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After finalizing the preliminary arrangements for the manga serialization, Haruto immersed himself in a mountain of other work.
Between managing the deluge of Puella Magi Madoka Magica merchandise, overseeing the upcoming Blu-ray distribution, and negotiating broadcasting licenses with overseas distributors, his schedule was packed. There were also various collaborative character licensing deals to handle with domestic advertising firms and mobile game developers.
This was the raw commercial power of a megahit anime in the industry.
Meanwhile, Prime Manga was certainly not idling.
They were preparing to drop a bombshell on the manga world, broadcasting a bold announcement on the homepage of their official website.
[Legendary Novelist "Shiori Takahashi" joins Prime Manga! Full live stream of the official signing ceremony on June 28th!]
The moment this news broke, the entire otaku community, from the literary circles to the manga enthusiasts, erupted in a explosion of shock and speculation.
"What on earth is happening? Shiori-sensei is quitting novels to draw manga?"
"This is insane news. I just finished mourning the end of Madoka Magica, and now my favorite novelist is switching mediums?"
"Damn, I've been waiting nearly half a year for a new light novel from Shiori-sensei. Him going into manga feels completely surreal."
"What's the big deal? Manga or novels, it doesn't matter. Every popular game, novel, and anime gets adapted back and forth anyway. As long as the story is good, who cares about the format?"
"I don't have a bias against manga, but can Shiori-sensei actually draw? I hope he's not just a 'soul artist' whose drawings look like chicken scratch."
"What's the title of the new series? Prime isn't saying anything about the genre. They're really teasing us here."
"The two creators I'm betting on right now are Shiori Takahashi and the Warrior of Love. I heard the Warrior of Love is currently neck-deep in the Madoka movie production, so it's great to see Shiori-sensei making a big move."
"Please. How can you even compare Shiori to the author of Madoka Magica? That's just disrespectful to the Warrior of Love."
"Hey, watch your mouth."
"Shiori is great, don't get me wrong, but even if you combine all his works, they don't touch the popularity of Madoka Magica. To the Moon, Parasyte, and Anohana are fantastic hits, sure. But Madoka Magica is a phenomenon that redefined the medium. Shiori is still a few steps behind the Warrior of Love."
"You're really looking down on Shiori-sensei. How do you know his new manga won't be a masterpiece on par with Madoka Magica?"
"Masterpieces don't just grow on trees. You think anyone can just wake up and create a cultural phenomenon? That's why they're called masterpieces."
"Look, I'm a loyal fan of Shiori-sensei, but I have to be objective. At this stage, the Warrior of Love is just too powerful. His fame, status, and track record are currently crushing Shiori. It's just the truth."
"They aren't even in the same industry right now! Why are you comparing them? One is an animator, the other is a novelist and mangaka. It's apples and oranges."
"Tell that to the Shiori fans! Ever since Madoka ended, half of them have been running around saying that while it was popular, it lacked the emotional depth of Anohana."
"Sigh, this is just typical behavior. Fans of different creators tearing each other apart. Just ignore it; it'll blow over in a week."
The news of the partnership between Shiori Takahashi and Prime Manga spread through the industry like wildfire. While the casual observers online argued over the differences between Shiori and the Warrior of Love, the staff at Haru-Yuki Animation were in a state of bewilderment.
Is our boss even human? they wondered. How can one person have the mental capacity to create at this speed across so many different fields?
Over the following days, Haruto and his staff finalized the company's expansion strategy. Production on the Madoka Magica movie had already been underway for two months, but maintaining the high quality demanded by the fans meant they couldn't rush the process. They projected a completion date in late August.
Consequently, Haruto scheduled the release of the Madoka Magica television series on Blu-ray and DVD for late July. The plan was to release one volume per week, covering all twelve episodes across five volumes. By the time the final television volume hit the shelves in late August, the theatrical movie would be ready for its own home video debut.
Haruto intended to split the two-hour theatrical feature, The Rebellion Story, into two separate Blu-ray volumes. Following that, he planned to launch the production of two new series.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and 7 Years From Now.
Among these, the project Haruto prioritized most was undoubtedly Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
While 7 Years From Now relied heavily on its gripping narrative and few scene changes, making it relatively inexpensive and simple to produce, Edgerunners was a different beast entirely. In its original form, the animation quality was breathtakingly high.
Animation production is quite different from live-action filming.
In the latter, you can sometimes rely on a brilliant performance by an actor to carry a scene. But in animation, you get exactly what you pay for. If Haruto wanted to produce a series that could match the quality of the original Edgerunners, the solution was simple: he had to dump money into it.
Capital was the only way to recruit the top-tier talent necessary to elevate the studio's technical capabilities. And where was that capital going to come from?
"I need Madoka to sell like crazy," Haruto muttered with a long sigh.
The moment the revenue from Madoka began flowing into the company accounts, the production for Edgerunners and 7 Years From Now would launch immediately.
The next day, Haru-Yuki Animation officially announced that the first volume of the Madoka Magica Blu-ray set would go on sale on Friday, July 18th, with subsequent volumes following weekly. They also confirmed that the theatrical movie, The Rebellion Story, would be released on August 22nd.
"Wait, what am I reading? I just checked the site on a whim and saw this. I am absolutely buying the movie on day one."
"Me too. My wallet is ready."
"Honestly, the main story of Madoka was perfect as it was. A movie feels unnecessary, probably just a cash grab."
"Exactly. Messing with the ending of Madoka with spin-off content is just asking for trouble. They're going to ruin its legacy."
"Don't judge the Warrior of Love by your own narrow standards. For all we know, the movie could be just as mind-blowing as the main series."
"Let's be real. Usually, when an anime gets a theatrical sequel, it's mediocre at best. There is no way a movie is going to surpass that TV ending."
"I don't care what you guys say. As long as it's part of the Madoka franchise, I'm buying the Blu-ray."
While the Warrior of Love was stirring up a storm in the animation world, Shiori Takahashi had become the focal point of the manga and novel industries. These two rising stars of the otaku culture were becoming increasingly unstoppable.
As the days blurred together, June 28th finally arrived, the day of the official signing ceremony with Prime Manga.
Early that morning, staff from Prime Manga arrived at Haruto's apartment to assist with his styling and makeup. When Haruto finally arrived at the Prime Manga headquarters, he found Shizuru already waiting for him.
"Hey there, Haruto. You finally made it."
Shizuru was dressed in a delicate light-green skirt, her hair styled in elegant twin-tails. Her skin looked flawless, and with her natural beauty, she looked like a character stepped right out of a high-end illustration just by sitting there.
"Are you nervous?" Haruto asked, noticing her hands were clenched tightly.
"A... a little," Shizuru admitted, taking a deep breath. "You didn't see the crowd when I walked in. There are going to be at least a hundred people in that signing room, and a lot of them are reporters."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Haruto said with a calm smile.
"I know, but I can't help it!"
"Just don't overthink it. It's just a contract signing. If the crowd gets to be too much, you don't have to say a word on stage. I'll handle all the talking," Haruto reassured her.