Black Bullet - Volume 4 - Chapter Aft

AFTERWORD

Where is the balance between art and compromise? Authors in particular are said by society to have absolute authority from the minute they open up a text editor and start working to when they finish their work, but that is not necessarily true. Time limits especially can expose dilemmas of quality and compromise that affect their work and with much headache.

Depending on the person, the idea that anyone can create something good with enough time could be true or false, but either way, compromise is necessary. It might sound good to have your own style and never listen to other’s demands, but acting arrogantly like that is like stepping on a tiger’s tail—those who do it would not be able to remain authors for long.

By the way, what about Shiden Kanzaki? Ever since he was admitted into the Dengeki group, he’s been an impertinent transfer student, ignoring industry customs immediately after entering and doing crazy things, making the chief editor call him out and yell at him, not thinking about profits as he made changes over and over and making the sales department mad at him. Anyway, he’s a terrible problem child.

It’s impossible to count the number of times he’s said, “No, I won’t hand it over!” and caused trouble for his managing editor by not handing over the manuscript on hand.

Yes, even I have started to reflect on my style and the trouble I’ve continued to cause for others, and I have started to doubt my thoughts from their core.

My smart readers might give me the advice to use the 80-20 rule. Pros are able to finish 80 percent of the quality with 20 percent of the effort, but in order to get the remaining 20 percent of the quality, it would take 80 percent of the effort, so it’s not worth it.

Kind readers might try to comfort me with Sturgeon’s Law. Since 90 percent of everything is crap, at least we sometimes make something good.

Where is the balance between art and compromise?

In the first place, is compromise really necessary? Compromise is like knocking down dominoes, where if you compromise once, then little by little, it’ll spread to everything.

Like many people have said of the entertainment industry in particular, the speed of supply and demand is clearly different from ten years ago. Let’s call the speed of that change a raging rapid.

If I were to be loved by the editorial department and the sales department and my managing editor—but then throw out a work that the readers find boring on the stormy seas of the entertainment industry, will I really be able to smile at that point?

Shiden Kanzaki wants to leave behind something that readers will truly find of value because of the age we live in.

Of course, works have their waves, and it is a difficult trick to maintain the balance of quality. More importantly, in a series, I have never really seen anything that has been able to keep things continually interesting all the time. But I think aiming for that as much as I can is very meaningful.

I have reached a good conclusion. I’m a problem child bastard after all, who thinks there’s no point in telling a story if I have to compromise on its quality. I apologize to everyone who is involved. I intend to continue causing problems from now on, so please cooperate with me in creating a good book.

THIS MONTH’S KUROSAKI

At one point, he called me at his wits’ end. “We seriously won’t make the manuscript delivery! You’ve gathered dragon balls for this moment, right? If you don’t use them now, when will you use them? Hurry up and summon Shen Long, please!” he said. It’s come to the point where even my managing editor is pleading for a Shen Long summons.

The cruel reality is that we authors and editors who prize objective and logical thought above all are resorting to entreating the gods. Oh dear, is this book really going to be all right……?

REGARDING THE MANGA VERSION

About half a month after the publication of this book, on August 27, the comic version of Black Bullet will begin serialization in the magazine Dengeki Maoh. It is drawn by the runner-up of the Thirteenth Dengeki Comics Grand Prix, Morinohon. Please look forward there to the efforts of the cool Rentaro and adorable Enju, as drawn by his sharp, precious brush.

This time, I’d also like to thank my managing editor, Mr. Kurosaki, who stayed with me patiently as I didn’t quite meet the scheduled deadline; the illustrator, Saki Ukai, who did the character designs for all the excessive new characters; Morinohon, who is in charge of the comic version; everyone in the editorial department; and everyone else involved with this book.

Finally, to my dear readers who have taken this book in their hands. Um, well, in this volume, the merciless developments continue… But next time, there’ll be lots of Lolita-complex and breasts, so please wait!

Thank you very much for buying this book.

I pray that all of my readers will be blessed.

Shiden Kanzaki