"Whew..."
Although it was a bit of a pain, Sasaki Hisashi let out a long sigh once again, calmed himself down, quickly detached from the role of a reader, and returned to his identity as an editor.
However, he had to admit that even when viewed with a critical, professional eye, there didn't seem to be much to criticize about this work from any angle so far.
Is this really a work that a newcomer could create?
He didn't know how many times he had asked himself that same question.
But one thing was certain—
This time, it seemed he hadn't just struck gold; he might have even struck a gemstone mine!
In short, he had too much to say about the work before him and too many questions he wanted to confirm with Akira. But before that...
"I'd like to order a coffee. Would you like something to drink?"
He picked up the desk phone and asked Akira.
According to what was said in Bakuman, this step seemed to count as passing, right?
Upon hearing this, Akira also relaxed a little.
Although he was quite confident in Fate/stay night, the editor's occasional heavy breathing while reading had made him feel a bit nervous.
However, the result seemed to be fine.
So he smiled and said:
"Do you have iced cola?"
"Of course."
By the time the front desk brought the drinks, Sasaki Hisashi had more or less organized his thoughts. His first sentence was full of praise:
"Honestly, based on these three chapters alone, the quality of this work is excellent. You can't tell at all that it's a newcomer's work!"
Actually, if one really wanted to nitpick, it wasn't that there were no problems at all.
For example, there was room for improvement in the panel layout design, the fight scenes weren't perfectly smooth, and the sudden perspective shift in the third chapter was a bit risky.
But these issues were largely minor criticisms; they would be too harsh not only for a newcomer, but even for established authors.
Because almost no manga can truly be perfect in every aspect, not even Toriyama Akira's Dragon Ball.
Therefore, for an author, understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses and then maximizing strengths while avoiding weaknesses is the more mature approach.
And when re-examining these three chapters by that standard, there was no doubt they could be rated as "very excellent."
In terms of art, the character style was unique, beautiful, and cool. The depiction of expressions was spot-on, and the overall visuals were clean and pleasing to the eye.
In terms of story, the pacing was extremely well controlled, and even mundane daily life was written with a unique charm.
Furthermore, every chapter had at least one highlight, and more importantly, it knew how to end properly, capturing the reader's emotions perfectly.
"...But,"
Although he had been praising the work just now, his tone suddenly shifted as he added with a hint of regret:
"It would be great if this were a complete one-shot manga."
"A one-shot manga? Of course, I have one. I've already submitted it to you."
"Hmm?"
Seeing Sasaki Hisashi's surprise, Akira smiled and said:
"I mentioned it earlier, didn't I? This is my second work. My first was a one-shot, and I've already submitted it to the Tezuka Award."
"I see."
Sasaki Hisashi nodded, slightly surprised.
Submitting your very first work directly to the Tezuka Award... that takes confidence.
But thinking about the ability Akira had already shown, it felt natural. He clearly had the talent to back it up.
On the contrary, Sasaki couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation, wondering how that one-shot would perform.
Wait, if that's the case...
Back to the topic.
Understanding this, he felt things were easier to handle, so he returned to the manuscript in his hands and asked:
"Judging from the pacing of these three chapters, are you planning to make this a long-running manga?"
In fact, for a newcomer to start with a long-running manga is the biggest taboo.
From a reader's perspective, some long-running manga may seem average, giving people the illusion that "I could do that too."
But reading and creating are completely different.
Most newcomers severely underestimate the difficulty of creating a long-running manga, and rushing into one usually leads to failure.
Generally speaking, when a newcomer brings a manuscript intended for long serialization, it can almost be considered a death sentence.
That said, for most newcomers, this is just one of many problems.
But Akira's case was different.
Because even from a long-running perspective, the first three chapters of Fate/stay night showed no major issues. In fact, they could be considered an excellent opening.
Which meant that the only real problem was precisely that—
A newcomer trying to create a longer series.
But should he give up such an excellent work because of that?
Discovering great manga and artists is an editor's duty. Abandoning a great work for no reason was something he could not accept.
On the other side, Akira shook his head.
"No. In my plan, the length of Fate/stay night should be controlled within 100 chapters."
"Within 100 chapters... so a mid-length series?"
Sasaki Hisashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Honestly, even then, the situation isn't very optimistic."
Although mid-length manga are easier than long-running ones, in Shonen Jump, they are in an awkward position.
Currently, the magazine mainly promotes either one-shots or long-running series.
Newcomers usually debut with one-shots, improving their skills over time while sometimes working as assistants under veteran authors.
Once they reach a certain level, they prepare for serialization, aiming for long-term success.
As for mid-length manga, most are actually series that were cut short due to declining popularity.
In short, this is not a format the magazine actively encourages.
"So that means it won't work?"
"Logically, yes. But it's not completely impossible."
Sasaki Hisashi smiled.
"There's a saying in the Shonen Jump editorial department: 'As long as it's interesting, that's enough.'"
"Rules exist, but if a manga is interesting enough, everything can be negotiated."
He paused, then tapped the manuscript.
"I admit these three chapters are very interesting. But the problem is, the story isn't complete yet. I don't know if the later parts can maintain this level."
"I understand."
However, Akira simply smiled.
This time, beneath that smile, there was unmistakable confidence.
The structure of the Holy Grail War—participants fighting until one winner remains—is actually a common template.
For example, Shaman King, currently serialized in Shonen Jump, uses a similar structure.
But a template is only the surface.
Different authors can turn the same structure into completely different works.
A simple idea like "the protagonist moves toward a goal" can become One Piece, Naruto, Slam Dunk, and many other classics.
And what truly sets the Fate series apart is a brilliant core concept—
The Heroic Spirit system.
Heroic Spirits are legendary figures or objects of faith. Their true forms exist in the Throne of Heroes, and through rituals, their avatars—Servants—can be summoned.
While Shaman King also involves summoning historical figures, the execution differs.
In that series, spirits merge with characters like equipment, resulting in mostly 1v1 battles.
In Fate, Servants are independent entities, and battles usually involve Master and Servant fighting together, creating a 2v2 dynamic.
A small difference, but with a huge impact.
More importantly, the system is deeply explored.
There are Classes, Parameters, Alignments, Skills, Noble Phantasms, and more.
At the same time, each Servant carries their own legend, personality, and appeal.
Their interactions, their reactions to the modern world, and their battles all make the story engaging.
If Fate/stay night is the foundation of the series, then the Heroic Spirit system is its core.
As Akira explained, Sasaki Hisashi's eyes lit up brighter and brighter.
As a veteran editor with over ten years of experience, he immediately recognized the brilliance of this concept.
After confirming a few details, he could no longer hold back—
"This is amazing!!"
He looked at Akira with burning excitement. At this point, even the word "genius" felt insufficient.
He truly had no idea how Akira's mind worked.
As for serialization—
That question no longer needed discussion.
"Please rest assured!"
He grabbed Akira's hands tightly, his voice firm with determination:
"I will definitely get Fate/stay night serialized!"
If the editor-in-chief dared to reject it, he wouldn't hesitate to start a rebellion!