My Name is Hiroshi Nohara, Star of Neon Film and Television!

Chapter 148: Dual Directors! Commotion at the "Kasou Taishou" Recording Site!

On Monday morning, Nohara Hiroshi woke up amidst a series of teeth-aching bone stretching sounds.

He wasn't sleeping on his own soft tatami that could accommodate any wild imagination, but rather curled up on that slightly cramped single sofa bed in the study.

Covering his body, was still a thin blanket full of cartoon little bear patterns, emitting a faint, sweet body fragrance belonging to a young girl.

"Hiss——" He rubbed his old waist that felt like it had been plowed by a hundred cows, a helpless smile of not knowing whether to laugh or cry appearing on his face.

Last night, he, the head of the household, was helplessly kicked out of his own bedroom by that pair of sisters who had nested in another's home.

Of course, the most crucial one was still Koyama Musae.

But it was fine.

Last night, Koyama Misae also shyly and quietly came to his study, comforting him for an hour's time.

So Nohara Hiroshi was still quite cozy.

"Not bad!" Nohara Hiroshi stretched his waist fiercely, feeling that today was also a refreshing day. Outside the window, the sunlight had long shone in brightly, dyeing the dust dancing in the air with a layer of warm golden color.

Nohara Hiroshi glanced at the wall clock, nine zero three.

"Well, I'm late." He chuckled self-deprecatingly, picked up the coat at the side, fished out that portable mobile phone which was still considered a rarity in this era from his pocket, and skillfully dialed the internal line of Kitagawa Yao's office.

The call was answered almost in seconds, Kitagawa Yao's crisp voice full of vitality transmitting from that end: "Manager! Good morning! Today you are..."

"I have business outside today, count it as fieldwork for me." Nohara Hiroshi casually found an excuse.

"Hai! Understood!" Kitagawa Yao on the other end of the phone didn't have the slightest hesitation, immediately agreeing.

Immediately, her voice carried a bit of irrepressible excitement and adoration: "Right, Manager Nohara! Director Kurosawa Eiji has already arrived, and has been waiting in your office for almost half an hour. I told him you might arrive a bit late today, he said it doesn't matter, he can wait. Right now, he is drinking tea in Deputy Director Asumi's office."

"Got it." Nohara Hiroshi hung up the phone helplessly.

It seemed Director Kurosawa's efficiency, was even faster than he imagined.

That "Seven Samurai" which could be said to have overturned the entire Japanese movie history in his past life, had probably already taken its initial form.

He stood up, loosening his somewhat stiff neck, deciding to take a shower first, washing away this entire body's exhaustion.

After all, after he came back last night, not only did he not have time to take a shower before being exiled to the study.

And after late-night arduous battles.

Right now he still felt sticky.

However, when he pulled open that wooden door of the study, the scene before his eyes, made that heart of his violently beat uncontrollably once again.

In the living room, that pair of sisters who should long have gone out, at this moment were wearing the same style of cute pajamas, one humming a little tune and frying eggs in the kitchen, one curling up on the sofa like a lazy cat, simultaneously yawning and flipping through the latest fashion magazine.

That picture, full of the tenderness of years of peace and quiet, yet also revealing a scalp-numbing, inappropriate leisure.

"Brother-in-law! Good morning ya!"

Koyama Musae was the first to spot him, those pitch-black large eyes instantly smiling into a sweet crescent moon, waving that small hand still grasping the fashion magazine towards him.

That cozy posture, as if he, Nohara Hiroshi, was the guest of this house.

"..."

Nohara Hiroshi's forehead, instantly sprouted a few clearly visible black lines.

He ignored that quirky little girl, merely casting his gaze towards that nominal "President" who had just walked out from the kitchen, holding two plates of fried tamagoyaki enticingly golden.

"Misae, you guys... why are you still at home?" In his voice, carried a trace of confusion even he himself hadn't noticed: "Aren't you the President? Today is Monday, no need to go to work at the company?"

"Aiya!" On that pretty face of Misae's fresh from the bath, instantly blushed red with a "swoosh". She placed the plates on the dining table, sticking out her tongue somewhat embarrassedly, that voice soft as a mosquito: "That... last night... slept too late, this morning, just... just woke up late."

As she spoke, those watery large eyes, even guiltily shot a secretive glance at that study full of "criminal evidence", the shyness and sweetness in that look nearly overflowing.

"Cough cough!" Nohara Hiroshi opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word, only able to use a dry cough to cover up his guilty conscience.

Of course he knew, last night this audacious little woman, taking advantage of Musae falling asleep, quietly slipped into his study, using a gentle method full of "President's consolation", to conduct a one-hour-long "close-contact guidance" on him, this "hardworking investor".

"Exactly! My sister is the President eh!" Koyama Musae at the side, seeing the situation instantly acted like a protective mother hen, puffing up that small chest of hers which although small in scale, was full of imposing momentum, speaking self-righteously: "Can a President's matters, be called being late? That's called... that's called a flexible working system! Right, brother-in-law?"

As she spoke, she even playfully blinked towards Nohara Hiroshi, in those pitch-black large eyes, flashing an excited light of watching a good show.

"..." Nohara Hiroshi felt his temples throbbing frantically.

He was powerless to roast, only able to nod, considered to have tacitly acknowledged this crooked reasoning full of "decadent aura of capitalism".

He pulled out a chair at the dining table and sat down, picking up that cup of warm milk already prepared for him, asking seemingly inadvertently: "Right, where are uncle and aunt? Are they still at the hotel?"

"Nope." Misae while handing him chopsticks, answered with a smile: "Mom and Dad ah, early in the morning followed that 'Land of Fire Taiko' art troupe, went to the television station over there. Saying today, is exactly the official recording day for 'Kasou Taishou', they are going to the site, to cheer for our Kumamoto Prefecture's representative team!"

"Oh." Nohara Hiroshi nodded, this was within his expectations.

He drank a mouthful of milk, looking at these two girls before him, both equally lively and fragrant, and equally making him care deeply. That bit of helplessness in his heart produced by having his plans disrupted, was also filled by that warmth full of the vitality of life.

"Then what about you guys? Any plans for today?" He asked.

"Of course it's to go to the site to watch the competition!" Koyama Musae answered without thinking, on that youthful pretty face, written full of boundless longing for that upcoming carnival: "I heard oh, there will be lots and lots of celebrity guests arriving at the site today! Maybe, I can even get an autograph from the currently most popular star, Kamiki Shunsuke!"

Nohara Hiroshi upon hearing this, a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.

Kamiki Shunsuke?

Never heard of him...

"Alright then." He didn't say much, merely calmly swallowing the last bite of tamagoyaki.

With his current status, it should be the artists wanting to get to know him, Nohara Hiroshi.

"Since it's like this, then you guys stop dawdling. I happen to be going to the television station too, I'll give you a ride along the way."

"Yay! Brother-in-law you're the best!" Koyama Musae instantly jumped for joy.

Consequently, after buying some bento boxes at that familiar convenience store on the way to solve the problem of the three people not having a full breakfast, the black Toyota Crown Majesta, acted like a black flash of lightning, carrying this family of three full of laughter, speeding towards that dream palace that was already going crazy for them.

After safely dropping off that pair of chattering sisters at that already crowded audience entrance of Studio 3, Nohara Hiroshi then turned the car around, driving into that underground passage exclusive to the higher-ups of the Production Bureau.

When he once again stepped into that, [Nohara Hiroshi · Independent Production Department] that had long become an existence akin to a "sacred ground" for the entire TV Tokyo, the hour hand had quietly pointed to ten o'clock.

After simply handing over some subsequent work arrangements with the three Section Chiefs who had long been waiting for a while, he stopped lingering, heading straight towards that throne of power located at the very top and most core of the entire floor.

Asumi's office.

Before he could even knock on the door, a burst of hearty laughter, pierced through from behind that heavy mahogany door without any warning!

That laughter was full of vigor, filled with excitement and fanaticism!

Kurosawa Eiji's laughter.

The corners of Nohara Hiroshi's mouth seemingly infected by the laughter as well, curling into an understanding smile.

He pushed open the door.

In the office were only Asumi and Kurosawa Eiji, two men adding up to almost a hundred and fifty years old, were excitedly crowding around that Sony projector.

On the screen, was currently playing a rough cut demo that had yet to be soundtracked, or even have time to add special effects.

That tragic battlefield full of mud and fresh blood, those seven stalwart figures erecting between heaven and earth like mountains, those group portraits of peasants full of cunning and compassion...

Like an epic-feeling, long-lost classicist oil painting, silently narrating the curtain fall of an era, and the elegy of a class.

"Hiroshi-kun! You're here!"

Asumi was the first to spot him, on that face that was always refined and steady, was currently written full of undisguised excitement!

"Monster! You guy... you guy are simply an out-and-out monster!"

Asumi because of extreme excitement became somewhat hoarse: "I... I just now with Director Kurosawa, watched those materials you shot, from beginning to end! I... I really don't know what to say anymore!"

"This... this is no longer a simple movie!" He pointed at the screen, in those eyes, burning two raging fires: "This is art! It is an immortal art sufficient to represent our Japan, to charge at the Oscars, to make the entire world shocked by it!"

This praise carrying exaggerated meaning, yet carried more weight than any viewership rating report.

Kurosawa Eiji, this true master of art also said with admiration: "That's right, this is indeed a movie capable of charging at the Oscars. I really didn't expect, after this is edited out, it would be so wonderful!"

He slowly spoke, that voice hoarse:

"I, Kurosawa Eiji, have filmed samurai for a lifetime. I once thought, I had already filmed all their glory, their tragic solemnity, their helplessness. But today, reading this story you wrote, I finally know, that... those things I filmed, were nothing more than some, unpresentable, children's toys."

"You, are exactly the one, who truly understood 'samurai', and also understood this nation of ours, that tragic destiny already deep into the marrow."

Kurosawa Eiji looked at Nohara Hiroshi incomparably emotionally.

"So, I have decided."

He paused, and under their increasingly tense gazes, slowly, tossed out that, final decision sufficient to make the entire TV Tokyo, go frantic.

"For this 'Seven Samurai', the General Director's name, can only have one ——"

He pointed at that young man saying: "It's only you, Nohara Hiroshi!"

"As for this old fellow like me..."

The corner of Kurosawa Eiji's mouth, curled into a smile full of relief: "Just hang a vain title of 'Art Director' for me, letting me have the opportunity to stay by the side, and witness with my own eyes how a brand new era belonging only to you descends, then... I'm deeply satisfied."

The atmosphere plunged into a solemnity close to solidifying.

This master who was revered as a "living legend" in the Japanese movie world, at this moment was using a solemn gaze nearly akin to entrusting, staring at Nohara Hiroshi, that admiration originating from the depths of his soul, not concealing the slightest bit.

"Director Kurosawa, you are exaggerating."

Nohara Hiroshi used a junior's respect towards a senior, comforting this master who had long been apotheosized, yet at this moment humble like an apprentice: "The story of 'Seven Samurai', although the idea originated from me, but to truly perfectly present that tragic solemnity and gravity belonging to the era onto the big screen, the entire Japan, has only you alone. Therefore, the position of General Director, is none other than you."

These words were spoken watertight, both giving the other party face, while also cleverly placing his own position, in a most appropriate and safest place.

Even Asumi upon hearing connection nodded repeatedly, marveling at the high emotional intelligence of Nohara Hiroshi in his heart.

However, Kurosawa Eiji acted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly getting his hackles up!

"Nonsense!"

He blew his beard and glared, his face written full of stubbornness: "I, Kurosawa Eiji, have shot movies for a lifetime, the thing I value the most, is exactly the four words 'rightfully and legally'! If it's yours, then it's yours! I will absolutely not covet heavenly merits, turning your talent, into a tool to put gold on the face of these old bones of mine!"

"This..." On Nohara Hiroshi's face, also surfaced a helpless smile of not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

He could tell, the temper of this old stubborn, was even more unyielding than he imagined.

"Aiyaya, Director Kurosawa, please don't be too serious."

Just amidst this confrontation full of "artistic integrity", Asumi at the side, this old fox of officialdom who was best at smoothing things over, finally found his stage to perform.

He held two cups of steaming fragrant tea, walking over with a chuckle, handing them respectively into the hands of the two.

"Hiroshi-kun is young, has drive, has ideas, this is a good thing. But the waters of the movie circle are deep after all. You, on the other hand, are the anchoring needle of our Japanese movie world, with you holding the fort, this project can then be foolproof. The way I see it, how about this..."

His eyes rolled, tossing out a proposal satisfying both sides:

"Let's just emulate Hollywood over there, and set up a 'Dual Director' system. You, will take the nominal title of General Director, responsible for grasping the overall artistic style and shooting direction. Hiroshi-kun, will be the Co-Director, responsible for the detailing of the script and specific on-site execution. In this way, not only can it guarantee the artistic height of the work, but it can also fully utilize Hiroshi-kun's talent, and can also... also help him, this junior, gain a firm foothold in the movie circle. What do you think?"

These words were spoken watertight, both giving Kurosawa Eiji huge face, while also calmly and collectedly, firmly nailing Nohara Hiroshi's credits onto the ledger of merits.

Kurosawa Eiji upon hearing this, those thick eyebrows twisted into the character '川', finally relaxed a few degrees.

He glanced at that young man who from beginning to end merely smiled calmly, then looked at Asumi's face written full of "you must give me face", eventually, still let out a long breath, considered to have tacitly agreed to this compromise plan full of "Japanese characteristics".

"Hmph, we'll do as you say then." He let out a light snort from his nose, but in that tone, the initial stubbornness was long gone: "However, I'll say the ugly words first! This movie, from beginning to end, is Nohara-kun's work! I am merely an assistant! This matter, if it spreads out with even a bit of deviation, I will be the first to disagree!"

"Hai! Hai! That's natural! That's natural!" Asumi repeatedly agreed, that massive boulder suspended in his heart, finally landed.

Having resolved the issue of the director's attribution, that heart of Kurosawa Eiji that had long been thoroughly ignited by the desire to create, could no longer be held back.

"Nohara-kun, regarding the soundtrack, what thoughts do you have?" He acted like the most modest student, pushing that script that had long been flipped through countless times by him, in front of Nohara Hiroshi.

"The soundtrack is the soul of a movie."

Nohara Hiroshi didn't exchange pleasantries. He knew, in front of a true artist, any modesty, was a disguised insult.

He merely calmly, slowly constructed using words, that immortal melody in his mind, that had long been verified countless times by a movie master in another space-time.

"I hope, the soundtrack of this movie, can have two entirely different styles."

"The first type, is belonging to the samurai. I hope it can fuse our Japanese traditional Gagaku, Noh elements, using the desolation of the shakuhachi, the intensity of the shamisen, the majesty of the taiko, to express that tragic ending elegy, of the samurai class."

"The second type, on the other hand, belongs to the peasants. I hope it can be more down-to-earth, using the simplest folk ditties, or even... using those labor chants full of rural flavor, to express that tenacity and unyieldingness of theirs, which although cunning, is also full of primitive vitality."

"When these two styles of music, intertwine, and collide on the battlefield, that will be a, epic-like tragic solemnity, full of a sense of destiny."

This description full of professionalism and visual sense, like the sharpest key, instantly unlocked that long-depleted door of inspiration for Kurosawa Eiji!

"Good! Good! Good!" He fiercely slapped his thigh: "Then we'll do exactly this! I'm going to find that old buddy of mine right now! If he hears this idea of yours, he'll definitely be so excited he won't be able to sleep for three days and three nights!"

As he spoke, he acted like a gust of wind, grabbing that script, rushing out of this office without even looking back.

That back figure where did it have even half a bit of the desolation of a hero in his twilight years, it was clearly a fanatical youth who had found his lifelong pursuit!

In the office, only Asumi and Nohara Hiroshi remained.

Asumi looked at that still slightly swaying door, then looked at this young man before him, smoothly and calmly picking up the teacup, as if he had just casually spoken a few words about the weather, on that refined face, finally surfaced a, bitter smile of not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Monster... truly an out-and-out monster..." He muttered to himself: "Hiroshi-kun, now I truly believe. In this world, there might really be, people whose brains have been kissed by gods."

He looked at Nohara Hiroshi, that look, like looking at a national treasure sufficient to alter history.

"Deputy Director, you overpraise." Nohara Hiroshi put down the teacup, smilingly pulling the topic back to that project he cared about the most: "Then... regarding the 'Hachiko Monogatari'..."

"Cough cough!" Asumi's old face flushed red: "That... Hiroshi-kun ah, rest assured! As long as... as long as the box office of this 'Seven Samurai', can... can exceed two billion yen! No! One point five billion! As long as it can exceed one point five billion! I promise! Even if I have to kneel, I will also beg Bureau Chief Sakata, to approve the budget for 'Hachiko' for you!"

"Then it's a deal." The corner of Nohara Hiroshi's mouth, curled into a confident arc.

He knew this game, he had already seen the ending.

The two of them simply chatted about the screening schedule of 'Seven Samurai' once again. Eventually, without any suspense, the target was locked onto, more than a month later, that must-contest ground sufficient to make all filmmakers go frantic —— the New Year schedule at the end of December.

"Alright, Deputy Director, if there's nothing else, I'll first go to the 'Kasou Taishou' recording site to take a look."

After all, his prospective father-in-law and mother-in-law were still there.

...

TV Tokyo, Studio 3.

In the air backstage, permeated a unique aura full of nervousness and hyperactivity.

Makeup artists like the most dedicated worker ants, shuttled between various independent makeup rooms, performing the final makeup touch-ups for those celebrity guests about to take the stage.

However, amidst this seemingly orderly busyness, a shrill voice full of arrogance and impatience, inappropriately, pierced this tranquility.

"Are you pigs?! How many times have I said it! I want to sit in the middle! The middle! Can't you understand human language?!"

The special guest for the sixth episode, the idol star who currently possessed extremely high popularity among young girls, Kamiki Shunsuke, at this moment was acting like a Persian cat whose tail had been stepped on, facing that on-site director whose face had long gone deathly pale from fright, roaring hysterically.

That somewhat effeminate handsome face of his, at this moment was slightly distorted because of anger, a pair of peach blossom eyes carefully drawn with inner eyeliner, glaring fixedly at that guest seating chart already arranged not far away.

"On what grounds?! On what grounds let that washed-up comedian Kaneko Yuya sit in the C position?! I am the most popular one right now! My fans are a hundred times more than his! You putting my position on the very edge, are you trying to make me be laughed to death by my fans?!"

These remarks full of naive delusion and egocentrism, made those busy staff members around, subconsciously stop the movements in their hands.

On those faces all surfaced a weird expression.

Tanaka Kei, this Variety Show Section Chief who had long been thoroughly remolded, rushed out from the control room upon hearing the news.

He looked at that "top tier idol", currently throwing a huge temper like a spoiled child, even starting to use his foot to kick the prop box beside him, on that somewhat stern face, instantly shrouded by a layer of icy frost.

"Kamiki-kun." His voice wasn't loud, but acted like a basin of perfectly timed ice water, instantly extinguishing that powder keg about to detonate: "The seating, was long arranged by the production team after comprehensively considering all the guests' seniority, national recognition, as well as their role in this episode of the program. If you have objections to this arrangement, you can file an appeal with your talent agency. But right now, please immediately return to your makeup room, prepare for recording. Otherwise, we will regard it as your unilateral breach of contract."

This strong attitude full of professionalism and unquestionability, like an invisible slap, fiercely slapped onto Kamiki Shunsuke's handsome face!

He was stunned.

He never thought, an on-site director who in his eyes, was merely "doing odd jobs", unexpectedly dared to speak to him using this kind of tone!

"You... who the hell do you think you are?!" His voice, became somewhat shrill because of extreme shame and indignation: "Do you know who I am?! Do you believe it, with one phone call from me, I can make you, completely unable to survive in this circle?!"

However, Tanaka Kei merely looked at him calmly, that look like looking at a jumping up and down, yet incomparably ridiculous clown.

Right in this atmosphere of drawn swords and bent bows, a calm and indifferent voice, without any warning, floated leisurely over from behind the crowd of staff members watching the show.

"Oh? Is that so?"

In that voice, carried a few parts of perfectly timed, playful smile.

"I for one really want to see, whose phone call, possesses such great ability, to be able to make my Section Chief Tanaka, completely unable to survive in this circle?"

Nohara Hiroshi slowly walked over.

Gently lifting his head.

Looking at this star artist with a feminine face and delicate appearance before him, a trace of disdain surfaced on the corner of his mouth: "You couldn't possibly say, it's our Bureau Chief Sakata Nobuhiko, right?"

PS: Today's four updates are finished~ Everyone please give more recommendation tickets and monthly tickets oh~

(End of Chapter)