novelraw Chapter 18: Everyone's Despair
Chapter 18: Everyone's Despair
Seeing this number, Yamamoto's tense nerves instantly relaxed, and he let out a long sigh of relief.
1.75%!
In the late-night slot, although this number couldn't be said to be at the very bottom, it was definitely at a lower-middle level. For a brand new project, this was quite a terrible opening.
"Garbage just as expected."
A trace of a disdainful cold sneer appeared on the corners of Yamamoto's lips. He rapidly compiled this data into a concise report and sent it to Deputy Bureau Chief Takada's private email.
Having done all this, he felt that he had thoroughly completed his task.
Since he had already boarded the large ship of Deputy Bureau Chief Takada, he had to walk this path into the dark. Suzuki Kiyoto and that so-called 'Yamishibai' were destined to only become sacrificial victims in the factional struggle between the Deputy Bureau Chief and Asumi.
...
Early the next morning, Takada Toshihide woke up in his luxurious apartment overlooking the Tokyo cityscape.
While drinking the coffee his secretary had prepared long ago, he turned on his computer and browsed through the various work briefs from last night.When he saw the report sent by Yamamoto regarding 'Yamishibai', the corners of his lips subconsciously curled upward, revealing a mocking smile.
1.75%.
Just as expected.
He even felt somewhat ridiculous for the trace of heart palpitations and unease that had arisen in his heart when he saw the animation last night.
In the end, it was merely a little trick that couldn't be presented on the grand stage. In the face of absolute resources and channels, no matter how exquisite the creativity, it couldn't make any waves.
Asumi oh Asumi, your chess move was wrong from the very beginning.
In an excellent mood, Takada Toshihide even ate an extra slice of toast.
Meanwhile, having been driving on the road to the television station, Iwata Masao also received the text message forwarded by Deputy Bureau Chief Takada's secretary.
Seeing the number '1.75%', he almost stepped on the gas pedal all the way to the bottom, causing the car to jolt forward violently.
"Hahahaha!"
He laughed unscrupulously in the car, his laughter filled with arrogance and complacency.
"I knew it! For that kind of garbage to even get a 1.75% viewership rating can be considered a disgrace to the television station! Suzuki Kiyoto, you old stubborn fool, let's see how you die this time!"
Right at this moment, his phone chimed again. It was a message from Yamamoto of the Broadcasting Department.
"Section Chief Iwata, your 'Onibo Samurai' has been scheduled. It will be broadcast punctually at 22:00 next Monday night!"
Boom!
This news was like the most potent stimulant injected into Iwata Masao!
22:00! The golden late-night slot on Monday night!
This was a top-tier resource second only to the prime-time 8:00 PM slot!
Using his exquisite production with an investment of two million dollars per episode to crush a piece of garbage slideshow with an investment of less than one hundred thousand, playing in a garbage timeslot during the golden timeslot?
Was there even a need to compare?
Iwata Masao felt that he had already won, won completely and utterly! He could almost already see the glorious scene of himself being promoted to Level 2 Director and trampling that bunch of paupers from the Suzuki Section under his feet.
...
9:00 AM, Suzuki Section.
Everyone rushed to the office early. A night's rest hadn't fully completely dispelled the fatigue on their faces, but everyone's eyes flickered with the light of anticipation and tension.
The air was frighteningly quiet; only the sound of the old air conditioner blowing air could be heard.
Finally, the door to the section office was pushed open. Hashishita Ichiro walked in with an ugly expression, holding a report just printed out from the Statistics Section.
Everyone's gazes instantly focused on him.
"Hashishita... how is it?" Suzuki Kiyoto's voice was somewhat dry.
Hashishita Ichiro swallowed hard. He placed that thin piece of paper on the table and spoke in a tone bordering on pronouncing a sentence: "Premiere viewership rating... 1.75%."
This number, like a basin of ice water poured over everyone's heads, instantly extinguished all the flames in their hearts.
Inside the office, there was a deathly silence.
1.75%...
Everyone knew what this number meant.
Failure! Continual and absolute failure!
According to TV Tokyo's internal regulations, if a new project's viewership rating remained in this sluggish state continuously for a week, it would be immediately axed and directly taken off the air!
They had fought desperately for a week, and all they got in return was this kind of result?
"How could it be... how could it be so low..." Minamura Hoshi muttered to himself, his face pale.
"It's over... we're over..." Haseji Kakeru sat back in his chair dejectedly.
Kitagawa Yao's eye sockets instantly turned red. She bit her lip tightly, trying not to let her tears fall, but she couldn't suppress the massive disappointment and grievance no matter what.
Looking at that report, Suzuki Kiyoto felt the world before him spinning. He seemed to see the mocking faces of Takada Toshihide and Iwata Masao, feeling as if his persistence over so many years had become a joke.
One must know, for the late-night/early morning slot, although the majority of viewership ratings couldn't be high because viewers were sleeping.
They all merely swung between 1.5% and 2.0%.
But a 1.75% viewership rating was indeed considered a relatively low level even among previously produced early morning slot movies and animations!
One must know, the horror live-action show they replaced, which was originally supposed to start airing at 12:20 AM this week, had a 1.79% viewership rating on its first day.
As a result, its viewership rating fell every day.
By Sunday, the viewership rating had already reached 0.9%.
The program was directly axed.
Not allowed to continue broadcasting.
And then their 'Yamishibai' was brought up to replace it.
So, this was why everyone felt so depressed and sorrowful in their hearts. Even the previous project with a 1.79% viewership rating ended up so miserably.
Then how could they possibly compare?
"Everyone!"
Right in the midst of this despairing dead silence, a calm and powerful voice once again resounded through the entire section office.
"This is only the first day."
The group unanimously lifted their heads and looked toward the source of the voice.
Nohara Hiroshi.
He still stood there, his face devoid of any dejection or disappointment, his eyes clear and resolute.
He walked in front of everyone, his gaze sweeping over every ashen face.
"Our broadcast time is 12:20 AM. This time slot inherently dictates that our viewership ratings cannot be high. This 1.75% is a result achieved under the worst possible conditions."
"After all, no one knew that we replaced the horror live-action show produced by the previous project. They thought Monday was still that live-action show, so it's normal that no one watched it."
He paused, his voice growing increasingly sonorous and powerful.
"However, don't forget what our work is! It's 'Yamishibai'! Its weapon was never the premiere viewership rating, but word-of-mouth! It's the word-of-mouth spread from person to person!"
"Last night, those 1.75% of viewers were the first batch of seeds we scattered! Today, they will bring fear and curiosity to ten times, a hundred times the people around them! Believe me, starting from tonight, everything will be different!"
His words were like a ray of light, splitting apart the haze that enshrouded everyone's hearts.
Yes, Nohara-kun was right!
Their animation was out of the ordinary!
Looking at this young man before them who was forever filled with self-confidence, the hearts of the crowd, which had originally sunk to the bottom of the valley, miraculously reignited a tiny flame of hope.
Looking at Nohara Hiroshi, those turbid eyes of Suzuki Kiyoto's burst forth with brilliance once again.
That's right! It wasn't time to give up yet!
The battle had only just begun!