The Seiun Bookstore was the largest in Osaka. More than a bookstore, it was an integral cultural complex: it had a cafeteria, gym, computer room and other entertainment spaces. Every day, tens of thousands of readers passed by.
Miyuki Arai was temporarily working in the manga section. Thanks to his free access to the entire rack, he had developed a very demanding criterion.
—A good story must be conveyed with clarity and purpose. Is this the only way manga are trying to sell today?
He frowned as he flipped through a volume titled The Lady Gentleman. With the boom in the market for novel adaptations, many mangakas had chosen to use eroticism as a hook. The suggestive images sold well, yes... But she wanted something more.
Miyuki wasn't looking for provocative content; she wanted good stories.
—Almost all the successful novels have already been adapted... and they are getting worse and worse," he murmured, leaving the tome where he found it.
As was customary, he took the opportunity to arrange the books disordered by the readers. But before leaving, he noticed something strange: a crowd of people around the shelf of weekly magazines. The murmur was constant.
"What's going on there?"
He approached the counter with his eyebrow arched. Usually, the weekly manga section was quiet. At most, readers appeared in passing looking for industry gossip.
—Was the adaptation of any famous novel announced?
On the other side of the counter, Baiya, a co-worker, had just served a customer. Seeing Miyuki, he smiled:
—Adaptation? Nothing of the sort. There's a great original manga in this issue of Weekly Shonen. Everyone is talking about it!
He checked the sales history on the computer and blinked.
"Today Weekly Shonen sold more than Lady Knight. And that in the whole of last week they hardly moved. The manager has already asked to restock.
"More than Lady Knight?"
Miyuki was puzzled.
"Who is the author?" Any famous veterans?
"Nooo," Baiya replied, with an amused air. "Don't you remember the cover of last issue?" I told you that there was a mysterious new author with the same pseudonym as you. This debut is his.
Miyuki recoiled in her mind. I remembered that black silhouette on the cover of the last issue. A kind of undefined shadow... Detective Conan, that was the name of the manga. He didn't pay attention to it at the time: detective themes weren't his thing.
And yet...
How could a manga of that genre generate so much expectation?
She wanted to go and see for herself, but there were so many people leafing through it that she preferred not to interrupt. Luckily, the bookstore had a very useful resource: the review wall.
Inspired by digital platforms, it was a cork panel next to the entrance to the sleeve area. There readers could leave sticky notes with their opinions. It was like an analog social network. Miyuki walked over.
It was completely covered.
Topic of the Day — Posted by: manga_koibito23
I highly recommend the new serialization in this issue of Weekly Shonen! His name is Detective Conan. Have you seen him yet? The drawing is excellent, and the youthful approach mixed with mystery is very successful. It is not vulgar or forced. The last panel is impressive!
Reader Comments:
shonenburnout94: I agree, the final page is brutal. But is this a detective manga or a joke?
nekomimi_lover77: Thanks for the tip! I loved the style. The protagonist is a love 🥺💖... But I was shocked that they turned him into a boy. And what will heroin do now? QAQ!
mochikat_hype: Sister, let's calm down. That chibi kid could win elections in the end.
kuromame-crunch: +1
shojo_life_plu: +10086 hahahaha I can finally recommend a manga to my friends without being embarrassed!
Rationalmangareader: 🤦 This is clearly a detective manga. What's wrong with them?
tsundere2d_bestie: Don't be offended but... That sounds like a lack of narrative vitamin. This is a shōjo in disguise! And I love him.
go_lightly_senpai: Nope. The logic of the case and the pacing scream "mystery series". No shōjo holds up that structure.
pp_chan123: I agree. He has a young soul but a brilliant brain. The last panel should come with a frame included!
bookbeard_otaku: Thanks for posting. Is Mirai-sensei really young?
eggpudding_shota: The word "shōnen" is ambiguous. Maybe it's a shota 🤔 author
kamome_no_niwa: Or an ojisan who disguises himself as high school to write things... 😬
mangaka_truthhunt: This was done by someone with years on them. Nobody draws like that out of nowhere. Fijo is another pseudonym of a veteran.
okonomiyaki_soul: Nonsense! Didn't you read the last edition? The silhouette on the cover was that of a boy.
iLikeMike: Oh, they've already started with the "this is very good, so it must be an adult" thing. Always the same argument. What if it's just real talent? What if Mirai-sensei was born to do this? Chapter 1 has a better approach than 70% of what they have published this month. But of course, it's better to keep saying "you can't be young" than to admit that some are only born shining. 🤷♂️
Miyuki read silently, becoming more surprised with each note.
There were many points of view... But one coincidence: everyone spoke well of the manga.
With only one chapter?
—Hinotori Publishing did catch someone special this time...
The voice suddenly sounded next to her.
Miyuki was startled. An old man, without knowing when, was standing beside him with a gentle smile on his lips.
"Manager, I'm sorry, I'll go to work right away!"
Miyuki Arai turned pale. Wasn't the manager supposed to have gone out shopping? How could he come back so soon? I was afraid he would think he was wasting his time.
But the old man smiled gently.
"Don't worry. I understand your curiosity.
He didn't seem bothered at all. He stroked his beard as he pored over the notes on the review wall. Then he added:
—Last week I was baffled that they used only a black eyeshadow to advertise the new series in Weekly Shonen. Today I finally understand... they were generating suspense. That was very clever, don't you think?
"Huh?"
Miyuki hesitated if she should stay. He felt he should go back to his section, but the manager clearly wanted to share something. Would it look bad if I interrupted him?
"It's natural that you won't catch it right away, because of your age," the old man said, without sarcasm. I read the chapter this morning. The stroke, the composition, the narrative... everything is excellent. And that last vignette... It has an exceptional expressive power.
Then he bowed his head, thoughtfully:
—Perhaps even the use of that black silhouette on the cover was the author's own idea. Create anonymity, turn it into conversation. Now everyone speculates who he is. Hinotori Publishing achieves a free promotion based on expectation.
Miyuki already felt a tingle: a mixture of admiration and itching in her conscience.
"I heard that the author is a teenager. Do you think it is possible, manager?
The old man chuckled.
"If Weekly Shonen hadn't mentioned it, I'd doubt it. But it was written there. The truth always ends up coming out. Lying about something like that... it would destroy his career. And I doubt Hinotori would be so reckless.
"Is he really young?" Miyuki murmured, almost to herself.
According to rumors, he was the same age. Maybe less. And yet... That boy's weekly royalties exceeded any salary she could dream of in a month.
And if that wasn't enough...
Why did you use Mirai as a pseudonym? She frowned, frustrated. Does he do it on purpose?
The same name. Almost the same age. She felt as if someone wanted to make fun of her.
But she couldn't fool herself: the manga intrigued her too much. I had to read it.
—
At noon, he took advantage of his break to buy a copy of Weekly Shonen. His fingers burned to open it.
Most of the content was as flat as ever. But when he reached the centerfolds, his eyes stopped.
"Detective Conan"
In the headline: a smiling boy, wearing a red bow tie and hat. His eyes shone with playful intelligence.
—Is this the protagonist? It's adorable!
He began to read. He soon discovered that it wasn't that simple.
The real protagonist was a handsome high school detective: intelligent, athletic, charismatic. The typical prince charming of classic manga... only better structured. Her partner was the opposite: strong, impulsive, with a right hand capable of kicking through a door. An expert in karate.
The setting was captivating. The initial case unfolded at a perfect pace: presentation, suspicion, investigation and revelation. Even someone like Miyuki—who had never read detective stories—understood it without difficulty.
But just when he thought a clear tone had been set, the twist came. After solving the case, something happened.
She turned the pages a little quickly, confused. And then he saw her.
The last vignette.
A girl with large eyes, illuminated by a dim light. His features were sweet but full of question. The line of the drawing was so subtle and beautiful that it looked like a classic ink painting.
"It's beautiful!" Miyuki whispered.
For a moment, he hesitated: had this been done by a mangaka or a traditional artist?
He shook his head and checked what he had missed.
It turned out that the detective had been forced to drink a strange potion. That substance transformed him—literally—into a child. The girl at the end was him!
"A child's body?" Miyuki repeated, still bewildered. And now what about the relationship between him and her?
The two men in black, the mysterious poison, the sudden disappearance of the protagonist in front of his partner...
Too perfect. The story had completely enveloped her.
"How can someone write something so addictive in a single chapter?"
He closed the volume, taking a deep breath.
"Aaahhh! I have to wait seven days!
He looked at the cover.
Only one name was there, under the shadow:
Mirai
And suddenly, he couldn't help but smile. That boy—whoever it was—had left a mark. One page was enough.