Chapter 26: Discuss the Roles
"'Beauty Baijie' is just a pen name used to confuse readers."
"So, Beauty Baijie isn't a young woman but a young boy. How cruel is this world."
"Cough, cough! Kitahara, what do you mean by that?"
"Ah ah," Kitahara Shimomura recovered quickly and explained, "I mean, it's amazing that such a young boy can draw such excellent works. His talent is amazing! And I, a person who has no talent can only lament the cruelty of fate. Only through hard work and study, I can catch up with Sensei Baijie's footsteps."
"Well, you're right. Because you don't have talent, so you need to work harder!" Ida Shinji turned around and said to Shimizu Hakuseki, "So, he is the assistant I recommended to you. He is a little dull and not very talkative, but is a hard-working mangaka, and has solid basic skills. I am sure he can help you, Sensei Baijie."
"Well, Mr. Kitahara Shimomura, it's pleasure to be working together with you."
"Thank you. Sensei Baijie, please treat me strictly."
Then, Ida Shinji also introduced Kasannoin Ayase to Kitahara Shimomura, but he had lost interest in this girl. In his heart, Beauty Baijie had died, becoming a portrait in a black and white frame.
This was to commemorate his love that had already died before it started.
"Well, we now know each other, so I won't talk to much nonsense. Let's get down to the point and start discussing some of the settings for the next manga." said Shimizu Hakuseki, "I have an idea in my mind, but it isn't very clear, so I hope you can help me."
"You are too polite, Sensei Baijie," Ida Shinji waved his hands.
Kitahara Shimomura bowed and said, "It's my luck to be able to participate in the discussion of Sensei Baijie's next manga."
"Don't worry, I will help you, and you should also be able to help me improve myself," said Kasannoin Ayase with confidence.
After that, Shimizu Hakuseki told them that he met two hoodlums after school. Of course, he just said that they were his readers and they wanted him to draw their favorite genres of manga.
Ida Shinji nodded and said, "Oh, a MILF and a Lolicon? The young people nowadays are too obscene, but the two genres are easy to attract readers and also easy to cause problems."
"Yes, I think so too, so I have to confirm this first, if I draw these kinds of manga, will I encounter legal problems?"
It was interesting to draw adult manga, but it would be bad if he was arrested because of this.
"You can rest assured, there will be no problem with this. Freedom of speech is absolutely protected by the laws."
"I see, then, in my next manga, there will be a mature female playing the role of mother. Here comes another question: does this mother have to have a blood relationship with our protagonist, Oda?"
Kitahara Shimomura asked, "Have you decided to call the protagonist Oda? Why is his name Oda?"
"I don't know, I just feel this name is good. Don't mind it, you only need to think about this: do they need to have a blood relationship?"
"Of course they do!" Kitahara Shimomura had resented in his heart, so his thought naturally becomes more radical. He said, "It's like the story of getting laid with your sister. If you don't have a blood relationship with your sister, what good is it? It's a cheat! Many stories turn to out to be found that the protagonist's sister isn't his real sister eventually, these stories are deceiving readers! It's the same here. If there is no blood relationship between the mother and son, half of the pleasure of breaching moral ethics will be missing!"
"Editor Ida, what do you think about it?"
"Ah? I don't want to interrupt the work, but from my personal point of view, I hope they don't have any blood relationship," Ida Shinji explained, "When readers read the manga, it's easy for them to be thinking of their own mother. It will be an unpleasant experience and will destroy the pleasure of reading."
Shimizu Hakuseki nodded, "I see. Senpai, what's your view?"
"Wait, will Miss Kasannoin also join in the discussion?" Ida Shinji was surprised, "Isn't it a bit inappropriate?"
"I've always wanted to write an erotic novel, and I've read a lot of similar novels, so please let me join in the discussion."
"The young people nowadays are really awesome," sighed Ida Shinji, "Since you don't mind it, well, I won't say anything. Let's go back to the previous question, Miss Kasannoin, what do you think about it?"
"I disagree. It's totally unacceptable."
"Why?"
"It's disgusting."
"I can fully understand Miss Kasannoin's feeling."
"Very well, your suggestions are very enlightening. So, how about this? In my next manga, the mother will be a 'young stepmother', she and the protagonist won't have any blood relationship."
"Why?" Kitahara Shimomura protested, "This setting isn't exciting at all. You just removed the most wonderful part!"
"Now, listen to my explanation, once they have "blood relationship", readers will have two distinct attitudes. A small part of the readers will feel what Kitahara feels: very fond of it."
"Because it's very exciting! Only this kind of twisted love can ease the pain in my heart a little bit," Kitahara muttered.
Shimizu Hakuseki ignored his mutter and continued, "However, most readers will feel disgusted when reading it. If we want to have more core fans, we can use this setting. We can collect enough zealous fans in this manner."
Kasannoin Ayase couldn't help but report, "Collect enough perverts!"
"Even if they are perverts, they are our readers too!" Shimizu Hakuseki said, "However, our goal is to expand the sales of the magazine. We need as many readers as possible instead of collecting a small group of perverts… bah, I mean, core readers."
