Anime rating game

"Wujing-jun, I'll head over there now."

"Go ahead. I'll call you when I get back."

Chapter 80 Shiina Mashiro and the Art Dealer

"Chitose, you're late. The art exhibition before the banquet was amazing. Shiina-sensei's works were truly breathtaking."

"Not only did you miss the art exhibition, you also missed the gift-giving event earlier."

As soon as Karasuma Chitose sat down, he heard the voices of Sakaki Shizuka and Aoyama Nanami.

"Sorry, I had voice-over work today, so I'm a little late. Don't you have any voice-over work today?"

I didn't expect the banquet to be the first thing I did. What a waste of my formal attire!

"I have a game voice-over session today, it'll be finished by noon..."

Aoyama Nanami abruptly changed the subject, introducing the unfamiliar woman beside her:

"This is our school's art teacher, Chihiro Sengoku. She is also Shiina-sensei's cousin."

Karasuma Chitose looked surprised and couldn't help but say:

"So Mashiro has relatives in Japan? If that's the case, why not have them come and take care of her? Why is she staying at the Hayase family's house instead?"

"No way, I can't even take care of myself," Chihiro said casually. "Since someone is willing to take care of Mashiro, and it seems like they're doing a good job, isn't that great?"

"Sigh... Heaven is really unfair. Good things often fall on only one or two specific people."

At that moment, Karasuma Chitose suddenly had a feeling that "this person seems completely unreliable".

"That's right, that's what I think too. Life is like an animation, there are always some who are the heroines, and some who are just passersby without even a name."

"But why can't I be the female lead? I don't think I'm any worse than anyone else."

“That’s right.” Chihiro Sengoku suddenly became very talkative and started rambling on, “Compared to my peers, I am outstanding in terms of appearance, figure, and income, but I am still living a miserable life.”

"I understand. I'm so talented, yet I'm in a difficult situation..."

Aoyama Nanami stared at the two speechlessly, thinking to herself:

I never expected that Chitose and Sengoku-sensei would get along so well. Is it because their names are similar? Or is it because their personalities are somewhat alike?

However, this kind of oblivious and uninhibited mentality is very worthy of being... used as a negative example.

That's right, we should definitely learn from this and avoid becoming such a terrible adult.

Aoyama Nanami picked up her teacup and took a small sip. Her gaze unconsciously drifted to Mashiro, who was chatting with President Hayase in the distance, and a hint of longing stirred within her.

Although they are in different industries, this rare talent is something they could never have imagined in their wildest dreams.

……

At another banquet table in the distance, Masamune was listening to Kawafuji Takao's self-introduction.

He was a companion brought by Handa Kiyoshi, and the two had a very good relationship, being childhood friends.

I met Masamune a few times during high school, but we weren't very close. Overall, we were just friends of friends.

"...In conclusion, if you give me Shiina-sensei's paintings, I'm sure I can sell them for a good price."

Kawafuji Takao claims to be in the calligraphy and painting business. Although he is still a university student, he has plenty of free time due to attending night school and his family connections, which have given him a certain network in the calligraphy and painting world.

"I have experience not only in terms of money, but also in promoting my work."

"I started in this line of work at the beginning of this year, and I'm in charge of selling Handa's calligraphy works..."

"As far as I know, after Shiina returned to Japan, she did not hold any more art exhibitions, nor did she sell her works or participate in any painting competitions."

"Previously, I thought that Shiina-sensei had chosen a different path."

"But through the art exhibition just now, I finally understand that for Shiina-sensei, whether it's manga, animation, or anything else, it's just one aspect of self-improvement."

"Compared to the works that Shiina-sensei released online last year, those new works have an indescribable charm."

"Hmm... if I had to describe it in one word, it would be 'lifelike,' 'exquisitely crafted,' and 'full of emotion'..."

Seeing that Kawafuji Takao kept giving him meaningful glances while he was speaking, Handa Kiyoshi suddenly felt like he was being used.

The day before yesterday, while chatting with Kawatsuki Takao, I casually mentioned that I was coming to his birthday party, and he immediately insisted on coming along.

Now it seems that the moment he mentioned Shiina Mashiro's name, he probably thought of the business opportunity involved.

After hesitating for a moment, Handa Kiyoshi added:

"Giving the work to Kawafuji really reduces a lot of trouble. Whether it's for competitions or for direct sale, he can always find a way to handle it."

"That's right! Although I've only been in this industry for a year, I've already accumulated a lot of experience in this field."

Kawafuji Takao nodded repeatedly, his face full of confidence:

"Unlike Handa, who is not very famous, Shiina is a world-class painter at a young age. She is exceptionally talented and has been praised by many professors at Tokyo University of the Arts as a national treasure. She is extremely famous in the art world."

"Even without participating in any competitions, the works can still be sold."

"But if you give your work to me to enter in competitions, and through my efforts to build its reputation, it will definitely sell better."

"For painters and calligraphers, fame is not only money, but also a driving force and a stepping stone on the road to growth."

"In competition with rivals, we must constantly identify our shortcomings in order to improve ourselves more quickly."

Stared at by his eager gaze, Masamune couldn't help but look at Mashiro and asked with a smile:

"What do you think, Mashiro? Should we give him the painting to enter in the competition?"

"Okay, I want to know my shortcomings."

Mashiro thought for a moment, then leaned close to Masamune's ear and whispered:

"Once a painting is sold, does it no longer belong to you?"

"Yes, have you never sold paintings before?"

"I don't know. My parents have always handled this. I've never asked them."

"I see. Although the value of each painting cannot be directly measured by money, a simple comparison can illustrate some points. The painting with higher value is undoubtedly the better work."

If it were an ordinary painter, knowing that their paintings could be sold at a reasonable price, they certainly wouldn't refuse.

The problem is that Mashiro has no concept of money and doesn't need any money when living with me.

Masamune considered his words carefully, then smiled and said:

"Well, I'm sure you'll draw even more in the future."

"Today's work will definitely be better than yesterday's, and yesterday's work will definitely be better than the day before yesterday's. This year's work will definitely be more outstanding than last year's."

"If you look at last year's paintings today, you'll definitely find many shortcomings."

"Inside the studio, the only things that are properly preserved are your new works, while the old works that are replaced are either stored away or thrown away as junk. There is no other way to deal with them."

"But even if you don't value a painting, there will definitely be people in the world who like it. After buying it, you keep it at home and cherish it very much, and you take it out from time to time to show it to other people."

"Will you cherish it?" Mashiro repeated softly.

“It will definitely happen.” Masamune glanced at Kawato Takao, whose face was full of anticipation, and smiled slightly. “I believe that Kawato will not sell his paintings to collectors who do not know how to appreciate them.”

“That’s right! This is my most basic professional ethics as an art dealer.” Kawafuji Takao said without hesitation, “Handa can vouch for me on this point.”

"That's true, Kawafuji did a good job in that respect." Handa Kiyoshi nodded slightly.

Mashiro thought about it carefully for a while and quickly made a decision.

“I agree to give you the painting so you can sell it.”

"Thank you so much!"

Kawafuji Takao's face lit up with joy, his heart filled with excitement.

This trip was definitely worthwhile!

Handa wasn't famous enough to make ends meet, but Shiina was different.

Already renowned in the UK, now back in China with the strong support of the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, coupled with her unparalleled talent, she's practically a growing cash cow.

"How is the profit sharing calculated?" Masamune asked curiously.

"It's usually a 30/70 split, with the art dealers taking 30% and the artists taking 70%."

Does it include tax?

"The taxes can be paid by us, and they are included in the 30%."

Masamune shifted his gaze to Handa Kiyoshi, and after receiving a nod in response, pondered for a moment before saying:

"A 30/70 split is fine, but I have one more requirement."

"Please say."

"Next year, I need to use your and Handa's names and character designs to make an animation."

"Based on a true story? Hmm... Our experiences aren't that interesting. However, Handa's experiences in high school were quite interesting."

“We can consider it, but what we’re going to produce next year is a hypothetical story, set four years in the future, when Handa is 23 years old.”

"I have no objections, but what about Handa?"

Stared at by both of them at the same time, Handa Kiyoshi subconsciously said:

"I don't have any objection either."

"Then it's settled." Masamune smiled.

Chapter 81 Breaking Down the High Wall Called Ordinary

The president is really amazing; he finalized another new anime project in the time it takes to have a meal.

Moreover, the stories of the previous original animations were all outstanding.

Although it's based on a true story, the ability to discover interesting stories in everyday life is a truly remarkable talent.

Listening to their conversation, Ogasawara Rinko, who was sitting at the same table, couldn't help but glance again at Mashiro, Adagaki Aki who seemed to be angry all the time, and Fujinomiya Neko, who always had a smile on her face to her right.

Although she was not familiar with the latter two, her appearance and personality were too similar to the anime setting, as if she had stepped out of the two-dimensional world.