Chapter 7: The Serialization Meeting [ 1]
Alex stood at the head of the conference room. He didn't hold any papers. The outline and key points had been burned into his memory over the last few days of relentless rehearsal. He didn't need notes.
"The core of Silver Spoon," Alex began, his voice clear and steady, cutting through the low hum of the air conditioning, "is the story of a city boy, Yugo Hachiken, growing up after entering the Ooezo Agricultural High School."
The room was quiet. Twelve editors stared back at him. Some were taking notes; others leaned back with skeptical expressions.
"The current market is saturated with battle manga, fantasy adventures, and high school romances," Alex continued, making eye contact with the senior staff. "Agricultural themes are nonexistent. That is a risk, but it is also a massive opportunity."
Editor-in-Chief Lee, sitting at the center of the long mahogany table, raised his eyes slightly but didn't interrupt.
"An agricultural theme might seem niche, but it has three inherent advantages." Alex ticked them off on his fingers.
"First: Authenticity. Farms, fields, livestock—these are things everyone knows exist but few understand deeply. Authenticity breeds curiosity and credibility."
"Second: Educational Value. Where does food come from? How does the livestock industry work? This knowledge has natural value. It attracts schools, libraries, and parents who usually hate manga."
"Third: Emotional Resonance." He slowed his pace for emphasis. "Hachiken is an ordinary teenager. He's not a chosen one. He's not a genius. His confusion, his struggle, his slow, painful growth—these are universal experiences. Readers will see themselves in him."
A few heads nodded. Others remained stoic.
"But a unique theme isn't enough," Alex pivoted. "The key is the story itself. Silver Spoon operates on three narrative tracks."
He held up one finger. "Track One: Growth. Hachiken's journey from rejection to acceptance, from being lost to finding a direction."
Two fingers. "Track Two: Knowledge. Through specific farm work—milking, raising pigs, making cheese—we introduce agricultural science without it being a textbook. The knowledge serves the plot."
Three fingers. "Track Three: Relationships. The changing dynamic between Hachiken, his classmates, and his family. Bonds forged through labor."
He paused for three seconds, letting the structure sink in.
"Next, the characters." Alex opened the first manuscript and placed it on the podium.
"The protagonist, Yugo Hachiken. Introverted, academic, slightly neurotic. He's bad at expressing himself, but he's observant and hardworking. His charm is his 'reality'—he's a normal kid who gets scared and hesitates."
He flipped to Chapter 2.
"The supporting cast. Komaba—the muscular, stoic athlete who dreams of being a pro baseball player to save his family farm. Mikage—the pragmatic girl who loves horses but feels trapped by her family's legacy. These aren't just NPCs; they have their own arcs."
Suddenly, Chief Lee spoke up. His voice was gravelly.
"The protagonist isn't hot-blooded. He doesn't fight. Will that alienate our core demographic?"
The classic question. Alex knew it was coming. In this industry, if your MC didn't scream their ideology while punching someone, they were considered "weak."
"Hot-blooded is a style, but it's not the only style," Alex answered without flinching. "Silver Spoon showcases a different kind of strength. Not the strength of a sudden power-up, but the strength of daily accumulation. Hachiken's charm is in his failures. His shaking hands when he delivers a piglet, his genuine smile when he finally milks a cow—those quiet victories strike harder than a punch."
Chief Lee didn't smile, but he nodded slowly, signaling him to continue.
"Next, visual style." Alex pointed to a page in Chapter 3. "I use a lot of extreme close-ups, high and low angles, and 'negative space'."
He pointed to panel one. "Here—Hachiken entering the barn. Extreme close-up on his white knuckles gripping the door frame. It conveys tension without dialogue."
He pointed to another. "Here, low angle looking up at a tractor. It makes the machine look like a monster, emphasizing Hachiken's feeling of smallness."
"And here—" He flipped to the end of Chapter 3. "Negative space. Hachiken looking at the night sky. The boy is tiny in the corner; the rest is just vast, starry darkness. It gives the reader room to think."
A murmur rippled through the room. One editor whispered to his neighbor.
Sue Vance sat perfectly still, but her hands were clasped tightly under the table.
"This style is different from the dense, action-packed layouts currently popular," Alex admitted. "But it fits the tone. Not every manga needs a sensory bombardment. sometimes, silence speaks louder."
He closed the manuscript. "Finally, market positioning. Silver Spoon targets not just shonen fans, but also older teens and young adults looking for substance. Its differentiation is its weapon."
Alex straightened his back. "That concludes my pitch. Thank you."
The room was silent for a few heartbeats.
"Q&A session," Chief Lee announced. "Who's first?"
A young editor on the left raised his hand. "I'm Wang, from Reader Analytics. You mentioned educational value. But if a manga feels too much like a textbook, readers revolt. How do you balance story and facts?"
Good question. The "edutainment" trap.
"The key is to 'storify' the facts," Alex replied. "Take milking a cow. I don't just show a diagram of an udder. I show Hachiken failing, getting kicked, getting frustrated, and finally succeeding. The reader doesn't remember the technical grip; they remember Hachiken's relief. The fact becomes a vehicle for character development."
Wang nodded and scribbled in his notebook.
Next was a middle-aged woman with glasses. "I'm Zhao, Layout. Your use of negative space means less content per page. With limited page counts, won't the plot move too slowly?"
"It is a risk," Alex conceded. "So I adjusted the pacing. Every chapter has at least one concrete plot progression—learning a skill, resolving a minor conflict. The negative space is reserved for emotional beats, not padding."
"Can you give an example?"
"Chapter 4, the pig farming arc. Originally, I planned two chapters. I compressed it to one and a half by adding a conflict—Hachiken and Komaba arguing about cleaning duties, resolving it by delivering piglets together. It adds drama and keeps the pace tight."
Zhao pushed up her glasses. "Understood. But be warned: reader surveys are brutal. If you don't hook them in three chapters, you might not get a fourth."
"I know. That's why Chapter 3 ends with his first tangible success—the milking. It gives the reader a win."
The questions kept coming.
Why isn't the MC handsome? ("Relatability creates empathy.")
What about the age demographic? ("Broad appeal.")
Is the art style consistent? ("Yes.")
Alex answered them all, concise and clear. He noticed Sue stayed silent, letting him fight his own battles.
Finally, Chief Lee checked his watch. "One last question."
(To be Continued)