Original subtitles

Okay, could you sketch out Chapter 11's storyboards using that approach?

But what do we do? We could stick with that for the serialization, but...

The problem is the cover. This is a tough one.

Sure thing. I'll send them over as soon as I'm done.

Hmm?

I like the idea of Subaru getting a feel-good win for a change.

Same. But what kind of match should it be? Maybe I'll talk it over with Toko-san.

Wait, are you Futami-sensei?

Huh?

Oh, yes. This is Futami.

A-ha, I knew it!

I'm so happy to meet you in person! I just love your series!

Th-Thank you. Um...

Who is she?

Futami, allow me to introduce you.

This is Tatsunami, our editor-in-chief.

Huh? "Our"?

Wait...

What?!

You mean C-Clover's editor-in-chief?!

Shh! You're being too loud.

Yes. It's an honor to meet you.

WOOF

WOOF

Episode 8: This is Also Part of a Mangaka's Work.

Occupied - Meeting Room

Are all editor-in-chiefs so laid-back?

Depends on the person. She's always been very gentle and easygoing.

And it'd be kind of scary if a job title changed her as a person.

True, but she was like...

I made some brownies. If you want some, help yourself.

She's like a good neighbor who shares her homemade treats, you know?

Uh, I'm not sure how she came across like that to you.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Tatsunami, the editor-in-chief of Clover.

Th-Thank you.

Sorry about this. The coffee lounge would've been fine,

but I have something I'd like us to discuss in private.

And that is?

First of all, congratulations on the release of To Subaru Volume 2, Futami-sensei.

R-Right! It's all thanks to everyone involved in it!

Judging from your meeting earlier, it sounds like the series is coming along nicely, too.

Have you started working on the book already?

Yes. We actually have a meeting with the cover designer after this.

I see. So, Futami-sensei, I actually have a favor to ask.

What is it?

Would it be possible for you to do the cover illustration

for the next issue of Monthly Clover?

Huh?

I'm sorry the deadline's a bit tight, but we need it by next Tuesday.

Usually, we need the cover illustration a month before release,

but for just this once—

P-Please wait a moment!

I-I'm honored, but based on the copy I received,

wasn't a different series supposed to be on next issue's cover?

Quite sharp, I see.

Sh-She's gonna kill me.

I-I'm sorry! Was that something I shouldn't have pointed out?

No, that's not what I meant.

But like you say, next issue's cover had already been assigned to a different series.

On the cover & color lead in the next issue! On sale on the 28th of next month! Drama adaptation - Plus a major announcement!

The plan was for the cast of its upcoming adaptation

to be featured on the cover as part of the announcement.

However...

The lead actor has been caught up in a scandal.

Breaking!

On - Indefinite - Hiatus?!

It'll be all over the news tomorrow.

Huh?!

Futami, sit down.

And so... Well, it all got called off.

Th-That sounds like a huge deal. Will it all be okay?

Yes. We've handled things for now.

However, we're also putting the series on hold for the next issue,

since the author has been really shaken up by it.

Which means we also need to change the cover feature to another series.

Oh.

While I was considering who to approach for the cover,

the first series that came to mind was your To Subaru, Futami-sensei.

To Subaru Futami Nana

Of course, needing someone to sub in due to unforeseen circumstances is one factor,

but it's not the only one.

With To Subaru's second volume coming out, it's perfect timing,

and it does well in the monthly reader polls.

I actually discussed it with Sato beforehand.

And, well...

What? You're thinking of switching the cover to To Subaru? Yes, please.

Really?

It's up to Futami, but I know she'll take you up on it.

I'll also ensure she meets the deadline.

Oh, my.

Besides, her coloring really stands out and catches the eye.

The only issue is she lacks confidence, but once she's done one cover, I'm sure—

My, oh my. Then, let's see what she says. She's coming here today, right?

Yup.

And that's how that went.

So it's up to you on drawing the cover, Futami-sensei.

You didn't have to tell her that.

Will you take the assignment?

Y-Yes, I will! I'll do my best!

Thank you so much. Well then, I'm heading out now to check on that author.

I leave it in your good hands.

A-Absolutely.

Wow, being the editor-in-chief sounds like a lot of work.

Oh, not at all. This is merely part of my job as editor-in-chief.

It's the leader's responsibility to deal with issues and handle the fallout.

So cool.

That's why she's the editor-in-chief.

How do you feel? Not overdoing it, are you?

I-I'll make it work, just like how the editor-in-chief would.

I say that, but...

The cover is like the face of the magazine.

So filling in for a hit series getting an adaptation is...

Oh, this is the designer's studio.

Huh?

So fancy!

I'd say it's normal.

You call that "normal," Sato-san?

Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Tsukinawa, the designer.

Oh. Oopsy-daisy.

Is she a ditz?

What a stylish hair color.

Yet she's wearing a lab coat over a weird-looking cat T-shirt.

She totally gives off designer vibes.

Apologies for making you come all the way here.

Not at all. I'm sorry for not introducing myself when we were working on Volume 1.

Oh, no worries. I bet you had a lot on your plate.

I bet she's busier than me since she designs covers for different manga series.

Including well-known titles like Takizawa-sensei's series.

Still, it's an honor to have someone like her design a cover to use for my series.

So we're gonna talk about the cover for Volume 2 today, right?

Uh, actually...

I haven't even done any rough sketches.

On top of that, I somehow ended up accepting this huge responsibility.

Huh?

Sorry about that. We're just here to get familiar with each other

and discuss the overall image of the Volume 2 cover.

I see.

I'm so sorry!

I'm fine with it since we still have lots of time. Everyone ends up running late, anyway.

Tsukinawa-san... You're so nice.

You got it wrong. People tend to be forgiving of mistakes they make themselves.

Could you give me a little more time on Kimi Cho's book design?

When can you get it done by?

Within two days!

To Subaru Futami Nana

Uh, so what should we do about the colors? Volume 1 was largely red.

Hmm...

I think warm colors would work again. Cold colors don't really suit the series.

I agree.

To Subaru Futami Nana

I see. In that case, how about...

Huh?

something like this, maybe?

That's wild!

Futami, keep your voice down.

I added some colors to the proof from the last chapter's title page.

Should I crop it tighter on the character?

That sounds good, but g-gimme one second. I have an idea now.

Ooh!

This feels like recess back in elementary school or something.

Oh, but what do you think of something like this?

I love it.

Wow, that was a great meeting.

Sorry for taking up three hours of your time. But it was a nice surprise.

What was?

Well, I could tell you'd really taken your time with my series during our talk.

I assumed you only worked based on the illustration I turned in.

Ah.

Here's your order.

Some people do work like that,

but I think design is all about going big and making things pop.

"Pop"? That's a concept that feels miles away from my stuff.

Oh, I haven't had lunch yet, so I'm going to eat.

Oh, go ahead.

The nasi goreng here is so tasty. Not to mention...

Don't you think how they plate the food is so pretty?

You're right.

And here's how my attempt turned out.

I asked for the recipe so I used all the same ingredients, but I'm not much of a cook.

At least it was technically edible since I followed the recipe.

What I'm trying to say is that even if you use the same ingredients,

presentation makes all the difference.

The Aspiration of Blue Clouds Bunny-chan and Cat-san

My job is to take an illustration I'm given and make it shine to the fullest.

You'll never hear a designer say,

"Don't judge a book by its cover. It's what's inside that counts."

This job is about how much curiosity and info can be communicated through visuals alone.

So you can't create a good design without understanding the essence of the material.

The essence of the material? Yeah, I get it.

Hmm?

Well, I've been a reader of Clover for a very long time,

so I know the essence of the magazine.

So my job is to showcase the magazine's essence to the fullest.

Thank you very much, Tsukinawa-san.

I think I might be able to pull off the next cover, thanks to your advice.

Huh? "The next cover"?

Ah, I see! Did you get assigned the cover illustration for Clover's next issue?

Huh?

I'm also in charge of the magazine's cover design. So let's do our best on that, too.

You are?! Aah, I should've asked for your thoughts sooner!

Futami, it's great that something clicked for you.

But be sure to work on the cover for Volume 2 when you have time.

If you turn your illustration in late, it'll put extra strain on Tsukinawa-san.

That's a curveball!

It's fine. It'll be hard to put my heart into it if the material I'm working on isn't worth it.

So I'm happy to wait.

Besides, scheduling stuff is Sato-san's job, so we don't need to worry about it.

Uh, at least pretend to care.

Sheesh. Why's everyone I'm in charge of so slow at what they do?

Especially you, Futami. You're not slow with the work itself.

You just second-guess yourself and take forever to start.

I know you're quick once you begin.

She sounds like an ancient PC.

Loading...

Tsukinawa-san...

Why'd you hype me up just to shoot me down today?

And now you're lecturing me, too?

My bad. That just slipped.

I can't believe you offered me another series when I'm so slow at my work.

That's a separate issue.

What do you mean?!

I can't trust anyone else to handle a mangaka who's such a handful like you are, Futami.

Uh, so I have to listen to how much you two love each other now?

Of course not.

It hurts when you deny it so strongly.

You're such a pain.

Tsukinawa-san, that cat shirt you're wearing is so cute. It's so calming.

Right?

It's a high-end brand, and it cost me 50,000 yen.

50,000?!

Shocking, right?

A blowout, huh?

That doesn't really happen at pro level.

Oh, I see. Yeah, unlike in sports, you can't rack up points in shogi.

Sorry, can you answer the door for me, Ha-san?

On it.

Is it a delivery?

Yes, who is—

Um, is this Futami Nana-san's home?

Who's this classy lady?

Long time no see, Nagomi-chan!

How have you been, Nana-chan?

I've been good!

You never post online now, so the magazine's my only way of knowing you're still alive.

I read your series every month.

You do? Thanks. That's so sweet.

Oh, let me introduce you all.

This is my assistant, Hazama-san, and Toko-san, my shogi advisor.

Nice to meet you.

This is Hayachine Nagomi-chan.

She's a fellow assistant of Takizawa-sensei's, and she's now a professional mangaka.

Hello. It's a pleasure meeting the two of you.

A fellow assistant? Does that mean you're friends with Nashida-san, too?

She came after Nashida-san.

We missed each other.

Do you also write for a women's magazine, Hayachine-san? Or maybe a seinen magazine?

Oh, the latter.

Wow.

Young Machine Gun - Monthly - The front line of seinen manga magazine A workplace comedy about young men navigating life in the air- line industry! New Series! Nakayama Makoto

Sorry, Nagomi-chan. I'm in the middle of a meeting.

Would you mind waiting in the other room for a bit?

Sure.

I'll make some tea for us.

Please don't mind me.

You're so mature for your age. I'm so jealous of Nana-chan.

She's such a mature person!

When I think of mangakas, I think of those kinds of people.

What's that mean?!

Oh, right. The reason I came here today is because my first volume finally released.

I wanted to give Nana-chan a copy.

You're welcome to have one, too, Hazama-san.

Wow, thank you very...

Seinen Comic / The Half- Undressed Girl Hayachine - A first volume from a rising star She won't fully undress... That's the beauty of it!

What?!

What happened, Ha-san?!

I-I don't...

So when you said "seinen magazine," you meant the "adult" kind?

Yes. What other kind is there?

There are lots!

You're so innocent, Ha-san.

Lots of female mangakas write for seinen magazines, you know.

I guess, but...

You understand where I'm coming from, right, Toko-san?

I'm not familiar with adult manga.

But since shogi is a male-dominated game,

I've had people sneer "A woman? Playing shogi?" countless times.

So I don't really want to judge people on what they do.

Huh? So I'm the crazy one here?

That's right! Nagomi-chan's manga is amazing!

She's even known as the "prodigal talent of clothed kink"!

Oh, stop, Nana-chan! I'm blushing!

In plain language, please?

What is this? I've never felt so out of place before.

Total outsider vibes.

I'm just like Nashida-san.

Why don't you give it a read, Ha-san?

Nagomi-chan's manga is genuinely good even without the sexy stuff.

You don't have to force yourself to read it. We all have a genre that's a hard pass.

She's so polite.

I can't just ignore her kindness.

Maybe just a glimpse.

No way! How can it be hot and emotionally touching?

A heartfelt adult manga is always popular.

A fan wrote to me the other day saying, "All kinds of bodily fluids came gushing out of me."

Come again?

Well? Did it make you change the way you see these manga?

It did. I was just being prejudiced.

Nagomi-san, I am truly sorry about how I reacted.

Oh, don't be.

Your drawing skills are amazing. I underestimated your work.

I could learn a lot from the screentone work, too.

You must have a skilled assistant, right?

No, I do everything myself.

You do?

Yes. My magazine is bimonthly.

And like I said earlier, some people really don't appreciate seeing this kind of stuff.

You can't get anything good out of someone who's working against their will.

Well, that's also our job as assistants.

True. There was a time where I asked for someone's help, but...

They didn't put any effort into the screentone for the nipples,

so I ended up redoing it myself.

It gets tough when volume work overlaps with my series,

so I admire Nana-chan for writing for a monthly magazine.

Oh, please.

Um, in that case...

If you ever end up in that kind of crunch again, please contact me.

Huh? May I?

It'll depend on our schedule, but...

Ha-san is super competent, so I'm sure she'll be a great help to you, too.

Nana-chan, you have such a big heart! I didn't know you were open to swaps!

Uh, "swaps"?

Then, if you don't mind, can I ask you to do me a favor?

Sure! Ask me anything!

Wait.

This is what you meant by a "favor"?!

Why'd I have to dress up, too?

I was thinking of hiring an assistant who could model for me.

Model for you? This is part of an assistant's job?

It's totally normal to take reference pics of what you want to draw.

Yeah, but...

If I'd known it would turn out like this, I would've brought swimsuits with me.

Would it be okay if I asked you again in the future?

Don't look at me with those pleading eyes.

Mangakas really are weird people after all.

I had lots of fun today, though.

Toko-san, the pot's boiling over.

Oh, oops!

Thank you, Nagomi-chan. You were a big help.

Not at all. I'm glad I was able to help out.

The designer sent back the color proof for the magazine cover,

and I wanted an objective opinion on whether it stands out and looks appealing.

Maybe it'd pop more if the red were a bit stronger.

By the way, Nagomi-chan, what kind of manga do you write?

Um...

I don't want her to think I'm weird. But I don't want to lie, either.

Um, R-18.

Huh?

I draw R-18 manga. Basically, manga for adults.

Hold on a sec! Seriously?! That's freaking awesome!

What kind? I wanna see! Show me!

Like I prom-ised, I'm not touching you directly! B-But the psychic energy from your hands…. Ba-dump / Shiver

Damn, you're so talented! This is going to be in a magazine, right?

Yes. Next month's issue.

That's so amazing. Drawing naked bodies is so hard.

You can't fake it, and on top of that, you have to draw intertwined poses, right?

R-Right.

I respect you for that.

Dinner's ready, you two.

Come on. Before it gets cold.

Coming.

I made some rice balls, too.

Clover - Rising in popularity! Its first-ever front cover! To Subaru - Kimi Cho

Next Episode: A Treasure I Found on a Walk.

Next Episode A Treasure I Found on a Walk.