Great Mangaka

Dawn was breaking in Nagoya City. Yuki tried to sneak out of bed, but her husband discovered her.

"So early?" he asked. Her husband seemed a little confused and looked at his phone. It was before six o'clock: "Isn't it just buying a manga magazine? Why bother so much?"

On Thursday, Weekly Shōnen magazine premiered simultaneously in Nagoya City. Nagoya is a second-tier city located inland. Previously, Weekly Shōnen magazine could only be bought in some bookstores on Thursday afternoons and Fridays. However, the situation changed this week. Sakura Books Bookstore launched a two-day advertisement, announcing that it could be published simultaneously with Osaka.

This was a very rare opportunity for Yuki. She had been out of Osaka for more than half a year and had never enjoyed the experience of a simultaneous launch. She missed the feeling of buying Weekly Shōnen magazine with others.

"It's boring to stay at home. This issue of Detective Conan has three episodes. I want to see it early." Yuki smiled as she changed her clothes. "Mirai-sensei is fighting Aika. How can I not contribute my strength?"

She is a hardcore fan of Mirai-sensei. Her husband also understands him. In fact, he is very grateful to him. If it weren't for "Five Centimeters Per Second", he might have missed his wife.

"Okay, I'll go with you." He got out of bed and observed Yuki's slightly bulging belly. "You're pregnant. I can't leave you outside. If something happens, my mother will kill me."

Yuki left her job as a hostess in Osaka and returned to get married. Her life is very happy. She is now a few months pregnant, and the signs can be seen in her belly.

The couple washed and dressed separately, and then left home together. Sakura Books Bookstore is two blocks from their house. So close that they don't need to drive. They can walk quickly. Before, when Sakura Books Bookstore didn't sell manga, they had to go to the Fifth Street Bookstore to get Weekly Shōnen magazine.

"However, Sakura Books will join Hinotori Publishing." On the way, the husband commented: "It's really unexpected. Although Sakura Books cannot be compared with Kanto, it's also a large company, but its reputation is a little worse...".

Sakura Books Bookstore's service hasn't been very good. This bookstore chain has been in decline for a long time, and it's often reported that consumers buy counterfeits and low-quality books.

"It will get better in the future. Didn't Sakura Books change bosses some time ago?" Yuki smiled and said: "They reorganized the management and restarted the business. This time, after merging with Hinotori Publishing, judging by their performance, the new boss is undoubtedly someone with ambitions to boost Sakura Books Bookstore."

In recent days, Sakura Books Bookstore has shown great courage to the outside world, and has even spread Weekly Shōnen's advertising in several second- and third-tier cities, causing a sensation, as if it had placed its hope for reorganization in manga.

For a bookstore, a single manga does not determine success or failure. But Sakura Books, long forgotten, has made it stand out with this large-scale advertising. A great return to readers.

As for Weekly Shōnen as Sakura Books's advertising focus, Yuki believes the new director is very visionary.

Mirai-sensei will definitely not be an ordinary person in the future. Sakura Books Bookstore now openly advertises Weekly Shōnen, but the content focuses on Mirai-sensei's works, especially the three-episode series of Detective Conan. Billboards can be seen on the main streets of Nagoya City.

For example,

"Do you remember the original manga that came out of nowhere? Do you remember that incredible boy? 'Detective Conan' is a special contribution: a three-episode serialization that brings you the first impression and excitement."

"This issue of Weekly Shōnen, 'Bakuman' and 'Detective Conan': four episodes of Mirai-sensei's works, it's definitely worth it!"

Yuki saw these two huge posters hanging on the building on the way to Sakura Books Bookstore. Sakura Books's advertising is really excellent. Each of its advertisements is very specific and hits the nail on the head, just like these two posters, which, as expected, attract readers.

The first poster is nostalgic, with simple and concise phrases recalling the popularity of "Detective Conan" when it was published last year. The poster also includes Mirai-sensei's newly released portrait, with a black head.

For many, that was an unforgettable day. Back then, the manga market was dead and adaptations abounded. Mirai-sensei's "Detective Conan" was a myth that suddenly emerged and immediately attracted manga readers.

Almost a year has passed, and the current manga market is simply two different worlds from back then. Whether in terms of quality, quantity, or even manga's influence, its growth has been so rapid that it's dizzying. The magnificent advertisement not only reminds readers of that era, but also suggests that the change in the manga industry began with "Detective Conan".

This hint is superficial, but very effective.

The second poster is even more incisive. Currently, the number of manga serialized in Weekly Shōnen is originally small, and Mirai-sensei's "Bakuman" and "Detective Conan" occupy four of the chapters, the highest proportion to date, so it's definitely worth buying.

"Sakura Books has undoubtedly put a lot of effort into this..."

Yuki could perceive from the advertisement that Sakura Books valued Mirai-sensei, but the excessive attention worried her a little. She didn't know if Mirai-sensei could generate profits that would satisfy Sakura Books. After all, Kanto's Aika was too prominent.

However, her worries completely vanished when she turned the last corner and arrived at the street of Sakura Books Bookstore. Instead, a strong jolt almost stopped her heart.

"..."

Yuki's husband's mouth dropped open, and he looked at the street in surprise.

"This... there are too many people!"

On the street, in front of Sakura Books Bookstore, which had not yet opened, two huge crowds stretched for tens of meters. At first glance, there were at least a thousand people. They were queuing, making a lot of noise and chatting. Most of them were young, and there were also some children and elderly people.

At that moment, the time on the bank's door display had just passed six o'clock. It was early morning in late spring, and there were few pedestrians and vehicles on the street. The queue in front of Sakura Books Bookstore was spectacular.

"Why are there so many manga readers in Nagoya?"

the husband asked in surprise. However, after the surprise, Yuki smiled discreetly.

"They should all be fans of Mirai-sensei."

Nagoya City never published the book at the same time as Osaka City. Yuki never imagined how many readers Mirai-sensei had there. Until that moment, the scene at Sakura Books Bookstore gave her the answer. Mirai-sensei is, without a doubt, the most influential mangaka in Japan.

His readers are always there!

- - - - - - - - - -

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