For comic fans, the compilation department should be a mysterious and sacred place. Whether it is an immortal masterpiece or a boring waste drowning in the vast sea of books, it is the crystallization of the joint creation of cartoonists and editors. So, why do some works can achieve fame and fortune, while others are just passing by? In addition to the creative talents of the manga artists themselves, it is believed that there is also a close relationship with the "compilation department", which is the place where "committary" manga is produced.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of animation works based on the compilation department. Juvenile comics such as "Dream Eater" and women-oriented works such as "The First First Love in the World of Lu", these works are becoming more and more realistic in the portrayal of the editorial department, and the once mysterious and sacred editorial department has finally been unveiled in front of readers. However, manga is a manga after all, and no matter how real it is, it is a work that has been created.

Next, we will see a few real stories. The three relationships between cartoonists and editors, cartoonists and scriptwriters, and illustrators and novelists are the most conflicting relationships in the process of comic creation. Hopefully, their unpleasant experience can serve as a reminder to everyone not to let these tragedies repeat themselves over and over again.

Compilation disputes: This is the same root, why is it too anxious

"If you don't draw according to what he says, you won't be able to draw it." - Yuu Watase VS "The Legend of the Revolution" former editor-in-charge I

On January 21 of this year, Yuu Watase, the author of "Incredible Games" and "Dream Demon", published an article on his blog "Voice of the Sun and Moon" titled "The original manuscript of the remastered version!" I can't finish drawing" (some of the content has now been removed).

Yuu Watase, who is currently working on the revision of the third volume of the remastered version of "The Legend of the Gods", complained in a blog post about the actions of the editor-in-charge I. She said: "At the beginning, I already had a basic idea of "The Legend of the Revolution" in my heart, and I also told the editor in charge at that time about the future plot development of the story, but now that I look back, he didn't understand my words, my meaning, and my vision at all. He didn't care what I thought, forced me to revise according to his impromptu opinions, and repeatedly asked me to revise the original manuscript, which had to be completely in line with his intentions, otherwise the draft would not be completed. What he didn't understand himself, even if it was very important, deleted it without asking. The first time I encountered this situation, I was confused and haggard, and I felt that I had no desire to create, and I was forced to the point where I wanted to give up drawing manga. The attitude of the editor in charge I brought a lot of pressure to Yuu Watase, so much so that she would have abdominal pain and vomiting after meeting the editor-in-charge, which shows that the psychological pressure has seriously affected her physical condition.

Yuu Watase said that the two famous lines of editor I are "Please think more about the readers" and "I am one of the best editors". The attitude of the editor in charge of I made Yuu Watase physically and mentally exhausted, so much so that he wrote: "I understand Mr. I, I'm tired, if I have to draw according to what you said, then it's not my work, why don't you draw a storyboard for me?" I'll just follow your storyboard. ”

Of course, all this is a thing of the past. Now the editor of "Ge Shen Yu" has been replaced. However, because of the excessive interference of the editor in charge, Yuu Watase was extremely dissatisfied with the opening part of the story, so there was a later remake of "The Legend of the Revolution". Yuu Watase hopes to restore the true story of "The Legend of the Gods" in his heart.

Two days after the blog post was published, on January 23, Yuu Watase deleted the content of the blog post about Editor I. "I misrepresented myself and caused distress to the people involved, so I deleted it," she said. She explained that her original intention was to hope that everyone understood the reason for the remake of "The Legend of the Revolution", and not to complain about the editor in charge.

After the blog post is deleted, the matter can be temporarily closed, but the problems exposed from it are still worth pondering. To what extent should the editor-in-charge interfere with comic works so as not to be overly interfering? What is the bottom line that is acceptable for cartoonists? This matter was a unilateral statement by Yuu Watase from beginning to end, and the editor in charge I did not make any statement, so it is unfair to criticize the editor in charge I at this stage. However, regardless of the merits of the changes proposed by Editor-in-Charge I, he has made cartoonists resist so much, at least in terms of attitude.

As can be seen from the blog post, in order not to disgust the cartoonist, the editor in charge I moved out of the reader's block, often saying "please think more for the reader". In fact, this is correct, and it is also the usual way of the Japanese editor-in-charge, but Yuu Watase's biggest doubt should be that "the editor-in-charge didn't understand what I meant, and didn't understand my conception of the whole story". If the editor-in-charge wants the cartoonist to listen to his own opinion convincingly, he must know the story better than the cartoonist, and not make the cartoonist unwilling to think, "Why should the story I came up with after careful consideration be revised according to the opinion you came up with on the spot?" It would have been easier for the cartoonist to accept that the editor-in-charge had also made the changes after "careful consideration."

When supervising Kunihiko Kihara during the production of the animated version of "Sailor Moon", he said, "I have watched the original work many times, and it can be said that I know the original work better than the original author (Naoko Takeuchi)." The works are the flesh of the cartoonist's heart, and I hope that the surgeon in charge will consider the feelings of "mother" more when he goes under the knife.

Love and Kill: A battle for the rights to a duo's comics

"'Army Rooster' is my independent work." - Illustrated by Ya Shifu Tanaka VS the original Hashimoto Izo

In 2007, the movie "Army Chicken" directed by Zheng Baorui and starring Yu Wenle and Guo Pinchao was released. The original film is actually a Japanese manga of the same name, and the story tells the story of Ryo Narishima, a teenager who was once an honor student, assassinated his parents and was sent to a juvenile hospital for reform, where he was taught by a karate master, learned karate and was released from prison to enter the martial arts world.

This work is different from ordinary fighting manga that promote violence, showing the negative effects of martial arts, pointing out that fighting is a violent method, and also reflecting the dark side of Japanese society and human psychology in the late 90s, and it is a relatively influential work. "Military Chicken" was originally serialized in "Manga Action" (Futabasha) and later transferred to Kodansha's "Evening" to continue serialization, but it was abruptly halted in January 2008.

At that time, the editorial department did not explain the reason for the suspension of serialization, so this incident was called "mystery of the rest" by fans. Later, Yashio Tanaka, who was in charge of painting, posted a blog post on his blog with a photo of Ryo Narishima's figure, saying, "It's been a long time since I saw you. I'm Ryo Narishima. I haven't been there for a long time, but I'm not dead. Something has happened lately. I'll definitely be back, waiting for me. No one can kill me. ”

It wasn't long before everyone finally knew what "something" Michido Tanaka Yashif was talking about. It turned out that he sued the original Hashimoto Izo in court, asking for confirmation of his copyright on "Army Rooster", and asked Hashimoto Izo to return the copyright fee of 150 million yen to himself.

According to reports at the time, Akio Tanaka said, "When it was first serialized, Hashimoto only provided a very simple outline, and I wrote the storyline, characters, and lines in the play by myself. He asserted: "'Army Rooster' is my own independent work. After a long wait, the 2011 "Army Rooster" series finally returned to "Evening". "Army Chicken" has previously published 25 single editions, and on the 26th volume of the subsequent single book, the words "Original: Hashimoto Izo" were deleted.

"Sankei Shimbun" manga columnist Natsume Bonosuke also commented on this matter: "There are few habits in the manga industry to sign contracts, and the division of labor between the original author and the manga artist is also very **. However, copyright income is generally split in half, which is no wonder that it causes dissatisfaction among cartoonists. However, most cartoonists are very honest people, so few people will take them to court. ”

In the process of comic creation, not only the cartoonist and the editor in charge will have conflicts, but even the more intimate relationship between the artist and the original author is prone to friction. From Natsume's words, it can be heard that the best way is to sign a contract in advance, and clearly stipulate the rights and obligations of both parties, so that even if there is a dispute in the future, it will be reasonable.

In fact, similar incidents have occurred not only in Japan, but also in Japan. "Chang'an Phantom Night" broke out a small conflict between the painter Han Lu and the original cousin, and the fuse was because Han Lu was dissatisfied with the cousin of the face to apply for the best comic script award as the original of "Chang'an Phantom Night". Anyway, the most difficult result is that the illustrator of the novel version has changed from Han Lu to a sleeping wolf, and Han Lu has also begun to concentrate on creating a new work "Yanshi Fan".

Regarding the question of how the artist and the script work together, there is a recognized "old husband and wife" in the manga industry, that is, Ken Obata and Oba Thrush, who have collaborated on "Death Notes" and "Dream Eater". These two works are highly praised both in terms of picture and plot, and the combination of the two really achieves a multiplier effect. In "Dream Eater", a work with the theme of manga creation, the way the two male protagonists get along with each other, Takami and Akito, to a certain extent, reflects the real experiences of Ken Obata and Oba Thrush. If the storyboard that Hashimoto Izo handed to Yaschif Tanaka could be as detailed and specific as Oba Thrush, "Army Rooster" may not have been suspended for 3 years. If the painter and the original work could understand and appreciate each other in the process of creation, as Takami and Akito did, there would be no situation where they would fall apart. Of course, the most important thing is to remember to sign a contract.

No human rights? Light novel illustrators are changed frequently

"That's the reason for the editor." - "Lost Cats" changes illustrators

Another popular work of "Listen to Dad" author Song Zhiyang "Lost Cat" (Shueisha SuperDash Bunko 出の版) The single version of all 12 volumes has ended, telling the youth story of the male protagonist Du Zhuqiao and a group of beautiful girls. In April 2010, a TV anime version was also broadcast. As of February 2012, when the finale volume 12 was released, the cumulative circulation of the series had exceeded 2 million copies.

However, unlike other light novels, a total of 4 illustrators have drawn covers for this work. The cover of the first 9 volumes is written by Peco, the 10th volume is the illustrator of "Dragon and Tiger Fight", the 11th volume is Hikawa へきる, and the 12th volume is みつみ Misato. After the announcement of the replacement of the illustrator, there was an uproar on the Internet.

In addition, in August 2011, the editorial department of Shueisha's JUMPSQ. issued a statement announcing that the manga version drawn by Kentaro Yabuki, the author of "Black Cat" and "The Girl of the Bunho", would be discontinued for "some reason". The comic book version of "Lost Cat" has only two single books, and there are two more words that have been serialized in magazines, and they haven't had time to be included in the single book. Shueisha's abrupt announcement of the end of the manga version cannot but be reminiscent of the previous change of illustrators.

So, why did "Lost Cat" suddenly change its illustrator? In a February 2012 online interview, Mr. Song said, "I haven't met Peco since I met him once in Taiwan. Since we can't even see each other, it's certainly impossible to argue. And Peco once brought the first version of "Out of the Bag Girl" to Yabuki (Kentaro) to sign it, and he liked him very much, so it can't be because he was dissatisfied with Yabuki. At this moment, the editor-in-chief of Shueisha SuperDash Bunko suddenly hurriedly interjected, "I'm sorry! None of Matsu-sensei, Peco-sensei, or Yabuki-sensei are responsible for this incident. I'm sorry for the trouble to the teachers.,It's actually a problem with the editor.。 Because I didn't adjust it, I take full responsibility. Please don't ask any more questions about that. ”

So, now the official answer to this matter is "the problem on the editor", but it is not known what exactly went wrong on the editor. Whether Peco was dissatisfied with Shueisha for letting Kentaro Yabuki draw the manga version, and asked to take back the character image he designed, which led to the abrupt end of the manga version, probably only insiders know. However, what we can see is that since then, Peco has moved from Shueisha SuperDash Bunko to MF Bunko J Illustration at Kadokawa Bookstore MEDIAFACTORY. It seems that this change of illustrator caused Peco to end his work with SuperDash Library.

I mention this because I want to tell you that in addition to the relationship between the cartoonist and the editor-in-charge, and between the original manga and the illustrator, illustration is also a place that can easily cause disputes. In fact, there has also been an incident in China that has caused heated discussions, and the reason why it has attracted attention is because this matter involves a very high-energy keyword - Guo Jingming.

In that year, Guo Jingming made a lot of money after becoming famous overnight with "Phantom City", and became the 94th in the comprehensive ranking of the "2004 Chinese Celebrity List" published by Forbes magazine with an annual income of 1.6 million yuan, while Yang Shiyan, who provided 13 illustrations for "Phantom City", only received a total of 1,300 yuan in remuneration. So Yang Shiyan asked to stop the distribution and sales of the "Phantom City" version, apologize and compensate for the economic loss of 100,000 yuan. In this matter, there was also a verbal agreement between Guo Jingming and Yang Shiyan, and Yang Shiyan did not write a receipt after receiving the manuscript fee. The author doesn't know whether Yang Shiyan has been compensated after the most Lu Dao, but the illustrations published in the new edition of "Phantom City" have become new pictures drawn by Lin Xi, the author of "Cangtianlu".

At a time when many novels are bought at a low price, it seems logical to buy out illustrations at a low price. However, this is because light novels are not a profiteering industry now, and the small amount of money is not worth the authors and illustrators and the publishers to tear their faces to pursue. However, once a large number of popular works like "Phantom City" emerge and bring a lot of income to the Izuku Publishing Society, it is understandable that the creator is not satisfied with his remuneration.

Of course, it is still important to sign a contract, but the terms should not be too overbearing. Whether it is the "Lost Cat" or the "Phantom City" incident, if the Izuku Edition can guarantee the interests of the creator, I believe these things will not happen. Killing chickens and eggs is not a way to make money.,I hope that the publisher can think more about the creator.,Win-win will have a future.。

epilogue

As can be seen from the above 3 sets of relationships, in fact, comic creation is not lonely and self-oriented. Manga artists come into contact with many people in the creative process, and whether they get along well with these "related people" or not will directly affect the development of the storyline and the physical and mental health of the manga artist. Once the bomb is ignited, the victim is not only the interpersonal relationship, but also the work that he has worked so hard to create. Getting along with people is a matter of learning, especially with the editors, original works and authors who are closest to you.

In the textbook of the compilation title examination, a very accurate summary was made of the relationship between the author and the editor, that is, the "comrade-in-arms relationship". The cartoonist is not the ancestor of the editor, and the editor is not the king of Hades, neither a superior nor a good girlfriend, but a "comrade-in-arms" who stands on the same battlefield and lives and dies together. In fact, this relationship can be extended to the original author who has a cooperative relationship with the manga artist. In the increasingly fierce competitive market and ever-changing trends, cartoonists should be people who fight together with them. Even when you are overwhelmed by your busy work, don't mistake your comrades who fight side by side for enemies.