*Your Lie in April* had moved many readers to tears, earning Claire, Ren's student, much praise. Meanwhile, Ren's own works were also in the spotlight, but they were met with a mix of admiration and frustration from readers.
One major source of this frustration was Ren's manga *Katekyō Hitman Reborn!*.
This series had garnered a lot of attention, especially since many male fans still cherished the gangster movies from Hong Kong. When they learned that Ren's new work was also about a mafia family, they believed that the genre was about to experience a resurgence.
Ren had a reputation for innovation in manga genres. His previous works, like *Your Name* in the romance genre, had been hailed as masterpieces. *Madoka Magica* was considered the progenitor of dark magical girl stories. *Cooking Master Boy* reached the pinnacle of culinary manga, and *Fullmetal Alchemist* had even won an Oscar, albeit for Best Foreign Language Animation, showcasing the power of the story. And of course, his work on series like *Ultraman* and *Kamen Rider* had been equally influential.
Given Ren's track record, expectations for *Katekyō Hitman Reborn!* were sky-high. But when the series started, it didn't quite meet those expectations. Readers had hoped for a story filled with intense mafia battles and deep, dramatic themes. Instead, what they got felt more like a light-hearted comedy.
Initially, some fans believed that, just like with *Madoka Magica*, the story would take a darker turn after a few chapters. So even as the series progressed and seemed more comedic, these fans defended Ren, trusting in his storytelling.
But now, nearly twenty chapters in, the anticipated shift to a more serious tone had yet to happen. The story was fun, but where was the intense, action-packed plot they were promised?
Yes, the story had its mafia elements, and the protagonist was the heir to a powerful mafia family. There were battles, too, but they were often resolved quickly and lacked the epic scale that many fans were hoping for. It seemed more like a comedy series with some light action scenes.
Fans began to express their frustration online.
"This is false advertising, isn't it? Should we report this to the Consumer Protection Agency?"
"Let's demand a refund!"
"He's run out of ideas. What a waste of money!"
However, there were still fans who stood by Ren.
"Porter, we trust you! *Katekyō Hitman Reborn!* is a fun manga, and I really like it. And since you said it's a shōnen battle manga, I believe you won't deceive us with just a comedy. But could you speed up the story a bit? I know you're trying to build up the tension, but it's taking a while!"
For these loyal fans, Ren responded seriously, reassuring them: "*Katekyō Hitman Reborn!* is definitely a shōnen battle manga, no doubt about it. And in the next issue, you'll see a big change in the story!"
With Ren's promise, readers eagerly awaited the next chapters, 19 and 20, hoping for the shift he mentioned.
The week passed, and fans quickly grabbed the new issue. They had high expectations after Ren's words. However, after reading chapter 19, they felt let down once again.
In this chapter, a new boy named Futa, who has the ability to rank anything, was introduced. Because of this ability, he became a target for the mafia. Readers thought this might be the moment when the story would take a darker turn. Would Tsuna, the protagonist, have to fight off another mafia family to protect Futa? Would this be the start of a larger conflict?
But the story didn't unfold as they imagined. Sure, there were other mafia members, but they seemed more like street thugs than real threats. The brief fight scene at the end of the chapter only added to their disappointment, as the bulk of the chapter focused on the daily lives of the characters.
The fans, frustrated, took to the internet to voice their opinions, even before reading chapter 20.
"What's going on, Porter? You said the story would change in this issue!"
In the comments section of *Katekyō Hitman Reborn!*, fans expressed their disappointment. For the first time, Ren had let them down.
"Exactly! We were expecting an epic mafia showdown, and all we got was another scene where Tsuna gets shot with a Dying Will Bullet, his clothes explode, and he shouts 'Reborn!' It was fun at first, but now it's just overdone. I don't want to keep reading this!"
The complaints grew louder.
"I still believe in Ren. It's too early to give up now. Maybe he's planning a big twist in the next chapter."
"You don't have to believe blindly. There will definitely be a big change in the next chapter! Porter said this issue would have a big change, but he never said it would be in chapter 19!"
That's right—chapter 19 marked the end of the first part, the "Daily Life Arc." But the story of *Katekyō Hitman Reborn!* was far from over. In fact, it was about to shift dramatically from a comedic series to a full-blown shōnen battle manga.
In chapter 20, readers were greeted with a shocking scene. One of the coolest and most aloof characters from the Daily Life Arc, Hibari, saw his underclassmen in the disciplinary committee being attacked on the streets.
At first, readers thought it was just someone seeking revenge on the disciplinary committee. But soon, another attack targeted Kyoko's older brother, Ryohei.
As the attacks on students escalated, Hibari went to confront the attackers alone, defeating a gang of thugs single-handedly. But then, a new character appeared—someone with a distinctive pineapple-shaped hairstyle, reminding readers of another character from *Naruto*.
However, this "pineapple head" in *Katekyō Hitman Reborn!* was far more sinister. Sitting on a sofa, with shadows accentuating his menacing aura, he exuded a strong sense of being a true antagonist.
And then there were his eyes. His pupils displayed numbers, first a six, then a one.
Readers knew this wasn't just a mistake by Ren. Ever since the concept of the Dying Will Flame was introduced, they knew that this world had its own set of supernatural powers. The question now was, who was stronger—this "pineapple head" or Hibari?
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