Chapter 180: Ascending to the Throne

Chapter 180: Ascending to the Throne

Lin Qingshan was indeed a bit surprised—Chainsaw Man is only about 20 chapters in, and they're already planning to release a tankoubon?

Mainly, he's still somewhat of a novice... No, more accurately, a halfway novice when it comes to being a mangaka. His understanding of tankoubon releases stems from his previous experiences with *Edgerunners* and *Flame Fist*.

*Flame Fist* was a unique case where he submitted the entire manuscript at once, skipping the serialization phase and going straight to a tankoubon release.

So, technically speaking, his only real experience with tankoubon releases comes from *Edgerunners*. But in that case, Yang Dahai only approached him about it when the series was nearly finished.

This led Lin Qingshan to subconsciously believe that a tankoubon is something released when a work is nearing its conclusion.

But that's not how it works.

For long-running series like his, a tankoubon can be released after just 20 or so chapters.

This is convenient for readers who jump into the series later, allowing them to catch up on previous chapters.

But the main reason is Lin Qingshan's rising fame.

*Chainsaw Man* had a higher starting point than *Edgerunners*.

Previously, the manga company was concerned about the sales of *Edgerunners* as it was a new work by a rookie and a medium-length series.

But now...

With Lin Qingshan's reputation established and the sales of *Edgerunners* and *Flame Fist* already proving successful, there's no doubt that *Chainsaw Man*'s tankoubon will sell well.

This is the "classic effect."

When a mangaka has already made a name for themselves, their subsequent works are eagerly anticipated, even if there's skepticism.

"I don't believe this one will be any less amazing."

And then, after reading it, fans might end up feeling the opposite, regretting their earlier doubts.

This happened all too often in his past life.

Of course, most renowned mangaka continue to produce excellent work in their subsequent series.

It's rare for a famous artist's new work to actually be a letdown.

So, the manga industry has immense confidence in Lin Qingshan!

"Yes..."

Ayumi Ito patiently explained, "The company decided that *Chainsaw Man* meets the criteria for a tankoubon release. We can compile the first 19 chapters into a volume."

"I see..."

Lin Qingshan didn't see any issue with it. "Then go ahead, I have no objections."

"Great, I've got your approval, Sensei."

Ayumi Ito nodded, "By the way, the sales figures for *Flame Fist*'s tankoubon are in."

"How many?"

Lin Qingshan asked out of curiosity.

Previously, *Edgerunners*'s tankoubon had sold an astonishing 5 million copies, a level only achievable by a truly iconic series.

After the anime adaptation, sales surged again.

The current total stands at 15 million copies, cementing *Edgerunners*'s place as a legendary work.

After all, *Edgerunners* not only boasts high quality but also carries the title of "the origin of cyberpunk manga," making it unparalleled.

"Over 3.2 million copies."

Ayumi Ito reported, "It's already surpassed our expectations."

"That's really impressive."

Lin Qingshan nodded. While *Flame Fist* is a great work, he was aware that...

*Flame Fist* has always been somewhat niche.

While many people love intense shonen manga filled with righteous battles, stories with deep philosophical themes don't appeal to everyone.

To put it bluntly, *Flame Fist* has a great plot, filled with deep philosophy.

But it's not a story that everyone will enjoy.

*Flame Fist* is like an art film with a strong reputation—a story with great depth and philosophical thought.

But the genre itself limits its appeal; not everyone enjoys these depressing, somber stories.

Some straightforward-minded readers just find it "boring" and crave scenes of bloodshed!

On the other hand, traditional shonen manga—like the three major "shonen jump" series from his previous life—may lack depth or philosophical themes, focusing instead on youthful bravado, leveling up, and endless battles.

But that's what most people want to read.

Whether they prefer deep, somber stories like *Flame Fist* or just want to see "blood flowing like rivers," shonen manga appeals to everyone.

Shonen manga meets the tastes of most readers, without any limitations—everyone can enjoy it.

In contrast, *Flame Fist* is niche, so its sales not being as high was something Lin Qingshan had anticipated.

But to his surprise, it still managed to sell 3.2 million copies.

That's almost as many as *Edgerunners*!

After learning all this, Lin Qingshan ended the call with Ayumi Ito.

[Translator: sauron]

...

A week quickly passed, and fans eagerly bought the latest issue of *Manga World*.

This week, many popular series had reached crucial plot points.

The protagonist of *Purple Qi Rising* was riding his old bull to the Heaven Refining Peak to rescue a friend.

The popular secondary character in *True Dragon's Chosen* was locked in a life-and-death battle with a powerful enemy, reaching the story's peak.

The protagonist of *Chainsaw Man*, Denji, was in a fierce fight with the Katana Devil after the emotional death of Himeno.

In *The Gods*, an invading force awakens one of the twin Fire Gods, Loki, prompting the principal and the unlucky protagonist to join forces to try and kill the deity.

These were the top four most popular serialized manga, each delivering an intense storyline.

It was purely coincidental... purely coincidental that all the climactic scenes were happening at the same time.

Actually, *Chainsaw Man*'s sudden shift in plot was the real surprise, moving from the calm of the welcoming party to a mysterious force's ambush on Denji and others.

This was totally unexpected.

Ke Xin Jie had just finished her shift at the milk tea shop. Changing into her regular clothes, she took the milk tea she had made for herself and left the shop.

"Finally... Work is done!"

She exclaimed happily, "Now I can go home and read *Chainsaw Man*!"

That's right, Ke Xin Jie was a light otaku.

Her symptoms weren't too severe—more on the mild side.

Recently, she had become a fan of *Chainsaw Man*, influenced mainly by the success of *Edgerunners*'s anime adaptation.

The success of *Edgerunners* had brought Lin Qingshan into the spotlight, making her curious about his other works.

However... Ke Xin Jie hadn't yet read *Flame Fist*.

She had jumped straight into *Chainsaw Man*.

On her way home, she bought a copy of the manga magazine from a nearby newsstand and hurried back.

"I hope... this time, Denji can avenge Himeno-senpai properly!"

Ke Xin Jie said expectantly as she looked at the still-sealed manga magazine.

Last week, Himeno's death had made her cry so much.

Maybe it's because girls are naturally more emotional, but she felt genuinely sad about Himeno's death!

(End of the Chapter)