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Entertainment Creator System: Building an Anime Empire

Chapter 78: The Finalist Interview · Oct 10, 2026

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Chapter List (176)

Page number / 4

51 Chapter 51: The - That Broke 2026-10-10
52 Chapter 52: Yui Tanaka 2026-10-10
53 Chapter 53: The Worst Advice 2026-10-10
54 Chapter 54: The Deadline 2026-10-10
55 Chapter 55: The Missed Deadline 2026-10-10
56 Chapter 56: The Price of Being Right 2026-10-10
57 Chapter 57: The Schedule Collapse 2026-10-10
58 Chapter 58: Yui’s Problem 2026-10-10
59 Chapter 59: The Wrong Choice 2026-10-10
60 Chapter 60: Ren 2026-10-10
61 Chapter 61: The Price of a Tool 2026-10-10
62 Chapter 62: The New Name 2026-10-10
63 Chapter 63: Mizuno Rei 2026-10-10
64 Chapter 64: Orientation 2026-10-10
65 Chapter 65: Akari Sato 2026-10-10
66 Chapter 66: The Cost of Debt 2026-10-10
67 Chapter 67: Hayato Kanzaki 2026-10-10
68 Chapter 68: Matchups 2026-10-10
69 Chapter 69: Rina Kobayashi 2026-10-10
70 Chapter 70: The First Round 2026-10-10
71 Chapter 71: The Cost of Winning 2026-10-10
72 Chapter 72: The Semifinal Opponent 2026-10-10
73 Chapter 73: The Interview 2026-10-10
74 Chapter 74: Semifinal Pressure 2026-10-10
75 Chapter 75: The Margin 2026-10-10
76 Chapter 76: The Wrong Victory 2026-10-10
77 Chapter 77: Akari’s Choice 2026-10-10
78 Chapter 78: The Finalist Interview 2026-10-10
79 Chapter 79: Publisher Eyes 2026-10-10
80 Chapter 80: The Final 2026-10-10
81 Chapter 81: The Winner 2026-10-10
82 Chapter 82: Publisher Politics 2026-10-10
83 Chapter 83: Hayato’s Question 2026-10-10
84 Chapter 84: Sora Tachibana 2026-10-10
85 Chapter 85: The First Offer 2026-10-10
86 Chapter 86: Distance 2026-10-10
87 Chapter 87: The Wrong Question 2026-10-10
88 Chapter 88: The Breakthrough 2026-10-10
89 Chapter 89: The Offer War 2026-10-10
90 Chapter 90: What Yui Didn’t Say 2026-10-10
91 Chapter 91: The Purchase 2026-10-10
92 Chapter 92: The Wrong Decision 2026-10-10
93 Chapter 93: Cracks 2026-10-10
94 Chapter 94: Public 2026-10-10
95 Chapter 95: Damage 2026-10-10
96 Chapter 96: The Rewrite 2026-10-10
97 Chapter 97: The First Leak 2026-10-10
98 Chapter 98: The Source 2026-10-10
99 Chapter 99: The Offer He Should Refuse 2026-10-10
100 Chapter 100: The Choice 2026-10-10

Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Finalist Interview

The platform scheduled the finalist interview three days before the final.

Haruki immediately hated the idea.

Not because interviews were difficult.

Because interviews created evidence.

Evidence lasted forever.

Every awkward answer.

Every nervous pause.

Every accidental statement.

Permanent.

The internet never forgot.

At least not when forgetting would be convenient.

The studio occupied the top floor of a media building overlooking central Tokyo.

Large windows.

Bright lights.

Too many cameras.

Haruki arrived twenty minutes early.

Aoi arrived twenty-two minutes early.

Naturally.

The rival sat in a corner reviewing notes.

Actually reviewing notes.

Not pretending.

Haruki found that mildly disturbing.

”Studying?”

Aoi looked up.

”Preparing.”

Of course.

The distinction sounded important to him.

Before Haruki could respond, a producer approached.

”Five minutes.”

Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

The interview format seemed simple.

Two finalists.

One host.

One live audience.

Nothing dangerous.

Which usually meant something dangerous would happen.

The audience slowly filled.

Creators.

Editors.

Industry observers.

Readers.

Haruki recognized several faces.

Mizuno.

Takeda.

Akari.

Even Kenji.

Interesting.

No.

Enough.

The habit needed professional treatment.

The host finally walked onto the stage.

The cameras activated.

The broadcast began.

The opening questions felt harmless.

Writing habits.

Career goals.

Creative influences.

Safe territory.

Both finalists answered comfortably.

Then the host smiled.

Haruki immediately became suspicious.

Experienced interviewers only smiled like that before causing problems.

The next question proved him right.

”What is your biggest weakness as a creator?”

The audience became noticeably quieter.

Good question.

Aoi answered first.

Without hesitation.

”I don’t collaborate well.”

Interesting.

The honesty surprised people.

Aoi continued.

”I prefer controlling every stage.”

A pause.

”That’s not always efficient.”

The audience nodded.

Even Mizuno looked mildly impressed.

Then the microphone reached Haruki.

The obvious answer existed.

Missed deadlines.

Process issues.

Schedule problems.

All true.

Incomplete.

Haruki thought for several seconds.

Then answered.

”I chase too many things.”

The words arrived naturally.

The audience listened.

”Tournaments.”

A finger.

”Industry problems.”

Another.

”Growth.”

Another.

”Competition.”

Then:

”Sometimes I forget the manga should be the center.”

Kuroda’s voice echoed faintly in memory.

The manga is the main story.

The answer felt right.

The host seemed pleased.

A dangerous sign.

Because pleased hosts asked harder questions.

The next one arrived immediately.

”What do you think of each other?”

There it was.

The rivalry question.

The internet’s favorite topic.

Aoi answered first again.

”Haruki creates stronger emotional moments.”

The audience blinked.

Apparently they expected hostility.

Aoi wasn’t finished.

”His characters stay with readers.”

Another pause.

”That’s difficult.”

Simple.

Honest.

Unexpected.

The microphone moved toward Haruki.

He looked at Aoi.

Then at the audience.

Then at the camera.

”Aoi works harder than anyone I’ve met.”

Aoi frowned immediately.

Good.

Haruki continued.

”And he’s annoyingly disciplined.”

The audience laughed.

Even Aoi.

Slightly.

The atmosphere relaxed.

For approximately thirty seconds.

Then the host launched a missile.

”If you lose the final, what happens next?”

The question hit harder than expected.

Because it mattered.

The room waited.

Aoi answered first.

”I write the next Chapter.”

Immediate.

Certain.

No hesitation.

The answer earned applause.

Then Haruki’s turn arrived.

The old version of him would’ve said something inspirational.

Something dramatic.

Something designed to sound good.

Instead:

”I complain for a day.”

The audience laughed.

Then:

”And then I write the next Chapter.”

More laughter.

More applause.

The answer felt human.

Not heroic.

Human.

The interview ended shortly afterward.

Photos.

Handshakes.

Closing remarks.

The audience dispersed.

Industry people began networking immediately.

Naturally.

Haruki escaped toward the hallway.

Unfortunately, somebody intercepted him.

A woman in her late twenties.

Professional suit.

Publisher badge.

Not an editor.

Something higher.

The distinction became obvious immediately.

”Haruki Amamiya?”

He nodded.

The woman offered a business card.

”Yamashita Publishing.”

A major publisher.

Much larger than expected.

Haruki accepted the card carefully.

The woman smiled.

”We’ve been watching Threadless Gate.”

The sentence changed the atmosphere instantly.

Not because it guaranteed anything.

Because it made possibilities real.

The conversation remained brief.

Professional.

Polite.

Yet after she left, Haruki looked down at the business card several times.

The industry wasn’t watching anymore.

The industry had started approaching.

A meaningful difference.

Meanwhile, across the hallway, Aoi spoke with a different publisher.

Then another.

Of course.

The guy attracted opportunities the way magnets attracted metal.

The final suddenly felt larger than a tournament.

Not because of rankings.

Because careers were beginning to move.

That evening, Haruki returned home carrying three business cards.

One sponsorship inquiry.

One interview invitation.

And several new worries.

Yui listened patiently while preparing dinner.

Then asked the only question that mattered.

”Did you finish today’s pages?”

Haruki paused.

”...mostly.”

Yui pointed toward the desk.

”Then finish them.”

The advice sounded suspiciously familiar.

Very suspiciously familiar.

The manga is the main story.

Haruki laughed.

Then sat down.

Opened Chapter Twenty.

And returned to work.

Because the final was coming.

The publishers were watching.

The industry was moving.

But Ren still needed his next scene.

And that remained the most important thing of all.

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