"Amazing!" Kazuya placed the Echo Shroud's Journal down with a satisfied nod.
Regarding the controversy between Haruki and Asami, the recent announcement of the upcoming animated adaptation of Anohana by Kazanami Animation Studio clearly showed the studio's strong backing of Haruki. However, this week, Haruki's public perception seemed to take a slight dip, which made Kazuya feel somewhat uneasy.
Though he admired the concept of Anohana, Kazuya struggled to understand the mass appeal of Natsume. It was gaining a lot of attention, but there was a buzz among some of his colleagues questioning whether it was truly as impactful as its promotional trailers suggested. Was it simply another work trying too hard to be dramatic?
It was common for manga to experience slower plot developments. It made sense that works could lose some momentum during these phases. However, these slower points usually came after establishing a stronger foundation. Especially in competitive magazines like Shroud Line, works with weaker foundations didn't have the luxury of time.
Looking at the popularity trends for Natsume, Kazuya couldn't help but worry about the potential outcome. But after reading the fourth episode, any doubts were completely dispelled. The pacing, especially between the two parallel storylines, felt well-balanced, and the tension leading up to the climax was executed brilliantly.
There were few anthology-style works in the industry, and most leaned toward comedy, offering standalone jokes. Natsume, however, wasn't just about jokes—it was a heartfelt exploration of the relationship between humans and spirits. The real strength of the series lay in its emotional depth, particularly the quiet moments between Natsume and the spirits, the monsters, and his classmates. Mizushiro's skill in weaving these touching stories set the work apart from the usual fare.
Kazuya believed that if Natsume could maintain this level of quality, it would grow to be a significant influence in the industry. Unlike the action-packed manga that had long dominated, Natsume didn't have the weight of established giants to contend with. If Mizushiro continued at this high level, the work's audience would continue to expand.
"Maybe…" Kazuya mused. "But it's too early to make any big predictions."
He shifted his focus back to the task at hand. "For now, we'll just need to ensure the quality stays consistent, then we'll revisit the bigger picture later."
Kazuya also remembered Mizushiro had mentioned plans to secure a perfect soundtrack for Anohana. With November well underway, it was almost time for Haruki to provide input for the animation's production.
Back in mid-October, after finalizing the animation deal for Anohana, Kazuya had been working tirelessly, unlike Haruki, who had more time for his manga. Kazuya had been putting in overtime, handling all the logistical details for the animation production. He had to coordinate with the animation team, finalize contracts, and ensure everything was in place.
Thanks to his solid connections within the animation industry, Kazuya had been able to push the project forward even before the official announcement from Kazanami Animation Studio. While the studio had just made its announcement, the production team had already been assembling behind the scenes, with Kazuya facilitating much of the work.
There were aspects Kazuya didn't need Haruki to handle—the author could focus on the creative aspects, while Kazuya took care of the technical side. Still, Haruki's input remained crucial for decisions like voice actors and animation style.
Fortunately, a voice actor audition for Anohana was scheduled for a few days from now, and Kazuya planned to invite Haruki as a reference. He also intended to ask Haruki to bring the music samples he had mentioned.
---
It was afternoon, the time when both students and office workers took a break, and manga magazine sales peaked. Despite a slight drop in votes after the previous issue of Natsume, readers were still invested. Many of them continued to check for updates on the series that had initially captivated them.
The true test would come with the fourth chapter. If it failed to deliver, many fans might abandon the series. But things were looking promising.
When the fourth chapter of Natsume dropped that afternoon, Asami's account was quickly flooded with comments from Mizushiro's fans. By midday, however, a wave of readers from Shroud Line—who had previously been watching the drama between Asami and Haruki from the sidelines—flooded her account, spurred by her critical comments about the series.
Meanwhile, the editorial team at Echo Shroud Publishing was buzzing with tension. Many were anxiously checking the voting results for the serialized works on Shroud Line, which had been updated since midnight.
As the day went on, the rankings for most works stayed the same, but one title was surging: Natsume's Book of Friends. By noon, it had already jumped to twelfth place, with 150,000 votes. By late afternoon, it had surpassed tenth spot with 280,000 votes.
The editors were stunned. It typically took months of serialization for a series to even enter the top ten. Yet Natsume, with only three issues and four episodes under its belt, was climbing the ranks faster than anyone had anticipated.
"That's incredible," one editor remarked. "I didn't expect this level of growth. When it first launched, it seemed interesting, but this is something else."
"This is why Haruka is such a high-level editor," another said. "She took the risk and supported Natsume when others were still skeptical. She saw the potential in Mizushiro's work even before it hit its stride."
"If this keeps up," someone else added, "I think we can expect more than just the top ten. This could be a breakout hit."
The air in Echo Shroud was thick with anticipation, but not everyone shared the same sentiment. While some admired Haruka's bold moves, others couldn't help but feel envious of her success. How had she managed to find such promising talent, time and again?
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