Chapter 26 : The Sprout of Social phenomenon [2]
Alex returned upstairs and continued drawing.
The day before New Year's, Sue called again. Her tone was serious.
"Something happened."
"What?"
" Silver Spoon has been reported."
Alex's pen stopped. "Reported?"
"Anonymous report letters sent to the Dept of Education and the Cultural Affairs Bureau," Sue said. "Claiming Silver Spoon 'promotes a negative outlook on life,' 'protagonist lacks enterprising spirit,' and is 'detrimental to the healthy growth of teenagers.'"
Alex was silent for a few seconds. "And?"
"The Dept of Education suppressed it," Sue said. "But the Cultural Affairs Bureau is a bit troublesome. They said they need to 'evaluate' and have temporarily suspended the recommendation of Silver Spoon in the education system."
"When did this happen?"
"Yesterday. I just got the news today." Sue paused. "The Editor-in-Chief is handling it, told you not to worry."
"I'm not worried," Alex said. "What did the report say?"
"I'll email it to you."
After hanging up, Alex opened his email. Sue sent a scan of the report letter.
The handwriting was neat, the wording severe:
"...The protagonist Yugo Hachiken has a cowardly personality, lacks ambition, and often shows a negative and evasive attitude when facing difficulties. This character setting is not conducive to cultivating a positive attitude towards life in teenagers."
"...The work overly renders the hardship and filth of agricultural labor, which may cause teenagers to fear agriculture, running counter to the national policy of encouraging teenagers to devote themselves to agriculture."
"...Suggest relevant departments re-evaluate the educational value of this work and remove it from shelves if necessary."
Alex finished reading and closed the file.
He remembered his past life. Silver Spoon faced similar controversies in Japan—critics said "the protagonist is too negative" or "not hot-blooded enough." Arakawa Hiromu's response was: "Real life is like this. There is confusion, struggle, and imperfection."
He opened a document and started writing a response.
Not to the reporter, but to himself.
"Hachiken is not perfect. He fears, he retreats, he gets confused. But he is also trying, persisting, moving forward bit by bit. This is real growth—not a smooth ride, but a stumbling journey.
"Agricultural labor is indeed hard, indeed dirty. But it is precisely this hardship and dirt that makes food precious and life heavy. Concealing this is disrespect to agriculture.
"The purpose of education is not to create dreams for teenagers, but to let them see the real world and then choose their own path. What Silver Spoon shows is this real world."
He finished writing, saved it, but didn't send it to anyone.
This was his creative philosophy; he didn't need to explain it to anyone.
During the New Year holiday, Alex didn't rest. He was drawing Chapter 26.
In this chapter, Hachiken faced real death for the first time—a calf died during a difficult birth. He did everything he could, but the calf died.
{The teacher patted his shoulder. "Vets aren't gods. We can't save every life. But every time you do your best, you are worthy of this profession."
Hachiken didn't speak. He squatted by the calf's body, the straw soaked in fluid. He stayed there for a long, long time.
There was no dialogue in the panel. Just Hachiken's small, hunched back, and the gradually cooling body on the ground.
Later, in the dorm room. Hachiken opened his notebook. He picked up his pen, his hand steady but heavy.
On the first page, he wrote:
"Day 1. Calf. Dystocia."
He closed the notebook and looked out the window.
The night sky over the ranch was vast, indifferent, and filled with stars.}
Alex drew with a heavy heart. He remembered a vet documentary he watched in his past life, which said: "Every vet has a 'Death Note,' recording all the animals they couldn't save. That's not failure; that's responsibility."
On the first working day after the holiday, the notification from the Cultural Affairs Bureau came down.
Not a removal, not a ban, but an "Evaluation Opinion":
"...After review by the expert panel, it is considered that Silver Spoon has positive significance in showing the true face of agriculture and conveying professional values. The twists and turns of the characters' growth are in line with the psychological development laws of teenagers. Recommended as extracurricular reading for middle school students, under teacher guidance."
The notification was sent to schools and copied to the NextGen editorial department.
When Sue called, her voice was much more relaxed. "Crisis averted. Not only averted, but added a line 'read under teacher guidance'—which equals official recognition of its educational value."
"Expert panel?"
"Organized by the Dept of Education. Three pedagogy professors, two psychology professors, and one agricultural expert." Sue paused. "Heard they argued fiercely at the review meeting. Finally, the agricultural expert slammed the table and said: 'What do you know? This is real agriculture!' That settled the tone."
Alex imagined the scene and smiled.
"One more thing," Sue said. "Because of this incident, Silver Spoon hit the news again. Now the popularity is even higher. Bookstores reported sales surged again today."
"Good thing."
"But the pressure is greater," Sue became serious. "You are now the author of an 'officially recognized excellent work.' Every chapter must stand up to scrutiny."
"I understand."
Hanging up, Alex opened the forum. Sure enough, threads about the "Report Incident" were floating on the homepage.
"Cultural Affairs Bureau official document is out! Silver Spoon passed evaluation!"
"Do the faces of those reporters hurt?"
"I told you, how could such a good work be banned!"
"But what does 'read under teacher guidance' mean? Think we can't understand it?"
"Probably afraid some content is too real for kids to handle..."
Alex scrolled through a few pages and saw a long analysis post. The OP was an education major, analyzing the value of Silver Spoon from a pedagogical perspective:
"The report letter said Hachiken is 'negative,' but psychologically, this 'negativity' is precisely a reflection of teenagers' real psychology. Denying this 'negativity' is denying teenagers' real feelings.
"The most valuable point of Silver Spoon is that it doesn't avoid confusion, failure, or death. It tells readers: these are all okay, all part of growth.
"This is true education—not instilling positive energy, but showing reality, then trusting readers have the ability to think and choose for themselves."
Replies below expressed agreement.
Alex closed the forum and opened his drawing software.
Chapter 26 was done. He started Chapter 27.
In this chapter, Hachiken walked out of the shadow of death. Not a sudden recovery, but a slow healing. He continued classes, internships, and recording in his notebook.
But something was different.
{Hachiken stood in the aisle, preparing to inject a cow. He found the vein. His hand didn't shake.
In the anatomy lab, he looked at the organs with focused, clinical eyes.
Late at night in the library, he turned the pages of a reference book, his patience infinite.
The teacher watched him from the doorway. After class, he stopped Hachiken.
"You've grown up," the teacher said.
Hachiken paused. He adjusted his glasses, then nodded once.}
No grand words, no hot-blooded excitement. Just an ordinary affirmation, but heavy.
When Alex drew to this point, his phone buzzed again. Unknown number. He didn't answer.
A text came: "Hello Mr. Walker, I am a reporter from State TV's 'In-Depth Interview.' I want to do a special report on the educational significance of Silver Spoon. Would you be willing to accept an interview?"
He deleted the text.
A moment later, another unknown number: "Mr. Walker, I am an editor from Education Weekly. I want to invite you to write an article about 'Comics and Education,' payment is excellent."
He continued deleting.
By the fifth message, Sarah came upstairs, looking unhappy. "Reporters again, at the gate."
Alex walked to the window and looked down. A news van was parked at the gate, several people with cameras looking around.
"I'll go send them away." Sarah turned downstairs.
Alex returned to his desk and continued drawing.
He drew Hachiken doing experiments in the lab, taking care of sick cows in the pasture, checking materials in the library.
He drew him bit by bit, changing from that confused boy into a professional veterinary student.
Slow, but solid.
Just like his work, bit by bit, changing from an ordinary manga into a phenomenon, into a force.
The sound of reporters leaving came from outside. Sarah was yelling downstairs: "I said no means no! Come again and I'll call the police!"
Alex smiled, lowered his head, and continued drawing.
(To be Continued)
Read Advanced chapter at Petreon.com/ Otaku_Reader
25 Advanced chapter are available
Please Support me there and get daily Updates.
---------------------------------------------------------