Shueisha is currently one of the largest comprehensive publishing houses in Japan. Its publications mainly focus on manga magazines for young readers, while also covering literature, novels, and other works.
Among them, Weekly Shonen Jump is the most well-known and highest-circulating manga magazine in Japan.
The Shonen Jump Editorial Departnt is located inside the Shueisha headquarters building at 5-10 Hitotsubashi 2-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
From Nakano Station, taking the Tozai Line toward Toyocho or Nishi-Funabashi, getting off at Takebashi Station, exiting from Exit 4, and walking for about ten minutes will bring you to the building.
Without mobile navigation, traveling by subway still felt a bit inconvenient to him.
Fortunately, his enhanced mory allowed him to retain the entire Tokyo subway map, so getting lost was not a concern.
Another difference was the lack of things to do on the train.
Mobile phones did exist, and their penetration rate had already exceeded 30 percent. Occasionally, he saw young people using them to send emails or play simple gas like Snake.
Even so, he still felt a bit envious.
He had grown up using button phones and even owned one himself before smartphones beca popular. Thinking back, it felt nostalgic.
He rembered that shortly after he got his first phone, touchscreen devices started becoming widespread.
His father's old Nokia had lasted until around 2015 before finally being replaced.
Still, buying a phone now was out of reach.
Even the cheapest models cost twenty to thirty thousand yen, not including activation fees and monthly charges.
For now, the landline in his apartnt would have to do.
And speaking of money, since today was Monday, he had taken a day off for this eting, losing 8,000 yen in wages, which made him feel a little pained.
Returning to the main point.
With nothing else to do on the train, he followed everyone else and read to pass the ti.
Naturally, he was reading Weekly Shonen Jump.
Shaman King had already reached Chapter 42, titled "Provoking the Doctor," depicting the battle between Yoh Asakura and Faust VIII.
Although he had watched the ani as a child, this was his first ti reading the original manga.
The artwork was surprisingly strong, though the action scenes felt sowhat chaotic, and so background perspectives seed slightly off.
Even so, it was still an enjoyable read.
After arriving at Takebashi Station, he exited from Exit 4 and walked for about ten minutes before finally reaching the Shueisha headquarters.
The building looked like an ordinary office building, with only the "Shueisha" logo marking its identity. The lobby on the first floor had almost no visible manga elents.
It was far more formal than he had imagined.
He approached the reception desk as instructed.
"Welco. How may I help you?"
"My na is Akira. I have an appointnt with Mr. Sasaki from the Shonen Jump Editorial Departnt at 2:00 PM."
"Please wait a mont."
The receptionist confird the information, handed him a visitor form to fill out, and made a call.
After finishing, she smiled.
"Mr. Sasaki will be here shortly. Please wait in eting Room No. 2."
"Thank you."
He nodded and headed to the designated room.
As the most popular manga magazine, Shonen Jump naturally received multiple submissions every day. In the nearby eting rooms, faint voices could be heard.
They were likely other newcors undergoing the sa evaluation.
How many of them would succeed was another matter entirely.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
The voice pulled him back to reality.
Akira looked up.
The man standing at the door was a middle-aged man with a gentle appearance. He was slightly balding, wore glasses, had a thin mustache, and carried a constant smile.
For so reason, he felt familiar.
"It's Mochizuki Akira, correct? I'm Sasaki Hisashi, an editor at Shonen Jump. Nice to et you."
"Nice to et you."
Akira nodded.
Sasaki Hisashi…
He suddenly rembered.
Bakuman, created by Ohba Tsugumi and Obata Takeshi, featured a character based on him as one of the key editors.
In reality, Sasaki would later beco the ninth Editor-in-Chief of Shonen Jump, though not until 2008.
The current Editor-in-Chief was Torishima Kazuhiko, the legendary editor who discovered Toriyama Akira.
Looking at the man again, Akira felt that the manga version had been slightly idealized.
Sasaki, unaware of his thoughts, smiled.
"When I saw you at the entrance, I almost thought an idol had walked into the wrong building."
Akira laughed.
"It's too late for to beco an idol. And even if they accepted , I probably wouldn't go."
Sasaki chuckled in agreent.
Regardless of appearance, the manga industry judged only one thing.
The work itself.
"So, let take a look at your manuscript."
"Of course."
Akira handed over the file. Sasaki received it with both hands, his expression turning serious.
He began flipping through the pages quickly.
At first glance, it might have seed rushed, but this was a standard process. He was checking the fundantals: artwork and storyboarding.
Artwork did not need to be perfect, but it could not be poor.
Storyboarding determined how effectively the story was conveyed.
Flip. Flip.
He finished the first pass quickly.
Then he straightened his posture and began reviewing more carefully, his expression growing more focused.
Sothing felt off.
This did not look like a beginner's work.
The composition was solid, not outstanding, but clearly above average.
And the artwork…
It was too strong.
He looked up at Akira again.
"I'd like to confirm sothing. How many manga have you created before this?"
Akira thought for a mont.
"If we're being precise, this is my second."
The previous one being Emiya Kiritsugu.
"…I see."
A complete newcor.
Sasaki took a quiet breath.
This might be a real find.
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