I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 15 First Play

Chapter 15 First Play
"Yamamoto-kun?" Suzuki Seito was stunned. The projection department? Why would they call?
"It's like this, Section Chief Suzuki. Section Chief Takeshita just called and gave a very high evaluation of your 'Anzhiju'."

Yamamoto's tone was calm. "We've taken a look at the recent schedule, and there's a slot for the late-night show next Monday. So, I'd like to ask, if we start broadcasting at 0:20 every day starting next Monday, can you keep up with the production schedule?"

"Next Monday? Every day?" Suzuki Seito's head buzzed.

"Yes, our broadcasting habit here is to broadcast continuously seven days a week. If possible, we hope that you can prepare the tapes of the first week, that is, seven episodes, and submit them to us before this Friday."

Yamamoto said, "This is a very good opportunity, Section Chief Suzuki. Although the competition in the late-night slot is not as good as in the prime time slot, continuous broadcasting can accumulate audiences and reputation the fastest!"

After hanging up the phone, the ecstasy on Suzuki Seito's face was quickly replaced by a serious expression.

He looked at his subordinates who were cheering just now and said in a deep voice: "Everyone, we have a new mission."

When he told the projection department what they wanted, the atmosphere in the office, which had just been extremely warm, instantly cooled down.

Producing six new episodes of animation within a week?

What a joke!
They produced the first episode of "The Talisman Girl", and although it was completed today, it was entirely because of Nohara Hiroshi's drawing board.

They can almost just copy it.

Nohara Hiroshi's drawing board only covers the first three episodes. Even if he drew the remaining four episodes on the spot, could he have done it?

"This... this is impossible?" Nancun Xing's face turned pale: "Our budget and manpower are simply..." As he said that, he looked at Nohara Hiroshi.

"Yes, Chief, this is too rushed."

Everyone looked troubled. This was no longer a challenge, it was simply a fantasy.

Suzuki Seito's brows knitted tightly together. He knew the difficulty of this task. However, the opportunity was right in front of him. Once missed, it would be gone forever.

Just when everyone felt desperate, a calm voice sounded.

"できます."

(OK.)
Everyone turned their heads and looked towards the source of the sound.

Nohara Hiroshi.

He still stood there, his expression calm, but his eyes revealed an unquestionable determination.

"Nohara-kun?" Suzuki Seito looked at him.

"We've discussed many potential stories before, and we've basically got the outline of the script." Nohara Hiroshi walked over to the whiteboard, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote down a few titles, saying as he wrote: "'Tragedy Worship', 'Family Instructions', 'Hair', 'Alternate Stages', 'Net Shed', 'Contradiction'... and I have a complete idea."

He turned around, his eyes sweeping over everyone. "As long as we have a clear division of labor and focus all our energy, we can accomplish this. The stylized style allows us to shorten the production time."

His words were like a shot of adrenaline, injected into everyone's heart.

Looking at the strange names on the whiteboard and Nohara Hiroshi's confident look, everyone's originally panicked hearts miraculously calmed down.

After all, Hiroshi Nohara is a cartoonist who has become somewhat famous recently.

The production of "An Shibaju" was even approved by the Tokyo TV headquarters, the production bureau review department, which is always famous for its difficult review.

This is enough to illustrate Nohara Hiroshi's ability and talent!

Now that Nohara Hiroshi has said so...

Then how could they possibly retreat?!
"Okay! Let's do it!"

Suzuki Seito looked at the young man before him, his eyes filled with admiration and satisfaction. He slammed the table and issued a battle order: "Hashita, you will immediately go to the projection department to confirm all the details! Minamimura, Hase, Kitagawa, all of you, from now on, follow Nohara-kun's orders! We'll settle down here for this week! I'll take care of food and lodging! Everyone, cheer up! By the end of the day on Friday, produce all the videotapes and hand them in!"

"Yes!"

A unified roar announced the beginning of an extreme challenge.

For the next seven days, the Suzuki classroom turned into a high-speed war machine.

The floor was littered with empty takeout boxes and instant noodle bags, and the air was filled with a strange smell mixed with coffee, paint, and sweat.

Hiroshi Nohara became the absolute core of this small team. His workstation was covered with storyboard sketches, each one using the simplest lines to outline the most precise atmosphere of horror.

"Nancun-kun, here, the weird atmosphere of the hospital in 'The Worship of Misfortune' should be more intense. It should feel like you're about to bang your head into the ground."

"Kitagawa-san, in the episode about hair, don't use pure black for the hair color. Use several different shades of gray layered together. This will create a sense of movement in the static image."

"Hase-kun, the perspective of the staircase in 'Stairs of Otherworldly' needs to be more distorted, so that it makes people feel uncomfortable at first glance."

He rarely spoke loudly, but every instruction he gave was clear and precise, getting to the point. His brain was like a sophisticated computer, perfectly splitting and combining the production processes of the six stories and assigning them to each person.

He himself took on the most arduous task - drawing the original paintings of all the key scenes.

When others were so tired that they fell asleep on their cots, the desk lamp at his workstation was always on the latest.

Anyone who looks over can see that Nohara Hiroshi's hands are always painting.

Without any hesitation.

Time flies by in this extreme busyness.

On Friday afternoon, when Hashimoto Ichiro handed seven brand new videotapes neatly to Mr. Yamamoto in the projection department, he felt his legs go weak.

In Suzuki's classroom, everyone seemed to have been drained of all their strength. They slumped over the chairs and sofas and fell into a deep sleep.

……

Sunday, late night.

There's less than half an hour left until Monday.

Suzuki's classroom was pitch black, with only an old TV emitting a dim light, illuminating the tired yet extremely excited faces sitting in front of it.

There was cold pizza and a few cans of beer on the table, but no one touched them.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the ticking time in the lower right corner of the screen.

00:18:45
"It's...it's coming." Hashijitaro's voice was trembling, and he was rubbing his hands nervously.

"I don't know... if anyone will watch." Beichuan Yao said in a low voice, holding on to the cushion beside her.

Suzuki Seito didn't say anything, he just stared at the screen. His weather-beaten face was filled with the tension and anticipation of a parent waiting for their child to be born.

Hiroshi Nohara sat in the corner, leaning against the back of the sofa, his hands crossed in front of him, staring calmly at the TV. Only his eyes, still bright in the darkness, revealed his inner unrest.

Time passed by second by second.

00:19:58…

00:19:59…

00:20:00!

The commercial for the previous show ended and the screen suddenly went black.

Everyone in the office subconsciously held their breath.

In the darkness, there was a crisp sound of wooden knocking.

That's the sound of drums.

Then came that hoarse and strange voice, as if it came from the Showa era.

"Don't miss it if you pass by, it's time for Anzhiju..."

The screen lit up, and the Kamisabui uncle wearing a yellow mask appeared on the screen.

Their story officially began in the quiet night of this huge city.