The story of when a moderately successful manga artist visited a fan

No. 386 The story introduced this time

The story introduced this time is a post detailing the situation when a man who is a manga artist serializing in a minor magazine went to visit a boy who had sent him a fan letter.

Regarding the posting date,
summary site I confirmed the post from February 7, 2002, based on what is posted there, but I apologize if it is incorrect.

There was a YouTube video based on this story, so I will introduce it as well.

Post content

I will post it including the responses.
The manga artist's posts are in bold.

231 Name: Moderately successful manga artist Date: 02/02/07 10:39 ID:p6VHnfS2
I am a manga artist, and I receive fan letters via my publisher.
I'm not that big of a name and the magazine I'm serialized in is somewhat minor, so the number is only a few dozen a month, but since I have free time, I send signed colored paper to most of them.

Among them, there was a letter typed on a word processor from a child whose address was a hospital, and when I looked, the hospital was about 20 minutes away from my place by car.

Since they were kind enough to send a fan letter, I thought they would be even happier if I gave it to them in person.

No, at the same time, I also had the selfish motive that I, a manga artist with free time, would surely be able to soak in the feeling of being a star at that moment, so I headed to the hospital.

When I arrived, the child's mother happened to be at the reception desk, and she looked humbled.
Foolish as I was, I started to get drunk on the feeling of being a star.

I entered the hospital room with the mother and met the child, and I was stunned.

“Is this... human?”

With limbs that looked like they would snap, and a face where the contours of the skull were clearly visible, I felt no sign of life. The child was in a state where they communicated by pointing at a board with the Japanese syllabary written on it using a hand that barely moved.

While I was shaken, I spoke to the child and drew the character from the manga I am serializing right in front of them. The child convulsed violently, tears streaming from their eyes, snot from their nose, and drool from their mouth, and with a violently trembling hand, they fumbled for the syllabary board and conveyed four characters to me with all their might.
H-A-P-P-Y

At that moment, my feeling of being a star blew away.

Instead, I played the role of a star (for that child), and while driving the car on the way home, I cried. It was daytime, but I cried out loud.
I couldn't stop my tears no matter what.
Had Fujiko, Ishinomori, and Tezuka ever had an experience like mine?

232 Name: Adult Anonymous Date: 02/02/07 13:50 ID:nVhG3KqZ
>>231
Perhaps you received more from that child than you gave to them.
Please continue to do good work in the future.

233 Name: Adult Anonymous Date: 02/02/07 18:33 ID:CmgBx3su
Looking at this thread, I am made to realize how powerless and degenerate a human being I am.
231, you will surely become a good manga artist.

234 Name: Adult Anonymous Date: 02/02/07 21:27 ID:2r8Z12cq
>>231
I couldn't help but cry and cry.
I have finally calmed down now and am typing on the keyboard like this.
For the sake of that child, please take care of your health and continue to create works that can give people dreams.

And someday, I would like to experience your work as well.

237 Name: Moderately successful manga artist Date: 02/02/08 01:32 ID:W2BhoA7k
>>232-234
I've calmed down a little.
I talked about many things with that child.

“Teacher, what is your favorite food?”
“Have you ever been skiing?”
“What do you do on your days off?”

I answered all the questions carefully.
And the last question.
“How does [Name] defeat [Name]?”
To this question, I inadvertently said this:

“Well, [Name] will settle things soon.
But you know, a new enemy will appear next time. This next enemy is scary!
Surprisingly, [Name]'s special move won't work on them,
Ahhh! That's all I can say!!!!”

The child's smile just looked distorted from the perspective of a healthy person, but I could clearly tell that inside that frail body that heard my story, hot blood was boiling (a cliché expression, but still).
Yes, I reaffirmed that this child is a patient, but also a boy, a man.

I am a manga artist, a profession that is worth its salt by getting boys fired up.
(Actually, making them 'moe' makes more money)
So, I am currently desperately drawing that 'new enemy'.

For now, I've finished the settings, but I haven't thought about how to defeat them.

YouTube

There was a video made based on this story, so I will introduce it.
*It seems there are other videos besides the one I am introducing.

Omoide no Yukkuri 2ch (User)

In closing

My note articles are not intended for commercial purposes.
I am simply writing this article because I want to share a story that brought me to tears with all of you.

However, if there are any issues regarding 'copyright' or similar matters, please let me know and I will delete it.

Furthermore, the images posted are provided by Irasutoya and others.

Thank you for taking your time to read until the end.