When we returned to Tokyo, it was almost night, and the rain was falling again, turning the whole city into a hazy mist.
"Don't go out, Taro! Your feet will get dirty again!"
Akina stopped the dog from jumping out at the door, and then looked at Naoki Nagayama who was walking from the garage.
"Zhi Shusang, it rained and I thought you would come back later..."
"Because we were on the road before it started to rain." Nagayama Naoki hung up his coat and led Akina toward the hall. "There wasn't much delay."
"Have you had dinner?"
"not yet...."
"Then I'll get ready..."
Seeing that his wife was about to go to the kitchen with a big belly, Nagayama Naoki quickly stopped her. Instead of taking a rest, Nonaka Mori continued busy, and casually ordered a bowl of noodles by himself.
Akina kept trying to help, but Naoki Nagayama refused because of the need to protect the fetus. In the end, she had to prepare some side dishes.
"How is Uncle Xiong Yuan's health?"
Akina sat aside and watched her husband eat, asking casually.
"When I went there, my uncle had been sleeping because he was weak, but he should be fine. He will just recuperate after that." Naoki Nagayama said, "But my grandfather accidentally got sick."
"grandfather?"
"Well, my grandfather is also very tired from trying to deal with the aftermath this time."
Nagayama Naoki and Akina talked about the situation on the Nagayama Group's side, the Nagayama Group's plan to disband, and possible recent fluctuations.
Even if the Nagayama group chooses to disband, there will definitely be conflicts between the Yamaguchi group and the Iwakai during this period, and there will even be competition for interests...
The death of the fourth generation of the Yamaguchi-gumi last time caused the Yamaguchi-gumi and various associations under the Iwakai to experience a nationwide conflict that lasted for more than three months... It was not until the pressure from the upper levels that the conflict was finally resolved.
Concentrated in Kobe.
"Although it has little to do with us, but... we must be prepared for everything."
Nagayama Naoki said to Akina, after all, the Nagayama family is the party involved this time, and Nagayama Naoki is also a part of it anyway.
"Yamsakura-in is very secluded, and Chiyoda's security is good, but there may be some hot-blooded guys in Iwa. I am the only male in the house. What if something happens while I'm away..."
"How come?!" Akina was a little surprised, "Could it be that the Ichiwakai will find us?"
"Most likely not, but be careful..." Nagayama Naoki shook his head and comforted his wife, "And I do feel that there are a few people in Yamasakura-in... If an emergency happens, it will be very serious."
trouble."
Originally, according to his current wealth, it was normal for him to hire a team of servants to serve him.
However, since neither he nor Akina likes to be served by others, Yamasakura-in was always alone until she became pregnant and hired Mrs. Mari Nonaka to take care of her.
"So, what does Naoki-san mean?"
"Let's hire another male butler... If something happens during the time when Akina gives birth to the baby, if I'm not available for a while..."
Akina quietly listened to her husband's words. Regarding such important matters, it is always the head of the family who makes the decision.
In the end, Nagayama Naoki had already decided to find a housekeeper for Yamasakura-in, who would be responsible for the maintenance of the courtyard, flower beds and environment of Sansakura-in, and also to maintain safety.
As for the candidate, it would be best if he has a family and a relationship with Naoki Nagayama...
.......
A night without words~
........
In such a rainy season, Naoki Nagayama came out of the Shuyu Building and came to the animation studio in Ikebukuro again.
Naturally, Shuichi Itou, who is in charge of animation work, is accompanying him.
"Naoki-san, don't tell me...don't tell me, the painting of "Slam Dunk" is very interesting!"
Itou Shuichi's face was full of excitement, because the first episode of "Slam Dunk" has been released and can be serialized in "Weekly Shonen Sunday".
"Haha~ Shuichi-san also likes reading comics?" Nagayama Naoki asked with a smile, "Then which character is your favorite?"
"Of course I like Rukawa Kaede the most. He is cool and handsome, and he is the most popular character among the characters!"
Without hesitation, Itou Shuichi said the name, and then talked endlessly about the character in the manga.
He has read the comic he just drew several times, and even the subsequent drafts, and is very familiar with the characters in "Slam Dunk".
Among them, Rukawa Kaede, who is obviously the best among masters, is his favorite...
After talking for a long time, Itou Shuichi saw Naoki Nagayama looking at him with a strange look, so he asked:
"What's wrong? Naoki-san doesn't like Rukawa Kaede? Which character does Naoki-san like?"
"What I like is Akagi Haruko..." Nagayama Naoki silently said his answer, "Even in the comics, I am a firm heterosexual! I like women!"
"!!!"
Yi Tangxiu broke through the defense in an instant,
"I'm heterosexual too! But aren't we talking about comic book characters?! This is a sports show! How can it be fixed!"
"Anyway, I like Akagi Haruko..."
Nagayama Naoki quickened his pace and walked towards the animation studio,
"I won't interfere with Shuichi-san's hobbies!"
"...Akito sack! Naoki-san, wait..."
The two people walked into the studio. Gosho Aoyama was explaining something to other staff on the first floor. He was very happy to see the two people coming in:
"Naoki-san, Shuichi-san, you are here!"
"Well...Shuichi-san informed me that the first chapter has been completed." Nagayama Naoki smiled and nodded to Aoyama Gosho, "You moved very quickly!"
"After all, there are so many people working together..." Gosho Aoyama shared the credit with the others present, "It's all the result of everyone's concerted efforts..."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Haha, Mr. Qingshan is too modest..."
Glancing around, Nagayama Naoki didn't see anyone.
"Old thief Togashi...Ah no, where is Togashi-kun? Why didn't you see him?"
"Togashi-san is painting on the second floor..." Gosho Aoyama's expression was very subtle. He always felt that Naoki Nagayama seemed to dislike seeing Yoshihiro Togashi, "I am painting the fifth episode of "Slam Dunk"
Drafts... Togashi-san spends almost every day at the drawing board..."
In fact, although it is said that the first episode has been completed, in fact, episodes 1-2 have been completed, episodes 3-4 are already in the drawing stage, and episode 5 is currently being sketched. This is where there are six or seven people.
The efficiency that a studio should have.
"Yeah, I just want to put more burdens on Togashi-kun. Such a good talent cannot be wasted!"
Nagayama Naoki nodded with satisfaction, saying that this kind of workload is good, and maybe more can be added!
"Then...let me read the comics!"
"Hi!"
Aoyama Gosho invited Nagayama Naoki and Itou Shuichi into the reception room and presented them with the completed drawings.
Naoki Nagayama looked at the manga manuscript he had received and was very surprised. In the past, he usually saw comics in weekly magazines or single volumes, but now he saw them on sheets of manuscript paper...
I started reading with some scrutiny, and the memory of Sakuragi Hanamichi suddenly appeared on the page...the uniform of a bad boy, the red hairstyle that stood up, and the background of being rejected by fifty girls in a row that was revealed at the beginning.
.....
"Hahaha..." Nagayama Naoki laughed while reading the comics, the past and present memories blending together, "It's really interesting!"
Itou Shuichi and Aoyama Gosho who were drinking tea next to them both looked over, and Nagayama Naoki also smiled and said:
"I just came up with an idea, and it turns out that Aoyama-kun and Togashi-kun are really good at making this comic so interesting!"
"No, no..." Gosho Aoyama waved his hands repeatedly, "This is all the reason why the story is so good..."
"You really have the potential to be a comic master!"
Naoki Nagayama was generous in praising the two of them. After all, they still need to continue working hard in the future!
"Naoki-san is very satisfied with this manga!" Itou Shuichi said with a smile, "Can Shogakukan start serializing it?"
"Of course it's no problem!" Nagayama Naoki put the comic back into the folder and looked at Gosho Aoyama, "I'll take these two words away and go find the people from Shogakukan today..."
"Hey, Naoki-san, I'm sorry!"
I have said before that it will definitely be published, and Gosho Aoyama also knows that the publication of "Slam Dunk" this time is a certainty.
...
Itou Shuichi knew that Nagayama Naoki attached great importance to this "Slam Dunk", but he didn't expect that he would be so vigorous and vigorous this time, and he would immediately take him to Shogakukan~
"Naoki-san, shall I come too?"
"Of course..." Nagayama Naoki said with a smile, "You are the real person in charge of Shuyu Studio. It will also be your job to connect with the manga editor of Shogakukan in the future..."
"Is that so..." Itou Shuichi nodded to express his understanding.
The driver took the two of them to the familiar black box building. It was the first time for Shuichi Itou to come here, and he couldn't help but sigh:
"The headquarters of Shogakukan, how..."
"It looks just like a coffin, right?"
"I wanted to talk about the safe..."
The two walked into the hall while chatting and laughing. Naoki Nagayama naturally saw the bespectacled Reiki Nozawa who was on duty at a glance. She seemed to be reading some strange novel...
"Lingxi-san!"
Nozawa Reiki raised her head and saw Naoki Nagayama coming, and immediately said in surprise:
"Naoki-san, why did you come here today?"
"I need to show some things to Kunji-san, so I didn't make an appointment in advance..." Nagayama Naoki said with a smile, "Is Kunji-san here?"
"Hey, he's in the office!" Reiki Nozawa immediately led Naoki Nagayama towards the reception room, "Naoki-san, please wait a moment, I'll invite him over right away..."
"Arigado~"
After Nozawa Reiki made tea and left, Itou Shuichi said:
"Naoki-san, you are really familiar with Shogakukan! We can also directly let "Weekly Shonen Sunday" publish our comics, which is very honorable!"
"Xiu Yisang, if you can be the top seller of a company for several consecutive years, you will also have a lot of face in the company!"
A well-known writer like Nagayama Naoki basically publishes a best-selling novel every year, contributing almost one-fifth of Shogakukan's annual quota. If he wants to change jobs and come to Shogakukan, the position of chief editor will be given to him.
"Hahaha~"
While Naoki Nagayama and Shuichi Itou were chatting, Kuniji Morikawa came down in a hurry.
"Naoki-san...why did you come here today?"
"Ah...it's the manga I mentioned before. It's already been drawn!" Naoki Nagayama handed the document bag containing the drawings to Kuniji Morikawa, "So I couldn't wait to send it over."
"Also...this is Shuichi Itou, the head of Shuyou Studio. From now on, he will be in charge of the comics work..."
"Shuichi Itou..." Kuniji Morikawa didn't react at all, "This...isn't this Director Itou?!"
Itou Shuichi is a great director who has won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Director, so how can he take care of a small comic matter?!
"Haha, it's me! Itou Shuichi~" Itou Shuichi stood up, stretched out his hand and shook Morikawa Kuniji, "This is our first meeting, please give us your advice in the future."
"Hi, I'm Kuniji Morikawa...please give me your advice."
Kuniji Morikawa didn't look at the document in his hand, but still said in surprise,
"Director Yitang, will you start drawing comics in the future?"
"Haha, no, no..." Itou Shuichi has been asked by many people during this period, and he has a standard answer, "Shuyou now wants to expand the field of animated films, and I am actually taking the lead in this new project...
.... Comics are just our first attempt at animation...."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "Is that so...it turns out to be an attempt!"
Kuniji Morikawa seemed to accept this explanation. He took out "Slam Dunk" and looked at it.
""Slam Dunk"... is indeed a sports show..."
However, he did not continue reading, but said to Nagayama Naoki:
"Naoki-san, I'm not a manga editor after all. Please wait a moment. I'll let the editor of "Weekly Shōnen Sunday" take a look at it. Don't worry, it can definitely be published. I just want to see if there are any adjustments that need to be made...
"
"Okay, we're not in a hurry..." Naoki Nagayama nodded.
Kuniji Morikawa put down his document bag and went out. After a while, he led a middle-aged man wearing glasses over:
"Naoki-san, this is Yushi Morimoto, the editor-in-chief of "Weekly Shōnen Sunday"..."
"First meeting, I am Yushi Morimoto..."
Morimoto Yushi introduced himself very gently,
“It’s our first time meeting you, so please give me some advice!”
In fact, he didn't want to come, because as the comics editor, he has always had high requirements for the comics published in "Weekly Shōnen Sunday"...
But you, Kuniji Morikawa, said that this work is the work of a big shot and must be published in a comic magazine. You also pressured yourself with an order that the editor-in-chief had already agreed to, so you had to come over.
But after seeing the two people in the reception room, he was also surprised...
"First meeting, I am Naoki Nagayama..."
"First time we meet, I am Itou Shuichi..."
These two people are both well-known figures in the entertainment industry, and Naoki Nagayama is a great talent who is a director, writer, and musician...Why, does he still want to try his luck in the comics industry?
?!
"Editor-in-Chief Morimoto, this is the work of Shuyu Studio...I took a look at it and it is very excellent..."
Kuniji Morikawa naturally introduced the drawings sent by Naoki Nagayama very enthusiastically.
“It will definitely be popular in our magazine!”
".....let me take a look...."
Morimoto Yushi took the manuscript and started reading it, flipping through them one by one. After a while, he raised his head and looked at Nagayama Naoki with surprised eyes.
"Has Nagayama-san also studied drawing comics?"
"Ah... this is not my manga." Nagayama Naoki explained, "It is the work of Shuyu Studio, and the main writers are Aoyama Gosho and Togashi Yoshihiro..."
"Gosho Aoyama....Yoshihiro Togashi...."
Yushi Morimoto is familiar with most of the neon cartoonists, but these two seem to be unknown...
"Have any of them won the Newcomer Award?"
"Not yet..."
Nagayama Naoki shook his head. The two of them were recruited by him before they debuted, but Gosho Aoyama did work as an assistant in Yutaka Abe's studio.
"Ah, I see..." Yushi Morimoto was not surprised. There were too many cartoonists in Neon, and many talented ones were buried.
He was browsing "Slam Dunk" intently. He had to admit that it was a very good comedy sports show. It was very interesting in terms of painting style and character plot... and it also had the editor-in-chief of Shogakukan.
Order.....
"Nagayama-san...there is absolutely no problem with this manga being serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday!"
After Yushi Morimoto closed the manuscript, he promised to publish it.
“Can Shuyou Studio provide a stable supply of articles every week?”
"No problem!" Itou Shuichi said happily, "In fact, I have already started drawing Chapter 5!"
"Is it so fast?" Yushi Morimoto reminded, "I suggest you slow down a bit. After the comic is published, you will receive feedback from readers, and there may be some modifications to the plot or characters... As a creator,
Need to adjust in time!”
"Hey, I got it!"
Yi Tangxiu nodded repeatedly.
"Since there are no other problems..." Morimoto Yushi is also a decisive person, "then when we meet again next time, we will prepare to sign a contract..."
"Hey, we will bring the official seal!"
As for the contract... A pure newcomer originally had no capital to negotiate terms, but after all, it was Naoki Nagayama's face, and the comics were very good, so Morimoto Yushi decided to sign the contract with the highest remuneration.
After continuing to chat for a while, Naoki Nagayama and Shuichi Itou left the Shogakukan.
"I didn't expect that the negotiation would be so simple..."
"Originally, in the comics industry, cartoonists first became famous and then established studios. Instead, we did it the other way around..."
Nagayama Naoki smiled and said, people like Tezuka Osamu, Abe Yutaka, and Miyazaki Hayao are all like this. They first create famous works and then create studios.
"Hahaha, we have one too, isn't Naoki-san famous?!"
Itou Shuichi laughed and teased,
"After all, I am also a celebrity!"
"..." are not from the comics industry!
Nagayama Naoki shook his head and warned:
"From now on, I have to come here every week to submit my manuscript... Don't forget Xiu Yi-san..."
"I won't forget it!" Itou Shuichi replied, "I also want to see "Slam Dunk" become a manga popular among the people!"
"So confident?"
Itou Shuichi looked at Nagayama Naoki with confidence:
"Because it's Naoki-san's idea, it will definitely be very popular!"
Over the years, Naoki Nagayama has become a kind of belief in the eyes of people around him. As long as everyone sees Naoki Nagayama, they know that the future of tree friends will be prosperous!
"..."
Faced with such trusting eyes, Nagayama Naoki felt a kind of pressure and quickly changed his gaze.
"Where are Shuichi-san going next?"
"Eh? Go back to the tree friends building? Naoki-san, won't you come with me?"
"I won't go back..." Naoki Nagayama looked at the familiar streets and took out an umbrella from the car, "This is not far from Sansakura-in, so I just walked back!"
"All right....."
Nagayama Naoki opened his umbrella and walked in the drizzle of rain.
The raindrops hit the umbrella surface and make a crackling sound, falling into the ears rhythmically, as if massaging the eardrums, which makes people feel soothed.