Treasure Amateur Prize Final Candidate
｢Classroom of Truth｣
Tokyo City
Nanamine Tooru 18 years old
Shounen Jack
Ashirogi Mutou
To Ashirogi,
Congratulations on the serialization
of "Detective TRAP"!
I'm also very happy.
Ever since I read "This World is Money
and Intellligence" in Jack NEXT,
I've become a big fan of yours.
I've been making manga
stuff since sixth grade,
but now I'm determined
to become a real
Congratulations on the serialization
of "Detective TRAP"!
I'm also very happy.
Ever since I read "This World is Money
and Intellligence" in Jack NEXT,
I've become a big fan of yours.
I've been making manga
stuff since sixth grade,
but now I'm determined
to become a real
manga artist like you.
Classroom of Truth
It happened suddenly, in the middle of class.
It's an earthquake!
Did you hear that strange noise? Like a ripping or popping...
Is it possible for an earthquake to be that short?
What was that?
Welcome to the Classroom of Truth!
Huh?
My name is Kami.
We're going to play a game, Class 1-C.
Who is it? Who's the one playing this awful prank?
The door!
Teacher, the windows won't open!
The last person standing will be the only one allowed to leave.
Huh?
The window glass won't break, either!
We can't get out!
What's going on?
Looks like you've recovered from the initial panic of finding out that you're trapped.
It's okay! Soon, someone outside will realize something's wrong and come to help us—
Impossible.
Time has stopped within the classroom.
When you leave the classroom, you will return to reality and time will resume.
A-As if I could believe that!
As you witness with your own eyes the events that are about to unfold,
you will come to believe it, even if you do not wish to.
Now then, let's begin the first game.
Those who do a certain thing will begin to disappear, and the last remaining person will be allowed to leave.
What? Is that it?
What is this "certain thing"?
Hey, Kami! Explain yourself!
If we don't understand the rules—
You'll understand shortly.
Just do your best, and focus on being the last man standing.
Th-This must be a joke.
This is creepy!
Calm down! If we all work together, we can get out of here!
First loser: Mr. Nakamura.
37 remain.
H-He disappeared!
If this is real, then I have to get rid of these kids somehow...
His voice...
What?
Get rid of us?
His true thoughts?
If you lie, you'll disappear!
And then what you really were thinking will remain!
Wh-What the hell are you talking about, Miki?
That's impossible!
The second loser: Tagami.
36 remain.
Idiot. He shouldn't have said that.
If the others hadn't realized it yet and kept talking, more of them would have disappeared!
It's true!
Though it's not certain that you disappear if you lie,
people are disappearing!
How can I get out of this classroom?
And this is only the first game!
Wait a minute!
Calm down, guys.
The teacher and Tagami disappeared,
but since there aren't any bodies, we don't know for sure if they're dead.
Maybe they were sent outside the classroom, and now they're free!
I see.
Third loser: Ogura.
35 remain.
I hope some of these idiots are stupid enough to believe me and try to escape that way.
That's awful...
He's the idiot!
I'm so scared!
Don't talk!
You shouldn't talk.
You're right. If you say the wrong thing, you disappear.
It's better to stay quiet.
Fourth loser: Nitou.
Remaining: 34.
Takahashi, don't let them know!
If people don't talk, they won't be eliminated!
Everyone has fallen silent, I see.
That's just a waste of time, so we'll begin Question Time.
Let's see.
We'll start with the class representative, Watanabe.
Why did you run for class representative?
If I don't talk, then...
If you don't reply within 10 seconds, you will be eliminated.
That's...
Because I heard it looks good on your record!
You...
After making that great speech...
Just for your record?
Because it feels good to stand above everybody else!
This is the truth!
The truth?
I-I'm safe.
Watanabe, you're the worst!
Shut up! It's better than dying!
Oh boy, he snapped.
Only one of us is going to get out anyways!
Once I get out, nobody will ever know what I said here!
So all I need to do is tell the truth and I can get out of here!
Then how about you, assistant class representative Saeki.
Saeki...
You ran for the position of class representative and were elected to the assistant position instead.
But why did you apply for it?
I think this is what I wanted to do.
Oh, I see!
An unorthodox battle manga with serious humor!
In terms of unorthodox manga, this is darker than TRAP or PCP.
He went too far with it, I think.
It's not suited for a shounen magazine!
Maybe he made it that way on purpose.
This is like, a manga that rejects Shounen Jack.
A manga that rejects Jack?
It has no friendship, hard work or victory.
It's saying "Those things are useless. This is reality."
Why is he doing something like that?
To make it stand out, right?
At least it's different from anything else in Jack and it's still really good.
What do you think?
Yeah. In terms of story and art, it's far above the other candidates here.
This author... I think I've seen his name before.
Nanamine Tooru...
Has he published anything before?
"I've been a big fan of Ashirogi since This World is Money and Intelligence.
I've been drawing manga since sixth grade,
and now I'm determined to become a real manga artist like you."
And the last fan letter we got from him is from when we were serializing Tanto.
It's criticism.
Oh, I remember that.
He said something like, "If you're going with gag manga, then I won't have a rival in the future."
Just like we wanted to be manga artists since middle school,
he's wanted to be one ever since he wrote this.
I want to cheer him on!
I don't have any issues with Classroom of Truth. I think it's good.
It's something that will catch the reader's attention because of its uncomfortable feel.
You said it, Kosugi.
Ashirogi also gave it a top rating,
and it'll be published whether it wins first place or the runner-up spot.
And then it could head to serialization.
Come on, it's not something we can publish in Jack.
Yeah, especially this last bit.
That's the last part of the 10th chapter.
Since this is for Treasure, we should be judging only the first chapter.
But if we only do the first one, the impact is lost. And it won't make the cut.
That's right!
He has talent.
You really think so?!
Who will be his editor?
I divide the finalists up among my team,
and Kosugi has the first pick.
Of course! I'll be glad to be his editor!
You sure are lucky. You just got assigned here, and now you've got such a big new author!
I know! I'm lucky!
Actually, he's already good enough to make a serialization storyboard.
However, if we let him do that, it should be content that can be published in Jack.
That's what it comes down to, after all.
Otherwise, I have no problems with his art, his composition, or his dialogue.
B-But it would be hard to orient this story towards a shounen magazine.
That's your job! The editor and author need to brainstorm on how to do it!
Go for it, Kosugi!
Right.
Okay then.
Thanks.
Hattori, what happened with the Treasure selections?
Oh, I forgot to tell you.
There was one honorable mention.
Huh?!
That had to be Classroom of Truth, right?
An honorable mention? I thought it would do better than that...
No, that one remained a finalist.
Why?
Because it's not suited for Shounen Jack.
Well, there are people who submit seinen manga to us just to show off what they can do.
But even among those, Classroom of Truth's quality is high.
Its creativity is far above the rest, and its handled very well.
Creativity...
That's right.
In the first game, if you lie, you disappear.
In the second game, pairs that tried to escape decide through discussion which one of them will disappear.
The third game is to play hide and seek with yourself.
And he created the best stage in which to utilize the story.
It reminds me that manga is all about ideas.
Yeah.
Since his manga is story-driven like yours, he'll be a tough opponent in terms of settings and ideas.
Even more so if you're both competing with unorthodox manga.
You're right.
Do ideas come to you in a flash, or do they come to you when you think hard about it?
Nice to meet you!
I'm Nanamine Tooru.
I look forward to working with you!
I'm Kosugi of Weekly Shounen Jack.
Nice to meet you.
A business card!
Thank you!
Wow, you gave me your cell phone and your e-mail right from the get-go!
I read on the internet that editors don't give that info out easily, so it's not on their business cards!
Well, there are quite a few editors who have business cards that only show the number of the editing department.
I see, I see!
You have different ones for different purposes!
That's interesting!
It might give me an idea!
He's like... cheery and talkative.
So, you could try making Classroom of Truth softer,
or perhaps write a new manga entirely...
Don't talk about writing something else so easily!
I'm a big fan of Ashirogi's work!
This World is Money and Intelligence, Detective Trap, PCP, with its psychological warfare,
and that one-shot with the story by Kido Takaaki, Rabuta & Peace—that was Ashirogi, right?
That "people's public persona vs. their true intentions" thing that they do—I ripped it all off!
Well, "ripping off" sounds bad, but all manga does that, right?
I read all the manga I like, along with other good manga, to create new manga with my own style.
So, although Classroom of Truth is my first manga, it's also a compilation manga.
I thought you'd choose it as the winner and make a big announcement!
But it looks like Jack's editorial department doesn't have the courage to do that.
Maybe it's too conservative compared to other magazines.
Speaking of which, you haven't consulted with or submitted any work to other magazines, have you?
Of course not!
Then, from now on please make sure you don't contact other mag—
That goes without saying!
I want to be serialized in Jack!
And it's my dream to meet and talk with Ashirogi!
Oh, so that's what he's like?
I thought he would be more gloomy, based on his manga.
He planned out what he wanted to write. He's actually very cheerful.
He's a quick thinker, too. The ideal author for me.
He said he's going to write a "kiddy version" of Classroom of Truth.
He's only an 18 year-old kid himself.
A calculating type, just like Takagi.
And there we go.
I'm saying that manga isn't suited for a shounen magazine!
Nakaji, you don't need to explain it to them.
Just say it's undergoing a strict review and hang up!
Then how about you get hired by Yuueisha, become an editor, and judge the manga yourself?
Good morning.
Kosugi! You better have something else to say!
What? I can't?
I did upload my manuscript.
But I posted about making a kiddy version of it for the magazine, and asked people to look forward to it.
Of course you can't do that!
Take it down right now!
I understand. How disappointing.
This has turned into a big deal.
Most people think it's good.
They're saying that the editorial department and Ashirogi Mutou don't know what they're talking about.
Is it okay for him to show it to everybody like this?
Of course not!
The official results haven't been announced yet, so he can't go around saying "I didn't get first place."
But it would be pretty impressive if he planned this.
Planned it?
If Classroom of Truth becomes a hot topic, then Nanamine Tooru gets popular.
I apologize.
I never thought this would happen.
He did all the advertising himself. We can think of it as a chance.
Okay.
I said at the review meeting that Nanamine has talent.
But if he is to become a pro, you must instruct him not to do this kind of thing in the future.
Yes, sir.
Bring him here for now.
You're going to reprimand him yourself?
That too, but I also want to meet him.
I understand.
Both Moriya and Orihara liked it.
They said it'd be difficult to get into Jack, but it's ready to be published in a seinen magazine.
I think you could probably get away with it in Jack, though.
You said you wanted to do something like that yourself, after all.
Yeah, an unorthodox battle manga.
I've been thinking. You know, Classroom of Truth isn't really a battle manga.
Well, it's different from a standard battle manga. No punching, kicking, or special moves.
Even if it's unorthodox, it's not a battle manga if there's no fighting in it.
So here's what I was thinking—could we do an unorthodox standard battle manga?
An unorthodox standard battle manga?!
Oh, I get it now!
It feels like we're just throwing these words around.
An unorthodox standard manga...
I'll try thinking about it.
I'm so sorry about this!
I did it without thinking! I just wanted to know how people would react after reading it.
It was careless! I'll never do it again!
Please forgive me!
It's fine to want feedback from other people.
However, I do not believe that distributing your manuscript for free was the action of a professional.
Yes, I'm sorry.
What I did was very amateur.
I'm very sorry. I'm still inexperienced.
That's Nanamine, huh?
Like everyone says, he seems to be a good kid.
It's refreshing how smartly he does things.
So here's my revised manuscript. If you could please take a look at it—
Uh, Nanamine, that's my job.
Oh, is it? I guess it is.
I have no need to see a revised version of Classroom of Truth.
It's been disseminated on the internet.
Unless it's something new, I have no intention of running it.
But that's...
That's fine! This is something completely different!
Huh? I thought you were going to rewrite Classroom of Truth...
I realized it too.
The moment I uploaded Classroom of Truth, it was worthless.
I knew I had to write something else.
This time, I'm confident that it's suitable for Shounen Jack!
I put all I had into it and I want to get it published in Jack so badly. Please read it!
Er, okay. I'll read it, but only after you're finished speaking with the Chief Editor.
I may as well read it.
Oh, please do!
The Chief himself?
It's good.
Yes!
May I see it too?
The Chief Editor approved of an amateur's work?
It must be out of this world.
It is good, and it's even suitable for Shounen Jack!
Right?
I put everything I had into it!
He's drummed up some buzz for us on the internet.
Before that dies down, let's prepare to publish it as a Jack one-shot.
A Jack one-shot!
I did it!
I'm awesome!
I'm super awesome!
Nanamine is the real thing.
I really am lucky!
By the way, would you let me meet with Ashirogi?
I'm a big fan of theirs!
I want to be an author just like them!
That's why I want to be in Shounen Jack!
When I read This World is Money and Intelligence,
it was like a shock ran through my body!
You were literally 15 year-old geniuses!
I became a fan immediately.
I bought NEXT that same day and read it 30 times!
Aw, it makes me happy to hear that.
But in that issue of NEXT, Niizuma's CROW was in there, too.
So why us?
Because Niizuma writes without thinking.
You're sharp, Nanamine!
But you guys think everything out before writing.
And the thought of 15 year-olds coming up with This World is Money and Intelligence sent shivers down my spine!
I thought: "If I'm going to make something, it's got to be this!"
Your Classroom of Truth is pretty harsh like that too, Nanamine.
Right? Your influence really shows!
More like, I'm incorporating all the good parts of your works.
Oh, sorry. It's from the department.
Yes?
Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot!
I'll come back and finish it right away.
Sorry Nanamine. I've got urgent work to do and we have to go back now.
But it's only been 10 minutes!
The station's close by. Nanamine can make it home on his own.
I see. Sorry, but I have to go.
Right. Thank you!
Thank you for letting me meet Ashirogi.
See you later!
I've been thinking about it for quite a while.
How to make my debut as quickly as possible.
Of course, it would have been better if I had won the Treasure contest.
But a one-shot in NEXT, and then trying it with Jack.... yeah, right.
I didn't want to go through all that.
What's this?
If I caused a bit of trouble and the Chief Editor called for me,
I'd bring along a new manuscript, and...
Of course I didn't expect him to read it right there on the spot.
Then, what about uploading to the internet?
That turned out to be the right thing to do, after all.
I did have confidence in that manga.
And when it blew up like that, they couldn't ignore me anymore.
So you did plan that.
As expected of Ashirogi. No one at the editorial department suspected that I had planned it all out.
Well, I am putting on an act to throw them off.
There's no way it's okay to upload a finalist entry in the contest.
Of course I know that.
I'm not stupid.
Don't look so shocked.
Didn't you do some experiments of your own?
Two one-shots published back to back.
And you even asked permission to cancel Hirameki Tanto.
How did you know...
Authors have to make their own plans, right?
In that way, you're awesome!
You're young, but you don't do whatever the editors say.
I have zero confidence in them.
Especially my own editor.
He's useless.
All he's done is study. What could a guy who just got out of college possibly know about manga?
We know more than him.
Don't you think so?
If we had them make manga, it would be crap.
They wouldn't be able to come up with a single decent story.
But we can take their advice.
That's right.
It's important to hear others' opinions.
That's why I uploaded mine to the internet.
Among the thousands of people who gave their opinion,
there's 50 among them whose judgment I trust.
I showed them the storyboard I brought to the Chief Editor today,
and incorporated their suggestions.
Thanks to that, it'll get published as a one-shot right away.
Don't you think that's the best way to go about it?
50 people?!
You wrote Classroom of Truth by yourself, right?
No, for that, I took opinions from four people I met online and know are talented.
You didn't think of it by yourself.
No matter who thought of it, I'm the one who put it all together and made it into a manga.
It's my work.
With this method, I'll climb to the top of Jack.
An unorthodox newcomer, Nanamine Tooru.
I won't forgive him!
But he's really popular!
Let's try our best so that we don't lose to him!
Next time: Confidence and Resolve.
Where is the twisted dream?
Treasure Amateur Prize Final Candidate
｢Classroom of Truth｣
Tokyo City
Nanamine Tooru 18 years old
Shounen Jack
Treasure Amateur Prize Final Candidate
｢Classroom of Truth｣
Tokyo City
Nanamine Tooru 18 years old
Shounen Jack
Ashirogi Mutou
To Ashirogi,
Congratulations on the serialization
of "Detective TRAP"!
I'm also very happy.
Ever since I read "This World is Money
and Intellligence" in Jack NEXT,
I've become a big fan of yours.
I've been making manga
stuff since sixth grade,
but now I'm determined
to become a real
Congratulations on the serialization
of "Detective TRAP"!
I'm also very happy.
Ever since I read "This World is Money
and Intellligence" in Jack NEXT,
I've become a big fan of yours.
I've been making manga
stuff since sixth grade,
but now I'm determined
to become a real
manga artist like you.
Classroom of Truth
Manuscript UP
Nanamine comes
Assistants IN
Goals and Assessment
Next Time
Preview
Confidence and
Resolve
mogakinagara saikou no yume wo
The times when I fight and struggle and dream
katachi ni suru kono shunkan ga suki sa
of all the things I want in life is the best
tatakau you na te wo tsunagu you na
That's when I feel the bond between us and our strength to fight
kankaku ga shigekiteni da ne
Our view of the world overlaps and stimulates us
kousa shite
dakara motto migakou jibun rashiku arou
Let us polish ourselves, be more like how we should be
tsuzuita michi ni aru hazu
The future can be found on the path we walk
mirai wa
shinzuru mono ga chigau nakamatachi
My comrades believe in different things than me
Rival...and Friend!
butsukariau Pride
Our pride clashes
yuzurenai kore kara mo kokoro no mama susumou yo
I can't give up on it, I have to do what my heart commands me to do
junbi wa dekita
I'm ready
ikki ni kakeagaru tame no
I've got the unbending pride
akiramenai Pride
to run to the top now
hisshi nanda yo suki dakara suki wo mune ni susumu n da
This is my only choice, this is what I love and this is what I'll do
donna ashita ga matteru ka shiranai
I don't know what tomorrow will be like
asu mo
But I know that tomorrow, again,
bokura wa
girigiri
ganbatteru darou
we will do our best to get by
ano ne moshimo ima sugu ni kimi no moto he to
Hey, if I could go to where you are right now
ikeru naraba kono koe ga nakunattemo ii ya
then I could accept losing my voice
mezasu basho ga amari ni mo tooku
The goals I've set myself seem impossible to reach,
boku wa mou michi ni mayoisou da
and I feel lost on my path
kowareta jishaku wo ate ni shiteru n da
I'm relying on a broken compass and hiding in another's shadow
dareka no kage ni kakurete sa
nanika wo te ni ireru tame nanika wo tebanasu nante koto wo
If we keep letting go of some things in order to find something else,
tsuzukete mo kitto bokura wa otona ni wa narenai
then I'm convinced we can never grow up
tsuzukete mo kitto bokura wa otona ni wa narenai
narenai
Never