Chapter 281: Mirai-sensei's Return
After working at Osaka Television, Guo Letong saw the figure of Minister of Information.
"Minister Minoru-san, are you leaving so early today?"
He approached to greet him, somewhat puzzled. The News Department still had programming late into the night, and they shouldn't be leaving work so early.
"Huh? Is that Guo Letong? No, I'm going to an interview!" The Minister of Information pointed to the subordinates around him and said with a smile: "Hinotori Publishing is going to hold a press conference. I'll go take a look. Maybe Mirai-sensei is back."
"Haha, how is that possible? That guy has been gone for almost a year...".
Guo Letong smiled, waved his hand, and said: "Then I'll go home first. If it's really news about Mirai-sensei, call me and tell me."
He didn't care too much. Mirai-sensei had been away for too long, and even if he returned, it would have nothing to do with him. Guo Letong still had to go to Kira Kira Animation Studio tomorrow to buy a new Kanto animation. He would study the prices at home tonight.
However, that night, while having dinner with his family, he received a call from the Minister of Information.
"Guo Letong, good news! Hinotori Publishing will launch a new animation in June, called 'Gundam SEED'. Guess who the producer is? It's Mirai-sensei!"
"Puff!"
Guo Letong spat out his food on the spot and coughed twice.
"Damn it! Don't lie to me, Mirai-sensei is back!"
After confirming it again and again, Guo Letong was stunned. A year later, Mirai-sensei had finally returned, and as soon as he appeared, a new anime accompanied him.
Mirai-sensei's new anime...
"You can't miss it!"
Guo Letong was so excited that he didn't sleep all night and went straight to Hinotori Publishing the next day. At dawn, Hinotori Publishing's entrance was surrounded by journalists.
"Sir, wait a moment. Is the news of Mirai-sensei's return true?"
"Sir, what kind of animation is the new 'Gundam SEED'?"
The reporters surrounded Guo Letong and asked eagerly. Guo Letong raised his eyebrows, furious: "Could you be more professional? Why are you blocking me? Let me in quickly! I have something urgent to do!"
After a series of questions, the reporters found something wrong.
"What? So he's not an employee of Hinotori Publishing?"
"It's a waste of time. Go in quickly."
The reporters turned around and ignored Guo Letong, and the head of Osaka Television's anime department was so angry he almost felt a tingling sensation in his side.
He entered Hinotori Publishing furiously and met Haru and Kenji, the heads of the anime department, who had just finished interviewing several newspapers, after an appointment.
"Has Mirai-sensei returned?"
Guo Letong asked excitedly as he sat down.
"No, Mirai-sensei is in Japan. It was already mentioned at yesterday's press conference. Don't you know?" Kenji looked at Guo Letong with some surprise, but his surprise subsided. Instead, he said: "Sorry, Director Guo. The sample for 'Gundam SEED' hasn't come out yet. We can't sell it to you today."
Guo Letong was the first director of the television station's department to appear. His purpose, of course, was to buy the broadcast rights for "Gundam SEED".
"It doesn't matter. Mirai-sensei's works are of good quality. I trust them." Guo Letong promised: "I'll buy them for 10 million yen per episode. You don't have to see the sample."
Mirai-sensei's works have always been classics. He must get it soon; otherwise, when the test sample is released, the directors of other local television stations will come, and Guo Letong will face great competition.
At ten in the morning, at Kira Kira Animation Studio, the tea was already cold.
"Master!"
The secretary rushed in from outside and told Tanaka, who was sitting alone: "Guo Letong, from the television channel, went to Hinotori Publishing. He's been inside for over two hours and hasn't come out yet. Should we reschedule for the afternoon?"
"No need."
Tanaka took a sip of his tea, which tasted cold and bitter: "Last night, Hinotori Publishing announced the launch of a new anime. It's normal for Guo Letong to be late... Let's wait."
"Master...". The secretary, a little puzzled, asked: "What's wrong with you?"
If it were normal, Tanaka would have slammed the table if someone had stood him up. He would never swallow his anger like today.
"Nothing, that animation... But it was Mirai-sensei's work." Tanaka shook his head and said bitterly: "Mirai-sensei can even beat Kanto, how can we compare ourselves to him?"
He had always seen what happened last year. Mirai-sensei defeated Kanto and made Weekly Shōnen and Weekly Shōjo Manga appear on Kanto's channels. His strength was impressive.
Tanaka had no intention of confronting Mirai-sensei again. The number of anime on Osaka Television had gradually become saturated. When Mirai-sensei's new work came out, the station would probably choose it and abandon Kira Kira Animation Studio's work.
So he had to endure it. Even if he had to wait until noon, Tanaka had to show Guo Letong a good attitude.
He succeeded: at noon, when Guo Letong arrived, he saw that Tanaka had waited all morning and agreed to buy the broadcast rights for the new animation at a price of 6 million yen per episode.
Tanaka breathed a sigh of relief. 6 million yen was a good price, because it only cost more than 4 million yen.
"I heard Master Mirai-sensei's new work came out. How much did they offer?"
Upon seeing Guo Letong off, Tanaka couldn't help but ask curiously. Perhaps because he was embarrassed to have made him wait four or five hours, Guo Letong didn't hide it.
They didn't bid because the sample hadn't come out yet. He talked to them all morning and finally they reached a high price of 16 million yen per episode... but they still refused.
Guo Letong seemed somewhat dissatisfied: "16 million yen, for an anime without a sample, is there anyone in Japan who can bid more than me? That guy is too ambitious, how popular does he think Gundam anime can be?"
16 million yen per episode is already a very high anime unit price in Japan. Osaka Television is already facing a high risk. No matter how powerful Mirai-sensei is, is it impossible for all his episodes to be like "Pokémon"?
So they didn't reach an agreement. Hinotori Publishing's sample won't come out for another week. Guo Letong plans to review the price after the sample comes out, just like other television stations.
After hearing his explanation, Tanaka was speechless.
He saw Guo Letong off. Then he returned to the office. He just wanted to get drunk; his own animation was happy with the 6 million yen broadcast price, but the other party refused to accept even 16 million yen.
Comparing people... it's too unfair...
"If I had known, I wouldn't have given up my Hinotori Publishing shares!"
Tanaka exclaimed regretfully.
Meanwhile, at Kanto Manga Company, which had already moved its headquarters to Osaka, Hiroshi Kawakami also sighed as he looked at the newspaper in his hand.
"I knew a day like this would come. Mirai-sensei is back."
He was thinking about how to deal with the situation. After all, Kanto's president had never fought Mirai-sensei in person, and his perception of him only existed in reports and materials.
On the other hand, the other person who had. Now his performance was...
"Why are you trembling? Wipe the sweat from your face... How embarrassing!"
Hiroshi Kawakami scolded Sun-san, who quickly wiped the sweat from his face with a tissue and said nervously: "Minister, if Mirai-sensei, that little fox, returns to Osaka from Japan, what should we do?"
"He's too powerful! Look, Weekly Shōnen sales already surpass Diario Kanto's!"
A year later, Sun-san's fear of Mirai-sensei only increased, and the reason was the channels Kanto provided him.
Kanto Manga Company provided channels for Hinotori Publishing's two manga magazines. Except for the areas controlled by Sakura Books, Kanto was responsible for Weekly Shōnen and Weekly Shōjo Manga sales in other regions.
At first, Sun-san didn't notice. But gradually, he noticed that Weekly Shōnen sales were increasing. In fact, there was a trend of turning the tables.
There were several Mirai-sensei series in this youth magazine. If it hadn't been unstable for a while, Weekly Shōnen might even have surpassed Weekly Boutique.
So, how could Sun-san be calm? If Mirai-sensei returned, could they continue to play happily?
"What are you worried about? He has to go to Saitama when he returns!"
Hiroshi Kawakami coldly instructed him: "This has already been agreed. Can Mirai-sensei break his word? As soon as that boy returns, we will let him leave Osaka immediately; otherwise, who will provide him with channels?"
As long as Mirai-sensei went to Saitama, the friction between the two companies would be reduced. Hiroshi Kawakami believed that Mirai-sensei would make a wise decision.
"It's... it's true...", Sun-san exhaled with relief: "That boy is too scary, he's simply a monster. I hope I never see him again in this life!"
But he thought about it and suddenly laughed again.
"President, I suddenly realized that this is a good thing... Mirai-sensei's Gundam anime production in Japan can also help Kanto open new channels, right?"
He chuckled and said: "Manga Paradise made a fuss with a mobile suit a while ago, and now they must be stunned...".
Sun-san was right. In Japan, Manga Paradise was more than stunned, like an ant in a hot pot.
"Damn, that legendary manga monster is in our city!"
"Mirai-sensei acquired Tsuki Animation Company? What...? Gundam SEED production is almost finished? How can that be! It's terrible!"
"Hurry up, the president is spitting blood!"
. Ryuji actually vomited blood. He hadn't expected to be careless for a moment, or to realize that the most powerful enemy had been stalking him for so long.
Mirai-sensei acquired Tsuki Animation Company in Tokyo. Now, in retrospect, he was deliberately targeting Manga Paradise. And Manga Paradise still didn't know, and was putting on a foolish show.
"President, president...".
The secretary, nervous, helped Ryuji wipe the blood from his mouth. This president has a congenital heart condition and should not suffer a severe psychological blow.
"President, everything will be fine... It doesn't matter if Mirai-sensei is here, Japan is our territory." The secretary gave him medicine while comforting him: "Besides, our 'Mobile Suit' is so popular that they can't surpass us...". "Yes." Ryuji got up excitedly: "We won't lose, 'Gundam SEED' can't surpass us, even if that boy is a dragon, he's useless against us!" Since ancient times,
a strong dragon cannot dominate a local snake, and Ryuji has regained his confidence.
A year later, Japan's manga industry has changed again with Mirai-sensei's return... However, the most excited about this news are his readers.
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