novelraw Chapter 85: Warning! Don't Trust the Osakans!
Chapter 85: Warning! Don't Trust the Osakans!
Sato Kenji became vigilant.
That face of his normally always carrying somewhat of a refined smile, the moment he heard this sentence, was exactly like a lake surface blown over by a cold wind, all the ripples congealing into a patch of icy vigilance.
"Nohara-kun, did you reply to those pager messages and calls?" Sato Kenji's voice couldn't help but lower a few registers.
"Not yet, there's too many, I plan to slowly process them when resting these next two days." Nohara Hiroshi shrugged his shoulders, he indeed didn't treat this matter as a big deal.
In his view, it's nothing more than some media interview invitations, or some advertisers wanting to cooperate.
However, Sato Kenji's complexion yet became somewhat awkward.
"Absolutely do not reply!"
He almost subconsciously blurted out, immediately realizing his own loss of composure, hurriedly clearing his throat, utilizing an earnest tone of an experienced person, saying in a deep voice:
"Nohara-kun, you are different from before now. You are no longer that manga artist who only needs to consider ideas, you right now are the entire Kanto Faction, no, the entire TV Tokyo's, hottest golden signboard!"
"What's in your hands, are ideas capable of turning stone into gold, is capital capable of prying the entire industry's landscape! At this kind of time, those who come knocking, out of ten, nine are jackals and wolves!" "Jackals and wolves?" Nohara Hiroshi raised his eyebrows, instead becoming interested.
"Correct! Exactly jackals and wolves!"
Yamamoto Takeshi at this time also violently raised his head, on his face at this moment was also entirely filled with disdain and contempt.
"Let me tell you, Section Chief Nohara." Yamamoto Takeshi's voice was hoarse, carrying somewhat of the vicissitudes of an experienced person: "The routines of this bunch of guys, I've seen too much of. That bunch of people from Kansai TV or Osaka TV, like to use money to pave the way the most, coming up giving you a contract you possess no way of refusing, waiting until you go over, then squeezing your ideas dry, then kicking you away. Absolutely do not trust the Osakans!"
"Those over in Nagoya, like to play dirty, sending some pretty girls over to 'make friends' with you, fishing for your words, waiting until you speak out all the core ideas, then they turn their heads establishing the project themselves, when that time comes you won't even have a place to cry!"
"There are even more despicable ones, acting under the banner of cooperation, inviting you to go drink, getting you drunk, perhaps stealing something from your bag."
Yamamoto Takeshi's words were like a sharp knife, bloodily slicing open before everyone, that dirtiest and most shameless side behind this industry.
The old veterans of the Kanto Faction still somewhat knew about it.
Those young people, at this time were also one by one dumbfounded, somewhat not anticipating it.
"Therefore, Nohara-kun." Sato Kenji's tone became incomparably solemn: "In the future if there are this kind of communications with unknown origins, absolutely do not process them yourself. You can first ask me, or ask Director Yamamoto, we will help you screen them. The water in this circle, is too deep, lacking a bit of care, and you will encounter an accident."
"I understand." Nohara Hiroshi looked at these two seniors before him worrying for himself from the bottom of their hearts, a warm current welling up in his heart.
Of course he also knew the other party was somewhat exaggerating.
But...
Film and television, this industry capable of earning quick money, and also gathering this many handsome men and beautiful women, if there were no dark forces existing that would certainly be impossible.
Backed by TV Tokyo, he perhaps hadn't come into contact with too much.
But once lacking a backer.
Then behind the scenes...
Would be a myriad of mixed flavors.
In the corner, Kurosawa Eiji who was always quietly drinking tea, also took all of this completely into his eyes.
He looked at that young man who even upon hearing these dirty matters, his face still remained unperturbed, a smear of understanding smile flashing past his eyes.
Of course he knew these routines, he encountered even dirtier ones when he was young.
But he didn't open his mouth.
Because he could perceive, this young man called Nohara Hiroshi, his heart, was steadier, than anyone imagined.
However...
"The Osakans truly cannot be trusted!" Kurosawa Eiji thinking of the dirty matters he encountered at Osaka TV before, even now was unable to forget!
But he also secretly made a decision.
Later he must give that kid Asumi a phone call, properly beating it into him a bit.
Such a piece of uncut jade sufficient to suppress the luck of the entire Kanto Faction, absolutely cannot be bumped and chipped away due to the shortsightedness and greed of certain people.
Must be heavily utilized! Furthermore... properly protected!
...
This viewership rating storm swept up by 『Tales of the Unusual』, didn't weaken in the slightest due to the passing of a weekend.
Rather, after Monday's brief silence, on Tuesday night, utilizing an even more ferocious posture, swept across the entire Neon anew.
July 2nd, Tuesday.
Evening 9 PM, 『Tales of the Unusual』 episode two 『Macchio Rumor』 broadcasted on time.
Early next morning, when the newest viewership rating report, like snowflakes flew into the offices of major departments of TV Tokyo, everyone was thoroughly stunned blank by that glaring number upon it.
20.51%!
Compared to the first episode, rose another 0.21%!
"Is this fake?! It unexpectedly rose again?!"
TV Tokyo's Advertising Department Department Manager, a middle-aged man with a Mediterranean hairstyle (balding), looking at the report in his hands, felt so pleasantly surprised his heart disease was almost about to act up: "This... this is already no longer a simple dark horse, this is simply... is a perpetual motion machine for viewership ratings! Quick! Immediately go contact the Nohara Section! Tell them, next episode's advertising spots, the price rises another 10%! No! 15%!"
At the same time, inside the Finance Department's office, the atmosphere yet was a patch of jubilation.
"Hahaha! We're rich! We're truly rich this time!"
The Finance Section Chief looking at that input-output ratio report, those brows always tightly knitted due to budgets, at this moment smiled like a fully bloomed chrysanthemum: "Just the advertising revenue of the first episode and the subsequent copyright presales alone, have already earned back the entire project's production costs! The remaining thirty-eight episodes, every single episode, is pure profit! Pure! This Nohara Hiroshi is truly formidable ah!"
While in that Iwata Section oppressive like an ice cellar.
『Yamishibai』 season three episode two's viewership rating report, like a death sentence, was mercilessly slapped onto Iwata Masao's desk.
3.55%.
Compared to the first episode's 6.1%, directly halved by nearly half.
"How could it... how could it be like this..." Iwata Masao blankly looked at that number, on that face always carrying somewhat of arrogance, at this moment only a patch of deathly gray remained.
He couldn't understand, obviously with the identical art style, identical story pattern, why wouldn't the audience buy it?
He fundamentally didn't know, his so-called 'identical', in the discerning eyes of the audience, was what kind of clumsy and ridiculous.
...
July 3rd, Wednesday.
『Tales of the Unusual』 episode three 『Sugoroku』, viewership rating: 20.57%!
『Yamishibai』 season three episode three, viewership rating: 2.01%.
"Dropped below 3%... soon going to drop below 2%..."
Inside Production Bureau Chief Sakata Nobuhiko's office, Asumi looked at the report in his hands, a genial smile hanging on his face, his tone however carrying a bit of just right pity: "Bureau Chief Sakata, it seems, Executive Deputy Director Takada Toshihide's side, is under immense pressure ah."
Sakata Nobuhiko holding his teacup, didn't even lift his eyelids, merely indifferently "Hn"ed once.
He right now, was already too lazy to care about that project destined for failure.
All his attention, was entirely focused onto that young man named Nohara Hiroshi.
Because even for him the Production Bureau Chief.
Right now he had already received phone calls from the Production Bureau Chiefs, Deputy Station Chiefs, and even Station Chiefs of other television stations.
Matters concerning inquiring to learn or exchanging (ideas).
Making him already generate a sense of crisis.
Therefore thinking back how he previously listened to Takada Toshihide's words, almost having an outstanding director buried, he couldn't help but feel secretly angry.
...
July 4th, Thursday.
『Tales of the Unusual』 episode four 『The Cabinet』, viewership rating: 20.66%!
『Yamishibai』 season three episode four, viewership rating: 1.58%.
"That old fox Takada, seems to have behaved quite a bit recently."
Inside Asumi's office, Kurosawa Eiji stroked his beard, his face carrying somewhat of a smile of watching a good show saying:
"I heard, yesterday at the board of directors meeting, he was singled out for criticism by the Station Chief. Saying he possessed poor judgment, almost because of an incompetent subordinate, affecting the prestige of the entire station."
Asumi merely smiled, without speaking.
He knew this was only the beginning.
...
July 5th, Friday.
『Tales of the Unusual』 episode five 『Spirit in the Dark』, viewership rating: 21.02%!
『Yamishibai』 season three episode five, viewership rating: 1.25%.
"Broke... broke 21%?!"
"This is already no longer a myth, this is... this is witchcraft right?!"
The entire TV Tokyo Production Bureau, upon seeing this number, thoroughly sunk into a state of speechlessness.
They looked at that young man who every day still clocked in and off work on time, most of the time merely leisurely sitting inside the office drinking coffee, reading manga. That gaze, was like looking at a demon god from an alien dimension wearing human skin.
A 21% sub-prime time slot?
Even if it was the prime time slot, this level... is also enough to reign supreme!
Because they subconsciously looked towards that 8 PM prime time slot project program called 『Yesterday's Cherry Blossoms』.
A Level 1 Director, S-class period romance project.
The viewership rating was also no more than 22.32%!
Only roughly a 1% difference.
At least they already heard the laughter originally transmitting from time to time within the office of that Level 1 Director, at this time had already stopped.
Those employees remaining behind in the Production Bureau building, when going out, completely lost their smiles.
An appearance of an awful expression.
After all there's no way, whosever prime time project program viewership rating, being approached by the viewership rating of a mere sub-prime time slot project program.
That is simply insult and a slap in the face!
...
July 6th, Saturday.
『Tales of the Unusual』 episode six 『New House』, viewership rating: 21.11%!
『Yamishibai』 season three episode six, viewership rating: 1.08%.
There was nearly no one anymore caring about the life or death of 『Yamishibai』.
It was like a clumsy jumping clown, before that radiantly shining king, all struggles, appeared to be so insignificant, and full of comedic color.
The Iwata Section, had already become a taboo vocabulary.
Everyone when passing by that office, would all subconsciously quicken their footsteps, as if inside there, sealed some inauspicious thing.
...
July 7th, Sunday.
When 『Tales of the Unusual』 episode seven 『The Gift』's final viewership rating report, freshly emerged from the oven.
21.17%!
While on the other side, the viewership rating of 『Yamishibai』 season three, yet like a punctured balloon, powerlessly, dropped below that 1% major threshold symbolizing the lifeline.
0.8%.
This number, like the most resounding slap, ruthlessly, slapped onto the faces of everyone in the Tokyo Faction.
Also thoroughly, announced the conclusion of a farce.
...
Monday's early morning, the sunlight was quite fine.
When Nohara Hiroshi drove his black Toyota Crown Majesta, smoothly traveling into the television station's underground parking lot.
He keenly sensed, today's atmosphere seemed somewhat different.
From the parking lot to the elevator, then to the floor where the Production Bureau was located, all along the way, everyone who saw him, regardless of which department, which faction, without exception, all proactively, from far away, then stopped their footsteps, facing him, performing a standard ninety-degree bow.
One by one all verbally addressing "Sensei Nohara".
That posture, modest, reverent, liked receiving a monarch inspecting his own territory.
Inside their eyes, no longer existed jealousy, no longer existed scrutiny, only a kind of pure, arising from the bottom of their hearts submission towards the strong, after witnessing crushing absolute strength.
This is also exactly a characteristic of Neon people worshipping the strong.
As long as you are strong.
Then you deserve respect!
Regardless of age!
"Good morning, Nohara... Sensei."
A Tokyo Faction Level 3 Director who once possessed quite a bit of subtle criticism towards him, when brushing past his shoulders, hesitated for a moment, ultimately still utilizing an almost dry voice, squeezing out this address he never thought would emerge from his own mouth.
"Hello." Nohara Hiroshi merely peacefully smiled nodding to him, considered returning the courtesy.
The return courtesy of the strong.
No one expected, inside this steel forest named TV Tokyo, that set of strict faction rules that operated for decades, unexpectedly was torn open a massive gash by him using the most unreasonable and most unyielding method.
Still no one dares to ignore him!
Nohara Hiroshi pushed open the door of his own section room. Inside the office, that group of old veterans of the Kanto Faction, at this time had all arrived early on.
They looked at the young man walking in, on every single face, all overflowed with a kind of sharing the glory, pride arising from the bottom of their hearts.
"Section Chief, good morning!"
Neat and uniform greetings, resounded across the entire office.
The hearts of the people submit!
'Knock knock knock——'
Right amidst this fanatic atmosphere sufficient to melt steel, the office door was lightly knocked upon.
Deputy Director Asumi's Chief Secretary, an intellectual beauty whose eyes were normally higher than the top of her head, even towards the Section Chiefs of various sections merely a polite nod, right now yet personally stood at the doorway, her face carrying a trace of just right, modest smile mixing reverence and curiosity.
"Sensei Nohara." Her voice was soft like an April spring breeze: "Deputy Director Asumi invites you to go to his office for a trip when you have time."
This address, this posture, made the sharing the glory prideful complexions on the faces of that group of old veterans of the Kanto Faction in the office even denser.
Previously this secretary of Deputy Director Asumi was very arrogant.
When had she ever been this modest?
Now acting this modestly towards their Section Chief Nohara, doesn't it illustrate, their Section Chief Nohara, proved his own might!?
"Alright, I will trouble you." Nohara Hiroshi smilingly nodded, he of course understood the change within this.
This thing called power, is like a level in a game.
When you are still in the beginner village, looking at everyone they are superior red-named NPCs.
But once you wield a divine artifact, level skyrocketing, you will discover, those once unreachable big shots, will also proactively send team formation invitations to you.
He simply explained a bit, having everyone organize this week's audience feedback reports, then under that secretary's almost guide-like reverent posture, unhurriedly walked towards that office symbolizing the nucleus of power.
Pushing open the door, a waft of cigar smoke then assaulted the face.
Asumi, Sato Kenji, Yamamoto Takeshi these three people had long been waiting here, on everyone's faces overflowed with a kind of irrepressible soaring smile.
"Nohara-kun! You are truly... making me not know what words to use to describe!" Asumi seeing him enter, exactly immediately stood up from behind that desk symbolizing power, quickly welcoming him, heavily patting his shoulder, that laughter hearty and to his heart's content, full of appreciation arising from the bottom of his heart.
"Indeed, Deputy Director." On Yamamoto Takeshi's face always sharp like a falcon, at this moment was also entirely filled with sincerely convinced emotion: "21.17% viewership rating... I wouldn't even dare to dream this outrageously!"
Following that exactly including Sato Kenji, was another bout of rainbow-fart flattery (excessive praise).
Making Nohara Hiroshi also dumbfounded (not knowing whether to laugh or cry).
Not knowing what happened to them.
But Nohara Hiroshi looking inside the room, also doubtfully asked: "Where's Director Kurosawa? He didn't come over?"
"Don't mention it." Asumi sitting in the chair waved his hand, a smear of dumbfounded expression revealing on his face: "That old fellow, yesterday after watching episode seven's final cut, early this morning directly locked himself inside the office, not seeing anyone. Saying... was stimulated by your rebellious stories, inspiration spurting like a spring, wants to seclude himself to write a brand new script."
"Oh? That's truly a good thing." Nohara Hiroshi became interested.
"Good thing? I see it as handing us a difficult problem!"
Asumi rubbed the center of his brows, his tone carrying quite a bit of headache, yet unable to conceal that bit of excitement: "He told me, he wants to film an anti-trope samurai movie. Speaking about a country ronin who is fundamentally not a samurai, in order to eat his fill, through a strange combination of circumstances impersonating a samurai, finally, yet during the process of protecting villagers, living his life into the story of a true samurai."
"A ronin impersonating a samurai?" Nohara Hiroshi stroked his chin, this setting made him feel a kind of inexplicable familiarity, he subconsciously softly murmured a sentence: "This character setting... 『Seven Samurai』... Kikuchiyo?"
His voice was very soft, almost inaudible.
But Asumi's ears were exactly sharp like radar, he violently turned his head, inside those dark eyes always deep like an ancient well, instantly erupted with a kind of almost greedy scorching radiance!
"What?! 『Seven Samurai』?!" Asumi using one darting step rushed before Nohara Hiroshi, both hands deadly gripping his arms, that gaze like a Columbus who discovered a new continent: "You kid... you... you wouldn't possibly even have the concept of the movie already right?!"
Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi were also instantly holding their breaths, two pairs of eyes deadly staring at Nohara Hiroshi, that expression, was like waiting for a deity to descend an oracle.
"Cough..." Looking at Asumi's face slightly flushed red due to excitement, Nohara Hiroshi merely noncommittally smiled, neither admitting, nor denying.
That composure and mystery, even more so made Asumi's heart itch as if scratched by a cat, yet possessing no alternative.
"Alright alright! I surrender! I surrender!"
Asumi violently released his hands, raising both hands, making an exaggerated surrendering posture, he is only forty-five years old this year, right in his prime, joking around without the slightest airs of a Deputy Director: "You monster! This heart of mine cannot withstand you scaring it like this! The matter of the movie we will speak about later! We will first chat about proper business!"
Moreover right now, Asumi directly exactly viewed Nohara Hiroshi this young man, as a powerhouse on the identical level as himself.
Even more so from the mouths of everyone, knowing Nohara Hiroshi is willing to join the Kanto Faction.
Even the leader aiding the masses of the Kanto Faction.
Therefore Asumi exactly put down his airs.
Appearing incomparably amiable.
Of course, this time Asumi calling Nohara Hiroshi over, firstly is to draw closer the relationship between both sides, lest as Sato warned, to avoid being seduced away by other rival stations.
The second matter, Asumi indeed also encountered some trouble.
He looked at Nohara Hiroshi, deeply inhaling a breath, his tone even carrying a trace of pleading: "Hiroshi-kun, that previously discussed by us, 『Kasou Taishou』 variety show project... on your side... are you able to write out a brief proposal for it?"