter probably being the majority.
The driver old man started the vehicle unhurriedly, merging into the traffic flow.
Actually, taxis aren’t always faster than the train; they’re just more convenient.
Sakamoto Ken looked at the city streets outside the car window, temporarily not thinking about other things, letting his mind go blank until they reached the Shueisha doorway.
After entering the Shueisha Building, Sakamoto Ken sent a message to Kaji Keiko.
Sakamoto Ken: 「Editor, I’ve arrived, right here in the first floor lobby.」
Kaji Keiko: 「Wait two minutes, coming right over!」
Sakamoto Ken stood in front of the poster wall nearby. The Young Lady, Sniper Rifle, and Pantyhose poster had already been replaced with others. After all, this was just an internal display with no real promotional purpose; the posters rotated.
Soon, Sakamoto Ken heard hurried footsteps from behind him. Turning around, he saw Editor Kaji rushing over, her hair slightly disheveled.
“Editor.” Sakamoto Ken stepped forward.
Kaji Keiko waved at Sakamoto Ken, without much small talk, and led him upstairs directly: “Sorry, couldn’t pick up the manuscript from your home. So many things today—I just got back from the printing factory this morning, now busy with promotion video filming, and later need to check the volume layout…”
“Editor works hard.” Sakamoto Ken said.
“No no, all for the work to sell big.” Kaji Keiko brushed the hair from her forehead behind her ear and led Sakamoto Ken to a room buzzing with noise.
“Printing, scanning, all here. Oh… Sakamoto Sensei already finished Look Back, and I haven’t even read the later parts yet.” Kaji Keiko entered the room and saw someone using the printer.
She greeted that person: “Katayama, scanning a writer’s manuscript?”
“Yeah, a writer selected for last year’s Golden Future Cup. This new short story is still top-notch. I’m very optimistic.” He said while continuing to scan the manuscript.
Editor Katayama turned his gaze to Sakamoto Ken, somewhat surprised: “Oh? This is Chainsaw Man’s Sakamoto Ken Sensei?”
“That’s me.” Sakamoto Ken nodded.
“Haha, honored to meet you, Sakamoto Ken Sensei. I’ve been following your manga.” Editor Katayama said, “It’s been a long time since JUMP had a work with such spirit.”
“Katayama, you’re too kind.”
“My manuscript is scanned. Kaji, you can use it.”
Katayama organized the manuscript and prepared to leave.
Sakamoto Ken glanced at the manuscript in his hand and saw a familiar name.
“Oh? Katayama, this manga is by Mr. Rib’s author, Gotouge Koyoharu?” Sakamoto Ken said.
“Hm?” Katayama stopped in slight surprise and showed the cover to Sakamoto Ken, which had the work name Saw-shaped Courtyard and pen name Gotouge Koyoharu. “Sakamoto Sensei actually knows it.”
“I’ve read Mr. Rib. Um… this story has a lot of potential.” Sakamoto Ken said.
“Hahaha, exactly. That’s why I’m optimistic about her potential. This one in my hand is the short story to be published in JUMP next month, but I’m also discussing long serialization with her.” Katayama said.
At this point in time, it was exactly one month before her short story Saw-shaped Courtyard was published, and the timeline matched perfectly.
And her editor-in-charge was also Katayama.
Mr. Rib had a somewhat immature art style, but it already had the basic worldview of people infected by evil spirits starting to kill, with purifiers specifically hunting these infected—combat style that was retained later.
If nothing unexpected happened, over the next year they would refine a brand-new long serialization based on Mr. Rib.
Then, Demon Slayer was born.
