Tokyo 1970: I'll draw Doraemon?

He suddenly lost interest in the "Ruyi Jingu Bang" (a magical staff).

While I'm still playing house here, Oikawa-sensei has already ascended to the pinnacle.

After a moment of stunned silence, he put down the wooden stick and began to think about the battle scene composition.

This is his best weapon, and the reason he won first place in the first Oikawa Studio Assistant Competition; he must strive for perfection.

Sharpen it even more, and then... serialize it!

……

At four o'clock in the afternoon, I received a phone call. Fushimikawa came downstairs, and the Bungei Shunju bus was already waiting.

The destination is a long-established high-class restaurant in Ginza.

This place is frequented by upper-class people. The decor is Japanese-style, with simple and elegant furnishings, including only calligraphy, paintings, and pottery.

Compared to the extravagant award ceremonies in the comics world, the literary world is indeed somewhat different, pursuing quiet privacy and a niche, low-key approach.

There were no media reporters or audience members present; the only participants were the judges, a few editors and staff members of "Literary Spring and Autumn".

The waiters were calm and composed, looking down at each other without overstepping any boundaries. They provided attentive service and spoke very well, like university students from a top university.

There were only twenty or thirty people in total.

Fushimikawa's thoughts on this are...

I wish he hadn't come.

He didn't have many connections in the literary circle, and it was impossible to establish effective networks on the spot.

The low-key award ceremony did little to enhance his reputation.

All he gets is a meal and a 20 yen prize for being selected.

"Mr. Oikawa, I'm sorry to have taken up your time today."

When Miyazaki, the editor of Bungei Shunju, met Fushimikawa, he bowed slightly.

“Not at all,” Fushimikawa returned the greeting, “Thank you for your high regard in Bungei Shunju.”

In addition to those wearing Japanese kimonos, some people were also dressed in suits, which relieved Fushimikawa; thankfully, he wasn't one of the odd ones out.

After a brief introduction and communication, the awards ceremony began.

The honor was witnessed only in a private room and on a small scale.

……

"Is that Mr. Oikawa? He's so young."

"His writing style is better than that of other cartoonists, and he has a certain flair in the text of his comics."

"He's a responsible person."

Standing to the side, listening to the editors' hushed conversation, Torishima Kazuhiko's expression was complicated.

When he learned that the award was for comics, his face darkened.

Even in Japan, there are many people who are not interested in comics.

Torishima Kazuhiko never read comics. His idea was always clear: through Bungei Shunju, he entered the upper echelons of literature.

Reality was simply playing a cruel joke on him.

What Oikawa Ni? He didn't want to know at all.

Fortunately, the organizer was Bungei Shunju, and most of the attendees were editors from the magazine, giving him the opportunity to get to know these people and prepare for joining Bungei Shunju after graduation.

……

"Thank you to all the judges for taking the time to attend this year's Comic Award Ceremony."

"Our 'Bungei Shunju Comic Awards' benchmarks against Akutagawa and Naoki, recognizing high-quality satirical, four-panel, and picture book-style comics for adults."

"The winning entries this time are among the best."

"Mr. Baku's novel, 'Mr. Baba,' combines childlike fun with human satire. It can be enjoyed by both adults and children. The four-panel comic strips are concise and restrained, and the social metaphors are gentle and profound."

"I received an award for selection."

The host handed the medal to Baba Noboru with both hands, followed by Fushimikawa.

"Parasyte is a thought-provoking manga aimed purely at adults, which aligns with the original intention of this award. It completely deconstructs the binary of good and evil, and is satirical, cold, and restrained. It breaks through the limitations of manga in terms of ideological expression and has literary value."

His review of Parasyte was significantly better than that of Mr. Baku.

The guests at the scene nodded silently, agreeing with this assessment.

This surprised Kazuhiko Torishima; could manga really be this captivating?

He became curious: what kind of manga is Parasyte?

Perhaps you could try reading it.

Fushimikawa accepted the medal and gave his acceptance speech.

"I am very honored to receive the Literary Spring and Autumn Manga Award, which is in the same system as Naoki and Akutagawa. I sincerely thank the judges for their recognition. My original intention was to use extreme conflicts between different species to reflect on the way humans interact with nature and individuals with other species."

"Winning the award is a great encouragement to me. I will continue to work hard to develop a more complete Parasyte."

The applause lasted for a while, then gradually subsided.

The awards ceremony concluded.

During the meal, although it was the center of the banquet, the manga artist and the writer didn't have much in common. Fushimikawa sat next to Baba Noboru, and they talked about manga.

"You commissioned a manuscript from Tezuka-sensei?" Baba Noboru asked with a smile.

“Yes,” Fushimikawa nodded, “His new work is almost finished and will be published in June, which will bring new changes to Future.”

"You have high hopes for Tezuka's new work? You know, he's been silent for far too long."

"Of course, Mr. Baba has a different opinion?"

Noboru Baba shook his head, picked up a small piece of butterflyfish, put it in his mouth, and swayed his body slightly.

“I’ve known Tezuka for over twenty years and I know him very well. He’s incredibly competitive, like a rooster. If anyone beats him, he’ll fly into a rage and lose his mind.” As he talked about the past, Noboru Baba’s smile became even gentler.

“If Fukui’s manga surpasses his, he will say that Fukui’s cloud shots are useless and that he is just being lazy and trying to get paid. Everyone knows that this is a form of leaving blank space, and Tezuka is just being stubborn.”

"Such a guy who never gives up, I think he will never lose to the times."

"You need to be careful, lest he steal your position."

Baba Noboru trusted Osamu Tezuka even more than Fushimi River.

He didn't know anything about "Black Jack," but he felt that someone like Osamu Tezuka might produce a work that would shock the world at any time.

By then, Fushimikawa might regret it.

“It’s alright,” Fushimikawa said with a smile. “The more exciting Tezuka-sensei’s new work is, the better. It’s all for the sake of Shonen Future.”

Upon hearing this, Noboru Baba raised an eyebrow, realizing the extent of the young man's arrogance.

He remained so calm precisely because he firmly believed he would never lose.

He knew Osamu Tezuka's talent, so he commissioned him to write an article.

It is precisely because of this understanding that there is no fear.

"I really envy your confidence," Baba Noboru remarked.

Chapter 126 I'll Defeat Teacher Oikawa?

"Oikawa-sensei sees you as a rival."

That day, editor Kamei stormed into the studio and said these words to himself.

"Huh?"

Adachi Mitsuru was stunned at first, not because he didn't understand what Adachi meant, but because he found it hard to believe and needed to calm down.

"Mr. Oikawa...does he see me as a rival?"

Adachi Mitsuru hesitated, then asked again.

“That’s right,” Kamei Osamu nodded, emphasizing, “and he’s the only one!”

The world was still the same world, but Mitsuru Adachi felt as if it had started spinning, becoming unreal, as if he were in a fantasy.

How could Oikawa-sensei possibly say something like that, aside from wishful thinking?

Adachi Mitsuru admitted with shame that this was his first thought.

But then, his mind was filled with passion.

"I will defeat Mr. Oikawa, and Touch will surpass Naruto to become the number one in Future!"

Even he dreams of becoming an ace.

Or rather, if you don't want to be the number one cartoonist, you can't create appealing works.

Only by striving for results can one continuously improve.

“That’s right! That’s exactly the idea!” Kamei Osamu encouraged. “Perhaps my previous understanding was flawed, and that focusing on sports was a mistake. The focus of Touch isn’t on passion, but on youth. I think that’s why Oikawa-sensei approves of Touch. Just continue drawing according to your original plan.”

Kamei Osamu finally relented.

Previously, following his old idea, he had Adachi Mitsuru learn from "Star of Giants" to give the protagonist a trial and arrange for him to learn the magic ball special move.

Fortunately, Mitsuru Adachi was determined enough and was not persuaded by him.

But there are also some problems.

Even editors, who wield significant influence in comic creation, have their criticisms of his work and constantly attempt to revise it.

The impact on him personally would be enormous.

Now, with just one sentence from Oikawa-sensei, Kamei Osamu's mind has been changed. While this makes Adachi Mitsuru feel fortunate, it also brings him pressure.

"Am I really capable of surpassing Mr. Oikawa?"

He began to feel confused.

The Chunin Exams arc in Naruto became even more brilliant afterward, with each episode linked to the next and the structure tightly packed; it was practically a work of art, leaving Mitsuru Adachi speechless.