novelraw Chapter 130: Nohara Hiroshi Misses His Hometown! After Getting on Track, Planning to Go Back to His Hometown for a Visit!
Chapter 130: Nohara Hiroshi Misses His Hometown! After Getting on Track, Planning to Go Back to His Hometown for a Visit!
Within this special room, Sakata Nobuhiko and Nohara Hiroshi didn't stay too long. It was more of just a ceremonial meeting.
However, the chat was still very pleasant.
And when Nohara Hiroshi and Sakata Nobuhiko walked shoulder-to-shoulder out of that lounge resembling another dimension, and returned to that social vortex full of hypocrisy and probing.
The air of the entire banquet hall seemed to instantly undergo some sort of subtle chemical reaction.
Everyone's gazes, like iron filings drawn by a magnet, uniformly focused onto that young man's body.
In their gazes, there was no longer jealousy, no longer scrutiny.
Leaving only a type of complexity.
They perhaps didn't know exactly what had happened in that tiny lounge.
But they all saw that when that young man walked out, His Excellency Fujiwara, that man whose existence within the entire Tokyo Metropolitan publicity system was akin to a deity, actually personally saw him to the door.
On that face that was consistently calm like water, even carried a smile of appreciation.This was already no longer simple recognition.
This was a silent declaration from an even higher dimension——
His Excellency Fujiwara appreciates this young man!
"Damn it!"
Takada Toshihide, this Executive Deputy Director of TV Tokyo's Production Bureau, the number-two figure within the Production Bureau, was currently holding a glass of scarlet Bordeaux red wine, chatting and laughing merrily with several television station executives of the same faction.
But when his gaze touched upon that tall and straight, composed and unhurried figure walking out from the lounge, that hand of his holding the wine glass actually uncontrollably trembled slightly.
That scarlet liquid shook out a dangerous arc against the wall of the glass, like that heart of his currently riddled with holes from being thoroughly eroded by jealousy and fear, doing a final, powerless struggle.
Beside him, Yasui Takashi and Ito Choan, those two formerly insufferably arrogant variety show aces, were even more so like two roosters who had all their feathers plucked in public, standing there crestfallen, not even daring to lift their heads.
They felt like they were foolish children.
While the other party had already, using a method they completely failed to comprehend, created a path to enter the true world.
And had even set foot entirely inside!
"Takada-kun, so you're here."
Sakata Nobuhiko's genial voice rang in their ears like a clap of thunder. This patriarch of the Production Bureau was currently walking over, glowing with health and vigor, bringing Nohara Hiroshi along.
"I just chatted with His Excellency Fujiwara a bit. His Excellency is very satisfied with our television station's recent work. Especially regarding Hiroshi-kun, he was even more so full of praise ah."
He paused. Within those eyes that were always narrowed flashed a trace of shrewd light akin to an old fox.
"His Excellency even specifically enjoined me, that young men like Hiroshi-kun, who have talent, who have a sense of responsibility, and even more so have a grasp of the big picture, are the treasures of our entire Japanese television industry. We, absolutely must give him, the greatest support, the best platform, allowing him to focus without any distractions, to create for this country of ours even more outstanding works capable of 'connecting' people's hearts."
Every word of these sentences, was like a formless heavy hammer, viciously smashing onto Takada Toshihide's heart.
He knew, Sakata Nobuhiko was doing this to beat him as a warning.
It was also to warn him.
Starting from today, any unpresentable little tricks aimed precisely at Nohara Hiroshi, will no longer be simple factional struggles.
But rather a brazen provocation against "official will".
"Yes... yes, what the Bureau Chief says is true."
Takada Toshihide squeezed these few words out from between his teeth. That gloomy face had long been shrouded by an ashen, livid pallor.
He knew, he had lost.
Lost a crushing defeat.
Lost to the point where... even the final bit of hope of turning the tables was gone.
But Takada Toshihide thought about how he could still achieve something in the aspect of Eiga, could still display his abilities within TV Tokyo's Production Bureau, and also slowly let out a sigh of relief.
Looking at Nohara Hiroshi before him, finally forcing out a smile, acting as if he was open-minded and his heart wasn't narrow.
"Hehehe." Sakata Nobuhiko seeing the smile finally brought up on Takada's face, also revealed a smile akin to an old fox.
In Sakata's view, right now everyone being harmonious and friendly.
That is precisely a very good atmosphere!
...
The social vortex within the banquet hall full of hypocrisy and probing finally gradually returned to tranquility before the midnight bell tolled.
The major figures who usually summoned the wind and called the rain in their respective fields one by one, carrying complex emotions of either satisfaction or loss, or full of schemes, quietly dispersed like the ebbing tide.
Nohara Hiroshi followed behind Sakata Nobuhiko, passing through that still-lingering clamor. Under the almost humble bowing send-off of that Imperial Hotel manager, they walked into that black Toyota Century that had long been waiting at the entrance for quite some time.
The car doors closed silently, instantly isolating all the vanity and restlessness of the outside world into an absolute serenity constructed from top-tier soundproofing materials and heavy bulletproof glass.
"Saw that you didn't really eat anything in the banquet hall. Right now, drink something to trick your stomach first maybe?"
Sakata Nobuhiko, this television station local emperor who summoned the wind and called the rain outside, currently acted like the most ordinary, amiable uncle from next door.
From the car refrigerator, he took out a bottle of Perrier that had long been chilled and was still emitting traces of cold air, pouring a glass for Nohara Hiroshi.
Carrying a gentle smile in his eyes.
"Thank you Bureau Chief." Nohara Hiroshi accepted that exquisitely crafted crystal glass. The fine beads of water condensed on the wall of the glass refracted a dazzling and blurry light under the soft lighting inside the car.
Sakata Nobuhiko didn't speak. He merely held his own glass, his gaze looking out the window through that massive car window.
That bustling night scenery of Tokyo amidst the night color.
He sighed and spoke, "Hiroshi-kun, do you know? Tonight, watching those two fellows Asumi and Takada fighting in front of you like black-bone chickens, my heart was actually... feeling quite uncomfortable."
Nohara Hiroshi didn't pick up the conversation. He merely listened quietly.
In Sakata Nobuhiko's voice carried a desolation and helplessness belonging to someone who had been through it all: "Back then, deciding to acquire Kanto TV, it was I who rejected all dissenting views and personally finalized the decision. My thoughts were very simple: a strong-strong alliance, integration of resources, forging our TV Tokyo into an unshakeable, true media empire. But despite all my calculations, I miscalculated one single thing."
He paused. On that chubby face always carrying a smile surfaced a trace of bitterness: "I miscalculated, human hearts."
"'Tokyo Faction' and 'Kanto Faction', these two names that should have dissipated with the merger, instead acted like two old scars unable to heal. Within this building, they have torn at it for a full five years. They fought for resources, snatched projects, formed cliques, schemed against each other... turning a perfectly good Production Bureau into a foul atmosphere. As the one acting as the Bureau Chief, I saw it in my eyes, felt anxious in my heart, yet also... felt helpless to do anything about it."
These heartfelt words made a trace of imperceptible ripple also surge in Nohara Hiroshi's heart.
He knew this wasn't merely complaining, but even more so a type of entrustment originating from a higher perspective.
"However, Hiroshi-kun."
Sakata Nobuhiko slowly turned around. Those eyes that were always narrowed, currently opened up. Inside them flashed an unprecedented shrewd light: "Your appearance was like a stone tossed into stagnant water, thoroughly stirring all of this to life."
"You used your talent to prove to everyone that in this industry, what truly determines victory or defeat isn't where you come from, isn't which faction you belong to, but rather whether you can, produce works, that make everyone shut their mouths."
His voice lowered a bit, carrying a foresight bordering on a strategist: "Even more importantly... look outside the window. The 'Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area' plan has already entered the final fast lane. In less than ten years, the entire Kanto region, will all become a part of Tokyo. By that time, the so-called 'Tokyo Faction', 'Kanto Faction', will all become ridiculous historical nouns."
"Therefore, Hiroshi-kun."
Sakata Nobuhiko looked at him. That gaze was no longer a superior's scrutiny of a subordinate, but rather a locking of eyes full of expectations: "Do not be limited by these petty profits right before your eyes, do not let those unpresentable factional struggles bind your hands and feet. Your vision, should be placed on the entire 'Greater Tokyo', placed in this, impending, brand-new era."
He paused. On that chubby face once again blossomed a genial smile. Yet in that smile carried a commitment sufficient to make anyone feel reassured over it.
"Our station's Station Chief, you also know, is more of a Political Official, responsible for communication at the government level. He doesn't manage specific business operations. And as for me, this Bureau Chief of the Production Bureau, my age is getting older, my energy is deficient. Many times, I'm merely in the back, waving flags and cheering for everyone. What truly determines our TV Tokyo's future direction, are you, young people standing on the frontlines."
"Work hard."
Sakata Nobuhiko heavily patted Nohara Hiroshi's shoulder. In that voice, it was full of unquestionable affirmation: "Your promotion has only just begun. As long as you can continue to produce results like today's, I guarantee you, in less than five years, that position Asumi is currently sitting in, will be yours."
Five years, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Production Bureau.
This was already no longer a simple promise.
This was a silent declaration bordering on "establishing a crown prince (naming an heir apparent)".
...
When that black Toyota Century once again returned to the entrance of TV Tokyo.
When Nohara Hiroshi got out of the car under the respectful gaze of that Bureau Chief's exclusive driver, and then watched them leave, before finally getting into his own Toyota Crown Majesta that similarly was full of oppressive presence.
"..." Nohara Hiroshi pursed his lips.
He hadn't expected this Bureau Chief Sakata to actually value him so highly. Not only taking him to meet that high-level government official specifically in charge of television stations, but also speaking so many heartfelt words to him in the car.
Even giving him a promise.
Thinking about the character of Japanese people, usually they didn't easily give promises, and basically if they promised, they would fundamentally fulfill it.
Nohara Hiroshi knew, starting tonight, on the power chessboard of this television station, he would no longer be a simple chess piece charging into enemy lines.
He had already seized the qualifications to engage in equal dialogue with those chess players.
These were qualifications brought about by age and strength.
"This world... truly is becoming increasingly interesting."
The corners of Nohara Hiroshi's lips tilted up slightly.
He started the car. That V8 engine let out a low roar, like an awakened fierce beast, carrying his ambition that had long been boiling along with that talent sufficient to subvert the era, without hesitation, charging into that dazzling galaxy woven from countless neon lights, full of unknowns and possibilities.
The era belonging to him, Nohara Hiroshi, had merely just drawn open its curtains.
This magnificent performance personally directed by him, had also merely just played its most gorgeous prologue.
And what he needed to do, was to turn this warmth uniquely belonging to the deep night into a Viewership Rating myth... sufficient to make the entirety of Japan go crazy over it!
...
The second Saturday of October, when the cool autumn breeze finally blew away the final trace of sweltering heat shrouding the skies above Tokyo, a Viewership Rating storm that had long been premeditated, named Kasou Taishou Season 2, descended as scheduled.
TV Tokyo, Studio 3.
The air backstage seemed to have been pumped dry, coagulating into a piece of heavy and icy amber, sealing all living creatures situated within it in endless anticipation and anxiety.
"It's here! It's here! It's about to start!"
Tanaka Kei, this variety show Section Chief who had long since been Reborn, was currently like a general about to head for the final decisive battle, staring dead-on at the monitor screen. On that face that had long washed away all despondency was written an irrepressible excitement.
Upon the stage, the two hosts who had long been regarded as "spokespersons of happiness" by the Japanese citizens, were currently utilizing their signature smiles full of affinity to perform the final warm-up.
"Dear viewers and friends! Last week, we witnessed together the 'Yuki-onna Team' from the Hokkaido region, using their creativity full of ice and snow and fantasy colors, successfully conquer all the judges and seize the very first advancement quota of our second season!"
The female host Erika's voice was loud and full of infectious appeal.
"Yay!" The male host beside her, Hachisato Goshin, cooperatively struck an energetic victory pose, drawing a wave of good-natured uproarious laughter from the live audience.
"However!" Erika suddenly changed the subject. In those eyes always carrying a smile flashed a trace of cunning light: "Does losing mean it's over? On the stage of our Kasou Taishou, creativity, never draws to a close!"
He paused, and amidst those countless gazes full of expectation, word by word, announced that entirely new rule sufficient to make the entirety of Japan go crazy.
"Starting this week, we will officially open the 'Loser's Resurrection' channel! All teams who regretfully lost in this division will automatically enter our 'Popularity Resurrection Pool'! Every week, based on audience phone and Pager votes, we will select the single most popular team! They will have the opportunity to fight their way back onto this stage through a cruel resurrection match in the final championship selection competition!"
"Boom——!"
This decision, like a true atomic bomb, crash-banged and exploded within the minds of all the viewers in front of the televisions!
Osaka Prefecture, Sakai City. Inside the living room of the Tanaka household.
"Did you hear that?! Did you hear that?!" Tanaka Genichi, this old worker who had labored his entire life in a steel mill, was currently blushing bright red with excitement like a child. He grabbed that old-fashioned black telephone on the table and, facing the other end of the phone, using a heroic and bold tone full of Kansai accent, roared: "Hello! Is this Old Wang from the union?! Quickly! Mobilize everyone! Cast votes for our family's Taro! Fight for the honor of our Osaka!"
Fukuoka, Hakata Ward. Inside a brightly lit ramen shop.
"Boss! Ten more bowls of char siu! My treat today!" A young man wearing the team uniform of the "SoftBank Hawks" baseball team heavily slammed the beer mug in his hand onto the table. On that face flushed red from the hot steam of the ramen was written a decisiveness of Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats: "Brothers! Everyone take out your phones for me! Cast votes for our 'Hakata Ramen War' team! We cannot lose! Absolutely cannot lose to that bunch of guys in Tokyo with eyes sitting higher than the top of their heads!"
This raging fire named "Regional Confrontation" ignited by the "Loser's Resurrection", in a mere few minutes, with an unrivaled posture of a prairie fire, burned across the entire Japanese archipelago!
Countless households, countless offices, countless cafes and Izakayas still open for business, the sounds of telephones and prompt sounds of Pagers rose and fell in succession!
They argued, they shouted, like a group of fanatical football fans waving flags and shouting for their respective teams. That sense of belonging and honor toward their hometown stemming from the heart, inside and outside this tiny screen, burned fiercely with an unprecedented posture!
Yet behind this National Carnival, that young man situated in the center of the storm was merely sitting quietly in that office of his capable of overlooking all of Tokyo, looking at the snowflake-like voting data statistical reports one by one faxed over from all over the country.
"Department Manager... is this... is this... playing a bit too big?"
Tanaka Kei stood to the side, looking at those reports, a trace of unease surfacing on his face.
He felt like he was witnessing the birth of a massive vortex sufficient to stir up the entirety of Japan.
While that man standing in the center of the vortex was merely calmly sipping that cup of black tea of his that had long been steeped to the point of being somewhat bland and tasteless.
"Big?" Nohara Hiroshi set down the teacup and chuckled lightly: "This is merely only the beginning."
When the second episode's program, that creativity from the local Tokyo representative team full of modern urban feel, "Human Washing Machine", violently collided on stage with the "Flight of the Thousand Paper Cranes" full of wishes for peace from the Hiroshima representative team, and ultimately the latter narrowly won by a hair's breadth using its profound conception full of humanistic care...
The entirety of Japan thoroughly boiled over!
...
Early morning the next day, a public opinion storm swept across the entirety of Japan with an unrivaled posture.
TV Tokyo, Data Center.
"It's here! It's here! The final Viewership Ratings are out!"
The young data analyst looked at that red curve on the computer screen smoothly breaking free from all restraints, crazily soaring upwards at a nearly vertical angle, his voice full of unbelievable shuddering!
He almost stumbled and crawled out of the office, delivering that report sheet sufficient to make one's heart stop beating into the hands of Production Bureau Chief Sakata Nobuhiko, who had long been waiting here.
Sakata Nobuhiko inhaled a deep breath, and slowly unfolded that thin piece of paper that seemed to carry the weight of a thousand jin.
Then, his pupils fiercely shrank!
40.3%!
This number, like a divine oracle spanning heaven and earth, viciously struck deep within his soul!
"Haha... hahahahahaha!"
After a long time, a burst of irrepressible, almost lunatic uproarious laughter erupted from the mouth of this Production Bureau patriarch without any warning!
He laughed until he was rocking back and forth, tears uncontrollably welling out of the corners of his eyes. On that chubby face always carrying a smile, currently only remained a massive pride originating from the marrow produced after witnessing a true miracle!
"National-level variety show... we... we truly, produced a National-level variety show sufficient to be recorded in the annals of history ah!"
He muttered to himself. In that voice was full of dreamy shuddering.
30% was enough to be called a National-level program.
Then what did the current 40% count as?!
Super National-level program!?
One must know that in Tanaka Kei's memories, aside from the 'Yamato Dramas' filmed every three years under the advocacy of the Film and Television Association and the reigning Japanese government, those capable of surpassing a 40% Viewership Rating were simply... able to be counted on one's fingers!
And as long as it reached a 40% Viewership Rating, without exception, they were those prominently famous, epoch-making, heaven-opening, earth-splitting innovative programs in history!
Of course, looking at their own Kasou Taishou Season 2 now...
This variety show that introduced the concepts of fans and Fandom.
Was indeed also epoch-making, opening the heavens and splitting the earth!
"Fans and Fandoms, are they this terrifying?" Tanaka Kei, merely situated in 1990 in a relatively conservative era, a variety show Director who didn't even know what the concept of Traffic was and couldn't even accept anti-fans, felt his inner heart thoroughly conquered.
And the one conquered was not just him.
This massive shockwave stirred up by the terrifying 40.3% Viewership Rating very quickly crossed regional boundaries, viciously crashing onto the faces of those competitors who were Watching the Fire from Across the River.
Osaka, Kansai TV.
"It was indeed exactly like this ah..."
Production Bureau Deputy Bureau Chief Waya Ichiro, looking at that Viewership Rating report faxed over from Tokyo, surprisingly couldn't resist revealing a smile.
It was a bitter smile.
He had long anticipated this.
He thought of a lot. Seeing that raging fire named "National Carnival" personally ignited by Nohara Hiroshi, it had long crossed the icy screens, and with an unrivaled prairie fire posture, burned into the real lives of every single one of them.
Waya Ichiro ultimately still closed his eyes. That original disdain and anger, as well as the hysteria, all vanished entirely.
Remaining only calmness.
Remaining only the helpless... even temper and good humor after having already resigned oneself to fate.
Then he fiercely opened his eyes.
"Immediately! Establish a 'Nohara Analysis Team' for me!"
Waya Ichiro fiercely stood up, grabbed the phone on the desk, and using a tone bordering on roaring, shouted into the receiver:
"I don't care what methods you guys use! Take Kasou Taishou and that damned 'Urban Legends', and dismantle and analyze them frame by frame for me! I want to know, that little brat, exactly... how did he do it!"
Resigning to fate was resigning to fate.
But as for admitting defeat or not, he still had to strive for it a bit!
At the very least, he also had to learn!
...
This wave of learning very quickly swept across the entirety of Japan's local television stations.
Those major figures who had once been full of disdain and contempt toward Nohara Hiroshi, currently were all like the most devout students, beginning to crazily study every single myth created by that young man.
While those Film Critics who had once harbored doubts toward Nohara Hiroshi, currently were like a group of believers struck by an oracle, one by one setting down the pens in their hands that had long been prepared, full of unkindness and ridicule.
Veteran Film Critic "Spicy Kara-Jishi", in the column of the second day's Shukan Bunshun, using brushstrokes bordering on confession, wrote down that entirely new headline sufficient to make the entire Japanese television industry sweat from shame.
[God, Is Indeed the God of Variety Shows!]
"...I must extend my most sincere apologies to Sensei Nohara Hiroshi for my previous shallowness and ignorance. I once thought he was merely a genius at telling stories. But I was wrong, utterly wrong. He simply isn't producing a program. He is making rules. An entirely new set of entertainment rules belonging solely to him alone, named 'Nohara Hiroshi'!"
"He rewrote the entertainment attributes of variety shows! Endowed them with the attributes of strengthening connections among citizens, rejecting apathy, and rejecting numbness! Nohara Hiroshi is currently using his style to change the era! Change Japan!"
"Using the simplest, purest creativity, he injected a most potent cardiac stimulant named 'happiness' into this era of ours that has long been eroded by boredom and numbness! Starting tonight, please allow me, in the capacity of a most devout follower, to offer my highest respect to this true deity who has long stood at the pinnacle of the era."
"He, indeed changed Japan! Changed our bad habits! Changed our numbness and apathy!"
The moment this article came out, the entirety of Japan thoroughly boiled over.
The title of "Number One Person of New Era Variety Shows", like a heavy crown forged from the cheers and respect of hundreds of millions of viewers, was officially crowned upon the head of that young man aged a mere twenty-three.
...
Whereas in the center of the storm, inside the office of [Nohara Hiroshi - Independent Production Department], the atmosphere was a carnival of victory.
Nohara Hiroshi calmly looked at that 40.3% Viewership Rating report. The corners of his lips hooked upward into a Calm and Indifferent smile belonging to the victor.
This war was already over.
From the moment he decided to bring that Proposal sufficient to subvert the era from that dimension belonging to the future to this world, the ending was already foreordained.
"Department Manager."
Kitagawa Yao, this office director who had long since been Reborn, still practiced and efficiently gently placed a cup of freshly ground Blue Mountain Coffee onto his desk.
On that capable pretty face carried a trace of teasing of watching a good show: "Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka... the production bureaus of almost all local stations have called, singling you out by name seeking you. Saying it's to celebrate you and TV Tokyo breaking the new Viewership Rating record for variety programs. And expressed their respect for you and TV Tokyo. They even said they wanted to invite you to their television stations to give lectures, and are willing to pay a very generous appearance fee too."
"Tell them I'm very busy right now, and TV Tokyo is not letting me go." Nohara Hiroshi didn't even bother lifting his eyelids over it.
Right now, he was indeed very busy.
Kasou Taishou Season 2 had also entered the right track now, even fan and Fandom culture had been introduced by him.
From anime to television sets to variety shows, currently everything had stepped onto the regular path.
Including manga, which also made him relax quite a bit due to Future Comic Club, having more rest time.
Currently, he truly planned to give himself a vacation!
"Thinking about how it's also been half a year since coming to Tokyo to struggle and strive, no matter what is said, I still have to return to my hometown, return to Misae's hometown, to take a look together."
To tell the truth, Nohara Hiroshi currently, missed his hometown.
PS: Brothers, continuing to ask for some monthly tickets, asking for some recommendation tickets~