Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist.

Chapter 86 A New Inspiration (Fourth Update!! Please Subscribe!)

After all, if Eri Aragaki can draw a scene of fighting and killing Ximen Qing, then she can also draw a scene of drunkenly beating Jiang Menshen, and a scene of a snow-covered mountain temple.

However, what he didn't know was that Eri Aragaki really was—

No.

Because—she's just a complete cheater right now!

"Wu Song" is a copy of the existing novel "Tian Shang Xing" from the previous life, although the story is based on "Water Margin".

But besides the story and plot, what else does a comic need?

That is of course—

Storyboard!

The same story can have vastly different effects when drawn with different storyboards.

Eri Aragaki, currently in a super creative state, can only optimize and modify manga storyboards, but it would be very difficult for her to conceive storyboards from scratch.

It's not that she can't do it at all, but she can't maintain it for long. With the support of a super creative state, she might be able to finish the painting, albeit with some stumbles, but she has no idea about the quality.

Moreover, she wasn't confident that the comics she created would be any better.

However, Eri Aragaki couldn't say that, so she could only say, "But I really have no interest in drawing 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' anymore."

This is another story from *Water Margin*.

Lin Shiping didn't know what to say, as he understood perfectly.

Even a genius like Eri Aragaki wouldn't turn out very well if she were to painstakingly create limited-theme manga.

Creativity cannot be forced.

Lin Shiping felt somewhat desperate when he thought about it.

The end-of-month layout, the tasks assigned by the editor-in-chief, and my luck in being rotated to the short story section.

I thought I could rely on Eri Aragaki's talent to deliver a solid performance, but now I'm back to square one.

Seeing his expression, Eri Aragaki couldn't bear it.

After all, it was someone she had promised, and besides, she and Lin Shiping were from the same hometown.

Lin Shiping is a Japanese citizen from Taiwan. Although her nationality is Japanese, she is definitely a fellow countryman with a shared cultural background with someone whose soul is that of a citizen of the People's Republic of China.

"Teacher, you're right. Comics drawn without inspiration won't be very good."

Lin Shiping seemed to have finally come to his senses, his expression gradually calming down. But then he looked at Aragaki Eri and said, "However, I still think that the art style you presented in 'Wu Song' is your strength for the future—I hope you'll stick to it in the future, then I won't bother you anymore—"

He made a gesture as if he was about to take his leave.

At this moment, Eri Aragaki suddenly said, "Wait a minute."

Lin Shiping paused for a moment, then stared intently at Aragaki Eri.

Eri Aragaki blinked and said, "Oh, I think I've got an idea."

She only remembered it after hearing Lin Shiping mention the art style at the end—

Yes, she started drawing "Wu Song" because she wanted to practice a style similar to "Fog Hill of Five Elements".

Then she can just copy "Fog Hill of Five Elements" and that will solve the problem.

She remembered that "Fog Hill of Five Elements" wasn't very long.

Although it's an animation, the amount of script for each episode is condensed into a manga length of thirty or forty pages, which is more than enough. Moreover, the ink-wash style battle scenes can be brought to their fullest potential in a short story.

She recalled that the first episode of "Fog Hill of Five Elements" was actually quite complete and could have been completed independently as a short comic.

The animation of "Fog Hill of Five Elements" also has specific visuals, and she can use Super Creator to turn them into storyboards, which she is currently able to do.

"Mr. Lin, I've suddenly had an inspiration—"

So she said to Lin Shiping, "However, how about I go back and draw another storyboard this weekend, and then I'll let you take a look at it?"

"Okay, then I'll wait for the teacher's reply."

Lin Shiping was overjoyed and jumped up from his chair, slamming his hands on the table. "Right, let's save a phone number first."

Then they exchanged phone numbers and saved each other's names in their respective contact lists.

"Then, Ms. Pear, we'll head back now."

Seeing that it was almost done, Masaya Sakurai immediately stood up, picked up his briefcase from the chair next to him, and said, "This week's layout work is not finished yet, and you also have a few serialized manuscripts to proofread, Hayashi."

"By the way, Mr. Sakurai, may I ask about the first-week sales figures for the collected volumes? They should be out soon, right?"

Just then, Eri Aragaki suddenly remembered the manga and asked, "Can I know now, or can you let me know when it's released?"

"First-week sales results for the collected volumes —"

Masaya Sakurai was somewhat surprised, but said, "We don't know the exact sales figures either. We'll only know the situation when the first edition is almost sold out and we're preparing to reprint it."

Specific sales figures are usually only available quarterly, or roughly every three months, when sales statistics are compiled.

Eri Aragaki was immediately surprised. "Oh, is that so?"

The main problem is that she didn't know that the official recording and publication of sales figures for various manga volumes only began after 08 with Oricon, the Japanese charting authority, establishing various manga rankings.

Before this, even within Shueisha, people didn't care much about the so-called first-week sales of single volumes; they just had a general idea.

The printing department decides whether to reprint based on the distribution volume and the restocking needs of bookstores in various regions. As for the specific number of copies sold, it will take a long time to compile the data.

"Yes, teacher, you don't really need to worry about it too much."

Masaya Sakurai said, "As it stands, the first volume of Attack on Titan is selling very well. Our previous strategy has been successful. The initial print run of 150,000 copies has already been distributed, and feedback indicates that about half of the inventory has been sold. This is faster than many established serializations."

Eri Aragaki seemed relieved and nodded, saying, "Then I won't disturb Mr. Sakurai and Mr. Hayashi any longer as they go back to work. Goodbye, both of you."

Masaya Sakurai and Shipei Hayashi bowed slightly and said, "Teacher, see you next time."

Then they finished their coffees, put the empty cups on the table, picked up their briefcases, turned around, pushed open the glass door of the cafe, and walked towards the Shueisha building.

The door bell rang twice, and a cold draft blew in through the crack in the door, only to be quickly swallowed up by the heating.

Eri Aragaki sat for a while, then picked up her half-cold mocha and drank it.

The milk foam had long since dissipated, leaving only a layer of chocolate-colored coffee liquid at the bottom of the cup. She stirred it with a straw and drank it all.

Then she put her scarf back on, zipped up her thick cotton coat to her neck, slung her backpack over her shoulder, stood up, and went to the counter to pay.

When I pushed open the door and stepped out of the coffee shop, it was already getting dark outside. A row of streetlights were on, and pedestrians on the street were hurrying along with their necks hunched over.

She put her hands in her coat pockets, thinking she might as well stop by the nearby convenience store to buy something.

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