Pochita, So Cute!

The math teacher often says, "What's most important? The process!"

Asuka Chizuru originally thought she'd get a good look at a fight scene in the opening pages, but Izumi Ki took an abrupt turn. One page set up a battle, and by the next, the Tomato Devil was already lying in a pool of blood.

The pacing of Chainsaw Man was erratic—sometimes slow, sometimes fast—but the unpredictability was what made it stand out. One moment, everything seemed warm and hopeful, and the next, a character was unexpectedly taken out of the story.

Asuka couldn't help but mutter to herself, "What exactly was going through Izumi Ki's mind when they thought this up?"

Taking a sip of warm water from her cup, Asuka tried to refocus. Typically, a seasoned editor like her could gauge a manga's potential within the first few pages.

Yet, despite her initial professional detachment, Asuka found herself increasingly drawn into Chainsaw Man. It wasn't just a job anymore; with each turn of the page, her excitement grew, eager to see what would happen next.

Asuka had always loved manga since childhood, though her tastes had been different from other girls her age. While they enjoyed more traditional shows, she was captivated by shonen manga. Her weekly highlight wasn't watching kids' TV shows but picking up the latest Weekly Shonen Jump issue.

This love for manga guided her path into becoming an editor at Shueisha after she graduated from college. Her home was filled with shelves packed with volumes of Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Fairy Tail. Five whole bookshelves dedicated to nothing but manga.

However, after working as a manga editor for a while, Asuka noticed her passion was gradually waning. The more she read for work, the less thrilling manga became. For the past three years, nothing had truly gripped her—nothing like those mangas that made her stay up late as a child.

It wasn't that the manga creators were doing a worse job; she'd just seen so many stories that it became easy to predict how plots would unfold. Whenever she read a new shonen series, Asuka could guess the plot just a few pages in.

She thought this was simply her fate as an editor.

Then Chainsaw Man showed up, courtesy of Izumi Ki.

The narrative, with its unpredictable twists and turns, threw her off balance. It was exhilarating. For the first time in years, she felt a deep, renewed love for the medium. Every page was a wild ride, each panel building her anticipation for the next.

"If Chainsaw Man were serialized right now, I'd totally stay up all night reading it," she thought excitedly as she turned the pages.

Fifty minutes later, Asuka reluctantly put the manuscript down. As much as she wanted to dive straight into the next chapter, her editorial professionalism kicked in. This wasn't a serialized manga yet; it was a submission, and she had to review it accordingly.

Still, she couldn't help but marvel at what she had just read.

"I can't believe there's still a manga out there that can captivate me like this. And here I thought I only loved mainstream shonen stories," Asuka mused aloud, staring at the pages, feeling nostalgic and deeply satisfied.

Chainsaw Man was excellent.

Izumi Ki was brilliant.

Just then, Rena Tatsuya's voice broke through her thoughts. "What are you reading? You've been muttering to yourself this whole time." Rena walked over, holding two cups of hot cocoa.

"Here, I brought you one," she said, offering a cup to Asuka.

Rena's cocoa was flavored with cinnamon, her favorite blend. Asuka's, however, was prepared with her preferred addition—hot cocoa with marshmallows.

"Thanks," Asuka said, accepting the drink.

Rena had joined Shueisha nine months after Asuka. Coming from a long line of successful business owners, her family was well-known in Hyogo Prefecture, and they were considerably wealthy. Rena could easily be described as a refined young lady from a privileged background, but her down-to-earth nature made her incredibly likable among her colleagues.

Despite her upbringing, Rena chose to work as a manga editor simply because she wanted to experience something different. With three older brothers poised to inherit the family business, she didn't have to worry about family responsibilities, giving her the freedom to pursue her passions. As a result, she was beloved by everyone in the editorial department.

Naturally, Asuka also became one of her good friends.

"So, what's this new submission? It must be really interesting—you were completely absorbed," Rena commented, noticing the manuscript on Asuka's desk.

Without hesitation, Asuka nodded enthusiastically. "I haven't felt this way about a manga in a long time. Chainsaw Man's story is incredible! Especially the latter part of the first chapter when Denji transforms into Chainsaw Man for the first time. It's exhilarating! The pacing and the way it builds tension are just flawless."

She continued excitedly, "Then there's Makima, who shows up right after Denji's transformation and immediately embraces him, seemingly healing him. I think she's going to be the key female lead in the story. Maybe it's about them healing each other and hunting devils together? I can't wait to see more!"

Asuka had never spoken so passionately about a manga before, and Rena couldn't help but notice. In fact, it sounded less like a review and more like a fan's heartfelt recommendation.

"I've never seen you gush like this over a manga… Let me take a look," Rena said, putting down her cinnamon cocoa and picking up the Chainsaw Man manuscript.

Her attention was immediately drawn to Pochita, the adorable little chainsaw dog.

"Oh my gosh! Look at this little guy! It's so cute! Wait, is it a dog? Who cares? It's just adorable! And the name—Pochita? That's the cutest thing ever. I want one!"

Rena was hooked.

A little while later…

"This is amazing!" Rena exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.

Her sudden outburst caught the attention of nearby editors.

"What's the big deal?" one of them asked, looking over curiously.

"Did you find a new hit? Let us see!" another chimed in.

"If you've got something good, you've got to share it with the rest of us!"