------------------
HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
Chapter 4: This call came all the way from Japan…
“Sir! Absolutely—absolutely! Jun must draw manga! He’s not just a genius—he’s a god! A god, I tell you! The god of manga! If Junhyuk doesn’t draw manga, it’s a crime! Yes, a crime against art itself!”
＊ ＊ ＊
A few weeks earlier.
Shueisha, one of Japan's "Big Three" publishers, ‘Weekly Shōnen Jump’ Editorial Department.
A man sat sighing as he read through the endless stack of manuscript envelopes piled on his desk. Rubbing the deep dark circles under his eyes, he suddenly heard a sharp voice from across the room.
“Matsuda! You're the only one who hasn't turned in your Rookie Award pick! Submit it, now!”
“Y-Yes! I’ll have it in by this afternoon!”
Matsuda straightened up like a soldier under fire, shouting his reply.
To an outsider, the team leader might’ve seemed too harsh—but in this case, Matsuda was clearly at fault.
The deadline for selecting the Rookie Award submission was tomorrow, and Matsuda still hadn’t chosen a single entry.
Of course, he knew how to avoid missing the deadline. All he had to do was pick something halfway decent from the stack.
But he deliberately took the hard road—for a reason.
’I just can’t work like that!’
Matsuda was, by his own proud admission, one of the purest manga otaku in the entire editorial department.
If he gave in to the pressure of a ticking clock and settled on a “good enough” entry, he might overlook a hidden gem that truly deserved to shine.
So for the sake of the creators—and the stories themselves—he refused to compromise.
At least, that’s what he believed… up until about an hour ago.
“I’m doomed…”
No matter how much he read, nothing stood out. But then again—what did “stand out” even mean anymore?
He’d read so many manga that just looking at more started to make him nauseous.
And just as he was teetering on the edge of some philosophical crisis about the very meaning of manga—
Thunk.
“Matsuda-san, here are some last-minute Rookie Award submissions. Just arrived—fresh off the delivery truck.”
“Ah… thanks…”
The front desk clerk dropped a bundle of manuscript envelopes on Matsuda’s desk.
Being this close to the deadline, most of these were probably rushed jobs—hastily drawn, poorly planned, and barely finished.
Still, he bowed slightly in thanks as the staffer walked off, then glanced down at the stack—when a particular sticker caught his eye.
“International shipping…?”
Overseas submissions weren’t common, but they weren’t unheard of either. With the global spread of Japanese manga, the number of foreign artists submitting work had been slowly increasing.
“Still, overcoming cultural and language gaps isn’t easy…”
Sometimes, the artwork in these international submissions could be surprisingly polished.
But manga isn't just about the art—it’s about the story. And when it comes to storytelling, the writing can be even more important than the illustrations.
That’s why it was rare—almost unheard of—for a foreign submission to overcome those cultural or linguistic hurdles.
Especially back then, when translation software was crude and ChatGPT-style AIs didn’t even exist—those barriers were nearly insurmountable.
“Still… you never know.”
The Rookie Award wasn’t just about current skill—it looked at future potential too.
Even if something wasn’t perfect now, if it had the spark of promise, it could still score highly.
Matsuda wasn’t expecting much. Honestly, he’d given up hope. He opened the envelope like a drowning man clutching at straws.
“…!”
Amid all the other manuscripts, the one from overseas stood out like a beacon. The moment Matsuda laid eyes on the first page, he forgot everything else.
The sheer density and impact of the artwork hooked him instantly—and the story, page after page, pulled him in deeper and deeper, until he completely forgot this was even a foreign submission.
When he finally reached the last page, he was in a daze, having totally forgotten his “mission” to pick a Rookie Award entry.
“Matsuda! Submit your pick already—”
“Boss! This! You have to see this one!”
Eyes sparkling, Matsuda held up his discovery like a pirate who’d just unearthed treasure.
＊ ＊ ＊
Many people say that a masterpiece transcends time. And to an extent, I agree.
But even a masterpiece, if left in obscurity, can’t be distinguished from mediocrity.
If no one knows it exists, who’s to say whether it’s a gem or just another stone?
That’s why exposure—popularity, success—is arguably the most important factor for a work. Without recognition, a masterpiece might as well not exist.
And that kind of exposure—commercial success, in other words—is deeply tied to its era. In fact, it's ‘heavily’ influenced by it.
Think about it—if a blockbuster film from the 2000s had been released in the 2010s or 2020s instead, would it have done just as well?
When it comes to that kind of “what if,” industry insiders and audiences alike might tilt their heads and hesitate. It’s not an easy question to answer definitively.
But deep down, most of us probably already know what we’d say—
’It probably wouldn’t have worked out the same.’
That’s exactly why I’ve decided to bring a certain manga—one that ‘feels’ like it belongs to a specific era, and might not thrive outside of it—out into the world as soon as possible.
Because while it may be shaped by its time, it’s also the kind of manga that ‘deserves’ to be called a masterpiece—something that should be remembered far beyond its era.
It’s far too good to keep to myself. The world needs to read this.
The name of that manga is—
＊ ＊ ＊
“D Note?”
“Yes, sir!”
“You’re telling me this is as good as the Big Three?”
Matsuda nodded vigorously, eyes wide with conviction. Watching his subordinate so fired up, Chief Editor Hashida let out a short, amused snort.
Editors read a ‘lot’ of manga.
Dozens of manuscripts a day. Wrestling with stories until your head hurts is just part of the job.
Because of that, sometimes a manga that’s merely “decent” can start to feel like a masterpiece. It happens more than you'd think.
’I didn’t think Matsuda was the type to fall into that trap… Looks like he’s been burning out too.’
Matsuda didn’t know it, but he had a solid reputation among the editorial staff.
Thanks to his genuine love for manga, he had the passion—and more importantly, the skill—to back it up. The senior editors often said if nurtured right, he’d turn into a top-tier editor.
That’s why he was usually held to higher standards and given tougher assignments than his peers.
“Maybe I pushed him too hard.”
Hashida made a mental note to give him a bit of a scolding, but also to treat him to drinks after work.
With that in mind, Hashida turned his attention to the manuscript Matsuda had handed him.
“...Oh?”
Maybe it was because he wasn’t expecting much—but the moment he laid eyes on the artwork, a breath of admiration escaped his lips.
’Okay, this art is solid.’
The sheer density and impact of the illustrations jumped off the page. Intrigued, Hashida started flipping through the manuscript.
Then—
“Huh?”
“That’s the end.”
“Wha... wait, what?”
Before he realized it, he had already stood there reading straight through the entire 40-page manuscript.
“Matsuda.”
“Yes?”
“Is there a next chapter?”
“There isn’t.”
“Ah, right, right. This was a submission for the Newcomer Award, huh? Hmm… okay. Just hold on. Once the results come in, I’ll reach out immediately. No, actually—regardless of whether it wins or not—hell, not that it ‘won’t’ win, but either way… we ‘have’ to sign this creator.”
Hashida exhaled, a rare thrill in his chest.
He was almost certain now—this manuscript he held in his hands was going to take the top prize.
＊ ＊ ＊
Ring ring↗ Ring ring↘
Ring ring↗ Ring ring↘
Ring ring↗ Ring ring↘
It was the day the results of the Newcomer's Award were to be announced.
Jung Junhyuk repeatedly opened and closed his flip phone, nervously biting his lip.
He was confident in his ability to evaluate works. After all, he hadn't risen through the ranks of the editorial world without reason.
In his previous life, Jung Junhyuk was recognized in the industry—not only as the first foreigner to hold the title of deputy editor but also as the youngest to do so.
'There's no way the piece I carefully selected would be rejected.'
Despite this internal conviction, his body trembled uncontrollably.
‘What's going on? Do I have a summer cold? Why am I shaking so much?’
"If you're that nervous, why don't you go for a walk outside?"
"I'm not that nervous! It's just that... my stomach hurts a bit, my hands feel a little cold, and my mouth is dry, that's all!"
His father, Jung Wooseok, looked at his son with a skeptical eye.
"I'm calm. Totally calm. I'm meditating right now."
Even though he was sitting cross-legged, his body bounced like a rubber ball. As Jung Wooseok watched in amazement, wondering if his son was levitating...
Ba ba ba ba! Ba ba ba ba ba!
Before the lyrics "Good morning~" could play, Jung Junhyuk swiftly answered the call.
"Hello! I mean, Moshi Moshi!"
Watching his son answer the phone with such tension, Jung Wooseok also became anxious, observing his son's reactions closely.
A brief silence ensued.
Then...
"Not buying! You jerk! At least check your information before calling! I'm an elementary school student! A minor!"
Fuming, Jung Junhyuk hung up and threw his phone onto the sofa.
Seeing this, Jung Wooseok cautiously offered words of comfort.
"You can't expect to succeed on your first try. Still, for an elementary school student, you've done remarkably well."
Thud—
The unexpected consolation struck Jung Junhyuk like a sharp blade.
For an elementary school student…
That phrase pierced his heart. He recalled the shocking words:
[Haha! Did an elementary school student really draw this? For an elementary school student, it's amazing!]
[To produce such a powerful work in a country where the comic industry has declined? For an elementary school student, it's impressive!]
[For an elementary school student, this kind of comic... For an elementary school student? Elementary school student. For an elementary school student!]
For the record, his father never said "for an elementary school student."
Overwhelmed and in a state of mental disarray, Jung Junhyuk was consumed by his own delusions.
Just as his psyche was on the verge of collapse...
Ba ba ba ba! Ba ba ba ba ba! Good morning~
The cheerful ringtone echoed once more.
Leaping on all fours, Jung Junhyuk immediately grabbed the phone from the sofa and checked the caller ID.
The number began with Japan's country code, +81.
Suppressing his pounding heart, Jung Junhyuk cautiously answered in Japanese.
"Hello?"
- Excuse me. This is Matsuda from the Weekly Shōnen Jump editorial department. Is this Mr. Jung Junhyuk's phone?
＊ ＊ ＊
One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach.
These three manga series are famously known as the Big Three—the giants of the industry, hugely influential and massively popular both in Japan and worldwide.
Given that these were flagship series serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump, it’s no exaggeration to say that the authors of these series wielded immense influence—even within the editorial department itself.
And those three authors…
“Damn! What the hell is this manga? I’m fired up now!”
“Hoo… That kind of storytelling power, from a country without a real publishing industry?”
“Do us a favor and don’t show me something this good again. I’m gonna lose sleep over it.”
They didn’t just leave positive comments in the rookie review—they shouted, in perfect unison, that ‘this’ manga, this so-called “D Note,” had to be locked down immediately.
With no ordinary people, but ‘those three authors’ going out of their way to personally endorse it, the editorial department suddenly found itself in a tight spot.
“It’s not just those three—other authors are raving about it too… Haah… What are we supposed to do now…”
And why was this such a problem?
“Even so… we can’t just hand out the award carelessly.”
Because the editors’ evaluations and the creators’ responses… were completely at odds.
＊ ＊ ＊
The final decision for the Newcomer Award is basically made through a meeting between the Editor-in-Chief and the Deputy Editor-in-Chief.
Because of this, even a team leader like Hashida, and Matsuda himself, could do nothing but wait for the results.
“If we judge purely on the fun factor, there’s no newcomer submission that can beat ‘D Note’.”
“That’s right!”
Matsuda enthusiastically agreed with Hashida’s statement.
“But…”
“...?”
“The style of the work is so different from ours that it’s hard not to worry.”
“Style… ah…”
Matsuda mulled over Hashida’s words for a moment, then exhaled sharply as he came to a realization.
Weekly Shōnen Jump is, as the name suggests, a magazine that publishes shōnen manga—stories built around the classic themes of effort, friendship, and victory. These are somewhat cheesy and juvenile keywords, but they’re the core formula.
For the sake of variety, the magazine sometimes includes works that push the boundaries a little, but those three keywords are the royal road.
However, the manga ‘D Note’ stands completely opposite to all those elements.
If we look purely at fun, it’s overwhelmingly good. The problem is that everything else about it clashes with the magazine’s style.
You could call it conservative, but a magazine’s “tone” is something built up over a long time.
If you really want to get technical, D Note fits better with seinen manga than shōnen.
Because of that, the opinions of the editorial team and the authors naturally diverged.
The authors focus on the pure enjoyment and artistic merit of the work, while the editorial team must consider commercial success and whether it fits the magazine’s identity.
“Still, I think it has a good chance.”
“Huh?”
“Even if you put all that aside, ‘D Note’ is insanely fun.”
Hashida smiled broadly and patted Matsuda on the shoulder.
“It’s true the work’s style and target age group are a bit concerning, but it’s so compelling that all those concerns fade away.”
At Hashida’s words, Matsuda lifted his lowered head.
And then—
“Now, we will announce the winner of this year’s Newcomer Award.”
The Deputy Editor-in-Chief, returning from the meeting, finally spoke the title of the winning work.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Congratulations on winning the Grand Prize for D Note!”
“Hey! Hey! I knew it! Jenzaaaaaang!”
When Matsuda called the artist who just won the Newcomer Award, he could hear loud cheers on the other end.
He thought to himself—
‘Wow, this must be one wild genius to create a manga this amazing.’
------------------
HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
