If the heroine just has a superficial personality, there's no substance!
Yo, Roman! The manga I borrowed...
Fujisaki-senpai, Onizuki-senpai, I'm sorry.
Right now, Roman-senpai is having a little trouble with storyboarding...
This is the first time I've seen Roman with such a serious face.
Episode 61: The Manga Girl Aims for the Wilderness and Has a Meeting
My name is Saotome Roman.
I'm an average high school girl.
And I belong to the Manga Research Club.
Margarine Even in winter, these two are hot!
Recently, my dream came true when my one-shot story
was published in a shoujo manga magazine.
After winning the prize, my passion has increased even more.
Pro
I have a budding sense of something like professionalism
and my stance towards manga has changed.
Shueisha
Right now, I'm working on the storyboards for a new story,
which I hope will be my second published work.
But that wall is a lot thicker than I thought
and I'm slaving every day over my hopeful second debut.
Even so, there are a lot of younger club members who admire me.
They also aspire to become shoujo manga artists in the future.
Let me have a look.
She seems to be drawn like a totally different person here...
One of my important roles here is giving guidance to them.
What?! Roman is like this now?!
She's giving advice to other people about their manga?!
Everyone in the club really relies on Roman-senpai.
Just look at her! See how she looks now?!
She already looks like a seasoned pro!
This isn't the Roman I know!
She really does have the air of a pro!
I read your draft.
Yes...
To be honest, I think I liked the art better at the storyboard stage.
I-I'm sorry!
Like you can talk!
Tip for aspiring manga artists number one:
The art is rough during the storyboarding stage, so people tend to draw very vividly.
That's right. But when it comes to the rough draft,
I overthink it and it doesn't come out well.
When you're storyboarding, you get into the rhythm of the manga,
so your feelings are displayed right on the page.
That's quite common.
This girl sounds like an influential writer!
The lines are messy in the second half.
Did you cut corners?
But the inking is very neat.
You've gotten a lot better at using screentones.
But it all kind of looks the same here and there, so watch that.
Your lines are still too stiff, so you need to practice refining your art.
And you've got a ways to go with your sketching, too.
Human arms are not this long.
R-Right.
Roman! Come back to us!
Tip for aspiring manga artists number two: The editor's candy and whip!
The editor will shower the manga artist with both praise and criticism,
but there's a lot more of the "whip" in the second half of the consultation.
Huh?
Prince! Himeko-chan! I didn't know you were here!
She's back!
Roman-senpai hasn't changed fundamentally.
It's only when it comes to manga that she acts like a head honcho.
What the hell is that?!
My prince, did you come here just to see me?
No, I just came here to return the manga I borrowed.
Sorry to interrupt. I'll be out of your way in a sec.
Don't say that. Stay here for a while.
S-Sure.
Oh, no! What a fool I am! I forgot!
What's wrong all of a sudden?
She changed again...
Yes. Roman-senpai is back in influential creator mode.
Like I said before, what the hell is that?!
Serious Roman-senpai... She's so cute...
She "forgot"? What's she doing now?
Original work by Shinohara Kenta
Let's get started on this week's episode!
You're drawing us?!
And your timing is off!
How are you doing, Fumi-chan?
Are you working on a submission?
No, no, no! I'm not doing anything of the sort!
Fumi-chan is the best artist in the club.
I am not!
Then your drawing ability has returned?
But she says she doesn't have any confidence in her storyboards, so she doesn't draw manga.
Since you're so good at drawing, you really oughta make some manga.
I-I can't! I don't have any talent!
I'm so embarrassed that I can't show my drawings to anyone!
But Fumi-chan...
Everyone is embarrassed at the start.
I was embarrassed in the beginning, too.
R-Roman-senpai! Actually, I have been drawing storyboards!
I want to draw manga just like you!
W-Will you look at my storyboards?
I'll take a look.
Th-There it is! Creator mode!
She reads fast!
Tip for aspiring manga artists number three: Flipping through the storyboards!
The editor reads through the storyboards at a speed that's shocking to behold.
Okay. I've finished reading.
Fumi-chan...
Y-Yes?
What did you want to draw here?
Here it is!
Tip for aspiring manga artists number four: What did you want to draw?
The editor will ask that question to find out whether the artist understands
her own story's selling point.
Um... I wanted to, uh,
tell the story of a blossoming romance between a popular idol and an average high school girl.
Yes, that's right. Readers will be attracted to that.
In this story,
the complicating scene where Haruko is on the way to Junya's concert is key,
but I think you lose the reader's interest before that part.
This girl is impressive!
Tip for aspiring manga artists number five: The editor actually gives it a deep reading!
Just when you think the editor only gave it a cursory look,
she'll leave you speechless with her understanding of the work.
But does the reader empathize with the main character, Haruko?
No, right?
The reader isn't sucked in from the start, so after that, she's left behind.
And now she's just cracking the whip!
It's vital that you make the reader want to cheer on the heroine.
Also, when you create a situation that people long for,
you need to have a realistic scene of everyday life that comes before it.
Bring it to me again after you take another crack at it.
Good luck.
Seriously, who are you?!
I will! Thank you!
And so, thanks to Roman-senpai's guidance on my storyboards,
I finished the story that I'm going to submit to the contest.
Hey, that's great!
You did it, Fumi-chan!
Thank you!
And thanks to her, I was able to draw shoujo manga full of Roman taste!
Roman... taste?
A-Are you sure that's what you want?
Of course! It feels like I was able to break through a wall of my own!
She just means she appreciates Roman's manga,
with its eccentric drawings and warped world view, right?
What the heck kind of manga
would result from a mix of Fumi-chan's beautiful drawings and "Roman taste" storyboards?
It's gotta be counterproductive!
I would appreciate it if you read it!
S-Sure, but... we'll definitely criticize it.
That's fine! Roman manga is meant to be criticized!
Fumi-chan... Do you want to win the contest?
Well... okay... we'll give it a read.
Look, it starts off already with a weird title!
"Strange Shoujo Legend... The Like Mad Custard Boy Cometh"!
What kind of story is this?!
I can't tell if it's about a boy or a girl!
But the drawings are great! What a waste!
It actually starts off normally.
This manga looks pretty normal.
Haruko! Wake up!
You're gonna be late! Haruko!
My mornings...
This is totally normal...
Just wait...
If you don't get up now, I won't put deep-fried pig knuckles in your lunch!
...always start with the sound of my mom's voice.
I knew it! It's startin' to get weird!
The mom looks like a complex character.
Mom...
Shiver!
This is scary!
It suddenly turns into a horror story?!
Thank you for everything...
What the hell is this?!
These drawings are a bad fit for Roman world!
See you later!
She went "Ack, I'm gonna be late!"
Why does it always have to start like this?!
I feel like something good's gonna happen today!
No, the teacher's gonna get pissed at you first!
How many pieces of bread is she eating?! This girl's an idiot!
Here's a cliched development...
Hey! They're not gonna bump into each other?!
And the bread's gone!
What was that for?!
I'm gonna fall!
That's too damn long!
So here's where the good-looking guy...
Are you okay?
Hey!
You're supposed to have a handsome guy here!
Um... Thank you.
What are you tryin' to do here?!
At that time, I had already...
...stepped in the gutter.
Love! Love! You're supposed to fall in love!
It happened because she switched her arm with that log!
See ya, gutter girl. Don't go to school 'til you wash that stinkin' foot!
And there's no call for you to insult her before takin' off!
That's how my heart was stolen by him.
H-Haruko, you have lousy taste!
What an easy target!
He stole her wallet?!
I steal like mad!
So he's the Like Mad Custard Boy?!
He's just a pickpocket!
It's not here! It's not here!
Jeez! She finally noticed her wallet's...
There are no fried pig knuckles in my lunch!
Fumi-chan! You're not even tryin' to win, are you?!
Days later...
S...
Gold Jam and Butter
She won?!
It's all thanks to Roman-senpai!
Now I have confidence!
Well, you have to admit that Roman knows her stuff when it comes to storyboards.
And she's got a talent for teaching, too.
I'll bet she's happy about Fumi-chan's growth as an artist.
You're a scary girl...
W-Well, you're the one who taught her!
Roman-senpai...
No one'll get this...
This one's better, isn't it?
What are you embarrassed about?
That doesn't look good on you. Who are you tryin' to imitate?
D.O...
Student Council
Tsubaki's late!
Let's start the meeting without him.
We can't do that.
J.M.D.
( Jikan Mamore, Doaho! ) Be punctual, dumbass!
Then why don't we go home?
Agata...
I'm kidding!
So there you are...
Principal?
Come to my office. I have something important to say to all of you.
I'm going to imitate...
Kamiya Mao from "Ponytail Revolution".
Who's that?
It's most important to be cheerful! Twinkle!
I have no idea who you are!
Actually, that sounds a lot like her.
All you had to do was choose voice data that sounded similar, right?
Though it did sound close to the rich girl in Student Council...
You mean Unyuu-san? Certainly, the voice quality is similar.
Alright, then! I can do the Student Council, too!
You should've been here the day before yesterday, fool!
That's the president of Student Council! Sounds just like him!
Is there anyone's voice you can't do?!
How is it that even your face changes?
Okay! I can imitate somebody from Student Council, too!
Daisey
I'll do Daisey-san!
I didn't expect this! Give it a shot!
Um, hold on a second...
Uh, she's like... like...
Just hurry up and imitate her!
Don't! I can't do it if you're watching me...
...but then, D.O.S.!
Huh?! That actually does sound like her!
Both of their voices have a similar quality as well.
Really? Do you think I could be on TV?
As if!
When have you ever seen somebody go on TV
'cause they could imitate somebody from their high school?!
Come on, Bossun. Imitate Tsubaki!
You've done it before.
I want to see it, too.
2-1, go!
What are you embarrassed about?! Just do it!
O-Okay...
Fool...
Finally made it...
Tsubaki!
What's wrong?
Th-Those voices are Fujisaki and Onizuka?
What do you mean, "those voices"?
Is this the Sket-dan clubroom?
You lost your contacts?!
I mean, I didn't know you wore contacts.
Yeah. Without them, I'm so nearsighted, I can barely see anything.
So you were heading for the Student Council and wound up here...
Your eyes do suck!
Even now, you look like a crab to me.
How the hell are you seein' things?! A crab!
You don't have glasses?
Unfortunately, I didn't bring them today.
Besides, I don't really like wearing them.
It makes me feel like I'm the kid I was years ago...
I don't really get it, but it must be rough...
Sorry for interrupting you. I'll be leaving now.
Hey! Are you gonna be okay?
Don't worry, leave him. He's not a child...
He's not okay!
Wait, wait! What are you doin', like a drunk skit?!
Let go of me!
"Let go of me!"
My ass!
I'm with the Student Council and we try to be good examples for the students!
I can't afford to be helped by the Sket-dan!
Oh, is that right?! Got it!
Then go off by yourself! Get hurt!
Go slip on a banana peel!
Tsubaki!
What are you doing here?!
That voice... The president?!
But why does your face change, too?!
Here we are.
I apologize for troubling you like this, President.
This is the biggest blunder of my life.
Don't worry about it!
I'll get in on this, too!
President and Tsubaki-kun, what are you doing?
Is that Asahina?
Sorry. I lost my contacts, so I can't make out faces.
Boy, this is pathetic...
Everyone looking at me when I'm in this embarrassing predicament...
Oh, don't be so hard on yourself.
A lot of people are nearsighted.
I got teased as a kid a lot because of my poor eyesight...
So I've got a complex about it.
O-Oh...
Um... Well, we're gonna go home.
D.O.S.!
Wait, President! I won't let you neglect your duties!
We've got our regular meeting today, remember?
This is bad...
We lost the chance to tell him this was a put-on...
And why isn't anyone here?!
They're supposed to be having their regular meeting!
Come on!
Learn
So, what did you want to talk to us about?
Yes. We are here to talk.
Alright... Let's begin this regular meeting of the Student Council.
At the moment, I, the chair of this meeting, can barely see a thing,
so please pardon me for the trouble.
Um... Asahina, are you here?
Yeah. I'm here.
Good. How about Unyuu?
H-Hey...
Use Ponytail whatever Mao!
I'm here!
Good.
Is this guy for real?!
Is Shinba-san here?
S-Shinba, he said! Imitate him!
Like I can!
Go for it, Bossun!
Yes, you can! If anyone can do it, it's you!
I'm right here, Tsubaki-chan!
You can do it if you try!
He did it!
Huh? That's strange. I don't see the president here.
Gulp!
After all, Tsubaki-chan, you can't see, right?
I can make out silhouettes.
I-If you want Agata, he went to the can a minute ago.
The can?
Is that right? Okay, we'll wait for him to get back.
W-What do we do?! We don't have enough people!
Then I'm going to the washroom as well.
Bastard!
Tryin' to escape, are ya?!
I'll get something from the clubroom.
Get what?!
Well, now that we're all here, shall we begin?
There's no going back now!
First, the Newspaper Club has requested that we fill out a questionnaire.
It seems they would like to publish it as a special feature
on the Student Council in their next edition.
It'll just be a simple profile.
I think I know all our birthdays, but we mustn't let them print any mistakes,
so please confirm it by answering my question.
Alright, starting with the president, please state your birthday.
President?
Y-Yeah... Um...
Birthday! Birthday! Birthday!
November... 11th!
What, are you an idiot?! That's your own birthday!
President, your birthday is the same as mine?
No, no, that was just a joke!
Way to go, Switch!
January 25th!
Is that right? I thought it was December 5th.
Oh, shut up!
Don't worry about the details!
I remember everyone's birthday.
Michiru-san's is October 6th. Daisey-chan's is February 15th.
My birthday is May 12th.
You said 'em all! That was high-handed, but nice play, Switch!
Mimorin sure does have a good memory, y'know?
"Y'know"?
Don't perform unless you have to!
W-What's wrong, Asahina?!
Suddenly, you're speaking with a natural Kansai accent!
N-Nothing! Die! Drown!
Something's not right...
W-What's not right?! Drown! Die! Ditch!
The color of your hair... And I can't make out any glasses...
I-I-I...
I'm the same as ever.
W-Well... If you say so...
S-Safe! But we're in trouble!
His eyes are slowly adjusting!
And so...
...it's unbelievable how cute my grandchild is!
Really?
Well, we'd better get going...
Wait!
Is there anything else?
None of the teachers or vice-principal will listen to me about it.
I want you to listen a little more.
I decline. Old people don't know when to stop talking...
Recently, at my grandchild's track and field day...
What do we do?
Don't ask me!
The survey then asks us about our hobbies, so please answer.
We'll start with the president...
Huh?!
President, are you bald?!
W-What the hell?! Stop sweating the details!
I just shaved it off with clippers!
Just now?!
My hobby is shaving my head!
The president is a very deep person...
Next. Shinba-san, what's your hobby?
S-Sneaking around on the ground!
Not cooking?!
D-Don't worry about the details, Tsubaki-chan!
Hoosuke?!
Don't tell me he's come to warn us that Agata and the others are coming?!
Crap! Crap!
Is that right, Hoosuke? Am I misunderstanding, Hoosuke?!
Which is it?! Anyway, Agata, get over here!
Save us from this situation!
Grandchildren are wonderful.
I'm sure you can't wait to meet your own grandchildren, right? It'll be grand!
What are you talking about?
Everyone's acting kind of weird today...
Okay, on to Unyuu...
I-It doesn't look anything like Unyuu to me...
It's just your imagination. Don't pay attention to details, okay?
I-I guess... What do you think, Asahi...
Shut up!
Stop fixatin' on the frickin' details!
And you don't go off like that!
Let's just get the hell outta here!
I made a record of the minutes, so...
Enough of that voice!
That's all, folks!
We finally got out of there...
The principal really loves his grandchild, huh?
He said the same story three times.
That's what's a pain about old people.
Ah, what's the harm, once in a while?
Agata, you slept through it, didn't you?!
Student Council
Yo. Were you sleeping, Tsubaki?
N-No...
Huh? It's evening already?
Did our meeting run that long?
My memories are kind of hazy...
Meeting?
Tsubaki-chan, what are you talking about?
We just got here.
You probably just had a dream.
Dream?
It couldn't have been...
Minutes of the regular Student Council Meeting
Huh? Those are the minutes...
See? It wasn't a dream, right?
Agata>>> 12/5 Shaving Head
Shinbaru>>> 10/6 Sneaking Around on the Floor
Asahina>>> 2/15 Punching Someone to Blind Them
Unyuu>>> 5/20 Anime Lectures
Next year's budget for Sket-Dan: 1 million yen
What the hell?