It was evening.
Claire took out the comic book she had bought that day.
Suddenly, something fell out from between the pages. Claire unfolded it and discovered it was the poster that had been hanging in the bookstore.
Besides that poster, there was another one with a comet streaking across the sky and a boy and a girl turned away from her.
"It's so beautiful!" Even though she had seen the poster in the bookstore, Claire couldn't help but marvel again.
Just for such a beautiful poster, Claire felt she had gotten her money's worth.
However, the poster wasn't the key; the content was what mattered most.
Just having beautiful artwork wasn't enough if the content was lacking.
After all, some of the great artists on the internet also had very appealing art styles.
She looked down at the comic; the cover was also that of the characters from "Your Name."
This made her reflect on how much Picca Comics must value this particular issue of "Your Name."
"Could it be some famous artist using an alias?" Claire muttered to herself and began to read.
Of course, she had a habit of saving the best for last, just like she liked to save the strawberries for last when eating a strawberry cake.
First, she checked out the other comics in the magazine.
The quality was the same as before, readable, but nothing that particularly dazzled her.
So, she quickly flipped through the magazine until only the main story was left.
"I hope 'Your Name' is not like those other comics."
At the beginning, she thought, just like Jada, that it was a clichéd story of childhood friends meeting again after many years and becoming lovers.
This initially disappointed her; she had hoped this comic would stand out.
But such a storyline, she had seen it hundreds if not thousands of times before.
If it really was that clichéd, beyond the artwork, there wouldn't be much reason to continue buying Picca Comics as it couldn't serve as the backbone of the magazine.
However, having spent money on it, despite her dissatisfaction, Claire continued to read.
And with that, her attention was completely captured by the plot, and her expression occasionally showed confusion.
"Wow! What an idea!" It wasn't until she reached the last page of the comic that she realized there was no more.
The first chapter of the comic was drawn from the perspectives of both a boy and a girl, and you needed to read to the end to understand the whole story.
The first chapter introduced a girl named Mitsuha who dreams she has turned into a boy.
In the dream, she encounters unfamiliar rooms and friends, and the streets of Tokyo. Though Mitsuha is puzzled, being able to experience the urban life she has longed for exhilarates her.
Meanwhile, a high school boy named Taki in Tokyo has a strange dream where he finds himself in an unknown rural village as a high school girl.
What happens next? What kind of story will unfold between these two who have swapped bodies?
What does the initial mention of forgetting signify?
Why does the comic end abruptly here?
"No way! I need to read it again!"
Claire muttered to herself in her room, increasingly curious about what happens next.
While inwardly cursing the author, she picked up her phone and posted a message in a comic enthusiast group.
Little Fairy Watching Comics: "Speaking of which, has anyone read Picca Comics? There's a masterpiece in it!"
Oni Ninja Alisha: "Picca Comics? That magazine's a lost cause, everything they've put out recently has been trash. Didn't buy it."
Night Duty Teacher: "I haven't read it either. Speaking of which, the newly appeared Jiaron Comics have quite a few good ones."
Ghost Dad Mistress: "That's for sure, even some of the veterans from the big five have been pulled over by Jiaron."
"..."
Not many people in the group knew much about Picca Comics.
No wonder, the content in recent times really hadn't been engaging enough to hold interest, even those who initially supported it had become disheartened after a few issues.
But just as Claire was feeling a bit down, suddenly a message popped up.
Wanderer: "Are you talking about 'Your Name'? I've read it, and it's really good. The art and paneling are excellent. I suspect it's some big shot's alias."
Seeing this name surprised Claire; Wanderer was a big name in the group, not a comic artist but a well-known illustrator.
She quickly responded: "Yes, that's the one I'm talking about, 'Your Name'. Great concept and beautiful art!!"
This piqued the interest of the others in the group.
"Your Name? I'll remember that."
"If a big shot says it's good, it must be okay, right? Anyone
has it? Lend it to me."
"I just bought it, but haven't read it yet. I'll have to check it out."
The group suddenly became lively.
Watching the conversation unfold, Claire nodded in satisfaction and put away the comic, concealing her achievements.
After cleaning her hair in the bathroom, she prepared to go to sleep.
However, dressed in her little panda pajamas, she couldn't fall asleep for a while as her mind kept replaying the comic, finding it more and more intriguing.
For the first time, she was eager to discuss the plot with her school friends the next day.
"Wouldn't it be great if this comic was made into an anime?" Suddenly, the idea popped into her head.
...
In an apartment in Poetry City.
"It's a male and female body swap? Very creative!" Xena's voice could be heard in the room.
In her hands was a Picca Comic.
Passing by a bookstore on her way home from work, she remembered today was the day the man she met recently, Ren, was releasing his comic.
Although it was just a brief encounter and they hadn't contacted each other after exchanging numbers, she remembered this comic because she had also contributed to it.
She had bought a copy on a whim.
It had to be said, while the other comics were pretty average, the section by Ren, both in terms of art style and content quality, stood out significantly from the rest in the magazine.
Even someone her age was captivated by the comic.
"Wait, why am I critiquing my own age?" But quickly, Xena paused.
She seemed to have inadvertently insulted herself? What did she mean 'her age'? She was only in her twenties, the prime of her life!
But quickly she remembered what she had seen in the bookstore today.
Regarding Picca Comics, she was aware that due to poaching of their talent, there had been a series of negative reactions, causing a significant drop in sales.
And for several issues, this trend had continued, causing a severe loss of original readers. Today at the bookstore, she noticed that there were significantly fewer people buying it compared to other comics.
"Should I help you out?" Remembering the handsome man, Xena murmured and then picked up her phone to make a call.
If she remembered correctly, she knew someone who was highly skilled in this area. If he could promote it, maybe it could boost sales?