Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist.

"Ichiro, I also submitted my work to the Tezuka Award this time, but unsurprisingly I didn't win. Seeing a work of Attack on Titan's caliber really makes me realize how big the gap is between me and a true manga artist."

"I've been reading JUMP for twenty years, and I've seen quite a few Tezuka Award-winning works. To be honest, Attack on Titan is probably the strongest work of the last ten years, right?"

"That's an exaggeration. You don't actually not eat pears, do you? The best Tezuka Award-winning work of the decade? I don't think it's that good."

"That's right, it's alright. Apart from the interesting concept, the 3D Maneuver Gear is a bit special."

"Is the 3D Maneuver Gear a good concept? I just find it hilarious. It doesn't fit the physics engine at all. It's a illogical concept."

"What era are we living in that we're still trying to find real-world logic in comics? Wow!"

"I think the drawing skills and panel layout are very good, but the setting... does feel a bit unsound. If it were a magical fantasy world, it would be fine, but the world view feels closer to medieval reality."

……

It is clear that most of the current discussion surrounding Attack on Titan comes from manga enthusiasts aspiring to become manga artists, contributors to this year's Tezuka Award, and seasoned industry professionals.

Many people are actually quite self-aware; they praise "Attack on Titan," a work that received high scores from judges and won the Tezuka Award, the highest honor, and feel inferior to it.

However, it is obvious that...

There is no shortage of steel bars, envious people, and truth-seeking scholars anywhere in this world.

Just like how some people dislike RMB, there are also people who look down on US dollars.

So often, you don't necessarily need to pay attention to other people's negative reviews or criticisms, as long as the positive reviews far outweigh those critical ones.

Of course, this is on the premise that negative reviews and criticisms are not a large proportion.

If negative reviews outnumber positive reviews, then the problem probably lies with yourself.

Currently, Attack on Titan is mostly well-received because normal people are more common in this era's world.

The past life that Eri Aragaki met was quite different from the later era, a time of chaos, deities, and constant change of characters.

Of course, this doesn't mean that in this era of the rise of the Internet, it's as pure as some legendary utopia or paradise.

There were also insults and accusations, as well as abstract, self-proclaimed geniuses, some of whom were even more extraordinary. This is an era that is the root of all evil.

But... as I said before, the main reason is that there are still quite a few normal people in this era.

"I still think Attack on Titan truly deserves its reputation. A manga that Akira Toriyama, Oda, and Kishimoto all praised and looked forward to serialization can't be bad."

"Yes, I think it's even better than Takeshi Obata's work. His drawing skills are really good, and the plot of Attack on Titan is no worse than Death Note."

"Death Note is based on the original work by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. You can't compare them like that, can you? Besides, Takeshi Obata was already a manga artist before that."

"That's not what I meant. I meant the impact of the work on people."

"The concept of Attack on Titan is really amazing. The walls, Titans, and 3D Maneuver Gear are all interconnected."

Moreover, it feels like the manga's storyline isn't over yet; this is just one battle in the series. Eren has vowed to drive out all the Titans in the world.

I think that not eating pears means he's already thought of the whole story.

"I feel the same way. In that case, I look forward to this newcomer's next serialized work."

"The artist's skill in this work is truly remarkable, unlike that of a newcomer. The proportions, perspective, and dynamics of the characters are all handled very well, especially the scenes of the 3D Maneuver Gear flying. The angles are tricky, but the drawings are very accurate."

"Could it be a pseudonym used by a famous cartoonist to submit their work?"

"Unlike... well-known comic artists whose art styles are all distinctive, this one doesn't have that feel, it must be a complete newcomer."

"The pacing of the plot is also very well controlled. In just 31 pages, from the world-building to the outbreak of the crisis and the awakening of the protagonist, every page is moving forward without any nonsense or padding. This kind of control is not like that of a newcomer."

"Indeed, many new comic artists are lucky if they can explain a single event in 31 pages. This author has planted at least three foreshadowing elements in one chapter."

"You're all praising it so highly, but I have to pour some cold water on it... This work is indeed good, but it's not quite a masterpiece."

Although his drawing skills are good, there is still a gap between him and top professional comic artists.

While the plot is fast-paced, some of the transitions feel a bit abrupt.

"You're right, but this is a newcomer's work. You can't compare it to the peak works of currently popular comic artists. Among newcomers of the same period, this is the strongest."

"Okay, I agree. It's definitely the best among the winning entries in the same batch."

……

Then people started discussing the other winning works of this year's Tezuka Award, even though "Attack on Titan" was the best work to receive the highest award.

However, some people may find the other winning entries to their liking.

"I watched 'HAMMER HEAD' and thought it was pretty good. Naotake Saito's drawing skills are very solid, and the plot is quite classic. Although it's not as amazing as 'Attack on Titan,' it's still a good work."

"HAMMER HEAD is good, but it pales in comparison to Attack on Titan; they're not in the same league."

"I like Daisuke Oikawa's 'DEVIL MAGIC!'. The magical style is really appealing. Although the artwork isn't as good as his previous two works, the concept is excellent."

"DEVIL MAGIC!" is interesting, but it feels like it needs some polishing."

"Taro Matsukawa's ANSWER is also good. It has a heartwarming and healing style, which is a bit of a disadvantage in this kind of hot-blooded shonen manga competition, but the quality of the work itself is not bad."

"ANSWER is indeed good, but its style might not be a good fit for serialization in JUMP."

"I think the most powerful thing about Attack on Titan is the sense of despair. Humans are locked in a cage, and Titans could break through the walls at any time. There are very few manga with this theme, such as Claymore, which is very dark."

"Claymore is indeed dark, but Attack on Titan has a stronger sense of despair because humans are too weak and Titans are almost invincible."

"The 3D Maneuver Gear gave humanity hope for resistance. I thought Eren and the others could easily defeat the Titans, but I didn't expect... they still don't have much of a chance against the Titans."

"It's probably like the situation has changed from ordinary people having no chance of winning against Titans to having a 10% chance of defeating them. And Eren and his comrades were just recruits. They were suddenly sent to the battlefield and suffered huge casualties... That's realistic, isn't it?"

"It seems that Attack on Titan might not actually be a short manga, but rather a series that will continue."

"I'm still worried about whether the subsequent plot can maintain this level of quality. Many new works start off amazingly, but then fall apart."

"That's possible, but at least this beginning is already quite captivating. Let's wait until the serialization starts to see."

"The pen name 'Don't Eat Pears' is quite cute. I wonder what kind of person the author is."

"The author of this hardcore, action-packed shonen manga is probably male, in his early twenties, and started out as an assistant or something."

……

Eri Aragaki was thus treated as a man... but that makes sense, since she was originally a man.

Although I've changed my gender, my hobbies remain the same as before. In other words, I'm female, but I like women.

However, manga fans are naturally unaware of these things. In fact, even if Eri Aragaki's gender were revealed, manga fans would probably only pay more attention.

There are quite a few female comic artists, but very few who attract fans based on gender differences.

Just like Crocodile Teacher, she gained attention not because she is a female manga artist who draws action-packed shonen manga, but because the story of the manga "Demon Slayer" is exciting enough.

Most manga fans are still more concerned about the subsequent serialization of "Attack on Titan"—

"I'm already looking forward to the serialization, and I hope it won't be too long."

"According to the Tezuka Award tradition, the authors of the selected works should be able to start serialization soon, probably within two or three months."

"But not eating pears doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to serialize 'Attack on Titan'."

"Two or three months, that feels so long..."

"You can read this episode several times; there are many details in it."

"How could that be? The plot of this comic clearly indicates that there will be many more developments to come."

"I've watched it three times already, and each time I discover new foreshadowing. I really feel that not eating the pear in the first place was part of his ambition."

"Having ambition is a good thing, but I hope you can maintain this level of quality!"

"Hopefully, it can stay that way..."

……

And just then, amidst the few discussions about Attack on Titan, a sentence suddenly emerged from a deserted corner—

"I feel confident I can maintain it! There's no problem with that!"

Eri Aragaki confidently uttered these words, while repeatedly reading the comments praising "Attack on Titan" and showering her with compliments. As she savored them, a silly, enigmatic smile crept onto her lips.

This feels so good, so good! It really feels amazing to be praised for plagiarizing others.

No wonder everyone wants to be a plagiarist...

Although I haven't made any money yet, being a plagiarist is lucrative and provides a great deal of emotional value, which is really quite enjoyable.

It was worth it for Eri Aragaki to come to this internet cafe after dinner to surf the internet.

She knew that once the Tezuka Award winners were announced, there would definitely be some discussion about it.

As a creator, she, like most creators, certainly wants to see how people comment on her work.

After reading these effusive praises, Eri Aragaki couldn't help but exclaim again, "Wow! I must strive to become a great manga artist!"

Afterwards, she got up and left the internet cafe with satisfaction. She felt full of energy and motivation after returning home.