Tokyo 1970: I'll draw Doraemon?

She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

……

After spending two days in Aichi Prefecture, Fushimikawa, Asano Megumi, and Toriyama Akira prepared to return to Tokyo.

Compared to the composure of the two adults, Akira Toriyama, who rarely leaves his hometown, was quite excited. He looked around at different people.

They were all taking the Shinkansen, but their expressions were all different.

There was excitement, trepidation, and a blank expression.

He wrote them all down, intending to use them in his comics.

Yesterday, I met with Mr. Oikawa, and he said to me:

"Toriyama, I came back specifically to attend your graduation ceremony. Would you like to come to Tokyo with me?"

"Uh-huh!""

Akira Toriyama was so moved that he almost cried. He could only nod repeatedly, pursing his lips, and vaguely express his wishes.

He's going to Tokyo to become a cartoonist.

The Shinkansen was about to start moving when suddenly three or five people appeared outside the train window.

It was Hattori Takayuki and his group.

The group hurriedly searched the station, trying to find Fushimi Kawa.

"Honestly, they didn't even say goodbye before leaving."

"He probably didn't want to experience the sadness of parting."

Wu nodded: "Being able to reunite and have two wonderful days together is enough."

They stopped in their tracks.

However, Shizuko continued her search.

She was wearing a navy blue bodycon skirt and a shawl draped over her shoulders, making her look like she couldn't move easily, yet she quickly peered through each window.

Until she saw Fushimikawa flipping through the original manuscript of the manga.

His sharply defined profile and serious, composed expression left Shizuko momentarily stunned.

She stopped in her tracks, somewhat dazed.

Hesitantly, the train suddenly started moving.

There was no time to hesitate. Right there at the station, Shizuko lost her usual composure. She suddenly chased after him, waving her hands and shouting loudly.

"Fushimi-kun, Fushimi-kun."

Hearing a faint sound, Fushimikawa looked out the window.

His friend bid him a reluctant farewell, chasing after the train to see him off. He quickly stood up and stared out the window in shock.

Unable to convey his emotions through his voice, he could only express them through his eyes.

"Goodbye! Fushimi-kun! I..."

As the train pulled away, Fushimikawa didn't hear the last few words clearly.

He could only sigh, "I never imagined that Shizuko, who has always been so quiet, would have such deep feelings for us."

Asano Megumi remained silent, rolled her eyes, and secretly sighed that she had been worrying unnecessarily the other day.

How could such a slowpoke possibly find a girlfriend?

"Teacher!" Akira Toriyama leaned against the window, deeply moved. "I really envy the friendship between you and your senior."

He said goodbye to his friend Horikawa, but the man ignored him and was still angry that he hadn't mentioned Horikawa's identity.

Where else can you find such a heartfelt farewell as this senior student?

“I didn’t expect this either…” Fushimi shook his head. “I should have told them when we were leaving.”

"Xiao Hui, this time your suggestion was wrong."

Chapter 118 Soaring Sales

After Fushimikawa and the others returned to Tokyo, apart from the addition of Akira Toriyama, Oikawa Studio returned to its former tranquility.

"Toriyama-kun has a real talent for battle storyboarding."

While we were brainstorming storyboards, Katsuhiro Otomo suddenly spoke up.

To be honest, Oikawa Studio is somewhat lacking when it comes to action sequences.

Apart from Parasyte, Fushimikawa's previous manga did not involve combat, but for Naruto, this is of utmost importance.

Fushimikawa couldn't achieve the goal of having readers visualize a continuous battle scene in their minds just from the visuals, creating an experience similar to watching an anime.

It may take him one or two years of study before he can achieve something in this area.

Eiko Ueda, needless to say, is good at drawing heartwarming little stories; ninja battles are completely unrelated to her.

As long as I don't hold anyone back, that's good enough.

Katsuhiro Otomo is good at drawing large-scale scenes; the technique of a massive waterfall impacting an entire forest owes a debt to him. But battle storyboarding is still too difficult for him.

However, Megumi Asano always manages to come up with good ideas, barely managing to keep readers' expectations for Naruto afloat.

The "Land of Waves" arc went smoothly, and no readers raised any objections.

However, the next chapter is the "Chunin Exams Arc," which features a lot of battle scenes and will truly test the abilities of Oikawa Studio.

Although he was just an assistant, Katsuhiro Otomo struggled with this for a long time.

He longed to create the perfect work.

The arrival of Akira Toriyama has made him feel much more relaxed.

"Haha, I'm not that good either," Akira Toriyama relaxed as his seniors were very friendly. He scratched the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly. "It's all thanks to Mr. Oikawa's instructions to study battle storyboarding that I've been able to draw to this level. Otherwise, I'd be just average."

Upon hearing this, Katsuhiro Otomo's gaze shot straight at Fushimi River.

"Teacher, can you see that far?"

Fushimikawa waved his hand: "Ordinary manga artists can only learn so much in their entire lives. Toriyama, all I did was say a few words. The results are the result of your hard work and study, so don't be modest."

On the way back, Fushimikawa kept looking at Akira Toriyama's 200-page manuscript.

Watching him go from being naive and clueless at the beginning to his amazing performance later on.

Although it is far from being a serialized work in terms of storytelling, its visual presentation and panel layout are outstanding, especially the battle panels, which are so lifelike that you can almost see the characters fighting in your mind just by reading the comic.

This ability is something that most serialized manga artists don't possess; Fushimikawa's can only be categorized as talent, something that can't be caught up with through hard work.

It perfectly filled the biggest gap in Oikawa Studio.

"I really enjoy watching fighting movies; that's what I learned from them," Akira Toriyama explained, his mind still light up.

"No matter what, I'm counting on you from now on."

"Yes!" Akira Toriyama was happy to be able to contribute more.

……

The next day, Fushimikawa took some time to visit Mirai-sha.

Ms. Toyokawa was on duty again today. She first greeted the homeowner and Kawaji, and then switched to her reader identity.

"Oikawa-sensei, your drawings are getting better and better. The story of Haku and Zabuza made me cry for a long time."

The Land of Waves arc features tactical battles, a tense atmosphere of life-or-death situations, the bonds of Team 7, and many more underlying elements of Naruto.

But for readers, the most memorable characters are Zabuza's tough yet tender heart and Haku's kindness and selfless dedication. The tragic stories of these two villains brought tears to the eyes of many readers.

Even Fushimikawa himself was deeply moved by this story when he watched the Naruto anime as a child, and he has never forgotten it even after he grew up.

Ninjas are not just tools; villains also have people they want to protect.

When Haku and Zabuza lay in the snow, the readers understood this.

Toyokawa's feelings are the common feelings of the readers.

After chatting with her for a bit, I went upstairs to the Future Society and met Fujiwara Maki.

"Director Fushimi, you've arrived."

Upon seeing Fushimikawa, she couldn't help but smile. "Are you here to learn about the development of Mirai-sha?"

"I've come to see you."

Fushimikawa's words brought some joy to Fujiwara Maki.

“Of course,” he added, “it would also be good to learn about the development of Shonen Future.”

“It really is you,” Fujiwara Maki shook her head and took out a stack of documents. “Perfect timing, I also wanted to talk to you about this.”

The data comes from Toji Company and from interviews with employees of Mirai Company.

"Since the serialization of 'The Land of Waves Mission' began in mid-February, a month and a half has passed. Readers' love for Weekly Shonen Future has been rising significantly, and many have become die-hard fans. If this continues, they will develop a habit of buying Weekly Shonen Future."

"This is a good thing."

Fushimikawa nodded.

These readers are the cornerstone of comic magazines and the publisher's most valuable asset.

If they don't make any changes, the magazine will have the confidence to try more things.

"Toruji Company has proposed increasing the circulation of Weekly Shonen Future for the third time. From the initial 20, to 28, then to 32, and now to 36, the rapid increase in circulation is all thanks to Naruto."

The "Land of Waves Quest Arc" marks the second time Naruto has broken into the mainstream; the first time, of course, was when it was first published.

This story is so captivating that many readers have become its advocates, sharing it with their classmates and friends everywhere.

Discussions about the Naruto storyline became a trend at school, with everyone asking, "What exactly are the Tailed Beasts?"

Who is stronger, Kakashi or Zabuza?

Is Bai really a boy?

"Is his relationship with Zabuza one of love or familial affection?"