Chapter 181: Foolish!
Date: 2025-04-06
Author: Xian Ge
At the same moment.
In a spacious—borderline lavish—studio.
Rumi, dressed in loose pajamas, looked fuller and rounder post-holiday.
She tossed her round-framed glasses aside, staring at the manga on her screen, and sighed, “So interesting.”
Yes, interesting.
As a veteran mangaka who often studied others’ works, she knew Chainsaw Man wasn’t among the absolute top-tier manga.
Its story wasn’t mainstream enough.
Mainstream stories, dubbed “kingly” for their broad appeal, reached the widest audiences.
In Rumi’s view, Chainsaw Man could hardly become a flagship title.
It was… a bit twisted.
Plus, Tang Yao hadn’t yet shown she could control an ultra-long narrative.
Her previous works, Fate/Zero and Human Head Balloon, weren’t sprawling epics.
And Chainsaw Man? Judging by its pacing and plot, it didn’t seem built for the long haul either. The setup and progression suggested no potential for an extended saga.
But, undeniably, the manga’s paneling, art, and storytelling were phenomenal.
If Fujimoto’s original Chainsaw Man drew flak for its art, Tang Yao’s reimagined version—amped up by her transmigration cheat code—was flawless.
Yet that wasn’t the core of it.
Art alone? Rumi had seen stellar mangakas.
She’d encountered one whose gore-heavy style rivaled Tang Yao’s in technical skill.
His blood-and-guts scenes were insanely detailed.
But his work… why didn’t it hit Chainsaw Man’s heights? Why didn’t it pull the same massive following?
Rumi believed it lacked a certain spark—storytelling finesse, emotional grip on readers.
Oh, and dark humor.
Those elements made Chainsaw Man stand out.
It was… unique.
If mangakas were chefs, most churned out home-cooked meals—decent, predictable, sometimes botched by bad seasoning or elevated with a pinch of MSG.
Still, just home cooking.
Flagship mangakas were head chefs, crafting dishes bursting with color, aroma, and flavor. A salty dish here or there didn’t ruin the feast.
Tang Yao? A bizarre chef. She could serve Michelin-star dishes like Fate/Zero or bizarre dark cuisine like Human Head Balloon.
Now, she’d plated another dark dish.
It looked odd, smelled odd.
But tasted divine—explosively so, like it was spiked with digital wizardry.
You’d crave more, hooked.
The readers’ rabid demands for updates proved it.
That gore mangaka Rumi mentioned, despite his meticulous art, served bland fare.
“ANF’s manga section picked the perfect work…” Rumi mused, eyeing the section, livelier than past years.
She understood why Tang Yao chose Chainsaw Man for ANF’s manga lineup.
It was all about buzz.
Mainstream works, while broadly appealing, struggled to spark instant hype.
Twisted works? Different story.
Especially when they were this good.
Rumi even wondered if Chainsaw Man could mainstream niche, bloody gore genres.
If it was about buzz, the plot would keep pushing hard.
What wild ideas did Tang Yao have up her sleeve?
Shaking her head, Rumi closed the Chainsaw Man page, marveling at Tang Yao’s skill while anticipating the next update.
But then, she spotted ANF’s homepage FGO crossover ad.
The vague, say-nothing ad made her expression shift.
She knew why.
Her mother.
Speak of the devil—her mother knocked and entered, face stern as always, short hair crisp and professional.
The second she stepped in, Guan Fang cut to the chase. “I know you’re friends with that third-rate artist, but don’t get sentimental. Whatever they say, don’t let them promote freely. Not until Chainsaw Man’s plot cools off. Your Nightfall is a top-tier IP. Even a crossover can’t let another manga steal its spotlight or split readers’ focus.”
“…”
Rumi blinked, then laughed wryly. “Is that necessary? They’re using my manga for their game, not to prop up Chainsaw Man. The promo’s just because the holiday’s over. You know this. It’s a non-issue…”
“Foolish,” Guan Fang snapped softly. “Chainsaw Man’s buzz is sky-high. If we promote together, they’ll leverage their serialization edge, maybe claim Chainsaw Man outshines Nightfall. You’d be a stepping stone! I won’t allow it! We wait until Chainsaw Man’s hype dies down before mentioning Nightfall and their game crossover!”
“You…” Rumi sighed, exasperated. “Mom, have you considered Chainsaw Man’s plot will keep charging forward, never truly cooling off? This work…”
This work was clearly Tang Yao’s tailored weapon for ANF’s manga section.
With its buzz ignited, Tang Yao would milk its hype, funneling traffic to the platform.
But before Rumi could finish, Guan Fang cut in. “Impossible. I’ve read the manga. It’s a mess—killing the heroine. It’ll soon stall, hitting a lull. Not every mangaka is you! Besides, StarChase has decided to launch an online manga platform. Word is, Wenxin House is also pouring resources into their own reading site. ANF’s manga section will face two heavyweights. Even if, by some miracle, Chainsaw Man doesn’t slow down, StarChase’s platform will sap ANF and Chainsaw Man’s heat. Then we announce the crossover.”
“…” Rumi fell silent, then asked quietly, “You’re blocking the crossover announcement now… partly to keep Nightfall from boosting ANF’s traffic, right? For StarChase’s platform?”
Guan Fang’s eyes flashed. “Nonsense! This is for your work!”
“…” Rumi shook her head, sensing the truth, and said earnestly, “Mom, I’m telling you—don’t kid yourself. Tang Yao built Avalon to this level with Fate/Zero. You think your little schemes fool her? You think she doesn’t know other major publishers are eyeing online manga sites? Chainsaw Man was crafted for ANF’s manga section. Waiting for a lull? Hoping StarChase’s platform steals ANF’s thunder? You think that’s realistic?”
Guan Fang didn’t deny it, stating firmly, “It is!”
Rumi shook her head, done arguing. “Hope you don’t end up outsmarting yourself…”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 182: The First Client
Date: 2025-04-07
Author: Xian Ge
“Outsmarting myself?”
Guan Fang bristled at her daughter’s words. “You really think Avalon’s manga section, riding one work, can challenge legacy publishers like us?”
“Haven’t they already?” Rumi replied softly. “You’re all scrambling because the internet wave hits harder than you thought. A web-serialized manga’s buzz is rivaling print magazine flagships—surpassing them in話題性, even.”
“So what? In sales—”
“Then why’s StarChase jumping to build an online manga platform?” Rumi cut in. “If sales are king, just laugh at them.”
“…” Guan Fang’s face flushed. “Whose side are you on?”
“StarChase, of course. But, not for the first time, I’m telling you—their editorial board is a disaster in curating and gauging audience taste. The works they greenlight? Many are worse than amateur mangakas’. Those recent titles? What even are they? In this day and age, they’re picking such conservative stuff.”
Rumi shook her head. “Web platforms and print magazines have different standards, audiences, and preferences. Web readers often crave bolder, freer stories—Chainsaw Man’s a prime example. Does StarChase’s editorial team have the chops to spot those works? Can their entrenched conservative mindset adapt to the internet era?”
“…” Guan Fang was speechless.
Rumi pressed on. “And these years, StarChase, limited by main magazine slots, has been launching new publications, right? It gives more serialization chances but splits the catalog. They’re running, what, nearly eighty titles now? I’m curious—how much attention will the editorial board give a new web platform? When they see its small initial scale, mediocre returns, and ANF’s manga section looming, will they stay committed? StarChase’s factions, since the merger, have always been messy, with plenty of infighting, no?”
“…” Guan Fang’s expression shifted, recalling something unpleasant.
But she quickly masked it. “Every publisher has those issues. You think Avalon’s problem-free? They’re in startup mode. No matter how hot Chainsaw Man is, it’s one pillar. And it doesn’t look long-lasting. The plot’s on the verge of collapsing! I refuse to believe StarChase, with its deep legacy and reputation, will lose to a rootless web platform. One call to arms, and mangakas won’t pick ANF over us. Worst case, we put your finished works online!”
“Finished works? They can’t match the buzz of new ones,” Rumi countered. “As for your ‘call to arms,’ sure, mangakas might pick StarChase at first. But keeping them? That’s tough. StarChase’s editors are leaning more conservative. Can they handle the internet, web platforms, multimedia operations?”
“And Avalon can? What about Chainsaw Man? It’s just—”
“I said you’re among those out of touch,” Rumi interrupted. “You really think Chainsaw Man’s a mess, killing its heroine, about to fumble into a lull?”
She shook her head. “Don’t be naive. Chainsaw Man’s plot will keep racing forward, never truly slowing.”
“Absolutely impossible!” Guan Fang snapped.
“Then we’ll see,” Rumi said.
At Avalon.
Chainsaw Man was just one piece of the puzzle.
Tang Yao had plenty else to juggle.
As for Rumi’s mother’s schemes?
Honestly, Tang Yao had sniffed them out but didn’t care much.
In the internet wave, all industries were shifting online.
Competition was expected.
If her mother wanted to wait, to play coy, let her.
The contract ensured the crossover would be promoted. Li Xue, inexperienced as she was, wouldn’t have left the deadline open-ended.
By April, the FGO crossover card pool had to launch.
The copyright holder would have no say then.
Avalon was already being generous by stalling, partly to respect Rumi, partly because Tang Yao was waiting—waiting for Chainsaw Man’s mid-arc fireworks to explode.
When Chainsaw Man blazed, paired with the FGO crossover, ANF’s manga section would shine undeniably.
ANF’s platform could make works explode. Avalon, behind it, could deliver massive profits for great titles.
With those, Tang Yao didn’t believe mangakas wouldn’t bite.
Of course, success bred issues. Chainsaw Man’s triumph would spark imitators.
New mangakas, in their growth, often tested short works. Lacking maturity, they struggled to craft originals, so they mimicked.
Mimic what on a new platform?
The hottest work.
No big deal. Tang Yao even planned to draw Fujimoto’s standout shorts—like Look Back or Goodbye, Eri—for reference.
In her past life, Shonen Jump’s web platform, Jump+, was shaped by Fujimoto’s wild influence. Newcomers, inspired, submitted one-shot “life theater” stories.
“Life theater”? Short works that, even expanded, wrapped in dozens or a hundred chapters.
For Jump, it was a blow. They wanted long-runners—One Piece, Naruto—flagships to fuel the magazine.
A few dozen chapters? Useless.
But for Tang Yao, no such burden. Avalon had no magazine, just a pure web platform.
One-shot life theater worked fine.
If ANF could spawn a Fujimoto-esque “Fujimoto Army” like Jump+, that’d be great.
After all, Dandadan, Spy x Family, and Hell’s Paradise came from Fujimoto’s assistants.
The Fujimoto Army propped up half of Jump+.
But Tang Yao was just musing. Those assistants’ hits weren’t just Fujimoto’s influence—they were wildly talented.
This world lacked editors like Tatsuki Fujimoto’s.
She’d keep her hopes modest.
“Tang Yao.”
Lost in thoughts about ANF’s manga section’s future, Tang Yao was snapped back by Li Xue’s voice.
She turned to the radiant Li Xue, smiling. “What’s up?”
“ANF got its first client,” Li Xue said, expression serious, handing over documents. “Someone wants to co-publish a game with ANF.”
(End of Chapter)
Translation Notes
Names:
Transliterated using Pinyin for consistency: Tang Yao (唐瑶), Li Xue (黎雪), Rumi (如迷), Guan Fang (关芳). These retain Mandarin phonetics for accessibility.
Titles (Chainsaw Man for 电锯人, Fate/Zero for FZ, Nightfall for 入夜, FGO for Fate/Grand Order, Human Head Balloon for 人头气球) use established or contextually fitting English equivalents.
“Teacher Rumi” (如迷老师) adapts the pen name naturally for English.
Publishers (StarChase for 逐星社, Wenxin House for 文心馆) are given evocative English names reflecting their cultural weight.
Fujimoto’s shorts (Look Back for 蓦然回首, Goodbye, Eri for 再见绘梨) use their official English titles.
Cultural Nuances:
Manga Industry: The tension between print and web platforms reflects China’s digital shift, translated with universal publishing context (e.g., “legacy publishers” for 老牌杂志社).
Fandom Culture: Chainsaw Man’s buzz and reader demands mirror Chinese manga fan dynamics, rendered with relatable hype (e.g., “rabid demands” for 疯狂催更).
Business Rivalry: StarChase’s conservative editorial stance and factionalism echo Chinese corporate politics, translated with grounded realism (e.g., “infighting” for 内斗氛围).
Technical Terms:
Manga Terms: “分镜” (paneling), “画技” (art), “王道” (mainstream/kingly), “台柱” (flagship), “超长篇” (ultra-long narrative), and “黑色幽默” (dark humor) fit manga discourse.
Platform Terms: “话题性” (buzz), “连载” (serialization), “网络平台” (web platform), and “联动卡池” (crossover card pool) align with digital and gaming ecosystems.
Publishing Terms: “主刊” (main magazine), “新刊” (new publications), and “编辑部” (editorial board) reflect industry structures.
Adjustments:
Narrative Clarity: Rumi’s analysis of Chainsaw Man and Tang Yao’s strategic patience are detailed vividly, balancing industry insight with plot momentum.
Emotional Tone: Rumi’s respect for Tang Yao, Guan Fang’s stubbornness, and Tang Yao’s confidence are tuned for natural English flow, preserving emotional depth.
Dialogue Flow: Mother-daughter debates, industry critiques, and Tang Yao’s musings add intellectual and emotional weight, grounding manga and platform plot points in character dynamics.
Character Dynamics:
Rumi’s Insight: Her veteran perspective and admiration for Tang Yao shine, translated with nuanced appreciation.
Guan Fang’s Pride: Her rigid protectionism and denial are rendered with sharp conviction.
Tang Yao’s Foresight: Her strategic calm and vision for ANF are translated with poised charisma.
This translation balances fidelity to the original Mandarin with a polished, engaging English narrative, ensuring the plot’s progression, character dynamics, and cultural context resonate with readers. Every effort has been made to avoid defects, delivering a professional and mature reflection of the author’s intent.
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