[093] – A Gift for the Fans!

But the reality was...

"323,587 copies."

"Woah."

Even though they tried to estimate high, the actual number still took everyone by surprise, and they couldn't help but gasp.

They were practically contributing to global warming with the heat of their reactions!

"Hahahaha!"

"Not bad, not bad!!"

Editor-in-Chief, Torishima Kazu, laughed heartily, beaming.

"I knew I was right to believe in this talent!!"

Everyone else paused.

Minano thought, 'Wait a second... last time, didn't you say you believed in this talent? Now you're claiming you discovered it?'

Wasn't it my little Mihari who found Akifumi-sensei, after all?

But Minano kept the complaint to herself.

There was no point in raining on the editor-in-chief's parade.

Other editors couldn't help but whisper amongst themselves.

"323k copies in just one month? Even with the summer break, that's unreal."

"It's not surprising—after that first-day sales spike, hitting 300k by the end of the month isn't shocking."

"Hey, Kobayashi, could you stop shaking your hands before speaking? And your legs too! The whole table's vibrating."

"Looks like Minano hit the jackpot with this one."

"Why wasn't it us who discovered this 'Warrior of Love and Hope'?!"

They were all green with envy.

The sales numbers were crazy, and with Madoka Magica's quality and growing reputation, the sales would only continue to rise.

In fact, it could very well break a million in six months!

October's anime adaptation, along with some merchandise... Maybe even a signing event...

Just thinking about it made their eyes burn with jealousy.

After celebrating for a while, Torishima Kazu wiped his face and then asked, "By the way, how did Madoka Magica Volume 1 perform last month?"

"Thanks to Volume 2's success, Volume 1's sales reached 180,000 copies last month."

"Woah."

The room filled with gasps again.

How did it beat the first month's sales by this much, just two months later?

It was insane!

"Hahaha! Good, good, good!!"

"Excellent!!"

Torishima was ecstatic, while the other editors could only look on with envy.

"Now then, what's next..."

"Editor-in-Chief,"

Minano interrupted the meeting.

Everyone could already feel the déjà vu creeping in.

When was the last time this happened?

Oh right... it was when they discussed the release of Madoka Magica Volume 2 and Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai's serialization plans!

"Could it be...?"

"No way... again?!"

But before they could wonder further, Minano spoke.

"Akifumi-sensei finished drawing 'Anohana'."

I knew it! That guy is like a printing press!

Started the project in July, and by September 1st, it's already finished!?

He'd already written 9 chapters in just two months!

A whole summer break spent drawing 15 chapters?!

Wasn't he supposed to be a high school student?

The whole industry couldn't even keep up with that level of work ethic.

The veteran editors rolled their eyes but remained silent.

It was summer break, after all. Who cared now?

Torishima, glowing with pride, said, "That's what youth is all about! Such speed!"

[TL Note – Guy-sensei will be so proud]

"Where is the rest of Anohana content?"

"I've already copied it."

Minano said, pulling out prepared materials to hand out.

Torishima nodded in satisfaction.

By 9 PM, after saying goodbye to Inari and Mai, Akifumi sat at his desk, ready to get into the swing of things. But before he could dive into his game, his phone rang.

Caller: Otosuna Mihari.

This girl's working faster than ever!

Akifumi picked up. "Got good news?"

"Good news!"

Without skipping a beat, Mihari went on, "Anohana's second volume is releasing on September 15!"

"September 15th?"

By then, Chapter 10 would be in Weekly Shonen Jump, and Chapter 11 by the 11th.

That means they can wrap up the remaining chapters for the second volume.

They chose the 15th because it's a Friday—perfect for a weekend release.

Impressive planning by Shueisha!

"I got it," Akifumi said, grinning.

"So that news you kept teasing me about was for this moment, huh?"

"Well, who knows?" Mihari chuckled.

"It's all thanks to you!"

They hung up.

Instead of starting his game right away, Akifumi quickly opened up his social media.

The news he'd been holding back?

Obviously, it was the Madoka Magica anime announcement!

Edit, review, and send.

He'd done this so many times that it had become second nature.

"Hey everyone! How's the start of the school year treating you? Running into friends you didn't see all summer—how's that feel?"

"I'm so excited! My summer jail time is finally over! But wait, why's there a break after just one day of school?😤 😤"

"Why do I call it jail time? Can you imagine spending all day, every day drawing at home and losing track of time? Yeah, that was my summer."

"Anyway, enough complaints. You all know me—I don't post unless there's something great to share! And today I've got two pieces of good news that I'm sure you'll love!"

"First up!"

"Madoka Magica, which just wrapped in August, has officially been greenlit for an anime adaptation! And here's a secret—it actually started back in July!"

"We kept it quiet because we were worried about the sales, but after Volume 2's first month, the sales were way beyond expectations, so now I can share this amazing news!"

"Volume 1 of Madoka Magica is now complete, and I have to give a huge thanks to Shinbo for the incredible work on it. The final product is so much better than I ever imagined!"

"Barring any unexpected issues, Madoka Magica will be premiering this October, and I couldn't be more excited!"

"Oh, and the Madoka Magica merchandise is in the works, including a USB drive featuring Mami! Hope you'll like it!"

"Now, for the second piece of good news…"

"I did it! I finished all of Anohana's story this summer! 🎉 🎉"

"Since it's done, you probably know what's coming next, right?"

"Exactly—Anohana's first and second volumes will be released on the 15th!"

"The first volume goes up to Chapter 11, which will be in Weekly Shonen Jump on the 11th. If you're into the magazines, I'd recommend just picking up the second volume!"

"The second volume picks up from Chapter 12 through Chapter 22. All the mysteries will finally be revealed!"

"If you love Anohana, don't miss it!"

"Also, to celebrate the release, I'll be giving away a special surprise on the 15th. Be sure to check in before diving into the story!"

"That's it for today's update! Hope you all enjoy it!"

"Lastly, thanks as always for your continued support!"