Original subtitles

【OSHI NO KO】

Look!

B-KOMACHI We got featured in Playboy!

I'll also be receiving another invitation for the idol show at U Station,

so with this, I won't stick out anymore in this class!

Now I can call myself a proper entertainer, right!

You're still worrying about that?

Well, of course!

IDOL - GRAVURE IDOL - POPULAR ACTRESS Every time you talk about your work,

GOOD FOR NOTHING - GRAVURE IDOL - POPULAR ACTRESS I always feel so alienated and can't join in!

In my opinion, it's kind of awkward to talk with fellow entertainers, though.

I think I get you.

Really?

Even if they talk about work just to complain,

coming from fellow entertainers, that'd sound like bragging.

Yesterday, I was texted by a fellow actor, Doyama, for dinner.

I'd like to talk about it casually.

Now that's braggin'.

You found out?

Your dimension is way above us...

So you're goin'?

I don't know. I heard he's kind of a playboy too.

Oh, now that you mentioned it, Nanami, who's in the morning TV drama,

also got a message from Doyama.

Look at him go.

Miyaemon! Give me more gigs!

I want to work so hard that I have something to complain about like my colleagues!

I don't know what you're talking about.

Then, what about asking for a collab with Mr. Pieyon?

A collab video is fine, but I want another live stage with him!

We can't have another live stage until Arima's play is done.

It might take a while...

What?

Are you done rehearsing?

To be precise, it got cancelled.

The original author and the staff had different opinions.

Worst case, it might be postponed for weeks.

For real?

Huh? Where's Aqua?

Well...

That's a lot of people.

Good thing we got tickets. It's quite a popular play.

This...

You'll know when you see it.

What's this... Wind?

4DX... No...

Are you for real?

FRESH AND ENERGISING!

How was it?

Well, to be honest...

It was so fun, exceeding my expectations by 50 times.

I knew it!

First, I had no idea behind the curtains was a monitor.

That way, they can use a lot of visual effects in the play.

What surprised me even more is that the seats can be rotated 360 degrees.

This allows for quick and smooth scene changes

by seamlessly preparing several stages in advance.

They're trying to physically fix the structural constraint of a play.

It wasn't only the facilities that were good.

The play itself was also very good.

The acting didn't look like something a film guy would expect...

That's what hit me, so I could get along with their acting.

The story was also something.

To be frank, it was so good.

Now I know why you said theatrical plays are an experience.

I surely can't enjoy such content in films.

You're smirking so bad. Why are you laughing?

I was worried that you wouldn't enjoy theatrical plays!

I knew you'd understand the good things!

Of course, this is just one of the fanciest theatres in Japan.

There are also a lot of traditional plays that are exactly like what you imagine.

But it's charming to see them try to clear the physical challenge so imaginatively.

I hope you can understand how to enjoy theatrical plays with this.

Well, I do get the right idea now.

That's okay.

You're a film guy, after all.

My, fancy seeing you two here.

Mr. Raida?

Why are you here?

Why, you ask? I supervise today's play.

I come here to see the viewers' faces when feeling down.

- That was so fun! - The viewers are honest.

- The best! - The viewers are honest.

- The best! - They smile if they had fun,

- They smile if they had fun,

and look confused when they didn't.

It motivates me to see them like that.

Your expression was so good too, Aqua. I'm so happy.

I wish I could see it too! Come on, show me here.

Not a chance.

I found you two here, so I thought I'd say hi and catch up with you...

Was I in the way?

Not at all!

Mr. Raida, how's the script going?

I've talked about this with the publisher,

but the author is still so obstinate.

She asked that the scriptwriter Goa withdraw.

And that she'd be rewriting the script herself.

She can't do that. I realised something after watching this play.

Tokyo Blade's script is full of ingenuity that enhances a stage play's strong points.

Even a bit of long, cheesy lines would fit the medium well.

TAKUMI NISHIMATSU: SHOTA MAEYAMA

TAKUMI NISHIMATSU: SHOTA MAEYAMA The author might not know anything

TAKUMI NISHIMATSU: SHOTA MAEYAMA about stage plays and their equipment.

about stage plays and their equipment.

This may be something that you'd see in a stage play back in high school.

This play was filled...

...with superior scripting and equipment only pros would be able to prepare.

Even if she's a best-selling artist,

there's no way her amateur scriptwriting skills will produce the same quality as this.

Well, we'll back her up in that case.

But did you notice?

SCRIPT: GOA - CAST: YOJI MOTOYA

SCRIPT: GOA - CAST: YOJI MOTOYA Goa also wrote the script for the play today.

He really is talented.

He loves theatres from his heart, and he studies it hard.

He'd also passionately tag along during rewriting.

The plays with his script...

...would always bring smiles to the viewers after they leave the hall.

I really didn't want to put him off the scene.

Is there nothing you can do?

It's not that easy!

I'm not strong enough to fight against a big publisher!

But...

You're the only one who can do something.

Well, of course...

I wonder if Mr. Goa will be removed at this rate.

If I were the original author,

I don't think I wouldn't have any complaints...

TOKYO BLADE I don't think I wouldn't have any complaints...

But I'd go with the script after looking at it overall.

Well, yeah.

The author and the scriptwriter have their own stance.

The problem is the miscommunication between them.

If they can at least clear that one out, it's possible to bring a better play.

Well, you've shown me a good play today.

YORIKO KICHIJOJI

YORIKO KICHIJOJI I suppose...

I should repay you with a bit of meddling.

Excuse us!

Oh, welcome, everyone!

Sorry, I'm not even from "Sweet Today"...

That's okay. I'm glad you're here.

This is my first time in a manga artist's house!

Me too... Huh?

I've been here multiple times during the film's shooting!

Wow... That's something...

How do you draw?

This is an LCD tablet.

You can draw directly on the screen.

So it's all digital?

That's what the mainstream nowadays is.

A manga artist sure is amazing.

They write the script and draw the art on their own.

Well, yeah...

Isn't she being cold to me?!

Well, it's only natural, seeing that it's you.

CRISPY POTATO CHIPS

CRISPY POTATO CHIPS I'd like to toast...

But before that... How old are you guys?

16.

17.

16.

17.

So young... I want to die now...

I'll just drink by myself, then.

So she does drink.

There's a store that sells good Japanese alcohol,

and also good fish.

I love fish!

- Then, let's wait until everyone turns 20! - Hey, you said we'd send help to Mr. Goa,

but how does that correlate with us visiting Miss Yoriko?

Someone whom I'm indebted to once said to me.

A creator, not just manga, once becoming famous,

is mostly full of thoughts that they're the most skilled one.

They won't listen to the editor.

The people around them will look like comedians, and they won't take any advice.

Only a fellow creator would be able to give advice.

Especially if it's coming from a senior or a master of theirs.

He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin.

Only she is able to persuade Abiko Samejima.

I see...

Miss, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule.

Well, my works are all monthly ones.

I'm really free when I am.

Is Miss Abiko not coming after all?

Well, she's a weekly artist, after all.

She made some time between manuscripts for the visit the other day.

Basically, weekly releases aren't humane at all!

Only soldiers whose brains have been tuned up for weekly releases can do that!

So scary...

Even during dates, only those who think about storyboards can go with her.

Oh, wow...

She must be so busy now.

She has colour illustrations for the anime adaptation or something else,

and stuff she has to supervise, and a lot of it too.

So you've been friends with her since long ago?

She was my assistant during "Sweet Today".

She's always been a strange one.

She's not good at blending with others,

and didn't speak much with fellow assistants.

But a manga tells hundreds of stories.

A fellow artist can tell an author's personality by looking at their work.

Which part can you tell from?

Mostly with their art.

Which part they excel at, and which part they ignore.

I knew it right away after reading her manga.

She wants to bond with many people.

However, she's suffering because she can't.

Which is why, she became soft to me after I started hanging out with her.

She's a cute one, I tell you.

Although, she's got a lot of serialisations after that.

And she got popular in a short time.

She really passed me in an instant.

She got popular without even knowing the setbacks,

so she thinks her opinions are absolute.

Doesn't the editor warn her?

An editor has two jobs.

What do you think they are?

To help make a selling manga.

Correct, that's one.

What about the second one?

Putting in lines?

Or maybe advertising?

The answer is...

...to not let a selling title end!

That's scary!

Concluding a "milkable" series

COULD YOU LET ME END IT? can have an effect on the assessment.

COULD YOU LET ME END IT? Especially those being adapted to other media.

COME ON! Especially those being adapted to other media.

AT LEAST DO IT UNTIL THE ANIME'S OVER! Oh, they sure won't let them end.

And for that,

I CAN'T DRAW ANYMORE! they also work at maintaining

I CAN'T DRAW ANYMORE! the author's mental health.

NOW, NOW Which means, an editor becomes somewhat

NOW, NOW of a babysitter to the author.

For that...

I'm busy over here! I'm not doing this!

The popular author becomes arrogant.

Using busy schedules as an excuse, they tend to act inappropriately.

CALPIS PINE

CALPIS PINE What's wrong, Arima?

It's all coming back to me, I want to die...

You can't have yes-men surrounding you!

Once you get popular, you'll be overflowing with confidence, and be arrogant!

The scriptwriter is about to be kicked out of the project.

Could you try to persuade her, Miss?

I have a lot to think of her.

The staff are troubled, you know?

You should also consider their circumstances a bit.

Aren't you being too considerate?

Huh?

You left it all to the people on set...

And "Sweet Today" turned out like that, huh?

I believe that 90% of the creations in this world are bad.

In other words, 90% of creators are amateurs.

I can only trust my ready wit.

You trust people too easily.

You should stand your ground next time.

Well, yes.

You can say that, because you're... a genius.

Miss Yoriko! My work got an anime adaptation!

That's fast. Congrats.

The book has sold more than 10 million copies.

I was told I got so many awards for that!

Seeing her become popular like that from behind...

Of course, I couldn't help but have a thought as a fellow artist.

However...

I've always thought of you as my mentor.

I have to be on her side.

Sorry.

I can understand her complaining about her work...

...being tampered with like that.

I'm not really good at commenting on someone else's work,

and I tend to leave it all to the competent people for any media adaptations.

But my feelings are the same as hers.

If possible, I'd love for them to handle my characters with love.

Since they're like my own children.

Really sorry about this.

I know the schedule has been compromised,

but I don't think I can help you with this one.

I'm sorry as well for asking the impossible.

All right.

But can I ask one thing?

This...

Could you hand this over to her?

ABIKO SAMEJIMA

I'LL BE WAITING AT THE ENTRANCE THANK YOU FOR TODAY

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING, CAN I COME OVER RIGHT NOW?

THE DOOR'S UNLOCKED, SO JUST COME IN

Miss Abiko, I'm coming in.

Sorry, I'm still working on my manuscript.

Huh? Isn't that one due yesterday?

It's overdue, huh?

Yes.

Sorry this room is such a mess.

It's no way near a mess now.

Can you even call your assistant like this?

I have no assistant now.

What?

They just won't stick to my design, no matter how many times.

They can't even express the emotions through backgrounds...

It's way faster for me to fix it myself than repeatedly tell them to fix it, so I fired them.

Since when?

Last month... Wait...

Since chapter 163, so I guess two months ago?

Have you been sleeping?

I do sleep for two hours.

So yeah...

But I have a deadline today, so I haven't been sleeping.

You'll die.

To put it realistically, you'll retire from depression.

You won't be able to draw at your usual pace.

Well, I've been dying to die.

I have colouring work next week,

and I have some drawings to do for the print.

How about the play script?

Oh, yeah. I had that too...

I gotta do that after this...

I'll help out.

I'll just fill in the backgrounds as I see fit.

No, thanks.

Just sit down.

This is no time to say that.

What's up with this amount of graphics?

This is not something to be done solo weekly.

You should hire a new assistant soon.

I already told my editor,

but they don't have anyone I can use...

They must've sent the good people to the big shots.

That editor's useless.

Aren't you just being too picky?

An assistant is someone you train, right?

I don't have the leeway for that.

I thought they had the potential, so I tried training them...

But go a bit too harsh, and they'd just quit.

That's definitely not a bit.

I understand you're trying to be nitpicky with your work, but this is no life.

Live a proper human life, even if that means compromising on your work.

If I do that, it'll be all over for me.

The readers will leave me instantly.

That can't be the case. Your method is just wrong.

What do you know, Miss?

At the very least, this is wrong.

You're just making the quality hostage,

and running away from proper communication.

I can only see you as blaming someone else for something you can't get good at.

It'll come back biting you in the end.

Could you say that after selling more than 50 million copies?!

That's what I've been fighting for!

I'm desperately doing my best every week under heavy expectations!

I don't want to hear it from someone who is only doing monthly titles!

So you can say it now.

Not a lot of artists can rebut after being told that in this business.

That was a sound argument.

Sure, I'm not as popular as you...

But sorry to say, I draw more interesting stuff!

The refreshing manga coming from your relying on your taste?

Sure, it might actually be fresh to the readers!

But that's not essentially entertaining!

Huh?!

There it is!

The self-proclaimed pro who thinks that flattering the readers is entertainment!

Your methods are so old,

you thought using fixed formulas is the mainstream!

That's exactly what Tokyo Blade has been like these days!

The 12th volume catering more to the readers is honestly a freak show!

What's up with coupling Toki and Tsurugi?!

Did the readers overwhelm you that you half-assedly shoved it in?

Don't you draw half-assed stuff!

That's awful...

I tried to answer to their expectations in my own way...

Did I hit jackpot?!

So the readers' opinion bewildered you?!

Did you forget who taught you everything about entertainment?!

I can see right through you!

You're getting soft as well, right...

I watched the "Sweet Today" TV drama!

That was awful!

Don't you have pride for allowing that?!

It bugs me so much when someone frankly tells me that.

Everyone's working their hardest on their own!

Well, it'll be ideal if it all goes successfully!

They praised you for being a genius, so you might have forgotten this.

REJECTED STORYBOARD We both draw three stories,

REJECTED STORYBOARD and two will be boring!

You only have a 30% batting average, but you always expect perfection from others!

What a selfish brat!

But you left the TV drama work to others too much!

Well, yeah!

There are things I'm bad at, since I'm an introvert at heart!

If you're an introvert, then what am I?!

If I'm not an artist, I'll just be a shut-in social misfit!

I heard you had lunch with the cast for Tokyo Blade in your house!

That's unfair, you extrovert!

You can do that much, can't you?!

No way I can!

I can't get along with people unlike you!

I also want to...

Ugh, quit weeping and get to work already!

How long has it been since you drew backgrounds?!

I'll reject it if you screw up the perspective!

Don't you look down on me! I've been a pro for many years, mind you!

BIKE DELIVERY

I've been wondering about this...

I thought I was done for this week,

but somehow I managed it in time...

I wonder why.

Even if rotten, we draw manga for a living, right?

We have our pride.

It was also awful at your place right before the deadline...

We started from 9 AM to 4 AM the next morning.

I'm really sorry for the "Sweet Today" days.

It's kind of lax now.

I'm sorry as well...

I've been sleep deprived and multitasking...

My head's not spinning right...

I said a lot of awful things...

It's okay. I went over the line too.

But if you say that to someone else, they'll break up with you instantly,

so be careful.

How do I get along with people?

Step up to the plate.

TOKYO BLADE Mixed media is a collaborative work.

TOKYO BLADE It's an assembly of work you can't do alone.

It's an assembly of work you can't do alone.

No matter the final results, it's not like my work became boring on screen.

If it ends up well, just think of it as a bargain.

But, I hated "Sweet Today"'s TV drama...

I love your work...

It should've been more amazing.

SWEET TODAY

SWEET TODAY I'll be in your care from today.

I'm not really good at backgrounds,

but I'll do my best.

I'm your big fan.

It's my dream to be an artist like you.

"Sweet Today" is the most interesting comic book in the world!

I don't want my favourite title to be defiled...

I'm the one who understands it most...

Good grief...

You can't just speak your mind out loud every time.

You poor awkward girl.

I'LL GO WITH SWEET TODAY

That TV drama...

I'LL GO WITH SWEET TODAY

I'LL GO WITH SWEET TODAY I think I'm glad they did it.

I'LL GO WITH SWEET TODAY

Aqua, the actor for Toki, told me to give you this.

It might be a useful reference for writing a stage play script.

EPISODE 14: REWRITING