Tokyo: The evil god doesn't want to be the top star

Chapter 220 False propaganda
"Ahem, although it may not be appropriate to say this at this time... However, based on my experience in participating in competitions, some of the 'seed trainees' may have already known about and even practiced this song and dance in advance."

“So, don’t think about practicing separately. If we want to stand at the center of the stage in the theme MV, the four of us must unite and work together…”

Martin, who is experienced in participating in competitions, turned his back to the camera, covered his mouth with his fists, and spoke in a low voice.

"You're right. Then you and I will be responsible for breaking down the movements, and then we can all rehearse the dance together."

Basong thought for a moment and suggested in a sweet voice.

"How about letting Jack and I work on the song part and then lead everyone to sing it together?"

Xia Fan took the initiative to take over the song part.

"I have no problem with that. I'll give it my all."

Jack spread his hands.

Xia Fan was from the Department of Music at Tokyo University of the Arts. He was also very good at playing the electronic keyboard and was the person who spoke the most standard dialect in District 11. It was of course a great pleasure to have him help practice the song.

"So, everyone in Room 501, are you ready to live in the practice room for the next three days..."

Martin licked his front teeth excitedly and stretched forward the back of his hand.

"Of course."

"Give it your all."

"come on!"

Xia Fan and the other two people placed their palms on top of each other.

……

"OK, theme song task released, this section of recording is complete."

In the recording room, Manjiro Akimoto was staring at the monitor.

Through the various cameras at the recording site, we can see that after watching Goro Kimura's "Theme Song Challenge Mission" video, many trainees couldn't wait to rush to the practice room.

"In the remaining three days, you just need to focus on collecting video footage of the trainees' rehearsals and daily lives, especially 'those' people..."

"If there's nothing else, I'll leave first. I promised to participate in an outdoor activity at my daughter's school."

He stood up and stretched, then gave instructions to Assistant Director Souta.

"Understood. We will focus on the people on the list. You can rest assured and leave this to us."

Assistant Director Souta nodded in understanding.

After the recording of the last segment, while the trainees were rehearsing the theme song, the director could take a break for three days...

But the hard-working program crew still has to maintain the operation of this "temporary base" and continue recording the program with the "fixed camera + mobile photographer" method.

"By the way, how's the broadcast data for the second episode?"

Akimoto Manjiro asked again.

"The second episode of our show ranked first in real time among variety shows of the same period, and ranked first in historical data comparison of similar programs, and overall exceeded expectations by 50%..."

“Real-time broadcast data is still growing and setting new records.”

"It's only the first stage, but we've already received so much playback and attention. This is all thanks to your wise decision, Director Akimoto!"

After taking a look at the real-time data in the background, Assistant Director Cao Tai skillfully took a series of photos of the horses.

Generally speaking, for idol talent shows, the data rises after the theme song MV is officially released...

At that time, most of the publicity resources of the entire program would be focused on the promotion of the theme song. But now, the number of views and public attention of the second episode has already broken through the sky, which is naturally due to the full hype of a series of topics about Yayoi Tsuki and Xia Fan, which has triggered a wave of public opinion.

"Humph, hyping up topics is just a routine operation, there's nothing strange about it."

Putting on the coat held up by Assistant Director Souta, Manjiro Akimoto remained calm on the surface, but was still somewhat happy inside.

He edited Xia Fan's first stage performance in a "Spring and Autumn style". Not only did he use Yayoi Tsuki's popularity to ignite the show's topic, he also suppressed the Burning System and Xia Fan, and by the way, he let those "seed trainees" stand in the role of being unspokenly ruled to gain sympathy. It can be said that he achieved three goals with one stone.

"correct……"

Thinking of this, he turned around and took a look at the footage of Xia Fan’s dormitory.

There, Xia Fan and three other international trainees were doing the "hand-in-hand" cheering gesture.

"Originally, I was worried that this guy couldn't handle the public opinion and it would affect the next recording..."

"It seems that Xia Fan doesn't care about the comments online, or maybe he doesn't know much about the influence of online public opinion?"

"It's great to be young..."

Looking at Xia Fan who seemed to be doing normal in front of the camera, Akimoto Manjiro smiled coldly.

"Cao Tai, do you know that there is an old saying in the Dragon Country that water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it..."

"Popularity and public opinion are both double-edged swords. They can make people feel superior and invincible, but they can also make them fall into the abyss and be shattered to pieces."

Looking at the youthful and hopeful trainees on the monitor, Manjiro Akimoto, who has witnessed the ups and downs of countless groups from the first to the third generation of girl groups, sighed with vicissitudes of life.

"Director, this is terrible. A large number of netizens have gone to the official account of the program, the TV station, and various online broadcasting platforms to give our program negative reviews and to file complaints and protests..."

"All the broadcasting platforms and sponsors called us and asked us to 'handle' it."

As Akimoto Manjiro just walked to the door, an executive director hurried over.

"Leave a message to protest? Leave a bad review? With such a wonderful program, what are they dissatisfied with?!"

This sudden news made Akimoto Manjiro both angry and amused.

"The main point they accused us of was that we were engaged in false propaganda and did not broadcast Xia Fan's debut performance in the main program!"

"Huh? False publicity. When did we promote Xia Fan's debut performance?"

But the executive director's next answer left him even more confused.

"Our colleagues in the publicity and promotion department quickly traced the whole story and found that the cause of everything was this video that was uploaded simultaneously on various platforms starting yesterday..."

The executive director handed over the tablet and clicked on a video.

"This...this is..."

Staring blankly at the video content, Akimoto Manjiro's pupils gradually dilated...

"Xia Fan's first stage performance? Or the complete version from the host position?"

The content of the video is Xia Fan's first stage performance video, which was shot with a fixed camera and not edited.

Although there were no post-production edits such as close-ups and camera switching, the ultra-high-definition front camera aimed at the stage, coupled with external top-level sound pickup equipment, was enough to present Xia Fan's first stage performance clearly and completely.

Listening to Xia Fan's decadent, desperate yet powerful singing on the tablet, Akimoto Manjiro felt countless sad memories flooding into his heart, and tears began to well up in his eyes again.

"Souta, was this video uploaded by our program team?"

Using willpower to drive his thumb to pause the video, he asked Assistant Director Souta, whose eyes also turned red.

(End of this chapter)