[Anime Crossover] Becoming Mangaka in Anime World

As the page switched, a list of names appeared. After scanning through it for a bit, Akifumi Mugiho finally found his submission at the very end.

— 48. Puella Magi Madoka Magica— Note: Rankings are in no particular order, just randomly arranged.

Seeing his work had passed the first round, Akifumi Mugiho couldn't help but smile. After all, in a competition like this, Madoka, is piece that doesn't really pick up steam until later on, didn't exactly have the best odds. If he'd been eliminated, it wouldn't have been a huge surprise.

In just one chapter, the only thing he really had going for him was his years of experience from his previous life, plus the storyboard he'd built up in his mind, which already had a pretty mature style. By constantly comparing it to his memories, he could inject more expression into the work.

"Anyway, no matter where you are, story isn't the only thing that gets judged."

Even though the Tezuka Award tends to focus more on story than art style, they wouldn't immediately dismiss someone like Akifumi Mugiho, who already had a solid style.

"Passing this first round means that even if I don't place, I'll at least get to meet and talk with the editors. Once I show them the next few chapters of Madoka, as long as they're not blind, I'm sure getting serialized won't be a problem."

With that thought, Akifumi Mugiho finally felt completely at ease.

He decided to take a break for the night instead of working.

After all, he'd been drawing non-stop for the past few days. Not only had he completed the first three chapters, but he was also nearly done with the fifth one!

"Right, that guy from earlier sounded so sure. Wonder if they made it through the review?"

If they didn't pass, he could already imagine how wild things would get in the chat group.

Curious and maybe a little amused by the drama, Akifumi Mugiho opened the group chat.

He noticed a bunch of new names that had joined recently, and now they were all chatting and complaining, making the conversation pretty lively.

"Results are up!!"

"Damn it, didn't make it again!"

"I didn't make it either, sob sob sob."

"Classic! The manga industry's brutal trial. Is it really this hard to pass?"

"Looks like I need a few more years to improve…"

"Such a tough challenge… by the way, has anyone here actually made it through?"

"Didn't Munoya say they'd definitely pass? They must've made it, right!?"

"@Munoya"

As expected, the drama came in full force.

There were always people who enjoyed watching things unfold, especially since that guy often made comments that were easy to dislike. Sure, it was the truth, but sometimes the truth can sting.

"Hm? Didn't I already say I'd pass the review?"

Munoya replied, causing the group to explode with questions.

"??"

"Wait, really!?"

"Where's your name? If you passed, you should tell us which work it was, right!?"

But unfortunately, Munoya didn't respond to any of those questions.

"This guy is really sly, huh?"

There were always people like that—sneaky, with a dark side.

The saying "watching you make money feels worse than watching me lose money" wasn't just some random phrase. It was a real thing.

Thinking about it, most of the people in the group hadn't made it through the review. If they knew who had, wouldn't they start stirring up trouble behind the scenes?

Even if it didn't lead to anything, just the thought of it was kind of gross.

While thinking this, Akifumi Mugiho casually typed a message and sent it.

"Honestly, passing the review isn't that hard. I passed too, everyone~"

No hidden agenda, just wanted to share his little victory.

The people who had been mocking Munoya earlier were now flooding the chat with questions and doubt.

"???"

"Wait, isn't this guy named Battlefront a newcomer? Did they even join the group recently?"

"Not only that, but according to them, they're a complete rookie in the industry."

"This is the Tezuka Award from Shueisha! The top of the industry! A rookie passed it? /laugh"

"Anyone who doesn't reveal their name or work is a fraud."

"@Battlefront, is this some kind of joke? What's the point of tricking everyone?"

Seeing all the @ messages, Akifumi Mugiho just chuckled and shook his head. He wasn't going to bother with them. Instead, he simply left the group.

After all, it was a bit hard to believe that his first submission was Madoka Magika, such a masterpiece—especially considering his age.

But really, in any industry, talent always comes first.

It's hard to explain, but it's just how things work.

There are crazier real-life examples out there, so he wasn't worried about any fallout.

"Actually, being the 'strongest high school student' could make for a pretty fun gimmick, right?"

He laughed to himself, about to watch some videos, when he saw a new notification.

"Got a new email? Probably spam again…"

To his surprise, the sender's name was listed as

"Shueisha Manga Editorial Department."

A prank?

After double-checking the email address, Akifumi Mugiho confirmed it was legit. It really was from Shueisha's editorial team.

Then…