The literary era since 1979

The bookstore was packed with people, and book lovers were queuing in a long line, eagerly waiting for Fangyan's signature.

Kadokawa Koyomi watched the scene absentmindedly, his mind full of the devilish "whispers" in the dialect just now.

Start another?

Start your own business?

Create your own two-dimensional library and prove to your big brother that your vision and decision are absolutely correct!

There was a flame of impulse burning in his heart, but soon, reason made him calm down. It is not an easy task to start a two-dimensional library from scratch. Funding, channels, connections, and manuscript sources are all headaches. The reason why he hopes that Kadokawa Bunko, or its subsidiary Fujimi Shobo, will develop into the two-dimensional world is because Kadokawa Shoten is the best platform for him to realize his dreams, without a doubt.

After all, after graduating from university, under the arrangement of my father, I started as a clerk in Kadokawa Bookstore and gradually became the vice president.

Having dedicated most of my life to the family business, do I have any other options for starting a business besides Kadokawa Shoten?
Kadokawa Lehiko can only choose Kadokawa Shoten, but his elder brother Kadokawa Haruki will never support him!

As I was struggling, the balance in my heart was swaying back and forth, and even after the book signing event was over, I still hadn't decided which way to put it.

Fang Yan rubbed his slightly sore wrist and walked over: "How do you think about it?"

Kadokawa Lehiko shook his head and smiled bitterly when he talked about his concerns. He was worried about his brothers turning against each other, he had to take his wife and children into consideration, and he was also afraid of the problems in channels, talents, funds, etc. that would come with starting his own business. In short, these challenges almost covered all the challenges that middle-aged entrepreneurs face.

"You don't have to worry about funds and channels."

Fangyan smiled. As for the channels of publishing and distribution, even if Kadokawa Haruki was unwilling to help out of spite, he could still cooperate with major publishing houses such as Yuhikaku and Tokuma Shoten. Even if Suzuki Shunjiro and others did not do so for the sake of Kadokawa Koyomi, they would at least give themselves some face.

As for funding, it would be best if publishing companies such as Yuhikaku and Tokuma Shoten were willing to take a stake.

If not, there is no problem at all. With the speed at which you make a fortune from foreign exchange speculation, you can come up with 5 million yen. According to the current exchange rate of US dollar to Japanese yen, it is only 385 million US dollars. Even if you come up with another 5 million or 10 billion yen, it is not a problem at all.

(PS: Dengeki Bunko was founded with a capital of 100 million yen)
However, he was afraid that saying this would scare Kadokawa Lehiko, so he lowered the investment amount to US$100 million.

"One billion yen?!"

Even so, Kadokawa was shocked. "Mr. Fangyan, isn't it too risky for you to do this? This is equivalent to the royalties of "Midnight Ring" for a year!" Then he advised kindly: "This is too much. In fact, even if it is one percent, 130 million will be enough."

"Japan is an island country with a developed fishing industry. You should know this better than I do: the bigger the wind and waves, the more expensive the fish!"

Fangyan patted his shoulder.

"But...but..."

Kadokawa Koyomi seemed to want to say something but stopped himself.

"You have a point. Investing 1.3 million to run a library that sells light novels, comics, and games is indeed too much."

Fangyan said bluntly that they wanted to run not only a library, but also open a bookstore and build their own sales and distribution network.

As soon as these words came out, Kadokawa Toshihiko seemed to be forced to swallow his saliva subconsciously. "Fangyan-kun, are you kidding me?"

"Li Yanjun, are you satisfied with just one or two library brands?"

Fangyan smiled and said, "Have you never thought about owning a company like Kadokawa Shoten, Tokuma Shoten, or Iwanami Shoten?"

"I want to...I want to...of course I want to."

Kadokawa Toshihiko's voice trembled, "But aren't you afraid that I will fail in business and lose all your huge sum of money?"

Fang Yan said, "I've said it before, you and I hit it off right away. I'm very optimistic about you, and like you, I'm also very optimistic about the future market for 2D light novels, comics, and games." Then he gave her a sincere look, "Besides, how could you fail? You don't even know how much energy you have inside of you. Losing some money is nothing. It's my honor to witness your endless potential being stimulated!"

"Mr. Fangyan!"

Kadokawa Lehiko was so moved that he almost cried, and the thought "a gentleman will die for his confidant" came to his mind.

Compared to the suppression and vigilance of his elder brother Haruki Kadokawa, although he and Fang Yan, an outsider, have only met a few times, they are truly like-minded!
"Don't be in a hurry. Think about it slowly. The book signing event will still take a long time."

Fangyan grinned and said, "If the pie is drawn well, the people below will work hard to do it. If the pie is drawn poorly, the people below will be disobedient."

Kadokawa Toshihiko nodded solemnly, "I will definitely consider your suggestion carefully!"

Fangyan does not think that this business will lose money. Japan's publishing industry is known as the "2 trillion yen industry". In the 21s and s, it was a highly profitable industry comparable to a money printing machine. Even in the Internet era of the st century, it is still profitable.

What's more, he is not only good at the two-dimensional business, but also can create a library of mystery novels like "Mystery World".

As the winner of the Edogawa Ranpo Award and the founder of the "Forensic Reasoning School", he has close relations with the "Shin-orthodox School", "Orthodox School", "Social School" and other reasoning schools. Not to mention commissioning manuscripts from Keigo Higashino and Yukito Ayatsuji, why not hire a few more people as writers and launch novels and comics such as "The Case Files of Young Kindaichi", "Detective Conan", "Unnatural Death", and "Detective Galileo"?
………………

While the signing sessions for "Love Letter" were being held in bookstores across Japan, "The Ring" was making great strides, and in just half a month, it had grossed 7.2 million yuan at the box office, a result that no previous Japanese horror film had ever achieved, and it was making history every day it was released.

More and more people went to the cinema because of its reputation. Yuhikaku struck while the iron was hot and not only reprinted "The Ring", but also launched a hardcover edition with a movie script. With such publicity and promotion, many reporters from newspapers began to track and report on the dialect and book signing sessions.

In a house in Oiso-cho, Kanagawa, Yoko Takahashi walked into the study quietly, holding Peter the cat.

The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" was echoing in the room. Haruki Murakami was sitting cross-legged, holding a pen, writing the novel of the same name on paper.

"Meow meow."

Peter the cat jumped out of his mistress's arms, then quickly rushed to his master and lay comfortably on his lap.

Takahashi Yoko said, "I heard from the owner of the bookstore we often go to that in three days, the branch of Kadokawa Bookstore will hold a book signing and reader meeting for "Love Letter". At that time, Fangyan will be there in person. How about it? Do you want to go and have a look?"

"Okay, let's go together."

Haruki Murakami looked at the densely packed words on the paper, thinking of the triangular relationships and fates that are extremely similar between Norwegian Wood and Love Letter, and thinking of the huge sensation that Love Letter caused in the Japanese literary world, and he was full of anticipation for the day when he could communicate with Fangyan face to face. (End of this chapter)