Welcome. Redgeek, here. It’s time we learned the truth. Kohei Horikoshi has been turning out shorter chapters for months and I want answers! I had a chance to sit down with Horikoshi-sensei at his office for another exclusive interview.
RG: Been awhile, Horikoshi. *stares*
Horikoshi: W-what are you doing?
RG: Checking for signs of exhaustion. Have you been sleeping okay?
Horikoshi: Oh, yeah, yeah. Four hours every night. That’s plenty.
RG: Um, that’s not good at all.
Horikoshi: Relatively speaking. Black Clover’s creator (Yūki Tabata) only gets three hours.
RG: That explains why it’s so bad.
Horikoshi: Hey! Don’t be rude. *cough cough*
RG: Whoa. Are you sick?
Horikoshi: Well, just a little. Had a cold a few months back, then the flu last month. I caught something else recently.
RG: Allergies?
Horikoshi: No, stairs.
RG: Huh?
Horikoshi: Fell down them.
RG: That’s horrible. You fell from lack of sleep?
Horikoshi: Lack of speed. Togashi-sensei (Hunter X Hunter creator) was rushing out Shueisha to buy Smash Bros. Special and I didn’t dodge out his way in time.
RG: I see. But, why were you at Shueisha? I thought editors picked up your work at your office.
Horikoshi: I had a meeting. It’s embarrassing to admit but I got busted for drug possession.
RG: What?
Horikoshi: No, no! It’s not as bad as it sounds. A fan sent me some homemade cookies and apparently they had a little something extra.
RG: So, you got high?
Horikoshi: …Yeah. According to the police, I was picked up on a bike on my way to Tokyo Disney. It wasn’t my bike. But, it’s cool. Oda-sensei put in a good word for me at the station. Everything was smoothed out quick. The police there loves One Piece. A couple future spoilers and an ecchi Nami picture and I was a free man.
RG: What a nice guy.
Horikoshi: You bet! He even offered to take the rest of those drug cookies off my hands. In fact, he insisted. Even demanded I mail him any more stuff like that straight to him.
RG: A saint. A true saint.
Horikoshi: Of course, now I have to fix my last couple chapters. See, I had this huge Uraraka and Mina fight planned out but I accidentally forgot it when I was high.
RG: Oh, no.
Horikoshi: Sorry about that. Don’t worry I’m getting back on track.
RG: Well, I certainly never expected all this happened. Now, I see why chapters have been so short. I hope everything’s good now.
Horikoshi: Sorry to make you worry. I’m ready to turn out full-length chapters from now on. Right after I stop the upcoming demon apocalypse.
RG: WHAT?
Horikoshi: It’s okay. I have a sword. Well, a sword replica but it’ll all work out. Speaking of work, better finish this chapter before I take on the armies of hell. If you’ll excuse me.
RG: …Sure. Thank you, Horikoshi. See ya.
Horikoshi: Not if the world gets eaten by Death incarnate. *laughs*
RG: I think I need some cookies.