novelraw Chapter 13: Audit Passed!
Chapter 13: Audit Passed!
Yes, the evaluation Takeshita Ai gave was exactly this high.
It was just the word genius!
She could almost foresee what kind of sensation this animation would cause when it aired late at night.
It would become a hot topic passed by word of mouth in schools, during work breaks, at drinking tables, and in pantries.
Because this novel genre was truly too rare!
This was a true "proposal"! It was using creativity and wisdom to achieve the miracle of deflecting a heavy weight with a small force!
She no longer had the slightest hesitation. Picking up that red seal engraved with "Audit Passed", she heavily stamped it down on the audit document for "Yamishibai" without any delay!
"Smack!"
The crisp sound echoed in the quiet office.
...But for Suzuki Kiyoto and his group, who were currently walking on the way back to the section office, the sky above their heads remained gray and overcast.
The lights in the hallway also seemed exceptionally pale, stretching their shadows long and dispirited, as if foreshadowing some bad ending.
"Section Chief..."
Hashishita Ichiro finally couldn't help but break this suffocating silence. His voice carried a trace of unwillingness and worry. "That guy Iwata... his proposal does look... very impressive."
He didn't want to admit it, but the facts were right in front of them.
That beautifully bound proposal, those sparkling names, and Iwata Masao's smug face, confident of victory, all weighed like heavy stones on everyone's hearts.
Suzuki Kiyoto's steps paused for a moment. He didn't turn back, merely saying in a nearly exhausted voice, "I know."
How could he not know?
Having waded through the vanity fair that was the television station for most of his life, he knew better than anyone else that a gorgeous proposal and a powerful network of connections were often more convincing than a good idea itself.
Deputy Bureau Chief Takada's name was like an insurmountable high wall.
And they only had a cheap videotape and a few thin sheets of paper.
Even he himself, after seeing Iwata Masao's grand display, felt the brimming confidence in his heart begin to uncontrollably waver and deflate.
Could it be... were they really going to lose?
Lose to that kind of soulless thing piled up with money?
From his time at a subordinate television station, where he was promoted to TV Tokyo because the animations he produced were well-received, he found himself feeling trapped in a quagmire.
It wasn't to say that TV Tokyo ostracized him; of course, there was that reason too.
The bigger reason was also that TV Tokyo produced capable people in abundance.
There were too many capable people.
Even as for that guy Iwata Masao, from what he understood previously, the standard of some animations he produced was quite high.
Although they were indeed piled up with money.
But their viewership ratings were all very good.
On what basis could one say that the man's abilities were lacking?
Having connections and abilities no less than his own, this already made Suzuki Kiyoto's inner heart incomparably bitter right now.
Even though he truly had a lot of confidence in "Yamishibai"...
However, everything still depended on the viewership ratings to speak for themselves.
"..."
Behind him, Nohara Hiroshi looked at Suzuki Kiyoto's instantly hunched back and pursed his lips without saying much.
Before the results came out, any words felt like hollow comfort.
The group silently returned to their section office located in the corner, which even lacked somewhat in natural lighting.
The air was permeated with a stifling atmosphere.
Seeing them return, Minamura Hoshi, Kitagawa Yao, and the others immediately gathered around, their faces carrying anticipation, "Section Chief, how did it go?"
Suzuki Kiyoto opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound. He merely waved his hand feebly, returned to his own office, and flopped heavily back onto his creaky old chair, gritting his teeth with a grave expression.
The feeling of disappointment spread rapidly within the small office like a virus.
Everyone fell silent. Only the sound of the air blowing from the old air conditioner hummed monotonously.
Right in the midst of this dead silence, the phone on Suzuki Kiyoto's desk suddenly rang sharply.
"Ring-ring-ring—!"
That sound was startlingly abrupt, causing everyone to shudder.
Suzuki Kiyoto was like someone jerked awake, lifting his head violently. He looked at that incessantly clamoring phone, his eyes full of hesitation and fear.
Was it a call from the Audit Department?
Was it here to announce their death sentence?
The phone rang stubbornly, one ring after another, striking against everyone's hearts.
"Section Chief..." Hashishita Ichiro's voice was trembling.
Suzuki Kiyoto took a deep breath as if mentally making a certain decision. He tremblingly reached out his hand and picked up the receiver.
"...Hello, this is the Director Group, Suzuki Section. I am Suzuki Kiyoto." His voice was dry and hoarse.
From the other end of the line came the capable voice of an unfamiliar woman. "Section Chief Suzuki, hello. I am the assistant to Section Chief Takeshita of the Audit Department."
It came!
Everyone's hearts leaped into their throats.
Suzuki Kiyoto's back instantly straightened like a ramrod. He gripped the receiver tightly, even forgetting to breathe.
"Y-Yes, how may I help you?"
The voice on the other end paused for a moment before speaking in a formulaic, emotionless tone. "Regarding the project 'Yamishibai' submitted by your esteemed section, the audit has been passed. Section Chief Takeshita asked me to inform you that the formal approval document for the proposal will be delivered to your section this afternoon."
"..."
"Section Chief Suzuki? Are you listening?"
Suzuki Kiyoto completely froze. He held up the receiver, his eyes wide as saucers, his mouth slightly open, yet unable to say a single word.
It passed?
Did he mishear it?
Or was this just a cruel joke?
"Section Chief?" Seeing his appearance, Nohara Hiroshi couldn't help but quietly remind him.
"Ah... Ah! Here! I'm listening!" Suzuki Kiyoto woke up as if from a dream, practically roaring his reply, "P-Passed? Are you saying our proposal has passed?"
"Yes." The assistant on the other end seemed somewhat surprised by this excessive reaction but still replied affirmatively, "The audit has passed. Please prepare for the subsequent production work."
"Alright! Alright! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Suzuki Kiyoto was so excited that he spoke incoherently, repeatedly bowing toward the receiver as if the other party could see him.
Until the phone was hung up, letting out a "beep-beep" busy tone, he still maintained that posture.
Inside the office, it remained dead silent.
Everyone stared blankly at him, their faces written full of disbelief.
A few seconds later, Suzuki Kiyoto forcefully slammed the receiver back onto the phone base!
"Smack!"
He abruptly stood up, walked out of the office, and excitedly pumped his fist at the crowd.
"It passed—!"
Boom!
The stifling atmosphere was swept clean in an instant.
Hashishita Ichiro, Minamura Hoshi, Haseji Kakeru, and Kitagawa Yao all revealed excited expressions of joy on their faces. "That's wonderful!" They let out cheers.
Passing the audit meant that the TV Tokyo Production Bureau had recognized their work.
One must know that they had been worried before.
After all, even though the genre of "Yamishibai" was very novel and its conception was ingenious.
The start of production was truly so rudimentary it was shabby!
After all, frankly speaking, there would be absolutely no problem at all calling their work just a series of slideshow pictures!
And yet, this could still pass the audit.
This was simply the best affirmation of the persistence and hard work of everyone here over this period of time!
Standing amidst the crowd, watching the jubilant scene before him, the corners of Nohara Hiroshi's lips, which had been tight the whole time, finally curved upwards into an imperceptible arc.
The original "Yamishibai" from his past life was produced by TV Tokyo itself; its style and content perfectly belonged to the aesthetic of TV Tokyo.
Passing the audit was indeed within his expectations.
However, before their joy could last for too long, the phone on the desk rang inopportunely once again.
This time, Suzuki Kiyoto had no hesitation at all. He grabbed the receiver and shouted with a booming voice, "Hello! This is the Suzuki Section!"
"Hello, Section Chief Suzuki. I am Yamamoto from the Broadcasting Department."
The voice on the other side of the phone sounded quite authoritative.