Two days later, while Haruki was working on a manuscript, he received a call from Kazuya inviting him out to discuss production plans for Madoka Magica.

There wasn't much debate to be had their meeting mostly involved ironing out investment and division of labor.

After an afternoon of discussion, the agreement was finalized: the project would receive a total budget of ¥300 million for a 12-episode run. Haruki would contribute ¥225 million, and Kazuya would cover the remaining ¥75 million.

As with their past collaborations, Kazuya would handle all aspects of animation production, including staffing, post-production, and distribution. Haruki would provide the script and music.

The script, of course, would remain unchanged. As for the soundtrack, Kazuya had some leeway, if he found better options that weren't too costly, they could be swapped in.

Revenue from the project would be split: Haruki would receive 70%, Kazuya 30%.

Both sides were satisfied with this setup.

Kazuya wasn't greedy. With only a 25% financial stake, taking 30% of the revenue reflected Haruki's trust in his production abilities. And after working together on 5 Centimeters per Second and Voices of a Distant Star, Kazuya had high hopes for Madoka Magica. If the series took off like the previous two, that extra 5% would be significant. Hiring a producer of Kazuya's caliber elsewhere would've cost far more anyway.

From Haruki's perspective, the decision was simple. With his system backing him, consistent output of high-quality stories was guaranteed. Compared to haggling over a few extra percentage points, the time and energy Kazuya saved him was far more valuable.

By the end of the meeting, the two were noticeably more relaxed.

"Finally sorted it out," Kazuya sighed as they ate.

"We'll need to get in touch with the whole crew from 5 Centimeters and Voices of a Distant Star those we said we'd work with again if we had the chance. Gotta reach out to them one by one..."

"And we'll need more hands this time," he continued. "A series this length can't afford to stumble mid-broadcast due to scheduling issues."

"But still, thanks to the success of our last two projects, we've got enough budget this time. Back then we were scraping by with just a few million. Now? This is a mid-scale project by industry standards."

"I've been thinking about reviving my animation studio," he added thoughtfully. "And hiring—should be easier now."

Haruki nodded. "You think you can find enough staff quickly?"

"No doubt," Kazuya replied confidently. "We've got a solid reputation, and with this kind of budget, recruiting won't be a problem."

"But we'll have to move fast. It's May already. I want the series to start airing by October."

"October? That soon?"

"We only need the first few episodes ready by then. The rest will be produced as we go. It'll be tight but if we pull the team together, it's doable."

He grinned. "You've been in the industry long enough, you've probably heard the saying…"

Haruki raised an eyebrow.

"'October is blessed by the anime gods.'"

Haruki chuckled and nodded slowly.

It was a long-standing tradition in the anime world. Many landmark series had premiered in October. For various historical and commercial reasons, studios and fans alike had come to see it as the ideal launch window akin to film studios releasing their biggest blockbusters during New Year holidays.

The October slot was golden. Seven of the past ten biggest hits in the industry had aired that month.

Naturally, the competition was always fierce.

But the way Kazuya talked about Madoka Magica, he clearly believed it could hold its own.

True to his style, Kazuya wasted no time.

Though the team was still coming together, he made a post on his social media the very night they finalized the plan:

"Mizushiro returns as screenwriter and lead investor, ¥300 million invested! The Madoka Magica anime project officially begins!"

He included a rough character sketch of Madoka, and a chibi-style doodle Haruki had sent as a joke.

The reaction online was immediate.

For Haruki's fans many of whom also followed Kazuya the post spread like wildfire. Within hours, Haruki's feed page was filled with fans sharing, speculating, and asking questions.

Excitement exploded.

5 Centimeters per Second and Voices of a Distant Star had only just cooled off, and now Mizushiro was back with a new project?

"As prolific as ever. Mizushiro really doesn't sleep, huh?"

"He's working with Kazuya again? Say no more. Just tell me Ryuko's doing the heroine's voice."

"Madoka Magica... That name sounds soft and sweet. I'm scared already."

"I don't know what to think. Kazuya only showed one character sketch and it's just a cute magical girl. What is this show supposed to be?"

"he only invested ¥50 million in his last two projects. This one's getting ¥25 million each episode. That alone should tell you it's not a simple slice-of-life series."

"Whatever it is, we'll find out when it airs. No point guessing now."

The next morning, Haruki woke up to a flood of messages and questions under his posts, all about Madoka Magica.

Naturally, he wasn't going to respond directly. Spoiling the plot would ruin the fun for everyone.

Instead, he posted a simple teaser:

"Madoka Magica is a series that will redefine what the words 'magical girl' truly mean.

Please look forward to it."

(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)