My 2D anime story

If animators were ranked by skill level, they could be categorized into four stages:

Beginner: Can only draw basic character shapes.Junior Animator: Can capture character curves and body proportions.Intermediate Animator: Can express emotions and is qualified to work in the anime industry.Senior Animator: Doesn't just draw realistically—each character they create has a distinct personality.

Miyazumi Poem was undoubtedly a senior animator.

And Su Yu?

He had jumped from a beginner to an intermediate level in just one day.

After examining Su Yu's latest drawings, Poem had to admit—his progress was remarkable.

At this rate, he could join the Third Studio right away without any issues.

"You're sharp, and you learn fast. Next, we move on to how to draw manga. Manga artists and animators are different—if you don't have an assistant, you'll have to do everything yourself. That includes…"

As Su Yu finished his lunch, Poem began explaining the fundamentals of manga.

Unlike animation, manga doesn't require every frame to be drawn. Instead, paneling (storyboarding) is crucial for structuring the flow.

Poem herself had experience as a manga artist and had even won awards at a manga club. Her graduation project was animating her own manga—a one-person job from start to finish.

That was what being the #1 graduate of Shining Animation Academy meant.

Even though it was just a short film, the time and effort she invested far exceeded that of other animators.

Su Yu listened intently, absorbing every detail.

Some concepts required further study, so Poem wrote up a reading list for him.

The books covered manga basics, animation fundamentals, and insights from veteran industry professionals.

By the time she finished explaining, an hour had passed.

"Alright, that's the gist of it. Read through these books first, then come back to me." Poem said.

"Thank you. You're a great teacher. I'll complete my manga as soon as possible." Su Yu stood up and bowed.

Poem looked at him, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.

Su Yu straightened up and noticed her expression—he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Next time I come, I'll bring the script for that anime project, along with our character designs."

"I…" Poem stared at him.

"I understand. Blondes are all tsunderes." Su Yu smirked.

"I'm not a tsundere!" Poem's face turned red.

Su Yu chuckled and left without saying more.

Back at Home

After picking up the reference books from a bookstore, Su Yu returned home—it was already past 2 PM.

The four girls had finished lunch, and Yukino had even cleaned the kitchen for him.

As soon as Su Yu walked in, Yui Yuigahama looked at him curiously.

"Did you learn a lot?" Yukino asked, studying him.

"Yeah." Su Yu nodded.

"Specifically?"

"Blondes are all tsunderes."

"Huh?" Yukino blinked and instinctively turned to Yumiko Miura.

Among the four girls here, only Yumiko had blonde hair.

Yumiko's face turned slightly red as she looked at Su Yu.

Yui tilted her head in confusion, while Hina Ebina smirked.

"Sorry, I wasn't talking about Miura-san—I meant the animator who's teaching me to draw." Su Yu said, pulling out his latest sketches.

The girls gathered around to look—clearly surprised by his progress.

Yukino picked up two of the drawings and examined them carefully.

"Well?" Su Yu asked, knowing she had some knowledge in this field.

"You're good enough to start drawing manga. I want to see the third chapter of your story within a week." Yukino said seriously.

"Yukinoshita-san, can't you see how many reference books I have? I need to study first before drawing the next chapter." Su Yu gestured at the stack of books in his hands.

"Those are reference books? I thought you bought manga and light novels." Yukino was surprised.

Su Yu sighed and pulled out the thick, heavy books, introducing each one:

"This one is about manga paneling…"

"This one explains animation cinematography…"

"This one contains interviews with famous directors…"

The girls took turns flipping through them.

Yukino was the most engrossed, clearly interested.

Yui, on the other hand, skimmed a few pages before placing the book back on the table—it was too complicated for her.

Yumiko and Hina felt the same way.

"Su Yu-kun, how long will it take for you to master all this?" Yukino set down the director interviews and looked at him.

"It'll take a while. But I'll finish my manga as soon as possible." Su Yu replied.

"Alright. I'll be waiting. In the meantime, I'll start learning how to be an anime director." Yukino said, her gaze fixed on the director interviews.

"Yukinoshita-san, if you become a director, you'll be the most beautiful and youngest director in history." Su Yu smirked.

"I don't care about attention—I care about whether the work sparks discussion." Yukino frowned slightly.

"You already sound like an excellent director." Su Yu teased.

Yukino rolled her eyes and silently jotted down the titles of a few books for herself.

Once she was done, Su Yu packed up his books and headed to his room.

Evening – 5 PM

As Su Yu was finishing one of the reference books, the door opened.

He turned around to see Yui Yuigahama entering.

She closed the door behind her and walked toward him.

"Su Yu-kun, want to take a break? Let's sing with everyone!"

"I'd rather rest my head on Yui's lap." Su Yu closed the book and got up, sitting on the bed.

Yui's face turned bright red, but she still sat down beside him.

After adjusting her posture, she lightly patted her lap, looking at him shyly.

Su Yu didn't hesitate—he laid down, resting his head on her lap.

Yui looked down at him, her hand gently stroking his hair, her expression soft and affectionate.

Su Yu closed his eyes, not saying a word.

A long while later—

Yui suddenly realized—

Su Yu had fallen asleep.

Just then—

The door opened again.

Hina Ebina stepped in, smirking as she looked at Yui and Su Yu.

Behind her were Yumiko and Yukino.

Yui's face burned when she saw them.

She quickly gestured for them to stay quiet, pointing at Su Yu.

Only then did the three girls realize—

Su Yu was asleep.

Hina chuckled softly and gently closed the door.

Yui let out a sigh of relief, then looked down at Su Yu again.

Her lips curled into a sweet smile.

Notes-Read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X