novelraw Chapter 92: Good Reviews! 『Yamishibai True Season Three』 Released!
Chapter 92: Good Reviews! 『Yamishibai True Season Three』 Released!
The third Monday of July, nightfall was like a massive piece of velvet having been soaked by ink, gently shrouding Tokyo.
This city that never sleeps, after experiencing that suffocating clamor of daytime, finally shed off somewhat of restlessness, putting on a set of, seductive and also enchanting mask woven entirely from countless neon lights.
And behind this mask, countless pairs of eyes, were exactly coinciding by chance, focusing onto the exact same, tiny glowing square box, capable of letting them temporarily forget the vexations of reality.
Shinjuku, Kabukicho, Midnight Diner.
Boss Mizukami Sho was currently utilizing a pure white towel, unhurriedly wiping a Sake pot having just been warmed, upon that face always carrying somewhat of detachment, at this moment yet also rarely, hung a smear of shallow smile possessing keen interest.
His gaze correctly landed onto that tiny television set at the corner of the bar counter.
Inside the television, currently actively broadcasting was the fifteenth episode of 『Tales of the Unusual』, 『The Belated Lover』.
Before the bar counter, those several wearing black suits, looking fierce and evil, in reality having already had their edges polished smooth by life long ago nightclub bouncers, at this moment were focusing their attention staring at the screen, even forgetting to drink that cup of ice-cold beer emitting cold air before them.
"... Tsk, this male protagonist is also too pitiful right? Painstakingly mustering up the courage to confess, the result the other party is actually a ghost having already been dead for many years."
A burly man with a buzz cut, revealing a corner of a Hannya tattoo on his neck, smacked his lips, voice carrying somewhat of sighing with emotion."Who says it isn't."
A companion possessing a shallow scar on his face beside him, guzzled a large gulp of beer, letting out a resounding burp: "However, Sensei Nohara's dramas, aren't they all this tone? Always right when you think they are about to hand out candies, giving you the most ruthless backstab. That 『The Frightening Touch』 from the first episode, whenever I recall it now, my back still feels cold."
"Hey, what do you know!"
The buzz cut burly man immediately retorted, that posture like a fanatic fan defending his own idol: "This is called depth! This is called the dissection of human nature! Sensei Nohara's artworks, those are art capable of causing people to ponder! Compared to those gangster movies only knowing how to fight and kill, they fundamentally aren't things of the same tier!"
This spiel, caused those several people surrounding to all subconsciously rub their noses, not daring to inherit the conversation.
Who made this guy's combat power the strongest.
Boss Mizukami Sho listening to their discussion, that smear of smile at the corners of his mouth grew denser.
He recalled one month ago, this bunch of guys were still shouting abusive language for the garbage filmed by that guy named Iwata Masao, nowadays, yet have already become the loyal supporters of that young man.
This young man named Nohara Hiroshi, indeed possesses a kind of magic.
"However speaking of which," The scar-faced man glanced at his watch, upon his face revealing a look of anticipation: "Tonight ten thirty, that 『Yamishibai』 true season three rebooted by Sensei Nohara, is entirely about to broadcast right?"
"Oh oh oh! Right right right! I almost forgot!"
"Looking forward to it ah! Only don't know, whether this time it can be as scary as the previous two seasons."
"Probably... a bit doubtful right?" An older looking bouncer, hesitatingly said: "I heard on the newspaper, this reboot, was rushed out temporarily by Sensei Nohara in order to appease the audiences. He himself even said, telling everyone not to hold too high of an expectation."
This spiel instantly caused the atmosphere before the bar counter to cool down somewhat.
That's right, artworks rushed out, how good could the quality be?
Although they held almost blind trust towards Nohara Hiroshi, but reason, yet was faintly reminding them, do not pull expectations too high, avoiding when the time comes, disappointment also arriving even more fiercely.
...
Identical conversations, inside countless corners of Tokyo, were playing out simultaneously.
Inside the lounge of the taxi dispatch center, a group of drivers having just returned from changing shifts, were actively surrounding the television, while smoking cigarettes, while discussing all at once.
"Sigh, speaking truthfully, I truly admire that young man named Nohara Hiroshi, possessing taking charge. If it were me, I wouldn't even bother cleaning up that messy situation."
"Who says it isn't, but, these things rushed out, the quality will definitely be discounted. Hoping... it isn't exactly like that one from last time, treating people like fools and tossing them around is enough."
Inside the male dormitories of the University of Tokyo, that group of elite students possessing excess energy, then appeared even more optimistic.
"Afraid of what! That is Sensei Nohara! Even if it is plot storyboard drafted out using feet, it is also a hundred times stronger than the stuff that idiot named Iwata, thought out using his brain!"
"Exactly! I believe in Sensei! Him saying so, is definitely merely modesty! Who knows, this time he held back an even bigger ultimate move, preparing to scare our eyeballs completely out!"
Expectations, and worries.
Trust, and doubts.
Two distinctly different emotions, like two invisible ropes, tightly, winding around the heart of every single 『Yamishibai』 veteran fan.
Not only are they longing for that familiar, capable of making them feel a trace of chill inside the summer night horror world resolving to return, while also afraid, this hard-won hope, would ultimately be reduced anew into a disappointing farce.
...
Evening ten twenty-five.
Inside the 【Nohara Hiroshi · Special Production Team】 office, the lights were brightly lit.
The atmosphere, yet was entirely distinct from the clamor of the outside world, quiet to the point of being even somewhat oppressive.
All core members, were gathered before that massive Sony Trinitron television.
But this time, their gazes, however were all focused onto that man sitting upright and still, body taut exactly like a fully drawn bowstring.
Hashishita Ichiro.
His forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, that pair of bloodshot eyes deadly staring at the pitch-black screen, lips slightly turning pale due to nervousness, those both hands placed upon his knees, were even more so deadly clenched into fists.
This towards him, wasn't a simple premiere broadcasting.
This is a session, deciding whether he can be accepted by this world anew, a public trial.
Minamura Hoshi, Haseji Kakeru and Kitagawa Yao the trio, sitting behind him, upon those three young faces, expressions were complex.
They are still unable to thoroughly forgive the betrayal of this man, but looking at this putting life on the line wishing to atone for sins appearance of his, that resentment inside their hearts, yet also inexplicably dissipated somewhat.
Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi, these two Kanto Faction veterans, then resembled two invigilators, gazes peacefully looking at him, inside those expressions, not only containing scrutiny, also possessing a trace of difficult to perceive, belonging to colleagues' recognition.
These past days Hashishita Ichiro's hard work they all saw within their eyes.
The human heart is made of flesh.
Sometimes...
A few sentences of sighing with emotion and it exactly passes.
Only Nohara Hiroshi, is still that outsider remaining aloof from the affair.
He didn't even look at the television, merely holding a cup of warm black tea, leaning beside his own office desk, gaze, possessing keen interest, sizing up the micro-expressions of every single person inside the office.
He resembled a brilliant chess player, after placing a piece, then didn't concern anymore with the slaughtering upon the chessboard, but rather enjoyed observing even more, those chess pieces whose fates were disrupted by him, presenting out, the truest, and also the most interesting human nature.
This made Nohara Hiroshi possess considerable sense of achievement!
Ten thirty punctually arrived.
That familiar, carrying somewhat of weirdness and classic intro possessing a sense of oldness arrived exactly on time as expected.
Everyone's hearts were all raised up to their throats at this moment.
The imagery lit up.
Still is that Kamishibai uncle wearing an ominous mask, still is that tattered bicycle parked underneath the dusk, still is that familiar opening speech.
"Walking past passing by, all come take a look, the time for Yamishibai, has arrived again oh..."
It's exactly this flavor!
Inside the office, everyone subconsciously let out a breath of relief.
Hashishita Ichiro's taught body, also slightly relaxed somewhat.
He knew, at least during the opening, he flawlessly, restored Nohara Hiroshi's requirements.
The story, officially began.
Season three episode one—— 『Lend It to Me』.
Late night, inside an ordinary apartment bathroom.
A young white-collar worker having just finished work, was currently preparing to wash away the exhaustion of an entire body.
Water vapor was dense, lighting dim and yellow, everything appeared so daily life, so... normal.
However, exactly when he took off his clothes, preparing to turn on the shower head, the bathroom door, yet with a "creak", pushed open a crack.
And then a voice transmitted in from that crack.
A woman's voice, the tone entirely bereft of emotion.
"That..." Her voice, like transmitting from an ancient well, carrying a kind of gloomy coldness not belonging to the living: "Can you lend... your towel to me?"
The man was startled for a jump, but looking at the pitiful appearance in the other party's tone, still hesitatingly, passed the towel hung on the side over.
"Thank you." The woman received the towel, vanishing behind the door.
The man let out a breath of relief, thinking it was merely a prank.
But the next second, new words poked out from the door crack again.
"That... can you lend... your soap... also to me?"
"..."
The man started feeling a trace of amiss, but still passed the soap over.
"Can you lend... your shampoo... to me?"
"Can you lend... your body wash... to me?"
The woman's requests, one time more excessive than the last, one time... even more expensive than the last.
A certain entity, also accompanying every time "borrowing" away something, and from the door crack, bit by bit, squeezed its way in.
The man finally felt a fear deriving from the bone marrow, he wanted to escape, both legs yet exactly like being poured with lead, unable to move at all.
In the end, that "Melting Woman" having already completely squeezed into the bathroom, upon the face finally revealed a smear of bizarre smile.
She stretched out that pair of identically swollen beyond recognition hands, pointing towards the man's body, utilizing an almost sleep-talking tone, softly saying:
"That... can you lend... your... also to me?"
What she was pointing at, was the man's arm, was his leg, was his... head.
Accompanying her sticky slippery fingers, touching the man's skin, the man's body, actually also started exactly like a candle, bit by bit, melting, deforming, ultimately, by that woman, thoroughly, absorbed, fused...
The imagery, abruptly stopped.
"..."
Inside the office, sunk into a patch of death-like silence.
Everyone felt a gust of cold air, from their own tailbone, rushing straight to the crown of their heads.
"... Good heavens."
Unsure of how much time passed, Minamura Hoshi then from his throat, squeezed out this vocabulary best capable of expressing his mood at this moment.
He subconsciously touched his own arm, feeling the skin there, was still faintly becoming numb.
"This... this story..." Haseji Kakeru's complexion was slightly pale: "It isn't speaking of ghosts, it is speaking about, those of us residing within the city, that cheap, yet also possibly attracting fatal disasters... kindness ah."
"Correct." Yamamoto Takeshi longly let out a breath of air: "Inside this kind of apathetic city like Tokyo, we are always educated to be kind to people. But who truly knows, the helping hand stretched out by you, will it or will it not be treated by a monster lurking in the dark, as a matter of course for wanton demands?"
"It is interrogating us, the survival rules of the city, ultimately should it be apathetic self-preservation, or... so kind as to invite disaster upon oneself?"
This spiel, caused everyone present to fall into deep thought.
They finally comprehended.
This 『Yamishibai True Season Three』 rebooted by Nohara Hiroshi this time, was already no longer a simple pursuit of pure sensory fright.
But rather underneath that familiar Japanese-style horror atmosphere, injected a layer, even more profound, sufficient to trigger resonances in all city dwellers... philosophical ponderings.
This is already no longer a simple horror animation.
This is a, modern urban fable packaged using ghost stories.
And Hashishita Ichiro, looking at everyone's either shocked, or contemplative expressions, that heart having already sunk to the bottom of the valley long ago, finally, bit by bit, floated back up.
He knew, he, bet right.
No, it was Section Chief Nohara, who once again, bet right.
He was merely a loyal, executor.
...
This brand new shock brought about by 『Yamishibai True Season Three』, within a short few minutes, then once again swept the entire Neon.
Inside the Midnight Diner, those several nightclub bouncers still worrying about the quality just now, at this moment yet exactly like having their acupuncture points struck, pale complexions one and all, hands holding wine cups, all slightly trembling.
"... In the future, whoever the fuck borrows things from me in a public bathroom again, I... I will fucking call the police directly!"
Inside the university dormitories, that group of boys fearing neither heaven nor earth, after experiencing a brief dead silence, instantly erupted with even more intense discussions than when they previously watched 『Tales of the Unusual』.
"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! This setting for the melting woman is also too damn awesome right?! This is the true psychological horror ah!"
"Sensei Nohara... he... he is simply not human! How could he think of such a perverted, and also this profound piece of story?!"
"I am taking back my words from prior! Where is this an artwork rushed out? This is clearly Sensei Nohara after holding back an ultimate move, delivering us, an open class regarding human nature ah!"
"Apologize! I must apologize towards Sensei Nohara! I shouldn't have doubted him!"
This fanatic pursuit transformed from extreme shock, caused the audience service hotline of TV Tokyo, once again, to welcome a new round of baptism.
Merely, this time, what transmitted from the other side of the phone, was no longer angry curses, but rather full of excitement and guilt sentence after sentence... apologies.
"... I am sorry! I was wrong! I shouldn't have doubted Sensei Nohara! Please be sure to pass on to him, he is exactly the eternal god within our hearts!"
The next morning, when the final viewership rating report for episode one of 『Yamishibai · True Season Three』, was delivered to the 【Nohara Hiroshi · Special Production Team】.
Everyone was all stunned anew, by that number upon it.
8.35%!
Although, this number, compared to that terrifying achievement of 『Tales of the Unusual』 easily surpassing 20% at the slightest trigger, appeared somewhat insignificant.
But everyone all knew, what this meant.
This meant, after experiencing that disastrous failure of the Iwata Section, under the situation where reputation almost completely collapsed, Nohara Hiroshi, utilizing merely one episode, exactly pulled the viewership rating for this IP, back anew to the apex level of season two!
It even, faintly exceeded it by a fraction!
This is already no longer a simple turning the tides, this is a miracle!
It is a miracle uniquely belonging to him, that capable of being created only by that man, of a Nohara Hiroshi style!
Inside the office, once again erupted a burst of heaven-shaking cheers.
And Nohara Hiroshi, merely calmly looked at that report sheet, the faint smile at the corners of his mouth like light clouds and gentle breeze.
He knew this was only the beginning.
Those two true trump card bombs, named 『Yamishibai』 season four and season five, having already been laid down by him long ago, still hadn't detonated yet.
While on the other side, that brand new battlefield entirely named 『Kasou Taishou』, sufficient to subvert the layout of the entire variety show circles, has also already, for him, completely thrown open its large doors.
This war belonging to him, to conquer the entire Neon television circles, has merely recently, lifted open its curtains.
"Somewhat looking forward to it." Nohara Hiroshi inside his heart was joyful.