Chapter 1442
Japan.
Online, on the streets, on public transport, in the schools.
The discussions about One Piece could be heard everywhere.
"Today's issue has two chapters in it!"
"It was so enjoyable to read it!"
"My Luffy! He's so cute!"
"The fighting is so hot-blooded!"
"This is the best comic I've read in recent years!"
"I want to buy the standalone volume of it!"
"Me too, when will it get released?"
"I've already read it four times!"
Chapter 4.
Chapter 5.
Chapter 6.
The serialization of One Piece continued.
Furthermore, because of the double chapters released per week, the number of pages for One Piece very quickly reached the necessary requirements of a standalone volume. The regular thirty-twomo format was also known in Japan as a "new edition" and was around 180 pages in length. So Shōnen Publishing had no choice but to bring forward the plans for a standalone volume of One Piece.
Promotions.
Printing.
Cover design.
The quantity for the first print was also being discussed.
In one of the meetings at Shōnen Publishing, everyone had differing opinions.
"Let's talk about it. What numbers should we go with for the initial print run?"
"I think we should try with 100,000 copies first?"
"Isn't 100,000 copies too few? Based on the current popularity of One Piece, I think we should have at least 200,000 copies as a minimum requirement. It could go higher than that too."
"200,000? Impossible."
"It's only the first volume. 200,00 copies would be too much. Besides, only the top cartoonists get such treatment."
"But One Piece is the most popular comic series in the whole of Japan right now!"
"The standalone volume has not even been released yet, so we still don't know how the sales will do. It's too early to say for sure whether the comic is really the most popular or not."
"Let's go for a compromise. I suggest we run a print of 150,000 copies."
Some people were optimistic.
But others, not so.
One Piece was ranked very high in the popularity polls and had been continuously getting first place for many weeks in a row. However, acclaim was just acclaim, while sales figures were sales figures. They had to be looked at separately. It wasn't like there weren't any comics that received critical acclaim but were immediately knocked off their perch the moment their standalone volumes were released. Acclaim was just one part of the equation, while sales figures accounted for the final results.
Zhang Ye's Studio sent its personnel to Japan.
…
On this day.
In the morning.
Beijing time: 6 AM.
Tokyo time: 7 AM. The time difference was an hour.
Zhang Ye was in the kitchen making breakfast. With his other hand, he was taking a video call from Ha Qiqi on his cell phone. In the call, Little Sun was talking to his sister while Ha Qiqi was exuberant.
Zhang Ye smiled and said: "You've arrived?"
Ha Qiqi said: "Little Sun and I have reached Japan. Today is the release date of the first standalone volume of One Piece, and it'll be going on sale very soon. You might not know this, but if we didn't come here and see for ourselves, we really wouldn't know how hot One Piece has become. I'll put it this way: I can understand how One Piece is pronounced in Japanese. On the way here, Little Sun and I heard other people bring up the name at least four or five times!"
"Haha, that's pretty good."
Ha Qiqi smiled happily and said: "Little Sun and I will head to the bookstore first. We'll update you again in a while."
Zhang Ye said: "OK, thanks for the hard work."
Ha Qiqi said: "It's no big deal. This is what we should be doing. You can draw more and take good care of Chief Wu. Leave the rest to us."
"Alright."
After ending the video call, Ha Qiqi and Little Sun immediately set off.
But when they walked up to one of the larger bookstores nearby, the two of them were dumbfounded. They saw that the line extended outwards by more than a hundred meters.
One Piece!
One Piece!
They kept hearing the same words being repeated!
Little Sun was stunned. "They're all here to buy One Piece?"
Ha Qiqi was also a little doubtful. "Surely not, right?"
They weren't sure and dared not assume so. They turned around and went to another, smaller bookstore. They found the same thing happening here. Everyone was lining up!
What is this all about?
What are they here to buy?
At this moment, it was time!
When that bookstore opened its doors for business, the people in the line rushed inside. Although they were orderly and unlike the chaos that was often seen back in China, everyone was fast walking. They were all rushing in one direction—towards the comics section!
"One Piece!"
"I want a copy of it!"
"Give me one!"
"Has One Piece arrived yet?"
Little Sun was shocked!
Ha Qiqi was enraptured!
They weren't full of themselves! Everyone was truly here to buy One Piece!
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