Chapter 340 – Volume 68 – Fear of the Unknown (5)
The new work I have to draw this time cannot be approached with a light heart.
On the surface, it pretends to be an ordinary work that follows the existing system.
In addition to the setting, you need to pay a lot of attention to the character design and completeness of the story.
But no matter how much I am, I can’t focus that much while doing everything I already do.
If you start by accumulating the amount, it can be done as long as you take the time.
You will need to concentrate later to keep the pace of the series normal.
Therefore, I needed to entrust the management of ‘The World Without Heroes’, where I had previously spent my time, to someone else.
Of course, there may be things that I absolutely need to take charge of, but taking charge as the general manager like I am now is tantamount to suicide.
“Of course I know it’s hard for you, but still…”
So, I decided to hand over the operating rights to Rika.
However, Rika seemed to be bothered and tried to reject him by shaking her head.
“There is no way I can continue this…”
“You too are the disciple I made. Wouldn’t it be okay for you?”
Because Rika is someone who loves ‘a world without heroes’ as much as I do.
If she was that kind of person, she thought she could leave it to him.
He even remembered more details than me sometimes, so he must be better than anyone else when it comes to inspection.
“Disciple…”
“Of course, I feel sad too. Still, I have to go back to my job soon.”
Making the game was really fun though.
In the end, what I like the most are comics, not games.
“I’m definitely not saying I’m going to give up completely. What I’m saying is that you’re in charge.”
Until now, I decided the direction of the game update.
In line with the direction of the update, I added the necessary stories and updated it while directing it myself.
Thanks to that, the game came out the way I wanted, but then there was the problem that I wasted too much time.
“Then?”
“All you have to do is draw that world in more detail and ask me for what you need.”
Requesting the picture I need to draw.
Sometimes, if there’s something I can’t solve on my own, I ask for help.
If the story is a part that needs to be left to me, I can write the story from the beginning by telling the situation.
“Ah, if that’s the case…”
“Yes. Rika can do everything else, right?”
Of course, liking a work as a fan and running that work may be completely different issues.
In Rika’s case, she already has experience playing games with me, so it should be okay.
And although Rika may have said it without much thought, he also made many very helpful requests.
Since I was used to the game system, there were a lot of mistakes I made.
Because it was a game made with what I knew, there were a lot of details I could have missed.
Because Rika has taken care of those things a lot.
Of course, even if I did it alone, the quality would have been above a certain level.
There were many times when the quality was much higher because of Rika.
In that respect, Rika’s game operation itself was clearly better.
“Yes, if that’s the case…”
Rather, there may be some parts that are seen as opportunities.
Until now, it was a direction that helped me lead.
From now on, you will be able to see the stories that Rika wants to show through my pictures that she likes.
“Okay, then let’s move on to handing over slowly.”
Rika still looked a little shaken.
Of course, Rika has shown a very confident appearance recently.
Since it’s about the work she likes, it’s no wonder she’s so worried.
Well, that part will probably be resolved if the update I was actually in charge of receives a good response.
Until then, all you have to do is watch secretly and push my back.
“Next…”
“Oh, is there more?”
“It’s not that important right now.”
The work I prepared this time, ‘Project Pass’, basically has no intention of being carried out using only comics.
In the end, comics are just about telling the story I want to tell in order to make people love the pre-determined view of the world.
Even though the work is interesting, it is not easy to make it happen in reality.
“So…”
There are times when the content of a cartoon happened in reality even though nothing was done in reality.
There are examples like the Avatar series, which are strengthened by connecting the stories of reality and comics.
Of course, I was planning to use a similar method this time.
‘Media Mix’
So far, I have done something similar to media mix through various goods and exhibitions.
This is the first time I plan to prepare in earnest like this.
Project Path should not be a cartoon, but a huge reality that exists in this world.
It is also necessary to make comics into animations later so that people can watch them more conveniently and with higher quality.
We should submit numerous related drawings so that even nobles who prefer drawings rather than cartoons can accept this view of the world.
It would be nice to make a lot of related music and make it resonate everywhere.
Then, I think it definitely has the potential to grow into a huge IP.
You might think I’m too conceited.
If you have to do it anyway, it’s better to be confident and do your best.
‘But even that won’t be enough.’
Beyond existing as a huge IP.
This itself must be based on something that exists in reality.
To be treated not as a fantasy cartoon, but as a work that maximizes the real world view.
To do this, the media mix of just such a ‘work’ is not enough.
Lastly, what is needed to continue further is a connection with ‘reality’.
We must collaborate so that what appears in the work also exists in reality.
“It’s similar to selling stigmata stickers in the Hwashin series.”
However, there is something a little different.
At that time, we divided the world of that work from this world.
Although it was done in the form of transferring energy to the object.
This time, we have to achieve the same phenomenon in real life.
… But there’s no way that’s possible.
Because what I wanted from my work was something very unrealistic.
‘Passer…’
A passer with the only ability to resist the attacks of demons.
Passers awaken their abilities through their own will and what they believe in.
That ability is materialized visually and becomes an object of interest.
It’s as if there is a magical girl’s transformation mode.
The life one has lived and the will to live in the future are transformed into the form of clothes, creating a ‘transformation’ mode.
Whenever you want, you can transform into one of the clothes you have awakened and use the mysterious abilities contained in the clothes.
That mysterious power is the only power that can fight the demons.
‘Well, this is the extent to which the work helps. It’s a function that actually exists.’
Even though I don’t have to put it into words, Rika actually did something similar.
I didn’t get a magical girl outfit called transformation mode, but that was just a setting I added because I wanted to make awakening more visible.
Rika gained ‘power’ of her own will, as if she had awakened her ability to transform.
So this part was not a problem.
The most important thing is the existence of demons that exist in Rika now.
Through her human experiments, Rika had a part of her demons in her body.
Of course, it is not easy to awaken even if it exists.
Still, there is a world of difference between proceeding with a probability of 0 and 0.01 percent.
It would be important to make this initial probability plausible.
In the setting in the work, just like in the real world, people who have previously awakened cannot defeat the demon.
It is impossible to change that part in reality, so it must be followed in the setting of the work.
So what is important is that a part of the demon resides in the body.
I tried to infuse that part with a real world view.
Demons invading this world, that is, the unknown fear that exists in this world.
It must dwell in children who have not yet awakened.
A childhood with a mixture of stronger emotions and innocence, a period called puberty.
At that time, the mind is in sync with the demons born from human fear.
Therefore, the fear of the demons that were born during that time, and in other words, the demons themselves, were partially accepted.
On the day a new demon is born, a demon dwells in children all over the world.
… Because that level is very faint, it doesn’t mean anything happens.
It is enough that there is a ‘fact’ that such an event occurred.
Once you know that such a thing exists, then you can use that power to awaken as a ‘passer’.
The setting is that the children who awaken like that defeat the demons.
Then, when a new demon is born, the children inhabited by the new demon awaken as passers through this phenomenon…
“But, it’s difficult, right?”
“That’s right.”
The story I just told is very awkward.
Even if you say that an invisible event exists, people cannot simply believe it.
I just think it’s a setting for a fantasy comic.
Of course, it would be okay if it was considered an attractive setting.
In my opinion, it was just the basic setting for the story, and it was definitely not an attractive setting.
After all, we can’t hope for such luck.
“So, we have to make them think it’s real.”
It’s difficult to explain why such an incident occurs.
If it is proven that the next possible incident really happened because of that.
People tend to believe that what came before must have come true.
“What really happened? There was no one to beat.”
“Okay, that’s why I want to ask you a favor.”
“Ah.”
What I wanted to ask Rika was simple.
As if a being called a Passer actually exists in this reality, Rika, an awakened warrior, becomes a Passer.
“I will try to make Rika’s will as a hero what she experienced into clothes.”
Rika puts on that transformation suit, defeats her demons, and makes her debut in the world.
With that, it destroys the common sense that the existence of ‘Passer’ is just a cartoon existence.
It makes you think of the cartoon’s settings as the rules of reality.
“It’s a huge lie…”
“Yes, will you join us? Hero.”
Rika didn’t worry about anything, she just smiled and held my hand.
