- Pronouns
- He
[X] Reject. Handling one full time job is going to be difficult enough for him. (Will need to find a new series to replace Lesser Evil, Greater Evil
Don't Miss Your Deadline! (Manga Editor Quest)
- Thread starter zamin
- Start date
- Original Modern
KidFromPallet
Pokemon Fan
- Location
- Pallet Town
[X] Reject. Handling one full time job is going to be difficult enough for him. (Will need to find a new series to replace Lesser Evil, Greater Evil)
Yeah, trying to both be an assistant while also writing his own manga would likely lead to serious burnout. While it sucks to have to table the story, better to do it later and have it be a hit then do it now and have the story flop because he's suffering super-crunch.
Yeah, trying to both be an assistant while also writing his own manga would likely lead to serious burnout. While it sucks to have to table the story, better to do it later and have it be a hit then do it now and have the story flop because he's suffering super-crunch.
[X] Reject. Handling one full time job is going to be difficult enough for him. (Will need to find a new series to replace Lesser Evil, Greater Evil)
Let's see how his art is doing after the 3 and 6 month marks, and if his art has improved in that time we will se about him going out as an author on his own. We could review his story beats for LEGE in the mean time so that he can focus on the art when he moves to go full time on his own.
Let's see how his art is doing after the 3 and 6 month marks, and if his art has improved in that time we will se about him going out as an author on his own. We could review his story beats for LEGE in the mean time so that he can focus on the art when he moves to go full time on his own.
- Location
- Virginia
[X] Reject. Handling one full time job is going to be difficult enough for him. (Will need to find a new series to replace Lesser Evil, Greater Evil)
Sena Kumo
The Tenth Wandering Cloud
- Location
- Portugal
[X] Reject. Handling one full time job is going to be difficult enough for him. (Will need to find a new series to replace Lesser Evil, Greater Evil)
In this industry, burnout is a hellish bitch that will drag you down kicking and screaming. Seriously, you don't want to burnout when it comes to manga (unless you're an abomination like Oda or Akira).
In this industry, burnout is a hellish bitch that will drag you down kicking and screaming. Seriously, you don't want to burnout when it comes to manga (unless you're an abomination like Oda or Akira).
24. The Top 10 (Week 4 Pre-Pitching)
zamin
The Watcher in the Dark
[X] Plan Editor More Like Networker
-[X] [Overtime] Yes
-[X] Networking (Masaru-senpai): Since your direct superior is in a good mood, now's the perfect time to cement your role as his most trusted and reliable kouhai.
--[X] Learning the Ropes: With the sudden increase in the number of series you're expected to work with, it might be a good idea to ask Masaru for advice. Perhaps he has a few tips or tricks that he can show you? (Work on improving you Maeda's Editor Trait)
-[X] Networking (Mangaka): Paying a visit to one of your current mangakas might be a good idea, if only to ensure that they aren't having any problems meeting the deadline. (Gives you +1 Suggestion to that specific mangaka)
--[X] Aoki Akira: Seriously, what was with that mess that he submitted? What made him think that that was acceptable? You need to make it clear that this won't happen again.
--[X] Yuzuki Himari: Despite your initial fears, Yuzuki has done much better than anyone could have expected. However, if you want her series to stay healthy, you need to know what she has planned for the long term.
--[X] Gendou Ren: Unfortunately, Gendou just didn't have the art experience necessary to create a good manga. You're not completely sure about Masaru's suggestion, but it couldn't hurt to ask if he'd be interested in working as an assistant instead of jumping straight into the mangaka career.
-[X] Research: It's probably a good idea to make sure that you're not totally ignorant about your job anymore. (Work on improving Maeda's Editor Trait)
--[X] The Trending: What's even in the top ten list now, anyway? Probably a good idea to see what the general public are into nowadays.
-[X] [Overtime] Yes
--[X] Learning the Ropes: With the sudden increase in the number of series you're expected to work with, it might be a good idea to ask Masaru for advice. Perhaps he has a few tips or tricks that he can show you? (Work on improving you Maeda's Editor Trait)
-[X] Networking (Mangaka): Paying a visit to one of your current mangakas might be a good idea, if only to ensure that they aren't having any problems meeting the deadline. (Gives you +1 Suggestion to that specific mangaka)
--[X] Aoki Akira: Seriously, what was with that mess that he submitted? What made him think that that was acceptable? You need to make it clear that this won't happen again.
--[X] Yuzuki Himari: Despite your initial fears, Yuzuki has done much better than anyone could have expected. However, if you want her series to stay healthy, you need to know what she has planned for the long term.
-[X] Research: It's probably a good idea to make sure that you're not totally ignorant about your job anymore. (Work on improving Maeda's Editor Trait)
--[X] The Trending: What's even in the top ten list now, anyway? Probably a good idea to see what the general public are into nowadays.
[X] Reject. Handling one full time job is going to be difficult enough for him. (Will need to find a new series to replace Lesser Evil, Greater Evil
"Sorry Gendou-san, but I'm afraid that won't be possible," you shook your head. "I recommend that you focus on doing one full time job at a time instead of trying to juggle two at once."
"Yeah, I figured," he sighed, before shrugging. "Still, can't blame me for trying, right? At least it's better than working at the convenience store again…"
"Don't worry. Once your skills improve, we can revisit the idea of publishing your work," you reassured him.
As he opened his mouth to respond, Gendou's grandmother popped back into the room with a tray full of plates and cutlery. "Ren, could you be a dear and help me set the table? Dinner will be out in just a moment."
"Grandma, careful. That's heavy!" he said, all but jumping to his feet as he rushed to take the tray from her hands.
"Will you need any help bringing the food here?" you asked, moving to stand up yourself only for the older woman to huff impatiently.
"No, no! You sit down! You are a guest here!" she exclaimed, hands on her hips. She glared pointedly at you until you carefully sat back down again.
"Sorry about that," Gendou muttered as she left the room. "She means well, really."
"It's fine," you replied, leaning back and trying to relax as your hosts scurried about getting the meal ready. You had a feeling that your next few meetings wouldn't be anywhere near as relaxing.
===
To prepare yourself for your next few meetings, you made a stop at a nearby bookstore in order to pick up some… research material
After just a few minutes, you found what you were looking for: this month's list of top ten shounen manga.
Unsurprisingly, none of the Sunday Star's series had made it anywhere near that list. However, considering your job, you figured that it was still a good idea to figure out the manga industry's current trends.
Coming in at number ten was Cradle of Ashes, a rather interesting twist on the isekai genre where the main character - a young high school student named Takagi - had received a "blessing" that allowed him to be reborn into a new fantasy world… only to fall sick and die of the plague before his sixth birthday.
Fortunately, he's reborn in the same world again a few years in the future… and dies again just a few years later when his home is destroyed in a flood. This happens over and over again, with Takagi always dying in his childhood due to some accident or disaster.
Finally, he's reborn as a prince, in the safety and comfort of a royal palace… which happens to be filled with people who want him dead for various reasons. Determined not to die so quickly again, Takagi swears that he will finally make it to adulthood this time.
Honestly, you have to admit that this has some pretty dark themes for a shonen series. Compared to most typical shonen fantasy stories, this setting feels like a grim, bloody medieval place, where the peasants toil and suffer while the petty nobles waste all their time scheming and competing for every scrap of power they can get.
Yet after glancing through the latest chapter you can see why it got so popular. Despite being a small child, the main character is pretty endearing in an underdog kind of way. Much of the story seems to revolve around him discovering the other noble's own plots and figuring out how to turn them against each other. It sets a pretty tense tone, with every word and gesture being carefully analyzed to uncover the true plans occurring below the surface.
Fortunately, he's reborn in the same world again a few years in the future… and dies again just a few years later when his home is destroyed in a flood. This happens over and over again, with Takagi always dying in his childhood due to some accident or disaster.
Finally, he's reborn as a prince, in the safety and comfort of a royal palace… which happens to be filled with people who want him dead for various reasons. Determined not to die so quickly again, Takagi swears that he will finally make it to adulthood this time.
Honestly, you have to admit that this has some pretty dark themes for a shonen series. Compared to most typical shonen fantasy stories, this setting feels like a grim, bloody medieval place, where the peasants toil and suffer while the petty nobles waste all their time scheming and competing for every scrap of power they can get.
Yet after glancing through the latest chapter you can see why it got so popular. Despite being a small child, the main character is pretty endearing in an underdog kind of way. Much of the story seems to revolve around him discovering the other noble's own plots and figuring out how to turn them against each other. It sets a pretty tense tone, with every word and gesture being carefully analyzed to uncover the true plans occurring below the surface.
Compared to that, the ninth place manga, Love Succs, is a much more straightforward ecchi rom-com type of series. The main character is Kaido Homura, a painfully plain, ordinary-looking high schooler who accidentally summons a demon when he makes a wish to find a girlfriend.
Said demon happens to be a ditzy and far-too-proud succubus named Lilica, a self-proclaimed "love expert" who says that she can solve all his relationship problems in an instant. Sadly for them both, she fails miserably, causing Kaido to become humiliated in front of the entire school after he follows her advice and gets completely rejected after confessing to his crush.
The rest of the series follows the dynamic duo's attempts to find someone, anyone who might be interested in becoming Kaido's girlfriend. It almost feels like a generic harem series; you've got the energetic tomboy underclassman, the prim and proper class president, the timid glasses girl with the surprisingly large chest…
Still, while they are pretty cliche, the characters get enough development and fun interactions to keep the series interesting. Even the main character seems to learn and grow over time; while he never quite succeeds in stealing someone's heart, he does manage to at least become friends (or "friends") with most of the girls around him.
Personally, you're pretty sure that he's going to end up with the succubus in the end, but at least the story still feels entertaining enough to keep people reading until then.
Said demon happens to be a ditzy and far-too-proud succubus named Lilica, a self-proclaimed "love expert" who says that she can solve all his relationship problems in an instant. Sadly for them both, she fails miserably, causing Kaido to become humiliated in front of the entire school after he follows her advice and gets completely rejected after confessing to his crush.
The rest of the series follows the dynamic duo's attempts to find someone, anyone who might be interested in becoming Kaido's girlfriend. It almost feels like a generic harem series; you've got the energetic tomboy underclassman, the prim and proper class president, the timid glasses girl with the surprisingly large chest…
Still, while they are pretty cliche, the characters get enough development and fun interactions to keep the series interesting. Even the main character seems to learn and grow over time; while he never quite succeeds in stealing someone's heart, he does manage to at least become friends (or "friends") with most of the girls around him.
Personally, you're pretty sure that he's going to end up with the succubus in the end, but at least the story still feels entertaining enough to keep people reading until then.
The eighth place manga was League of Villains, a superhero action series from the perspective of a villain rather than a hero.
Amid the shining, cyberpunk-ish towers of Neo-Tokyo, crime and chaos has grown wildly out of hand. To bring the situation under control, the government has created the Golden Guardians, a band of super powered heroes who fight to protect the people and laws of the nation… in theory, anyway.
The main character, Yuto Yukari aka Light Shield, is a former hero who grew bitter and disillusioned after realizing that the Guardians spent more time shutting down protests and capturing "treasonous" individuals than actually saving people.
After being betrayed and left for dead by his own teammates as part of a false flag operation, Yuto snaps. Determined to expose the government's corruption and replace them with something better, he creates a new organization filled with all the greatest and most dangerous villains of the land. Together, they will build a better tomorrow… or burn the world down in the process.
Okay, this is waaaay too edgy, even for you. Seriously, how are you supposed to take this seriously when the main character names himself "Shadow Blade"? The fact that this is so popular makes you question the taste of today's youth.
On the plus side, the art is good and the action, particularly the fight scenes, feel very slick and dynamic. The character designs are also pretty solid, with every hero or villain having a distinctive costume that suits their powers and personality.
Still, that story… ugh.
Amid the shining, cyberpunk-ish towers of Neo-Tokyo, crime and chaos has grown wildly out of hand. To bring the situation under control, the government has created the Golden Guardians, a band of super powered heroes who fight to protect the people and laws of the nation… in theory, anyway.
The main character, Yuto Yukari aka Light Shield, is a former hero who grew bitter and disillusioned after realizing that the Guardians spent more time shutting down protests and capturing "treasonous" individuals than actually saving people.
After being betrayed and left for dead by his own teammates as part of a false flag operation, Yuto snaps. Determined to expose the government's corruption and replace them with something better, he creates a new organization filled with all the greatest and most dangerous villains of the land. Together, they will build a better tomorrow… or burn the world down in the process.
Okay, this is waaaay too edgy, even for you. Seriously, how are you supposed to take this seriously when the main character names himself "Shadow Blade"? The fact that this is so popular makes you question the taste of today's youth.
On the plus side, the art is good and the action, particularly the fight scenes, feel very slick and dynamic. The character designs are also pretty solid, with every hero or villain having a distinctive costume that suits their powers and personality.
Still, that story… ugh.
Not wanting to think about it any further, you moved on to series number seven: Nuclear Bat.
It was… a sports manga? Kind of? Only instead of ordinary baseball, the whole thing was happening in a futuristic world where apparently every nation competed on the baseball field instead of going to war.
Which sounds weird at first, but means that the main character Denji - a new up-and-coming pitcher hoping to earn a place on Japan's national team - has to deal with things like missile-armed baseball drones, lightsaber baseball bats, and even a literal time machine which an opposing team uses to slow down time.
It's all completely over the top, and the manga just dives right into it. The literal first match involves a pitcher who uses some kind of bullshit quantum physics to throw a ball in two directions at once.
He gets defeated when the main character uses a nuclear powered baseball bat to blow up the entire field when he swings. Said rival immediately vanishes, only to show up at a later match with the ability to throw a ball in two hundred directions instead.
You're… not even sure how to feel about this. Overwhelmed? Entertained? Glad that you're not the editor in charge of handling all this insanity?
It was… a sports manga? Kind of? Only instead of ordinary baseball, the whole thing was happening in a futuristic world where apparently every nation competed on the baseball field instead of going to war.
Which sounds weird at first, but means that the main character Denji - a new up-and-coming pitcher hoping to earn a place on Japan's national team - has to deal with things like missile-armed baseball drones, lightsaber baseball bats, and even a literal time machine which an opposing team uses to slow down time.
It's all completely over the top, and the manga just dives right into it. The literal first match involves a pitcher who uses some kind of bullshit quantum physics to throw a ball in two directions at once.
He gets defeated when the main character uses a nuclear powered baseball bat to blow up the entire field when he swings. Said rival immediately vanishes, only to show up at a later match with the ability to throw a ball in two hundred directions instead.
You're… not even sure how to feel about this. Overwhelmed? Entertained? Glad that you're not the editor in charge of handling all this insanity?
Fortunately, the sixth manga, Illamu's Thousand-Year Journey, is much easier to digest.
It's a fantasy adventure series, where an ancient elf named Illamu tells his grandchildren stories about his past from his deathbed. Compared to some of the others on this list, it's very calm and slow paced, a story that's more about the journey than the destination.
Illamu starts out as just another elf living a peaceful, idyllic life in the magical woods, but grows curious about the outside world after encountering a human hunter who accidentally wandered into the elves' territory while trying to track down a magical deer.
A big theme of this story is immortality, and the way it changes the way you see the world. There are a lot of time skips that range from a few months to literal decades as Illamu explores the world. He meets new people, learns new skills, and inevitably comes back to find that the friends he made are now either elderly or else long dead and gone.
You can see why a lot of people enjoyed this, though you can also understand why a lot of people didn't. This is pretty somber and serious for a shonen story, but it seems to have found its niche.
It's a fantasy adventure series, where an ancient elf named Illamu tells his grandchildren stories about his past from his deathbed. Compared to some of the others on this list, it's very calm and slow paced, a story that's more about the journey than the destination.
Illamu starts out as just another elf living a peaceful, idyllic life in the magical woods, but grows curious about the outside world after encountering a human hunter who accidentally wandered into the elves' territory while trying to track down a magical deer.
A big theme of this story is immortality, and the way it changes the way you see the world. There are a lot of time skips that range from a few months to literal decades as Illamu explores the world. He meets new people, learns new skills, and inevitably comes back to find that the friends he made are now either elderly or else long dead and gone.
You can see why a lot of people enjoyed this, though you can also understand why a lot of people didn't. This is pretty somber and serious for a shonen story, but it seems to have found its niche.
The number five manga, Lunar Beast Hunters, looks to be more of a standard shonen.
It's an urban fantasy series revolving around an ordinary high schooler named Kosa Minato, who almost gets eaten by a werewolf one night. Fortunately, he's saved by one of his classmates, Mira Kaede, who introduces him into the Moonlit World - a shadow society filled with magical monsters that prey on ordinary humans.
To protect himself, Minato joins the Hunter's Alliance, a group of ordinary humans who train to hunt down the beasts that go bump in the middle of the night.
It's a relatively new series, but after looking through it you can see why it seems to be jumping up the charts. The characters are crisp, the setting is intriguing, and all the monsters look and feel very otherworldly. Even the werewolf, which should have been a cliche, looks downright nightmarish, an unholy fusion of man and beast that just feels viscerally wrong to look at.
It's an urban fantasy series revolving around an ordinary high schooler named Kosa Minato, who almost gets eaten by a werewolf one night. Fortunately, he's saved by one of his classmates, Mira Kaede, who introduces him into the Moonlit World - a shadow society filled with magical monsters that prey on ordinary humans.
To protect himself, Minato joins the Hunter's Alliance, a group of ordinary humans who train to hunt down the beasts that go bump in the middle of the night.
It's a relatively new series, but after looking through it you can see why it seems to be jumping up the charts. The characters are crisp, the setting is intriguing, and all the monsters look and feel very otherworldly. Even the werewolf, which should have been a cliche, looks downright nightmarish, an unholy fusion of man and beast that just feels viscerally wrong to look at.
The number four manga, in contrast, feels a lot more comfier. Despite its title, Real Gamer Adventures turned out to be a lot better than you'd expected.
Simply put, it was a "cute girls doing cute things" series. In this case, the "cute girls" were the main character Harada Megumi and her friends, while the "cute things" involved joining their school's Video Game club as a way to earn some easy credit.
Despite their initial assumptions that it would be full of otaku boys, the club room turns out to be the personal haven of eccentric upperclassman Yamada Juri, who hates all so-called "modern gamers" and has a vast collection of old school retro games.
Each chapter involves playing a different retro game, with the girls experiencing classics such as Pong and Donkey Kong while growing closer to each other in real life. It's a cute, comfy series. And despite the admittedly niche subject matter, you're not too surprised at its popularity considering how endearing all the characters seem to be.
Simply put, it was a "cute girls doing cute things" series. In this case, the "cute girls" were the main character Harada Megumi and her friends, while the "cute things" involved joining their school's Video Game club as a way to earn some easy credit.
Despite their initial assumptions that it would be full of otaku boys, the club room turns out to be the personal haven of eccentric upperclassman Yamada Juri, who hates all so-called "modern gamers" and has a vast collection of old school retro games.
Each chapter involves playing a different retro game, with the girls experiencing classics such as Pong and Donkey Kong while growing closer to each other in real life. It's a cute, comfy series. And despite the admittedly niche subject matter, you're not too surprised at its popularity considering how endearing all the characters seem to be.
Third on the list is Kami's Chosen King.
It's a very interesting twist on the classic "gamer" genre, where instead of a modern guy receiving the gamer system and using it to become disgustingly overpowered, the main character is Kiyoko Akai, a young samurai in feudal Japan who wakes up after a terrible illness with a strange new ability.
Initially assuming that he's gone mad, Akai soon discovers that completing the strange 'quests' and defeating enemies allows him to level up and grow stronger. Over time, he comes to believe that the gamer system is a blessing from the kami and strives to live an honorable and virtuous life in order to prove that he is worthy of such a gift, wandering the lands in order to right wrongs and protect the common man. But as his legend grows, he gains the attention of those far above his station, culminating in the founding of a rebellion against the tyrannical shogun.
You have to admit, this manga took the otherwise painfully cliche idea of "gamer system" and used it in a way that - dare you say it - actually looks interesting. Akai himself never grows to the insanely overpowered levels that most gamer protagonists reach, but given that most of his enemies are normal men, having just a few extra stats and skills soon turns him into an unmatched warrior.
However, despite all his abilities, Akai noticeably struggles to achieve his goal of uniting the nation as none of his gamer abilities help to solve problems such as feeding his armies or diplomatically convincing other lords to support his rebellion.
It's a very interesting twist on the classic "gamer" genre, where instead of a modern guy receiving the gamer system and using it to become disgustingly overpowered, the main character is Kiyoko Akai, a young samurai in feudal Japan who wakes up after a terrible illness with a strange new ability.
Initially assuming that he's gone mad, Akai soon discovers that completing the strange 'quests' and defeating enemies allows him to level up and grow stronger. Over time, he comes to believe that the gamer system is a blessing from the kami and strives to live an honorable and virtuous life in order to prove that he is worthy of such a gift, wandering the lands in order to right wrongs and protect the common man. But as his legend grows, he gains the attention of those far above his station, culminating in the founding of a rebellion against the tyrannical shogun.
You have to admit, this manga took the otherwise painfully cliche idea of "gamer system" and used it in a way that - dare you say it - actually looks interesting. Akai himself never grows to the insanely overpowered levels that most gamer protagonists reach, but given that most of his enemies are normal men, having just a few extra stats and skills soon turns him into an unmatched warrior.
However, despite all his abilities, Akai noticeably struggles to achieve his goal of uniting the nation as none of his gamer abilities help to solve problems such as feeding his armies or diplomatically convincing other lords to support his rebellion.
The current number two manga is another adventure series.
Star Seeker Sai tells the story of Sai, a young man living in a world where everyone lives on islands floating in the sky. His life is forever changed when a pirate ship crashes outside his hometown. While searching for survivors, he stumbles upon a mysterious map that claims to show the location of a hidden treasure.
Inspired by the thoughts of what he might find, Sai convinces his friends to repair the pirate's ship and join him on this grand new journey across the sky.
This… you're pretty sure that the mangaka was inspired by One Piece. It's all about grand adventures, exploring new places, and the power of friendship and nakama and all that rot.
It definitely leans a lot more on the 'adventure' side of things, though. From what you can tell, there aren't a lot of big dramatic shonen fights. A lot of the conflicts involve learning how to navigate and survive in the wilds, and the only real fights come from a comic relief band of sky pirates who keep showing up to steal the map, only to fall victim to some clever trick or hidden trap.
Star Seeker Sai tells the story of Sai, a young man living in a world where everyone lives on islands floating in the sky. His life is forever changed when a pirate ship crashes outside his hometown. While searching for survivors, he stumbles upon a mysterious map that claims to show the location of a hidden treasure.
Inspired by the thoughts of what he might find, Sai convinces his friends to repair the pirate's ship and join him on this grand new journey across the sky.
This… you're pretty sure that the mangaka was inspired by One Piece. It's all about grand adventures, exploring new places, and the power of friendship and nakama and all that rot.
It definitely leans a lot more on the 'adventure' side of things, though. From what you can tell, there aren't a lot of big dramatic shonen fights. A lot of the conflicts involve learning how to navigate and survive in the wilds, and the only real fights come from a comic relief band of sky pirates who keep showing up to steal the map, only to fall victim to some clever trick or hidden trap.
Finally, you come to the number one manga: Knight Cell.
From what you've seen, it's a classic harem battle academy style series taking place in a near futuristic setting where planet Earth is being invaded by an evil race of aliens known as the Chimera.
To fight off the invaders, humanity has created the Knight Cells, mecha style power armors based on stolen alien technology that can evolve and develop unique powers over time. The main character, Suzuki Hiraga, is the newest member of the Knight Academy, a government run military school which trains talented teenagers in the use of Knight Cells.
You have to admit, you're actually a bit impressed with this. Knight Cell takes the old battle academy concept and takes it to a new level. The whole idea behind the Knight Cell is that it can be repaired and upgraded by infusing it with Chimera blood.
However, the vast majority of this blood is needed by the professional Knight Cells on the front lines, meaning that the students must constantly push to prove themselves worthy. Thus, there are frequent class tournaments as well as training missions that the students are encouraged to join in order to get more of that valuable Chimera blood supply.
In other words, all those cliche waifu characters are not love interests. They're rivals. To the point that the main character has literally gotten his ass kicked by his own love interests multiple times and vice versa. It creates some interesting relationships, with most of the overt romance being put aside in favor of more comradeship and fighting.
From what you've seen, it's a classic harem battle academy style series taking place in a near futuristic setting where planet Earth is being invaded by an evil race of aliens known as the Chimera.
To fight off the invaders, humanity has created the Knight Cells, mecha style power armors based on stolen alien technology that can evolve and develop unique powers over time. The main character, Suzuki Hiraga, is the newest member of the Knight Academy, a government run military school which trains talented teenagers in the use of Knight Cells.
You have to admit, you're actually a bit impressed with this. Knight Cell takes the old battle academy concept and takes it to a new level. The whole idea behind the Knight Cell is that it can be repaired and upgraded by infusing it with Chimera blood.
However, the vast majority of this blood is needed by the professional Knight Cells on the front lines, meaning that the students must constantly push to prove themselves worthy. Thus, there are frequent class tournaments as well as training missions that the students are encouraged to join in order to get more of that valuable Chimera blood supply.
In other words, all those cliche waifu characters are not love interests. They're rivals. To the point that the main character has literally gotten his ass kicked by his own love interests multiple times and vice versa. It creates some interesting relationships, with most of the overt romance being put aside in favor of more comradeship and fighting.
===
"Aoki-san, are you alright?"
Originally, the purpose of this visit was to crack the metaphorical whip and remind Aoki to shape up. However, that idea was put aside the moment Aoki opened the door.
Simply put, the man looked like death warmed over. His eyes were bloodshot, his skin was pale and clammy, and his nose was dripping snot all down the front of his face.
"Oh, Maeda-san," he croaked, a hand over his lower face as he sniffled. "Apologies, but you should step back a bit. I don't think I'm contagious anymore, but better safe than sorry."
"Seriously, are you alright?" you repeated, watching him slump against the doorframe. "What happened to you?"
"Just a cold, apparently. The doctor gave me some medication last week to alleviate the worst symptoms, but I'm afraid that I'm still not fully recovered yet."
Well, that certainly took the wind out of your sails.
"Can you still work on this week's chapter?" you asked.
"Of course. I will do my best to complete it in time," he replied. It would have sounded a lot more convincing if he weren't swaying on his feet, but you appreciated the enthusiasm nevertheless. "But… would it be possible for me to do a shorter chapter than usual? I apologize again for the trouble, but given my current state I'm afraid that I may not be up to my usual standards."
"Well…"
[ ][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[ ][Aoki] Refuse and make him do a full length chapter (No stat penalty, but Aoki Akira will receive an extra level of Overwork)
[ ][Aoki] Delay this week's chapter until Aoki has time to recover (Lose 4 Favor, must speak to Editor-in-Chief to find a replacement for this week's chapter)
===
After dealing with Aoki, you make your way to your third and final meeting of the day.
Yuzuki Himari lives in an apartment building just outside Shinjuku. From the outside, the place looks fairly normal, if a little run down. If this were an anime, you felt like this would be the type of place where a teenaged main character would come to live alone while their irresponsible parents went overseas to work or something.
… maybe you should cut down on reading too much manga.
In any case, you find her place quickly enough. Yuzuki looked pleased to see you, almost bouncing with excitement as she led you inside.
"Thank you so much for your advice, Maeda-san! I wasn't sure about your suggestions at first, but everyone really seems to like last week's chapter!" she said, almost spilling tea all over the table in her haste to fill your cup.
"I'm glad to hear it, Yuzuki-san," you replied. "And I've actually got some other good news for you as well. Would you be interested in getting an assistant?"
She perked up, eyes gleaming with excitement. "An assistant? Really? That would be… well, it'd be a big help!" she said, before frowning. "But… I don't know if I can actually afford to hire anyone at the moment. My own paycheck isn't really that big, and I still need to pay rent."
"Actually, we'll be covering his salary," you reassured her. "You're established enough that the company is willing to handle this expense for you."
"Wait, really? Oh, that's amazing!" she squealed, looking like she was almost about to cry with joy. "I-I've actually got an assistant! That means I'm a real mangaka now!"
"Congratulations, Yuzuki-san," you smiled. "Unfortunately, that means that we will also have greater expectations for you from now on." Or at least, you would. "Your series has a good start, but with this extra help I hope that we can take it to the next level."
"The next level? What… do you mean by that, Maeda-san?"
"Well, first of all, I have to ask: where do you see this series going in the next ten or twenty chapters?" you asked, noting the way she seemed to stiffen at the question. "You have a good base, but it feels like you're trying to do a bit of everything. I'd like you to refine The Greatest Fake Teacher and focus on what kind of story you actually want to tell."
"Ah, about that…" she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, avoiding your gaze. "I'm… not actually sure? Like, I had the basic idea at the beginning, but now I'm kinda just making it up as I go along, you know?"
Huh. You hadn't realized it at first, but now that she was relaxed you could tell that she had a pretty strong Osakan accent. She must have only moved to Tokyo recently.
Something to consider later? In the meantime, you had to focus on your work. "Well, in that case, let's put those long term ideas aside for now. How about we focus on planning out your next arc instead?"
"Sounds good to me, Maeda-san," she nodded. "I… I'm not sure what would work best, so I'd appreciate your advice."
"Of course. That's what I'm here for," you smiled, trying to look like you knew what you were doing.
After some discussion, the two of you agreed that The Greatest Fake Teacher's next arc should focus on:
[ ][Yuzuki] The tournament arc. A shonen classic and a chance to show off the main character's skills… but it may also be a bit too soon considering the last one just ended a few chapters ago.
[ ][Yuzuki] The field trip arc. A chance to get out of the academy and explore more of the world.
[ ][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
[ ][Yuzuki] The emergency arc. An action focused arc where some kind of villain or villainous organization has to be defeated.
[ ][Yuzuki] The romance arc. A romanced focused arc where the main character develops a relationship with one or more potential love interests.
[ ][Yuzuki] Write-in
===
VOTE CLOSED
VOTE CLOSED
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[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[X][Yuzuki] A field trip arc. A chance to get out of the academy and explore more of the world.
I like these options
[X][Yuzuki] A field trip arc. A chance to get out of the academy and explore more of the world.
I like these options
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overmind
Ruler of the Swarm
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
We can't draw water from the stone as they say. Aoki was barely able to bring what could be charitably described as a "Chapter" when he was weak and sick, and we cannot delay the writing of another, specially since we've axed a series and now need to find a replacement. This option seems like a fair compromise, and perhaps with some Omakes we might be able to reduce the penalty it would inflict.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
So far most of the adventures seem to have been done in the school, and many characters have been introduced, so I think this would be the next logical step as it would also gie the chance to better flesh out the characters and get a feel of which ones the readers resonate more with, that way we would know which should be emphasized or which would fit better in the future arcs.
We can't draw water from the stone as they say. Aoki was barely able to bring what could be charitably described as a "Chapter" when he was weak and sick, and we cannot delay the writing of another, specially since we've axed a series and now need to find a replacement. This option seems like a fair compromise, and perhaps with some Omakes we might be able to reduce the penalty it would inflict.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
So far most of the adventures seem to have been done in the school, and many characters have been introduced, so I think this would be the next logical step as it would also gie the chance to better flesh out the characters and get a feel of which ones the readers resonate more with, that way we would know which should be emphasized or which would fit better in the future arcs.
Oooof, Aoki. If he was a more established mangaka, at least this would be excused and we would let him relax, but...
Given he's not that good, that's really poor timing for him. If we keep having to salvage his chapters instead of pushing the others higher, as it was pointed out, he'll have to get the axe.
Given he's not that good, that's really poor timing for him. If we keep having to salvage his chapters instead of pushing the others higher, as it was pointed out, he'll have to get the axe.
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- Location
- Somewhere else
The top ten series were interesting to look over! Hopefully one of our manga will be up there soon... Also, poor Aoki: I hate to have that malus to all stats, but he already has 1 overwork from last week and I really, really don't want to reject his chapter. Best we can do is give him less work and more rest.
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
As for GFT, there's been a whole cast of characters established already. Having everyone prep for exams can develop these characters further while also world building with exam material. (Already ninja'd by overmind, it seems.) This also gives the MC a chance to learn about his subject matter without giving away his ignorance.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
As for GFT, there's been a whole cast of characters established already. Having everyone prep for exams can develop these characters further while also world building with exam material. (Already ninja'd by overmind, it seems.) This also gives the MC a chance to learn about his subject matter without giving away his ignorance.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
yannoshka
Thunda birb
- Location
- Smartarse cramschool
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
- Pronouns
- He
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
Solarstream
It's all in the cards
- Location
- Zombie World
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[X][Yuzuki] A field trip arc. A chance to get out of the academy and explore more of the world.
[X][Yuzuki] A field trip arc. A chance to get out of the academy and explore more of the world.
trooperist
Cinnamon Roll AI
Sorry Gendou, but we are running a business here. At least he'll sort of still be hanging around.
I knew it. Yuzuki has no long term plan. Not even a medium term plan, it's literally chapter to chapter.
Ahhhhhhhh. Just do something that can feed into a longer term plot.
I knew it. Yuzuki has no long term plan. Not even a medium term plan, it's literally chapter to chapter.
Ahhhhhhhh. Just do something that can feed into a longer term plot.
- Location
- The Internet
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
GoukaRyuu
Shadow Cabal Made Man
- Location
- New Jersey
I mean, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I remember Neil Gaiman talking about it with Sandman and about how Charles Dickens wrote a lot that way. You need to be smart enough to write several places that can be used for future stories or outs you can use to end the story eventually though.
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@zamin
How do assistants work here for this? I mean, sure, expectations are that Gendou will be an assistant to Yuzuki. The expectations are that he should be able to help regarding the story side of things... But does his full trait apply as an assistant? Mean, the last thing we want is to give her a poison pill. -10 over all arts rolls is harsh.
I mean, obviously, there's some penalty to be expected, but given he's doing this to learn art, I imagine Yuzuki will still handle the bulk of it, so I wondered how traits work out given this is the first time we sent a mangaka to be an assistant.
How do assistants work here for this? I mean, sure, expectations are that Gendou will be an assistant to Yuzuki. The expectations are that he should be able to help regarding the story side of things... But does his full trait apply as an assistant? Mean, the last thing we want is to give her a poison pill. -10 over all arts rolls is harsh.
I mean, obviously, there's some penalty to be expected, but given he's doing this to learn art, I imagine Yuzuki will still handle the bulk of it, so I wondered how traits work out given this is the first time we sent a mangaka to be an assistant.
Random Member
Gardener of Human Happiness
- Location
- Behind You
[ ][Yuzuki] The field trip arc. A chance to get out of the academy and explore more of the world.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
Either of these two, and whatever doesn't win should probably be the arc after that.
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[ ][Aoki] Delay this week's chapter until Aoki has time to recover (Lose 4 Favor, must speak to Editor-in-Chief to find a replacement for this week's chapter)
*wince* The penalty is gonna hurt for sure, but I don't think delaying is a good solution either.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
Either of these two, and whatever doesn't win should probably be the arc after that.
[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[ ][Aoki] Delay this week's chapter until Aoki has time to recover (Lose 4 Favor, must speak to Editor-in-Chief to find a replacement for this week's chapter)
*wince* The penalty is gonna hurt for sure, but I don't think delaying is a good solution either.
- Location
- Somewhere else
As a new mangaka, Aoki has a +5 to Writing and Art, so the malus for a shorter chapter will cancel that out, leaving most of our rolls up to the dice gods. We definitely need to workshop some good suggestions in once we get his script.
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
Abstaining from Aoki vote.
Also man I do want to read these proposed nonexistent mangas. Do they or something similar exist?
Abstaining from Aoki vote.
Also man I do want to read these proposed nonexistent mangas. Do they or something similar exist?
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[X][Aoki] Agree to accept a shorter chapter this week (All stats for Chapter 4 of Our Daughter is Actually a Vampire will suffer a -5 penalty)
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
We need to workshop on how to get Aoki on his new manga if this fails since in the manga industry the motto is try and try again because even renowned mangaka have axed works. Anyway, Yuzuki-sensei hope you will take care of Gendou because we'll need it for your medium-term plan for the manga.
[X][Yuzuki] The exam arc. A slice of life arc focused on the relationships between the main character, his students, and the other teachers at the academy.
We need to workshop on how to get Aoki on his new manga if this fails since in the manga industry the motto is try and try again because even renowned mangaka have axed works. Anyway, Yuzuki-sensei hope you will take care of Gendou because we'll need it for your medium-term plan for the manga.
Number six sounds like Frien with a mix of Mushoku Tensei without the isekai elements. Because it sounded really familiar also if it's so sad add in To Your Eternity there too.
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