Japan.
Online, on the streets, in cars, at school.
Discussions about One Piece could be heard everywhere.
"Two chapters were serialized today!"
"I had a great time reading it."
"My Luffy! It's so adorable! "
"The fighting is so hot-blooded!"
"This is the best comic I've read in recent years!"
"I want to buy the standalone edition!"
"Me too, when will it be published?"
"I've already read it four times!"
The fourth chapter.
The fifth chapter.
The sixth chapter.
The serialization of One Piece continued.
Moreover, due to the doubling of the weekly serialization, One Piece's page count quickly met the requirements for a standalone edition. An ordinary 32-format edition, also known as a new novel edition in Japan, was around 180 pages long. As such, Shōnen Publishing had no choice but to bring forward their plans for the standalone edition.
Publicity.
Printing.
Cover art.
The first print run was also being discussed.
At a meeting at Shōnen Publishing, everyone had differing opinions.
"Everyone, what's the first print run?"
"Why don't we try 100,000 copies first?"
"Isn't 100,000 copies a little too little? With One Piece's current popularity, I think we should at least need 200,000 copies or even more. "
"200,000? That's impossible. "
"It's only the first volume. 200,000 is too much. That's the treatment of a top cartoonist."
"But One Piece is now the most popular comic series in all of Japan!"
"The standalone edition hasn't been released yet, so we don't know how the sales will be. It's still too early to say that it's the most popular comic."
"Let's compromise. I suggest 150,000."
Some were optimistic.
Of course, some were not.
One Piece's popularity polls were very high, and it had been in first place for many consecutive issues. But word of mouth was word of mouth, and sales were sales. They had to be looked at separately. It wasn't that there weren't any comics that received good reviews but showed their true colors the moment they were released. Word of mouth was only one aspect.
Over there.
Someone from Zhang Ye's Studio also rushed over to Japan.
…
On this day.
In the morning.
At 6 AM Beijing time.
7 AM Tokyo time. There was a time difference of an hour.
Zhang Ye was in the kitchen making breakfast while holding his cell phone in his other hand and having a video call with Ha Qiqi. In the video call, Little Sun was talking to his sister. Ha Qiqi was also in high spirits.
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "We've arrived?"
Ha Qiqi: "Little Sun and I have already arrived in Japan. Today is the day that the first volume of One Piece's standalone edition goes on sale. It's going to start selling very soon. You might not know this, but if you didn't come here, you wouldn't have been able to feel the popularity of One Piece. Let me put it this way: I can still understand the three words' One Piece 'in Japanese. Did you know that while I was in the car with Little Sun, I heard people mentioning One Piece four or five times?"
"Haha, that's pretty good."
Ha Qiqi smiled and said, "I'll head to the bookstore with Little Sun right away. We'll update you in a bit."
Zhang Ye said, "Alright, thanks for your hard work."
Ha Qiqi said, "It's not hard at all, it's what we should do. Just draw more and take good care of Chief Wu at home. Leave the rest to us."
"OK."
After ending the video call, Ha Qiqi and Little Sun immediately set off.
However, when they arrived at the largest bookstore nearby, both of them were dumbfounded. The long queue had already stretched for more than a hundred meters.
One Piece!
One Piece!
His ears were filled with this voice!
Little Sun was stunned. "They're all here to buy One Piece?"
Ha Qiqi was also a little nervous. "Surely not, right?"
They didn't know either, so they didn't dare to think too highly of themselves. Then they turned around and went to a smaller bookstore. However, they discovered that it was the same as well. Everyone was still queuing up!
What was this for?
What were they here to buy?
At this moment, it was time!
When the bookstore suddenly opened its doors for business, the people queuing up instantly rushed in. Although it was orderly and not as chaotic as the ones in China, everyone was running as fast as they could. Everyone was rushing in the same direction — the comics sales area!
"One Piece!"
"I want a copy!"
"Give me a copy!"
"Is One Piece here?"
Little Sun was shocked!
Ha Qiqi was beaming with joy!
She wasn't being overly sentimental. They were really all here to buy One Piece!
…
Osaka.
At a sales outlet.
"Is One Piece available?"
"Give me a copy of One Piece standalone, thank you."
"Is the eighth volume of Martial King out yet? Not yet? Oh, then I want a copy of One Piece. "
…
Hokkaido.
At a bookstore.
"What?"
"There's no more?"
"Why is there no more?"
"I've been queuing up since this morning."
…
In Beijing.
At a supermarket.
"Where's One Piece?"
"Wasn't it going to be released today?"
"It's sold out?"
"So soon?"
"There's not even a single copy left?"
"Ahhhh! I'm late! "
…
Meanwhile.
At Shōnen Publishing's editorial department.
Someone from the marketing department suddenly ran in, panting and shouting, "One Piece is selling like crazy! Who is the editor in charge of One Piece? "
Kyoko stood up in shock. "That's me."
The person from the marketing department said, "Hurry up and get ready. We're going to have an additional print run!"
The other editors were also dumbfounded.
"An additional print run?"
"It's only just been released."
"Why are we doing an additional print run now?"
"Just what are the results?"
They could not understand.
An additional print run was a big deal. Usually, they would have to wait until the first print run of the standalone volumes were sold out before they could decide how many more copies to print based on the results. Why was the matter of an additional print run brought up just two hours after the book went on sale?
Everyone had confused looks on their faces.
The person from the marketing department said, "What do you guys know? One Piece's first print run of 150,000 copies has already been sold out in just two hours!"
Kyoko was dumbfounded!
Everyone in the editorial department was stunned!
It was sold out?
All of them?
150,000 copies?
The deputy editor said, "Holy shit!"
A male editor nearly fainted. "Does it have to be that ruthless?"
Someone shouted, "Hurry, hurry, inform the managing editor!"
Everyone understood that something big had happened!
This was no longer just a big deal for their Shōnen Publishing. This was a big deal for the Japanese comics world!
How many years had it been?
How many years had it been since a comic had achieved such results in Japan?
…
Two days later.
One Piece had an additional print run of 150,000 copies.
It was sold out within three hours!
…
Several days later.
One Piece had an additional print run of 200,000 copies.
200,000 copies were sold out again!
…
Additional print run!
Sold out!
Additional print run!
Sold out!
In the end, the first standalone volume of One Piece sold an astonishing 1.01 million copies, breaking the historical sales record for the first volume of a comic!
Shōnen Publishing went crazy!
The other comic publishers went crazy!
All of Japan went crazy!
Thinking back to six or seven years ago, after the national comic Race Awakening came to an end, there had never been such a crazy scene in the Japanese comics world. The popularity of One Piece had come too suddenly and caught everyone off guard. Many Japanese people were caught off guard!
It had been six years!
It had been six years!
Another national comic, the one they had been waiting for had finally arrived!
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