[Anime Crossover] Becoming Mangaka in Anime World

"Hey, Otosuna-chan, how did it feel meeting the author for the first time?"

"Is he easy to get along with?"

"Did you show him your editor's authority?"

Facing her colleagues' curiosity, Otosuna Mihari smiled politely—though there was a trace of awkwardness in it—and answered each question.

"Not bad at all!" (Disastrous, actually.)

"He's pretty easy to talk to." (If all authors were like that, I might as well quit editing!)

"Did I show authority? Uh... probably?"

Authority? Yeah, right.

Despite her inner complaints, Mihari maintained a sweet smile. Women really are born actors, aren't they?

Back at her desk, she rubbed her face, stiff from forced smiling, and let out a heavy sigh.

"Getting toyed with by a kid like that… how embarrassing!"

After lying on her desk for a while to recover, she sat up with renewed determination.

"Alright, time to work hard!" she said, pumping her fists for motivation.

She pulled out the hefty manuscript handed to her by Akifumi Mugiho.

"Whoa, this thing is thick! How many chapters is this?"

Curiosity piqued, she counted the pages.

Exactly 80 pages—enough for four chapters!

"Does this guy not know what a creative block is?!"

Hadn't she received the manuscript only about ten days ago? And he's still a high school student with classes to attend, yet he produced this much in such a short time?

"What a monster!" she muttered in disbelief.

Of course, it was possible he had drawn it in advance, but still—having the patience to stockpile that much work was impressive in itself.

"I just hope he isn't only focused on speed."

With that thought in mind, she opened the first page and started reading.

"Hmm, the quality hasn't dropped compared to before. Nice, nice!"

A few pages in, Mihari nodded in satisfaction, fully immersed in the story... ahem, work.

"Kyoko is adorable!"

"And Kyubey is amazing too—perfect pet for a magical girl!"

"Even though she looks shady at first, Homura is so cool!"

"Ahhh! Senpai's transformation scene is fantastic! That skirt, that waistline, and that..."

Her face unconsciously broke into a grin. All the stress from earlier seemed to melt away, thanks to these lovable characters.

Even as she enjoyed herself, she didn't forget her job as an editor.

"I have to say, this guy's art style is perfect for the magical girl genre!"

She jotted down a few notes.

"Here, here, and here—the negative space and shading feel weird."

They weren't major flaws, but they were noticeable enough to be distracting.

"Well, he's still a total rookie, so it's normal to have these kinds of mistakes. That's what I'm here for!"

Despite the substantial length, it was just a matter of putting in extra time.

Twenty minutes later, she had already reviewed most of the pages.

"There are some minor flaws, but his cliffhanger technique is amazing!"

Almost every 19th page ended with a suspenseful twist.

For instance, in the section she was currently reviewing, the climax seemed like it would be the upcoming battle. However, the focus subtly shifted to Kyoko's resolve and decision to become a magical girl.

"Watching cute girls bonding really is satisfying!"

"Next up should be Kyoko's debut, right?"

"I wonder what her transformed look will be. Can't wait!"

Eager with anticipation, she turned to the next page.

"Huh? Is it still Senpai's turn?"

She saw Senpai wiping away tears, her gaze firm, smiling again. Beside her was a bold line of inner monologue:

"I have nothing to fear anymore! Because... I'm no longer alone!!"

"What a shame," Mihari sighed. "Looks like Kyoko's transformation will have to wait for the next chapter."

"Well, Senpai's part isn't bad either!"

This flashback and dialogue, along with the monologue, made her character so much richer.

"It's not even about being the main character anymore—I just love this character!"

And what's better than seeing your favorite character shine?

Grinning, Mihari eagerly flipped the page.

Then...

...??

Her smile froze.

On the page was a small corner shaded in dark shadows—a headless corpse.

What?!

The previous page had boldly declared, "Nothing to fear anymore," and now this?!

Isn't this supposed to be a magical girl story?

What's with this sudden plot twist?!

She averted her gaze, took a few deep breaths, and finally calmed herself.

But when she looked back at the page, her lips trembled.

"Senpai!"

"Waaaah, my Senpai!!"

The unexpected blow hit hard—it hurt, it hurt so much!

Curse you, Akifumi!

Where's the "love and hope" you promised?!

Drawing on her editorial professionalism, Mihari suppressed her turbulent emotions and quickly finished reviewing the remaining few pages.

Homura: "Remember this—being a magical girl is just like this."

...

"We knew nothing about magical girls..."

"The meaning of seeking miracles..."

"And the price we pay for them—"

Mihari stared at the text, stunned, then fell into thought.

"So... that's what he was really trying to say?"

Cute girls bonding?

Glamorous transformations?

Adorable pets?

In hindsight, those were just her wishful thinking.

"Wait!"

She flipped back through the manuscript.

Seeing the sticky notes she had painstakingly written with little nitpicks, her face turned red.

Without a word, she tore them off, crumpled them, and tossed them into the trash.

"As expected of my author! Thanks to my brilliant guidance, the work is flawless!"

Nodding in satisfaction, she couldn't help but sigh again.

"But this guy really gave me a tough problem!"

As painful as that sudden twist was, the innovation in the plot could redefine the entire magical girl genre!

If the rest of the plot didn't fall apart, this work was definitely a strong contender for the Tezuka Award!

"The Tezuka Award, huh..."

As one of Shueisha's most prestigious prizes, the honor it represents was undeniable.

A fiery gleam appeared in Mihari's eyes.

"But that's for the chief editors to worry about!" she said with a carefree smile.

Whether it became a finalist or a winner, she was excited to see how things would unfold.

And of course, the prize money for discovering such a gem would vary accordingly.

"Today was such a lucky day!"

What? Akifumi threatened and toyed with her?

Authors bonding with editors has nothing to do with threats!