Chapter 291: Before the Celebration
Thursday, Saitama Prefecture.
"Boss, give me this copy of Weekly Shōnen."
Haruka passed by a bookstore on his way to school and was ready to buy the issue.
"Hey, young man, I see you come every week. You must be a loyal follower of Mirai-sensei... Do you want a ticket for Mirai-sensei's second-anniversary celebration?"
the bookstore owner asked at checkout.
"Second-anniversary celebration?"
Haruka is about to enter his third year of high school. Lately, he's been busy with review classes and hasn't heard about the matter. "When? No, how can you buy tickets here?"
He was very surprised. How could tickets be on sale in such a small county?
"Our bookstores can buy tickets for readers collectively. The physical tickets will be delivered with the manga magazines next week... But I suggest you buy digital tickets for convenience."
The boss smiled and said, "The ticket price is 600 yen. You can leave your ID number. I'll help you reserve a digital account. When the time comes, you can report the digital account and verify your ID, and you can enter directly."
"You can check this digital account on the official forum of Mirai-sensei's Corner. They won't lie to you!"
The bookstore owner told Haruka the time and place of the celebration.
Haruka frowned slightly. The 600 yen ticket was extremely cheap, and the high-speed train ride was also short. The problem was that the ticket itself was expensive, and with the cost of the trip, it would be several thousand yen.
But...
"Two days?" Haruka was surprised, "Why would the celebration last so long? Isn't it a personal celebration for Mirai-sensei?"
Judging by the name, Haruka imagined that Mirai-sensei's second-anniversary celebration should be something similar to an autograph signing and a meet-and-greet with Mirai-sensei. How could it last for two days?
"No... you're mistaken." The bookstore owner shook his hand. He smiled and said, "Although this celebration is nominally a celebration for Mirai-sensei, it's more of a large-scale gathering for all manga fans."
He began to speak.
"This celebration includes activities for all of Mirai-sensei's manga. You'll be able to buy many original peripheral products, and other mangakas and voice actors will perform on stage..."
"It also includes activities driven by our manga readers, such as stage presentations and the sale of fan works, cosplay, etc. Especially fan works, authorized by Hinotori Publishing. As long as they are within the scope of the celebration, anyone can sell their own works... You don't know about them?"
Haruka shook his head, not understanding.
"I don't know."
"How is it possible that you don't know?" The bookstore owner was very surprised, "Weren't registrations for the Mirai-sensei's Corner Forum opened before? As long as it's legal and the preparations are well-made. They'll reserve a spot for us in the Cultural Plaza..."
After the boss finished speaking, Haruka felt a little moved. In reality, he wasn't interested in Mirai-sensei's celebration because he didn't want to see his friend, who was already a stranger.
You could say they were people from different worlds now, and it would be awkward to meet. But Haruka was very interested in other activities. He was a veteran manga fan and had never participated in such a large event.
This isn't Mirai-sensei's celebration; it should be called a manga festival...
"I'm really looking forward to meeting those voice actors... But what if I run into Takumi?"
Haruka was both excited and worried, but he thought about it. He felt that Takumi would definitely not appear in the reader group; he was a famous mangaka now. It was impossible for him to appear in public.
"The chance of meeting him is very small..."
Haruka felt a little sad. He discovered he was worrying for nothing. He only wanted to see Takumi on television and in newspapers. Even if he attended the celebration, he would just stay under the stage like the other readers, looking at his old friend.
"I'll buy it."
In the end, Haruka bought the ticket with some disappointment.
He left with the Weekly Shōnen magazine. Before leaving, Haruka heard the conversation between the young man behind him and the boss.
"Boss, you just said that fan works can be sold at the celebration. Will Kuro-sensei from the Mirai-sensei's Corner forum be attending?"
"Kuro-sensei?... Hehe, young man, just by looking at you, I can tell you're an expert. How could Kuro-sensei miss such an important event?"
"Then, buy me a ticket."
After hearing this conversation, Haruka left the bookstore, but suddenly felt comforted.
"Kuro-sensei... Isn't he the teacher who draws H-manga...? It seems this ticket is worth it!"
Half an hour later, Haruka arrived at school. As soon as he sat down, Minami suddenly approached and took the Weekly Shōnen.
"Chubby, let me read this Weekly Shōnen this morning, and I'll give it back to you this afternoon."
"Yes."
Haruka nodded shyly. He and Minami were fans of Mirai-sensei. Minami used to buy Weekly Shōnen and lend it to Haruka. Likewise, Haruka also lent him Weekly Shōnen.
In fact, it wasn't just the two of them. There were several other people in the class who rented from each other.
"Oh, right."
Minami, who was about to leave with the Weekly Shōnen, suddenly remembered something, turned around, and said, "It's Mirai-sensei's second-anniversary celebration, are you coming? Several classmates from school contacted me last night and we plan to form a team to go to Osaka."
Haruka was surprised, "You guys are going too?"
"Huh? Judging by your expression, you bought a ticket too?" Minami was a little surprised, then smiled and said, "Perfect, we can all go together and have a good time in Osaka for two days."
"Two days!" Haruka asked, shaking his head, "No, I only bought a one-day ticket for the 6th."
Six hundred yen is the one-day ticket and twelve hundred yen for two.
"It doesn't matter. On the 6th, you can buy the ticket for the 7th right there. Everyone can share the expenses. Each person pays 6000 yen... You can give them to me in two days, including travel expenses, mineral water, accommodation, and breakfast. The other expenses are on you,"
Minami said.
"6000?" Haruka asked with a racing heart, "Is 6000 enough?"
The high-speed train ticket costs more than 4000 yen round trip, and includes accommodation and breakfast. 6000 yen is a very cheap price. That's the biggest advantage of teamwork: the cheapness.
"Mmm. You're right to come with me."
Minami proudly straightened her back, "I've contacted Shiori. She and her classmates opened several restaurants during the celebration. If we go to help, we can even save money on lunch and dinner." "
Shiori?" Haruka asked, losing his enthusiasm instantly, "Shiori opened a restaurant there, so Takumi didn't..."
Shiori and Takumi are friends who went to Osaka together. If he were with Shiori, he would probably run into Takumi, but Haruka didn't want to see him.
"Well, can you be braver?"
Minami sighed. She understood Haruka's cowardice and felt a little annoyed.
"Many people long to meet Takumi, but you're shy... Besides, it's not easy for us to meet him. He's usually in Japan, and he probably won't have time to see us during the celebration."
Minami smiled bitterly, "Shiori has a hard time seeing Takumi, what are you worried about?"
Haruka felt relieved.
That same day, at
Mirai-sensei's second-anniversary celebration in Osaka, on August 6th, at
the Kanto Building, Daichi looked at the report in his hand and sighed, "Hinotori Publishing is very stubborn. How long will they continue to cause trouble in Osaka before they're willing to leave?"
"I think they'll leave after this celebration..."
Ryo, who was on the side, replied, "They've started transferring staff due to the personnel expansion in the Japan region. Hinotori Publishing's animation production department has been vacated and has begun relocation to Suhua. I think other departments will gradually move over in these two months. President, you have nothing to worry about..."
Hinotori Publishing's relocation to Suhua has been long delayed, but with Mirai-sensei's return, personnel transfers have begun, and Ryo is not at all worried that they will break their word.
"The personnel expansion in Japan..."
Upon hearing Daichi's words, he remembered what had happened in the Japan region, shook his head, and said, "That boy, Mirai-sensei, handled Manga Paradise very well. I didn't even react. He has become more dangerous than before. I really hope it's as you said... As soon as the celebration is over, Hinotori Publishing will leave here."
"But on August 6th..." He thought about it and suddenly asked, "I heard a singer will be giving a concert near the Culture Plaza?"
"Yes." Ryo nodded, "Ren, a recently debuted singer. Does the president expect him to divert attention from Mirai-sensei's celebration? It seems unlikely to me..."
"Why is it impossible?"
Daichi shook his head, "Mirai-sensei's celebration didn't invite any stars, and if we look at the program, Hinotori Publishing clearly wants to make its voice actors famous."
"Now there are people in the entertainment industry who are jealous and will undoubtedly come out to sabotage..."
The entertainment industry is very complex. At first, no one cared about the profession of voice actors, but the development over the last year was too fast, and many companies were ready to act.
At that time, Hinotori Publishing got ahead of other companies, and its practice of pushing voice actors onto the stage simply challenged the order of the entertainment industry, which naturally aroused the vigilance of some.
Although there weren't many people, there were more or less people who came out to sabotage. There were violent and civilized ways to sabotage. The most civilized was to give a concert next to Mirai-sensei to cover up his glory.
"I heard that Ryoma would also be coming around those dates." Daichi poured a glass of water from the dispenser and smiled, "Last year he gave a concert specifically aimed at Mirai-sensei, but it failed. I think with his temperament, he won't be quiet this year."
Daichi remembered what happened last year very clearly. Back then, Kanto invited Ryoma to promote Weekly Boutique, but it failed. Ryoma left in disgrace. Annoyed, he gave a concert in Osaka.
He also deliberately chose the time when Mirai-sensei was celebrating, with the purpose of showing off his strength, but Mirai-sensei suddenly left, and Ryoma's staff was in vain. Not to mention how annoyed he was.
"Will Ryoma be coming this year?"
Ryo was stunned and then smiled, "President, I understand what you mean... Mirai-sensei's celebration is full of crises."
However, it was a grand celebration, enough to alert many people. If it succeeds, the structure of the manga industry could change drastically.
- - - - - -
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