Crossover Anime: The Heroine is in Trouble? I Take Advantage of the Situation

This topic has taken over all platforms!

Public opinion has split into two extremes.

Part of the group consists of enthusiastic fans of "Lord Xiaochuan" and young readers who seek "fun". They cheered for this, believing it to be a remarkable achievement of the Rampo Prize in breaking with authority and recruiting talent without being bound by convention!

"[Breaking News] Prince Xiaochuan has ascended to the throne! Ranpo Award won!"

……deficit.

Chapter 45 This is the era of Seiji Fujiwara! (3/4)

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! It's true! I was so excited I dropped my phone! Who dares say we light novel readers have no taste now?"

"Times have changed, sir! Seiji Fujiwara is the god of this new era!"

"Let's have a rational discussion. Talent has nothing to do with the medium. If you can conceive of a vast world like 'A Certain Magical Index,' writing a classic mystery should be a piece of cake!"

"Yes, true geniuses are top-notch in any field!"

"I'm going to buy ten copies when the book comes out!"

The other group consists of traditional literature enthusiasts, critics, and casual followers who hold mainstream social discourse power.

They felt humiliated!

The voices of doubt came like a tsunami!

"The world is going to the dogs, and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be. The hall of literature has actually allowed such attention-seeking young people to enter. I feel sorry for those old gentlemen who uphold tradition."

"A cover-up! This is absolutely a cover-up! Kodansha and Shinazugawa Bunko have a dirty deal!"

"Bullshit! They're even willing to sacrifice the century-old reputation of the Rampo Prize for clicks and buzz!"

"Ugh, the Ranpo Award should be renamed the 'Toilet Paper Award' from now on. I've read his light novels, and with that childish writing style, he can write mystery? I'd eat my keyboard!"

"Are the entire judging panel suffering from dementia? Just because he's handsome? Isn't this just putting a popular idol on a pedestal? Japanese literature is dead!"

"This is utterly ridiculous. Light novels are essentially fast food catering to the market, completely contradicting the rigorous logic required for classic mystery novels. I absolutely do not accept this conclusion!!"

"I agree with the comment above. I will absolutely not buy 'After School'."

……

In this massive storm of public opinion, three people became the vanguard of the counterattack.

They were Tetsuya Nishio, Professor Watanabe, and editor Onizuka.

Failure is inevitable.

But no one is willing to accept defeat.

Therefore, if we can bring down both Seiji Fujiwara and the Edogawa Rampo Prize and define this selection as a failure, then they can transform from "losers" into tragic heroes who defend "literary dignity"!

The three secretly plotted and quickly launched their operation.

……

……

The following morning, Tetsuya Nishio updated his social media blog.

Instead of directly attacking Seiji Fujiwara, he published a long article titled "A Monologue of an Idealist at 16," which was filled with sorrow and resentment.

"...Last night, I didn't sleep a wink. It's not that I can't accept failure, I just can't understand why the mystery novel, which I've dedicated ten years to, this sacred temple in my heart, has become so unfamiliar."

"I still remember what Professor Watanabe taught me: literary creation requires the sedimentation of time, the questioning of the soul, and a heart that has absolute reverence for words. I have always regarded this as a guiding principle."

"But perhaps, I was wrong."

"In this era where 'traffic is king,' ten years of hard study are truly no match for a meticulously planned marketing campaign. I'm tired, I'm weary. I don't know if I still have the courage to create another work for this 'ideal' that has become unrecognizable..."

This article is extremely damaging!

He portrayed himself as a literary martyr, winning the sympathy of countless traditional readers!

The comments section was filled with messages of sympathy and comfort.

"Nishio-sensei, don't cry! We support you!"

"The fault isn't yours, it's this filthy era! How can someone who writes toilet paper be compared to you!"

"The judging panel is blind! To promote a pretty boy idol, they actually sacrificed a true creator like you! This is a tragedy for literature!"

"Nishio-sensei, please don't give up! You are the true uncrowned king in our hearts!"

……

……

Just as Tetsuya Nishio's article sparked a wave of sympathy.

His mentor, Professor Watanabe, gave an exclusive interview to TVS television station.

On the show, he, as an "objective and impartial" professor, fiercely criticized the practice of "light novel authors writing mystery novels" from the perspectives of academics and creative principles.

Host: "Professor Watanabe, do you think it's possible for an author who writes light novels to create an excellent classic mystery novel?"

Professor Watanabe (with a serious expression): "That's impossible! How can vulgar commercial entertainment be compared to serious literary creation?"

He looked at the camera with a serious expression: "The 'thinking patterns' of the two genres are fundamentally different! Light novels pursue instant, sensory stimulation and stereotypical character portrayals. On the other hand, classic mystery seeks rigorous logical loops and ingenious tricks! This requires two completely different minds!"

"Secondly, there's the matter of knowledge reserves! An excellent mystery novel requires the author to have expertise in many fields such as criminal investigation, forensic medicine, and psychology. But light novel authors spend most of their time figuring out how to cater to the market's lowbrow tastes. Do they have that time and energy?"

"Therefore, I'm not targeting Seiji Fujiwara personally. I'm simply expressing reasonable doubts about the results of this selection from a scholar's perspective!"

"Were there other non-literary factors interfering with the selection process?"

This "professional" analysis is extremely deceptive.

This gave countless prejudiced passersby a "theoretical basis," and they all nodded in agreement, feeling that what he said made perfect sense!

……

……

The final piece of the information war puzzle was completed by editor Onizuka.

He posted a message on "The Gate of Mystery," the largest forum in the industry, under the pseudonym "Senior Mystery Editor of Chuncheon Publishing."

The criticism was directed at the judging panel.

"As a mystery editor with twenty years of experience, I am shocked and puzzled by the results of this year's Rampo Award."

“I respect every teacher on the judging panel, but I have even more faith in the rules and bottom line of the industry. As we all know, Kodansha is the designated publisher of the Rampo Award, while the winner this time, Seiji Fujiwara, is the author of Shinazugawa Bunko.”

"We know that the group behind Shinazugawa and the company behind Kodansha have a very close relationship... Is there some kind of exchange of interests behind this that we can't even imagine!"

"I dare not make any wild guesses. I am just an ordinary industry insider raising my most basic question."

"I hope the judging panel can disclose all the details of this selection process to the entire industry and society to prove their innocence!"

This post further fueled the excitement of many conspiracy theorists.

Doubts about business logic are far more damaging than arguments about writing style or talent!

The entire publishing industry was abuzz with discussion.

Countless people began to believe that there must be a dirty deal behind this.

After these three moves, public opinion has reversed!

……

But since Nishio has taken action, Shinazugawa will naturally not sit idly by.

First, there is the "professional criticism" directed at Professor Watanabe.

Professor Munakata, the current chairman of the judging panel, personally held a press conference.

He addressed the entire Japanese media, stating emphatically:

"I've heard about Watanabe's remarks. His analysis sounds reasonable, but it has a fundamental flaw—he treats literature as something that can be defined by formulas!"

"He forgot that talent cannot be measured by so-called 'creative rules'!"

"True geniuses are born to break the rules!"

"Further words are useless!" Professor Munakata's gaze swept over all the reporters in the audience like a sharp sword.

"Our judging panel guarantees the quality of 'After School' with the 60-year reputation of the Edogawa Rampo Award! Those who don't believe us, please wait for the book to be published!"

……

the other side.

Kodansha, the official publisher of the Rampo Award, held an emergency press conference.

Facing a barrage of questions from reporters, the spokesperson simply smiled and said one sentence:

"We at Kodansha are a commercial company. Our sole purpose is to bring the best works to our readers and to make a profit from it."

"The reason for publishing 'After School' is simple—because it's worth it!"

"We believe that this work will bring Kodansha a much greater return than we have invested!"

"The market will prove that!"

This extremely confident business declaration has begun to shake the resolve of many skeptical voices.

……

Shinazugawa Bunko also responded.

However, instead of attacking Nishio, they updated their official account with a new post.

The dynamic content is very simple—a single image.

The picture shows only the covers of two books, placed side by side.

One of them is "After School," which will soon be published by Kodansha.

The other one is the second volume of "A Certain Magical Index," which has just created a sales phenomenon.

Below the two books, there was only one line of arrogant text:

"Does the era choose geniuses, or do geniuses create the era?"

"—The era of Seiji Fujiwara has just begun."

Feeling sad about Nishio's failure?

Questioning Seiji Fujiwara's talent?

Let's see!

This man doesn't care about your doubts at all!

This powerful confidence, even tinged with arrogance, instantly triggered the Japanese people's admiration for strength, silencing many conspiracy theorists.

The fate of Shinazugawa instantly reversed the downward trend in public opinion.

However, this also exacerbated the conflict surrounding the entire incident.

Supporters and opponents are clearly divided, and neither can convince the other.

All the debates, all the focus, ultimately converged on the same issue—

What is the actual quality of that legendary book, "After School"?

……

……

Two weeks later.

Amidst much anticipation, "After School," the 61st Edogawa Rampo Prize winner, published by Kodansha, has officially been released throughout Japan!

The entire publishing industry, literary circles, and countless eagerly awaiting readers in Japan seemed to be ignited.

Early in the morning, before the major bookstores had even opened, long lines had already formed at their entrances.

……

Shinjuku, in front of Kinokuniya Bookstore.

Die-hard fans held up homemade support signs that read, "Seiji Fujiwara, the eternal god!"