Chapter 2 The First Step to Becoming a Cartoonist
Not long after their conversation, Kamiya Yu bid her farewell.
"Kamiya-san, after school tomorrow... remember to attend the club activities."
Kamiya Yu heard a cold voice from behind him; it was Yukinoshita, the club president he was about to join.
Kamiya Yu, who had reached the door, turned around and nodded in response.
Ten minutes later, Kamiya Yu parked his bicycle, opened the door, and entered.
This was an old house, retaining the style of the 1970s, with only essential furniture inside, otherwise just empty rooms.
The house was empty, devoid of any signs of life. This was because he lived alone; his parents had died when he was young, leaving Kamiya Yu only this old house and some compensation.
Entering the room, he changed into his loungewear in front of the mirror. The muscles of his body were well-defined beneath his clothes, constantly contracting as he changed.
It was hard to imagine that the gloomy Kamiya Yu would have such a good physique, which showed he didn't lack exercise in his daily life.
"There's no mistake; what just happened was real."
Kamiya Yu lay on his bed, muttering softly. At the same time, excellent works he had seen in his previous life flashed through his mind.
His arrival in this world was not a transmigration but a reincarnation. Most of his experiences from birth to now were etched in his mind, allowing him to clearly understand this world and feel a sense of belonging to it.
The country he was in was called Sakurajima Country, and its geography and culture were identical to his previous life. The only difference was in the ACG (Anime, Comics, Games) aspect.
For example, the three major shonen manga from his previous life never existed here. In contrast, the manga industry had become dull and rigid. Most works were mecha-themed, with other genres rarely seen.
In this situation, the excellent works in his mind would create a huge splash in the stagnant waters of the manga industry. Thinking of this, a smile unconsciously appeared on Kamiya Yu's face.
He picked up a nearby laptop, logged onto Shueisha's official website, and clicked on a section.
"Shueisha's 10th Manga Award is now accepting submissions."
"Medium-length manga, no genre restrictions?"
Kamiya Yu murmured softly, while his right hand moved across the touch screen, clicking on the registration.
Although he already had an idea in mind, Kamiya Yu had not yet started.
Drawing manga was not easy. Simply put, it required three steps:
1. Drawing fundamentals
2. Editing and paneling skills
3. Originality in manga.
Kamiya Yu's previous life was that of a somewhat famous mangaka in Long Country. To be famous in a highly competitive Long Country, his manga skills must have been solid.
Although he maintained the habit of drawing, the only tools he had at home were pencils and erasers. Now, it was like a clever housewife struggling without rice to cook.
"Never mind, I'll go buy some drawing tools tonight. I'll be using them often anyway."
Kamiya Yu's brows relaxed as he envisioned the future, gradually drifting off to sleep.
The white light of his phone shone on his face as he checked the time.
"20:00"
His stomach rumbled, conveying its thoughts to Kamiya Yu.
Kamiya Yu's house was not far from the convenience store on the street, taking about five minutes to reach his destination.
"Welcome!"
The cashier at the counter said as usual. Kamiya Yu nodded in acknowledgment and walked towards the bento section.
"550 yen? Not bad."
Kamiya Yu picked up a fried chicken bento and walked towards the counter.
The cashier took the bento and scanned it.
Beep.
"That will be 550 yen. Would you like me to heat it for you?"
The cashier smiled and asked softly.
"Yes, please."
With the heated bento in hand, Kamiya Yu walked out.
"We look forward to your next visit."
Kamiya Yu didn't plan to go home immediately. He wanted to eat outside and then buy tools, saving himself an extra trip.
On a bench outside the convenience store, Kamiya Yu placed the bento on his lap and silently murmured, "Itadakimasu."
The aroma of fried chicken filled his mouth; its crispy exterior and tender interior whetted his appetite, and he finished dinner in no time.
Thirty minutes later, Kamiya Yu returned home, carrying the drawing tools he had purchased.
"I didn't expect art supplies to be quite expensive in Sakurajima Country."
He placed the plastic bag on the table and laid out the tools one by one.
There was still one week left until the deadline for Shueisha's Newcomer Award. He needed to submit the first three chapters for submission and review. Shueisha's editors would select excellent works from a vast number of submissions, giving the authors a chance to be published.
For Kamiya Yu, there was no way his work would be rejected; he firmly believed this.
Kamiya Yu already had a rough idea in his mind for the work he was about to create.
"takopi's original sin"
This was a manga serialized in "Shonen JUMP+" in his previous life. This unorthodox manga caused a strong reaction in Sakurajima upon its release and then quickly spread worldwide, becoming another excellent work after "fire punch."
The manga primarily tells the story of octopus p, an alien octopus from Happy Planet, who comes to Earth in 2016 to spread happiness throughout the universe and meets a fourth-grade elementary school student, Kuse Shizuka.
After this, octopus p witnesses one child after another's psychological distortions and unfortunate encounters, and attempts to change the situation to bring them happiness... The story is "healing" and "loving," making emotions fluctuate.
Of course, this kind of unorthodox manga was completely alien in Sakurajima Country at this time, having nothing to do with the popular shonen manga of the region. But for Kamiya Yu, to achieve success, he had to find another path, carving out a "healing path" unique to him.
Kamiya Yu, at his desk, prepared to start drawing now. He needed to at least complete the colored cover page, leaving the black-and-white drawings to be done at school, conveniently using club activity time.
The pencil continuously sketched on the manuscript paper in front of him, occasionally stopping to lightly erase parts of the draft. Soon, a half-body drawing of a young girl appeared on the paper, currently just a character sketch, still requiring further refinement.
Switching to a pen, he re-outlined the character's contours. Beneath the girl's black short hair, one eye was slightly closed, with a bruise at the corner, revealing a pitiful expression, and tears continuously flowed from both eyes.
"Hmm, it's not much different from the original work. It seems my skills haven't regressed."
Kamiya Yu's hands didn't stop, continuously coloring the drawing.
Time flew by rapidly. When Kamiya Yu stopped drawing, it was already eleven at night. He looked at the cover he had spent two hours creating and nodded in satisfaction.
He hung the manuscript in a well-ventilated area to air dry naturally, which would make the watercolors dry faster and the colors more vibrant. Of course, the subsequent black-and-white manuscripts wouldn't require such trouble.
"That's enough; I'm a bit tired."
After putting away his drawing tools, Kamiya Yu stood up and stretched, covering his mouth with his right hand as he spoke with a tired tone. He changed into pajamas, lay on the bed, and constantly fantasized about the future.
"Indeed, I still have to go the healing route!"
Kamiya Yu's lips moved slightly, and soon he fell into a deep sleep.