Chapter 347 - 346: Conversations and Year-End

During the first half of November, Haruto took a business trip abroad. Under the arrangements of his international partners, he hosted two fan meet-and-greets.

The ACG industry in this world was currently in a stage of aggressive global exportation, a situation very similar to the Golden Age in the parallel world. While the enthusiast subculture might not be as concentrated in individual overseas countries as it was domestically, the combined sales and revenue from the rest of the world actually exceeded the local market itself. In fact, for most of Haruto's past works, international earnings consistently outperformed domestic ones.

Haruto's two-week tour allowed him to bask in the fervent passion of his global fanbase, a journey meticulously documented by the media back home.

During this time, the serialization of Slam Dunk, Fullmetal Alchemist, Hunter x Hunter, Sword Art Online and others continued without pause.

Furthermore, this month marked the beginning of the promotional campaign for Pokemon, a project Haruto had been quietly incubating for nearly a year. The tie-in anime was scheduled to launch in April of the coming year, while the debut game would not hit shelves until the end of next year. The anime was essentially serving as a massive, long-term warm-up for the software launch.

Haruto didn't have unrealistic expectations for immediate ratings or sales.

A franchise like Pokemon required a slow burn to build up a massive foundation of popularity before it eventually exploded into a global phenomenon. Expecting the first generation of games or the early anime episodes to instantly surpass the records of Slam Dunk or Madoka Magica was statistically improbable. Nevertheless, Haru-Yuki Animation's heavy investment in the Pokemon marketing campaign caught the attention of Haruto's fanbase.

"Pocket Monsters? What a bizarre name!"

"I checked the Haru-Yuki official site, and it actually looks pretty interesting. It seems to be a creature-collection series set in an alternate world, focusing on battles between these supernatural monsters."

"Wait, so it's not about people fighting?"

"Doesn't look like it, but the monsters they've revealed are incredibly cute."

"Looking at the roadmap, it seems like the main focus of this project is actually the game."

"A game? So Haruto is finally making a serious move in the gaming industry?"

"It was only a matter of time. He's already conquered light novels, manga, and anime. There's no way he was going to stay away from the most profitable sector of the entertainment business forever."

"He probably stayed away until now because game development requires massive upfront capital and has a much longer investment cycle. Now that he's a mogul in his own right, he can invest however he wants."

"True. Writing a novel or drawing a manga just takes time, and you can submit it to a publisher who handles the distribution costs."

"Even producing an anime like Madoka Magica can be done on a relatively modest budget. But games are a different beast. The marketing requires hundreds of millions of yen just to make a dent in the public consciousness."

"That explains why he waited until now to dive in."

"Isn't he a bit late to the party, though?"

"Late? The man is only twenty-three! Most people his age haven't even finished their first year at a corporate job. How could you possibly think he's late?"

"I just mean it would have been an incredible synergy if he had launched games alongside Madoka Magica, Code Geass, or Edgerunners. The anime could have funneled fans into the games, and the games could have funded more anime. To be honest, I'd still kill for a Madoka RPG."

"When you put it that way, it is a bit of a missed opportunity. Even if he goes back and makes games for those IPs now, the impact won't be nearly as strong as it would have been at the height of their popularity."

"So, do you think Pokemon is going to be his big bang in the gaming world? Is he planning to become the king of games too?"

"That seems unlikely. Pokemon feels more like an experimental test run."

"That makes sense. If you look at his light novels, he didn't really hit his legendary stride until his third or fourth series. Same with his anime; Madoka was his third major production. He'll probably put out a few experimental games before he drops a massive AAA blockbuster."

"Personally, I think a Cyberpunk game would be the most exciting prospect. Not necessarily a retelling of the anime's story, but an open-world game where players can explore the city themselves. That would be incredible."

"Definitely. When you think about it, Haru-Yuki Animation is sitting on a gold mine. He could just live off the royalties and remakes of his past works for the next decade if he wanted to."

"For real. And I saw that Haru-Yuki just opened up live-action film and TV drama departments. It's highly likely that he is planning to bring his older hits to the big screen with real actors."

"Wait, really?"

"If they make a live-action Madoka, I will officially worship the ground he walks on."

"Haru-Yuki is truly the GOAT. They understand exactly what the fans want."

"I don't care if it's 'reheated leftovers.' I love leftovers. Give it to me!"

"Man, this news just made my whole night."

"What about Initial D? I need to see a live-action version drifting down the mountain for real."

"Let's get a live-action Sword Art Online too! I want to see a real Starburst Stream."

"Haha, if we're going that far, I want a Fullmetal Alchemist movie. Honestly, I feel like FMA is only a perfect ending away from being his greatest masterpiece."

By mid-November, the promotional blitz for the Pokemon game and anime had energized the fanbase. Through these discussions, many people were only just beginning to realize the sheer scale of the empire Haruto had built.

In the worlds of manga and light novels, Haruto couldn't fly entirely solo.

The nationwide distribution networks of giants like Kiyozawa Library and Prime Manga took years to establish.

That kind of infrastructure isn't something you can simply build overnight by throwing money at it. This was why Haruto was happy to share his IP rights with established publishers for a win-win partnership.

In the realm of animation, however, Haru-Yuki was already one of the top-tier production houses. With a strategic partnership with Tokyo TV1, their promotional reach was second to none. The upcoming live-action adaptations would likely air on the same network, further solidifying their dominance. With the success of the To the Moon film under his belt and a new foray into the gaming industry, Haruto's company now spanned across anime, games, TV dramas, and film.

With over a thousand employees and tens of billion yen in liquid assets, the company was a titan. Yet, the most valuable part of Haru-Yuki wasn't the cash in the bank; it was the intellectual property. Even though series like Madoka Magica had concluded, their value was immortal. If Haruto wanted to produce a live-action drama or a spin-off game, the hype would return instantly, along with massive revenue. The total value of his copyright catalog was likely higher than the company's physical assets.

Many fans began to do the math.

"It's a shame Haru-Yuki Animation isn't a public company. If they were, they'd be the top-performing stock in the entertainment sector."

"Haruto isn't stupid. Why would he need to go public? He has plenty of cash. Why invite a bunch of investors to sit on his board and tell him what to do? Besides, while he's a creative genius, his corporate battle instincts are probably just those of a normal twenty-year-old. If he let the sharks in, he might lose his own company. He's much better off staying private."

"If Haru-Yuki ever did an IPO, I'd sink every yen I have into it. Talk about a growth stock! He's twenty-three and has built a company worth billions. If you held those shares for ten years, you'd be set for life."

"Plenty of venture capitalists have knocked on his door, but he ignores them all. The man doesn't even take out bank loans. An IPO? Not a chance."

"That's a twenty-three-year-old for you. Man, the gap between us is depressing. I'm twenty-three and I've been on over a dozen job interviews and gotten rejected. Is it really this hard to find an entry-level job?"

"Don't even get me started. I graduated and it's already November and I'm still searching. Then I look at Haruto. I can't even be jealous. The gap is just too vast. I can only admire him."

"It's rare to see a comment section about a wealthy person be this civil. Doesn't anyone here resent the wealth?"

"I don't resent his money because it's clear he didn't get it through luck, connections, or family inheritance. He came from a humble background and grew up in a tough environment. He reached this point solely through his own talent. People only hate wealth when it's unearned or obtained unfairly. But for someone like Haruto who built it with his bare hands? You can't hate that."

"True."

"I have a feeling his life is only just beginning. We think this is his peak, but it might just be the starting line. In ten or twenty years, will Haru-Yuki be the single largest entertainment conglomerate, spanning everything from anime to live-action blockbusters?"

"Given his current quality and output? It won't take ten years. Five years, tops."

As Haruto's focus shifted away from public appearances and moved toward corporate matters, a sense of mystique began to grow around him.

By the end of the year, the moves made by Haru-Yuki Animation had the gaming and film industries on high alert.

Years ago, they wouldn't have thought twice about a young creator entering their turf. But today, the pressure Haruto exerted on them was undeniable.

By late November, Haruto had returned to Tokyo and settled back into his routine. Truth be told, he found the process of serializing long-running works to be somewhat tedious. Sword Art Online had been running for a long time and was still in the middle of the Alicization arc. It would likely take another year or two to conclude. Writing the weekly manuscripts no longer felt like a passion project; it felt like a job.

The same went for the storyboards for Hunter x Hunter and the scripts for Slam Dunk, Fullmetal Alchemist, Monogatari, and Gurren Lagann. Haruto had already seen all this content in his mind; he knew every plot twist and character beat. He used to find joy in watching the ratings climb, but now that his works consistently occupied the top four slots every week without fail, the thrill had faded. Even when the rankings fluctuated slightly, he was essentially just competing with himself.

This was when he truly began to admire the creators from his memories who had spent decades on a single work. They were worth millions, yet they still sat down every day to painstakingly draw their manga. Unlike Haruto, who felt like something was missing now that he had reached the summit and had no rivals left.

Haruto couldn't quite relate to the relentless work ethic of some, but he could certainly understand why others might prefer to spend their time at leisure. If you could earn tens of millions of yen a year just by resting, most people would choose comfort over ten hours a day on a manuscript. The difference in quality of life between rich enough to retire and even richer was negligible compared to the massive improvement in daily comfort.

"Is this what they call the loneliness of the summit? Am I becoming lazy?" Haruto closed his laptop and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

He left his office and wandered through the halls of the company. On every floor, hundreds of employees greeted him with a mix of excitement and reverence. Every worker knew that it was Haruto's creative vision that was providing their livelihood. The company could function without any one of them, but it would collapse without Haruto. Their loyalty was absolute.

He eventually found his way to Yukino's office. She was buried under a mountain of development reports. Yukino had been an indispensable force in Haru-Yuki Animation's growth. Haruto's energy was finite; he had to focus on the creative side and only participate in major corporate decisions. Yukino and her team handled the grueling logistics. While Haruto handled the content, Yukino handled the expansion.

Together, they had built the titan that Haru-Yuki was today.

"Oh, look who decided to visit me today." Yukino sat at her desk, a beautiful smile lighting up her face as Haruto walked in.

"I finished my work for the day and thought I'd see how you were doing," Haruto said casually.

"You? Finished with work?" Yukino teased. "I know you. You've just started dumping all the non-essential stuff on your subordinates."

"Of course. Otherwise, why am I paying so many people? If I tried to micromanage every detail, I'd go insane. You should do the same, Yukino. These corporate matters are too tedious. I can find more executives to help you. Don't push yourself too hard."

"I can't," Yukino said, shaking her head. "I might not be as experienced as the top tier managers, but I'm the only one who will never betray you. I feel better handling the core stuff myself."

She looked at him pointedly. "You should be more careful about these things, Haruto. In business, trust is a rare commodity."

Haruto thought about it for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "A year really does fly by, doesn't it?"

"It does. It's almost December. In another month or two, it'll be exactly seven years since the day I met you," Yukino said softly, leaning her cheek against her hand.

"Seven years..." Haruto fell silent. Normally, he didn't think much of it, but realizing he had been in this industry for seven years made him feel the weight of time.

"I never would have guessed," Yukino said, looking at him. "Seven years ago, you were just a high school sophomore who didn't know the first thing about the business. Now, you're the undisputed king of entertainment. I'm starting to think my talent scout instincts are legendary. I plucked you out of a sea of people."

Haruto thought for a second and then laughed. "Most likely. If you hadn't taken that chance on me, I probably would have struggled much more at the start."

"So it's my fault the other publishers missed out on a once-in-a-century opportunity," Yukino joked. She stood up from her chair and walked over to the sofa where Haruto was sitting. She sat down close to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Destiny is funny. It changes on an unremarkable afternoon. If I hadn't been the one to handle your submission... I probably never would have met you."

Haruto put his arm around her. "Luck is often just another word for inevitability. The point is, we're here now. And next year, we're getting married."

At the mention of marriage, Yukino's heart rate spiked and a flush crept onto her cheeks.

"Married..."

"Yeah. Married."

"What do you think your millions of fans will do when they hear the news?"

"I'd like to think a few million of them will congratulate me."

"I'm just worried I'll become public enemy number one for all your female fans," Yukino teased.

"Don't worry. They'll love you. You're far too charming for them to hate," Haruto said.

"Gross. Where did this sudden sweet talk come from? It's weird."

"Get used to it. We have the rest of our lives."

Their break passed in quiet conversation. By the afternoon, they were both submerged in their respective duties once more.

By December, Slam Dunk had finally reached the heat of the match against Shoyo High. The ratings for the show spiked to an impressive 6.78% as the game reached its climax.

However, despite this incredible performance, Slam Dunk was consistently being outperformed throughout November by another titan.

Fullmetal Alchemist.

Having aired since January, Fullmetal Alchemist was now eleven months and over forty episodes into its run. The world-building was complete, and every key player had taken the stage.

Fullmetal Alchemist was a series that started with a slow, deliberate burn, meticulously laying the foundation of its setting and rules. But the late-game was where it achieved godhood.

The desperate struggle against the Homunculi and the revelation of the truth behind the world had pushed the popularity to dizzying heights. Its ratings had soared to 6.85%.

This number was highly significant.

It was agonizingly close to the 7.0% threshold, a feat that no anime in the history of television had ever achieved for a series average.

As Fullmetal Alchemist approached its grand finale, the entire nation was holding its breath. Could this be it? Could Fullmetal Alchemist not only shatter the records set by Code Geass but also achieve the impossible and push the medium of television anime into the 7% realm?

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