This is my first time entering.
Fingers crossed...
I'm so nervous!
New Project Designer
I'm starting to get nervous...
Who drew this?
It was me.
Yagami Ko. You're the new hire from last month, aren't you?
All right. I've made my choice.
You'll be in charge of the new project's character designs, Yagami-kun.
The character design competition has begun!!
Feel free to draw what you want, meow
The character design competition's finally begun!
First, read the design document Hazuki-san and her design team drew up
and take inspiration from that.
They're using one of my ideas, too!
Though it's not a huge part.
That's amazing!
Huh? Then are you joinin' the design team?
Nah, I'm staying with the motion team. I'll be helping with both.
W-Wow, that's impressive.
I believe in you!
Thanks!
So it's an action game where you advance by beating the floors of each dungeon.
By absorbing the animals and monsters that are in the dungeons,
you can gain their special abilities.
I see.
"You can use fire to lure your enemies to one location to farm XP."
"Then obliterate them with your ultimate!"
"Ultimate attack: Red Phantom!"
How fun! It's so your style, Hajime-san!
Red Phantom?
See, they just finally glimpsed
all my passion and talent that's bursting to get out!
Oh.
Red phantom's the name of a tropical fish.
But there's nothing written about what kind of setting this is.
No way!
You didn't even read the whole document?
Apparently, other than the battle system, we're free to design however we like.
D-Does that mean they're just dumping the work on us?
It means that they have faith in us!
Anyway, the first competition is in a week.
Be sure to enter if you're interested.
Got it!
U-Um...
You're going to enter the competition, too, right?
Of course!
I wonder what I should draw!
You sure seem determined, Aoba-chan.
I am!
Being a character designer has always been my dream!
But, I mean, isn't Yagami-san gonna get chosen anyway?
She's super talented.
This competition's just so that no one can complain.
But it's a foregone conclusion.
That may be true.
But I'm fine with failure, so long as I know the results were deserved.
Are you going to enter, Yun-san?
Huh? Me?
I'm not that good, and I know I won't make the cut, so I'll pass.
I see...
What about you, Hifumi-senpai?
I want to concentrate... on 3D modeling...
So...
I'll look forward to your designs... Aoba-chan.
I'll do my best.
Absorbing enemies...
Absorbing animals, huh...
Hm...
Absorb a dog and... woof, woof!
Absorb a cow and... moo, moo.
Absorb a cat and... meow, meow!
That's all wrong!
This is just turning into cos-purr-lay!
Is she going to be okay?
I can't think of anything...
Let's see how my competition is doing!
Yagami-san, how are things...
Hm?
That was fast!
Th-That's amazing. You've already designed this many?
Well, character design has been my job for a while now.
Would you mind if I had a look?
Sure, go ahead.
She really is amazing.
And yet...
It's her art, which I've always loved.
How come now...
...it makes me feel...
...so inadequate?
Maybe it really is a foregone conclusion.
No! I'm supposed to be enjoying this!
Thank you very much!
I guess I'm going to have to try harder.
R-Right...
Morning, Aoba-chan...
What's wrong?
Oh, I'm fine! I sort of overdid it yesterday...
Did Hajime-san sacrifice sleep working on her first design job?
Must be!
I started watching Dandy Max Returns last night...
and ended up binge watching all night.
I'm back!
Follow me, guys!
The best part about Dandy is how good-for-nothing but passionate he is.
She must be tired from her design work.
I figured she was the type to give her all, but...
Hajime-chan's... working hard to make up for the late design work...
I didn't think she was the responsible type, to be honest.
I just gotta get through today.
Hajime.
Yes! I'm so sorry!
If you're that tired, you'll be more productive if you take a little nap.
R-Right...
Hajime-chan...
Yes?
Chocolate Variety Pack
Want something... sweet?
Oh, thank you very—
Whoa!
Thanks...
Everyone's being super nice to me for some reason.
I-Is it because I'm such a good person?!
What should we have for lunch today?
Well, why don't we go all-out and have pork cutlets?
I somehow made it through the morning...
Sure seems like someone could use the energy.
Did Yun, the calorie-counting health nut, really just say that?
A pork cutlet place?!
Building something from scratch is so hard.
Your whole thought process is different...
It's hard to know where to start.
It's always difficult... trying something new...
Huh?!
We're rootin' for you.
U-Um, actually...
Hm?
The reason I looked drained this morning...
was that I started rewatching Dandy...
and didn't get enough sleep...
Um...
I'll work harder.
Hajime!
We were just talking about you.
We're excited to see what you think up!
R-Right... I'll do my best.
Tomorrow's the deadline!
Say, Mr. Eraser, you got any good ideas?
You're barking up the wrong tree, Mr. Pencil.
It's your job to come up with ideas and mine to correct and erase them.
If you're going to be so rigid, maybe we need to round out your edges a bit more!
Hrgh! Stop!
Take this, and this...
Argh! Stop!
Now's not the time for this.
I might have to stay overnight to prepare for the competition tomorrow...
All right. Let's get this design competition started.
First, let's see what Yagami has for us.
Got it.
We're presenting in front of all these people?
Yup. Anyone from the team is free to participate.
I went with a fantasy theme to allow for more free-form action,
with weapons and armor that can change, grow, and evolve.
Skeleton
Ox
Snake
Fantastic as usual, Yagami. I love your work.
Wolf
The thing is, the world you've created is no different from Fairies.
Huh?
We're looking more for you to develop your own vision.
So... they're all rejected?
It's a shame,
but we want you to experiment more because we're giving you so much freedom.
That level of work was rejected? This is harder than I thought.
Yeah... But it looks like they have high hopes for Yagami-san.
You're next, Suzukaze-kun.
Huh? Oh, okay!
Suzukaze-kun's are similar to Fairies, too.
Perhaps she's trying too hard to be the next Yagami.
Impenetrable Turtle!
Bear!
Wh-What is this?
Bear!
Oh, I'm sorry! This is something I drew based on my sleeping bag!
It's just a doodle!
But I thought it could be interesting...
I see.
True, it is interesting.
Although, here, the character's the one getting absorbed.
I know, right?
I've made my choice.
Of course... Huh? You're kidding.
Obviously, we can't use this as-is,
so could you polish it up by the next competition?
We'll decide from there.
O-Okay!
Great job, Aoba-chan!
Congratulations...
Hang on! Nothing's final yet.
But I'll do my best!
Bear!
That concludes the first competition.
The second competition will be next week.
Those who received direction from me, follow it.
Any newcomers who now want to participate are free to do so, as well.
Oh, Yagami-san—
Hm? What's up?
Oh, uh...
It's nothing...
This is so hard!
What can I do to make it better?
It'll be fine.
Yagami-san's a nice person.
Um... Yagami-san?
I'm having trouble with the designs,
so I was hoping to get some advice...
Oh...
But I guess you haven't gotten anywhere yet, either.
"Yet"?
All of my designs were just rejected.
You think I'll come up with something new so quickly?!
I'm sorry...
N-No...
It's my own fault. I'm sorry.
I'll try and work it out on my own.
I'm glad my designs were approved, even if it's not for certain yet.
But... if my designs end up getting final approval...
Yagami-san would...
Was this really... the dream that I longed for?
Aoba-chan.
Congrats on earlier. Keep at it!
Oh... Thank you very much!
You know, to tell you the truth...
When I saw you working so hard despite knowing you'd fail,
I thought you were making a fool of yourself.
The same thing with Hajime.
Her proposal had no chance of going through,
so I thought she was foolish for even making one.
Before I knew it, I was the only one that hadn't done anything.
I made the biggest fool of myself.
Yun-san...
I'm off to a bit of a late start,
but I'm thinkin' about entering the next competition, too.
I probably don't stand a chance since I never really push myself.
But I'll try my best!
So forgive me for thinking you were making a fool of yourself.
P-Please, don't worry about it!
But don't tell Hajime! I'd die if she knew.
You should just be more honest.
But, that's right...
This was supposed to be what I wanted.
I joined this company because I admired Yagami-san so much...
I was satisfied just being able...
...to work under Yagami-san...
I never wanted to see her looking like that...
Uh, Aoba-chan...?
There you are.
So...
I ended up taking out my frustration on Aoba.
I know. I saw.
That hit me harder than what happened at the competition.
I'm so pathetic...
Remember the competition right around when we joined the company,
where you were chosen as character designer?
Are you saying it's the same as that?
You're right.
Now I'm the evil senpai.
And that's why...
That's why, if anyone knows what they should do for Aoba-chan right now,
it's you, Ko-chan.
What do you want Aoba-chan to get out of this?
That's something only you can decide.
So you're dumping the job on me.
Not at all.
The Ko-chan I know will make the right decision.
Aoba!
H-Hello...
You said you were having trouble with your designs earlier.
Let me have a look.
Huh?
Oh, sure!
You weren't kidding about having trouble...
First off... Can I draw on this?
Oh, sure. Go ahead.
This part was fine, so...
What? Is there something on my face?
N-No!
It's nothing.
This is supposed to be your design, so don't expect me to draw it all!
I know that!
The girl will wait for the perfect chance to take over the plushie's body
Why don't we make it so she gets different abilities depending on what plushies are taken over?
The enemies will be plushies, toys, etc.
So cute!
A normal Westerner girl is what we're thinking for the protagonist
Which one of you drew this?
Yagami-san gave me advice,
and helped me draw the parts I just couldn't get to look balanced.
But it's mostly Aoba's design.
But if Yagami-san hadn't helped me, I never could have...
Whereas I never would have had the ideas...
All right, I get it...
This is very interesting indeed.
Yes. I think it's great.
Let's use this for the prototype.
Both of you are to finalize the character designs together.
But as AD, Yagami will have the final say on decisions.
Are our producers okay with that?
Yes.
In that case, Yagami Ko and Suzukaze Aoba-kun...
I look forward to having you both as character designers.
Thank you!