I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 165: Box Office Legend Forecast! Explosive Critical Acclaim! "Seven Samurai" Sweeps Japan!
Sure enough, the next day, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the Tokyo fog and fell on the streets and alleys, a wave of fervor swept across the entire Kanto region, especially the greater Tokyo metropolitan area, with an unstoppable force.

Seven Samurai!
This name struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, instantly igniting everyone's nerves!
Almost every newspaper and news outlet, without exception, had its front page and headlines dominated by this movie!
"Kinema Junpo: A miracle has occurred! 23-year-old genius Hiroshi Nohara has single-handedly revolutionized the Japanese film industry! Seven Samurai—an epic that transcends time!"

Asahi Shimbun: The nation reflects! The lie of 'class antagonism' has been exposed. Hiroshi Nohara's 'Easter egg' is the most profound insight into human nature and the times!

Mainichi Shimbun: The Rebirth of Bushido! Seven Samurai Redefines the Japanese Spirit, Unbound by Identity or Bloodline, Anyone Can Be a Samurai!

"Yomiuri Shimbun: Box office phenomenon in the making! Seven Samurai receives rave reviews, sparking nationwide discussion, and unprecedented queues at theaters!"

Newspaper deliverymen from major newspapers would snatch up the newspapers almost as soon as they delivered them to the newsstands, only to have them immediately snapped up by the citizens who had been waiting for a long time!

On the streets and alleys, in cafes, on trams, in office buildings... whether it's office workers in suits, energetic students, or housewives returning from grocery shopping, everyone is enthusiastically discussing the same topic—"Seven Samurai"!
"My God! I watched 'Seven Samurai' yesterday, it's simply... simply a masterpiece!" A young office worker excitedly waved his newspaper on the train. "I originally thought that Hiroshi Nohara was really like what the newspapers said, a 'traitor' and an 'elite.' But after watching the movie, I realized... I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

“Yes! I watched it too!” His companion next to him nodded heavily, his face full of shame: “He wasn’t insulting farmers at all! He was deconstructing them! He was telling us that so-called ‘class’ and so-called ‘identity’ are utterly insignificant in the face of the torrent of ‘the times’! Those who criticized him are the ones who truly didn’t understand the film and didn’t understand the times!”

"I went to see it in the cinema last night!" a high school girl interjected excitedly, her eyes glistening with tears. "That Kikuchiyo! Even though he was an imposter, he had more 'samurai spirit' than any real samurai! He showed us that 'bushido' is never determined by status, but by the 'heart'! This... this was so inspiring!"

“That’s right! And have you noticed!” Another college student wearing glasses pushed up his lenses, his voice excited: “In the movie, the ones who survived in the end were the farmers! They survived with their cunning and resilience, becoming the masters of the new era! While the samurai, those who once represented glory and order, were ruthlessly abandoned by the times! Doesn’t this mean that the reason we in Japan have entered this golden age is because each of us possesses the spirit of Bushido in the new era—a spirit of courage, perseverance, and disregard for status?!”

"Si Guoyi!"

These philosophical remarks instantly drew admiration from everyone around!
People nodded in agreement, their faces filled with sudden realization and admiration!
"I've made up my mind! I'm going to see 'Seven Samurai' again today! I want my friends, my family, and everyone to know that Hiroshi Nohara is not some 'ungrateful wretch'! He is a true genius who deconstructed the era and also deconstructed human nature!"

"Me too! Me too! I insulted him yesterday, and today I'm going to apologize to him with my actions!"

"Let's go! Let's go together!"

For a time, the entire Japanese nation went crazy for Seven Samurai and Hiroshi Nohara!

Those media outlets that had previously criticized Hiroshi Nohara have now, like chameleons, quickly switched sides.

They praised Hiroshi Nohara to the skies, using the most ornate language to portray him as a "thinker ahead of his time," a "savior of the cultural world," and "the pride of Japan"!
Numerous newspaper pages were dedicated to introducing Hiroshi Nohara's achievements—from the manga sales legend of "Yu Yu Hakusho" to the national viewership frenzy of "Super Transformation," to the urban fantasy universe of "Tales of the Unusual," and the late-night anime miracle of "Yamishibai"!

Every achievement is like the most brilliant medal, shining with dazzling light!
This overwhelming positive publicity acted as a powerful catalyst, attracting more people to the cinema to witness firsthand the "Seven Samurai," a film already hailed as a masterpiece by countless people!
The queue outside the movie theater stretched as far as the eye could see!
……

In Asumi's office on the seventeenth floor of TV Tokyo.

Sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, making the entire office bright and airy.

However, the atmosphere in the office at this moment was even more intense and cheerful than the sunshine!
"Hahahaha! Hiroshi-kun! Director Kurosawa! You two are simply... simply gods!"

At this moment, Mingri Hai was laughing heartily, his refined and composed face now filled with barely suppressed ecstasy!
Beside him, Eiji Kurosawa was also laughing so hard he was doubled over. All the weariness and desolation on his weathered old face had faded away, leaving only a heartfelt and unrestrained joy!

Opposite them, the seven actors playing the "warriors" had long lost all trace of the tragic and serious atmosphere of the movie. They were all laughing like children, their faces radiating excitement and pride as if they had survived a catastrophe!
"As expected of Hiroshi-kun! This publicity tactic is simply... a stroke of genius!"

Asumi patted Hiroshi Nohara's shoulder heavily, his face full of satisfaction: "I originally thought that this media storm would at least give us a headache for a while. I didn't expect that you could turn it into the best publicity for our 'Seven Samurai'! Now, everyone has forgotten about 'class antagonism' and 'insulting farmers'! Everyone thinks that what you said was just a carefully prepared 'Easter egg' for the movie! They are all apologizing for their previous misunderstandings! They are all praising your genius! They are all praising your work for its depth and its meaning!"

"Yes!" Veteran actor Taiji Miyoshi, who plays Kanbei, exclaimed with deep emotion, "In my entire life, I've never seen such a... such a bizarre way of promoting a film! First, they vilify everyone, and then they use a movie to win everyone over! This... this is simply manipulating people's hearts to the extreme!"

"Hahaha! What's this called? This is called 'building suspense before praising'!" Makino Shunpei, who plays Kikuchiyo, waved his fist triumphantly: "Those guys from the Tokyo faction really tried to steal a chicken but lost their rice instead! They thought they could smear our minister, but they ended up helping him with publicity! Now, they're probably kicking themselves!"

"Hmph!" Eiji Kurosawa snorted coldly, a hint of disdain flashing across his face: "Those clowns, do they even deserve to manipulate public opinion? Do they think they can bring down Nohara-kun with such underhanded methods? They're too naive! They have no idea that Nohara-kun's wisdom has long surpassed that of these short-sighted mortals!"

He paused, then turned his gaze to Hiroshi Nohara, his eyes filled with admiration and trust.

"However, this is also thanks to Hiroshi-kun and Director Kurosawa, you two did a great job directing!" The actor who played Kyuzo couldn't help but chime in, "If the quality of a film isn't solid, no matter how good the promotion is, it will only be a flash in the pan. It's you two who have conquered all the audiences with a true masterpiece!"

“That’s right!” the other actors chimed in, their faces beaming with pride: “It’s Seven Samurai itself that has won over everyone’s hearts!”

However, Eiji Kurosawa simply shook his head calmly, his face once again showing composure and pride.

"Do not."

He slowly began to speak: "As I said before, there is only one true director, the true filmmaker, and the one who truly completed this work of art—that is him… Hiroshi Nohara!"

Eiji Kurosawa was a proud man; he disdained to steal credit or take credit for others' achievements.

Moreover, this applies to Hiroshi Nohara.

He is now truly convinced!

Everyone stared blankly at Eiji Kurosawa, then at Hiroshi Nohara, their faces filled with horror!
They knew that Director Kurosawa was always an extremely straightforward person, and that he meant what he said.

But when everyone was attributing the credit to him, he once again gave all the glory to that young man!

This... this is no longer a simple case of "mentoring the younger generation"!

This is clearly... genuine recognition!
This made the atmosphere in the office more harmonious and filled it with a powerful force called trust and unity!

"Good! Good! Good!"

Asumi clapped his hands heavily, his voice trembling with excitement: "Hiroshi-kun! You...you really won an unprecedented and great victory for our Kanto faction this time!"

He took a deep breath and swept his gaze across everyone present, his eyes gleaming with confidence!
"I dare say that!"

Asumi's voice boomed like a great bell: "This 'Seven Samurai' will definitely be a hit! A huge hit!"

"I can even boldly predict that, on Christmas Eve alone, the opening day box office of 'Seven Samurai' will definitely be no less than 100 million yen!"

boom--!
This number immediately caused an uproar in the office!

Everyone was stunned!

One hundred million yen?!

That's the kind of box office performance only super blockbuster commercial films can achieve on their opening day!
Those of them who work in television, although they know that the film industry is very complex, still think that 100 million yen is simply... a pipe dream for a period drama or a samurai film to achieve that level of box office on its opening day!
"One...one hundred million yen?!" Makino Shunpei, who plays Kikuchiyo, was the first to exclaim in shock, his young face filled with disbelief and horror!
"Deputy Director Asumi, you...you're not joking, are you?!" Miyoshi Taiji, who played Kanbei, also stared wide-eyed, his face filled with shock!
"Hahaha!" Asuka laughed so hard he almost fell over, looking at the astonished expressions on everyone's faces. His demeanor was completely devoid of any semblance of the deputy director's authority; he was clearly an excited gambler who had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel in a desperate situation!
"What?!" he retorted, his voice brimming with smugness. "Do you really think this movie doesn't deserve to be a blockbuster?!"

Everyone was silent.

Because they know.

match!
They are a perfect match!
This film is more than just a film.

It is a groundbreaking masterpiece that has the power to change the established perceptions of the word "samurai," the word "class," and the word "era" in Japan and even the world!
It deserves all the most magnificent praise!
It deserves all the highest honors!

It deserves... all the craziest box office hits!
"Of course I'm a good match!" Hiroshi Nohara's lips curled into a satisfied smile, his eyes gleaming with a confident and composed air.

He knew that Tomorrow Sea's prediction might be conservative.

After all, Seven Samurai is his predecessor, Akira Kurosawa's true masterpiece in 1954, a film that is worthy of being recorded in the history of world cinema!

In this neon-lit world, with the support of his "plagiarist" script, and with improved costumes, props, and sets, more perfect cinematography, top-notch post-production, and more precise promotion...

The heights that "Seven Samurai" could reach in 1990 Japan would definitely surpass those of its predecessors!

He knew very well that in his previous life in 1990, the box office of Japanese films generally hovered around 5 billion yen.

And after his "black traffic" promotion, after the groundwork laid by nationwide heated discussions, and after the explosive fermentation of word-of-mouth...

The final box office that "Seven Samurai" can achieve will definitely be an astronomical figure that will drive everyone crazy and shock them!

Now all they can do is wait.

We await news of victory!

"However, I'm curious about how well Takada's 'The Samurai of the Cherry Blossom Tree' turned out, both in terms of performance and critical reception?" Asumi asked triumphantly. "Inviting idols and stars to make a movie, I'm afraid it's not a good idea, is it?" "Hahahaha! Deputy Director Asumi, your prediction is more accurate than the weather forecast!" Makino Shunpei, who plays Kikuchiyo, was the first to burst into laughter.

His face was brimming with barely concealed excitement: "When I came over just now, I specifically went to check out the movie theater next door. Guess what? The line for 'The Samurai Under the Cherry Blossom Tree' was half as long as ours! And I specifically asked some film critic friends, and found that many of them were criticizing that actor, Shunsuke Kamiki, saying that his portrayal of the samurai was simply effeminate! Even his sword-drawing was weak and limp, like a boneless eel!"

As he spoke, he mimicked the "deeply affectionate" expression of Shunsuke Kamiki in the movie, and imitated it in a high-pitched, affected voice: "'Miyuki-chan, my heart is like the fallen leaves under this cherry blossom tree, drifting in the wind, withering only for you...' Oh my, I got goosebumps all over!"

This incredibly lifelike imitation instantly ignited the atmosphere in the office!

"Hahahaha!"

Asuka laughed so hard she almost fell over, tears welling up in her eyes.

He pointed at Makino Shunpei, panting, and said, "You kid, you really are... really a character! But speaking of which, I heard that movie was... well, let's just say it was a bit of a mess."

"It's more than just hard to describe!" Miyoshi Taiji, who played Kanbei, couldn't help but shake his head. His usually composed face was now filled with undisguised disdain. "Last night, in order to know my enemy, I specifically went to watch 'The Samurai of the Cherry Blossom Tree.' The result... sigh, it was a complete waste of my life! What kind of samurai film is that? It's clearly an idol drama disguised as a period drama!"

He paused, his tone growing increasingly disdainful: "The entire movie, apart from Kamiki Shunsuke's face and Kitagawa Miyuki's wide-eyed expression, is nothing else. The plot is hollow, the logic is chaotic, and the fight scenes are ridiculously fake! That Kamiki Shunsuke can't even do the most basic kendo stance properly, yet he dares to call himself the 'representative of the new era samurai'? It's simply... laughable!"

The actor who plays Kuzo also complained, his face full of disdain: "Moreover, most of the shots are close-ups of Kamiki Shunsuke! It's as if the director is afraid the audience won't see his face! I was thinking at the time, is this movie his own music video, or a movie for the audience?"

“Who says otherwise!” The actor who played Katayama Gorobei also said indignantly, “I was sitting in the movie theater at the time, and I heard several audience members unable to help but curse out loud! They said things like ‘I’ve watched for so long and all I’ve seen is garbage’ and ‘I’d rather go see ‘Super Transformation’, at least I could have a laugh’! I was so helpless, why should our ‘Super Transformation’ be dragged into this?”

"Hahahaha! They deserved it!" Makino Shunpei waved his fist triumphantly. "The Tokyo faction, weren't they just relying on their money and powerful publicity? Didn't they say they could pack the cinemas to bursting at the seams with their tens of millions of fans? Now it seems the audience's eyes aren't so easily fooled!"

"Hmph!" Kurosawa Eiji snorted coldly upon hearing this, his disdain and contempt undisguised.

"Those clowns don't understand what a samurai film is at all!" His voice was heavy: "A samurai needs faith! He needs spirit! He needs to be forged with blood and sweat, through countless training sessions! How can those sissies who can't even hold a sword properly just strike a few poses and act like that?"

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly impassioned:
"I, Eiji Kurosawa, have spent my whole life making samurai films! I know better than anyone that a true samurai must have a soul in every look and every movement! That can't be built with money or so-called 'popularity'! It requires actors to spend months, or even years, to deeply experience and repeatedly practice in order to perform it!"

"That Kamiki Shunsuke, what does he have besides that face? What does he know about Bushido? What does he know about sacrifice? What does he know about faith? He knows absolutely nothing! He's just a soulless puppet packaged by capital! Casting him as a samurai is the greatest insult to 'Bushido'!"

Eiji Kurosawa became more and more excited as he spoke, and he slammed his hand on the table, the loud noise shaking the entire office!
"I've said it before: film is art! It's not something those capitalists can handle! Nor is it something those spoiled idol stars can easily defile!"

He glared at the crowd, his sharp eyes blazing with fury: "That old fox, Takada Toshihide, does he think he can do whatever he wants just because he has a lot of money and that old bastard Sato Tokugawa backing him up? Does he think he can create a 'timeless classic' just by spending a few hundred million? He's delusional!"

“Yeah!” Asumi nodded and sighed, “That Iwata Masao was kicked out of his section chief position by Nohara-kun. Takada Toshihide thought he was a talent and protected him. In order to help him turn things around, he actually made him the chief director! He even sent Ashikaga Takashi and Asano Kita, two second-tier directors, to help him! And what was the result? The result was this... garbage!”

He scoffed, "I reckon their film 'The Samurai of the Cherry Blossom Tree' will only gross two or three hundred million yen, and that would be a miracle! They won't even recoup their production costs! As for all that massive advertising spending... heh, it'll probably all go down the drain!"

In the office, everyone burst into triumphant laughter!

That laughter was filled with the victor's mockery of his opponent's foolish behavior!
“Deputy Director Asahi, what do you think… what kind of expression will that old fox Takada Toshihide have right now?” Makino Shunpei laughed until tears almost came out.

"Hahaha! I bet he's so angry right now that he's smashed the ashtray in his office!" Miyoshi Taiji, who plays Kanbei, also joked.

"Maybe he's kneeling before that old bastard Sato Tokugawa right now, begging for forgiveness with tears streaming down his face! Someone has to take responsibility for losing so much money!" The actor playing Kyuzo joined in the teasing.

"Hahahaha!"

Although they all knew that this was somewhat insulting to Takada Toshihide, the executive deputy director, they had all been put in extremely difficult positions by the Tokyo faction before, so it was only natural for them to joke around in private.

Then the entire office erupted in another hearty laugh; they were overjoyed!

……

Sure enough, on the first workday after Christmas, Hiroshi Nohara's independent production department on the 17th floor of TV Tokyo was filled with an unprecedented celebration.

"Minister! Minister! Big news! Huge news!"

Kei Tanaka, the producer of "Super Transformation," was like a bulldog on steroids, waving a freshly released box office report as he rushed into the department head's office, his face filled with barely suppressed elation!

Behind him, Takeshi Yamamoto and Ichiro Hashimoto were also flushed with excitement, their eyes filled with disbelief and shock!
"Calm down, Section Chief Tanaka." Hiroshi Nohara just smiled calmly. He didn't even look up from the mountain of drawings. He simply picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip.

This nonchalant and composed demeanor, this sense of complete control, made Tanaka Kei so excited he wanted to jump for joy!

"Minister! How...how can you be so calm!" Tanaka Kei rushed to Nohara Hiroshi's desk, carefully placing the box office report on it as if presenting a treasure, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Seven Samurai! Our Seven Samurai's opening day box office on Christmas Eve—"

He took a deep breath and, in an almost roaring voice, shouted out a number that was enough to make the entire Japanese film industry tremble!

"—One hundred and eighty million yen!"

"boom--!"

This number, like a perfectly targeted nuclear bomb, exploded instantly in the office!
When the staff in those departments heard this number, their expressions froze instantly!

180 million yen?!
This... this is no longer just a simple "blockbuster" product!

This is clearly... a true box office phenomenon!
It's important to understand that the Japanese film market has always been dominated by Hollywood blockbusters. For domestic films, breaking 2 billion yen at the box office is already considered excellent.

Apart from a very few exceptional cases that can exceed 500,000 yen.

And those that can reach 100 million yen in box office on the first day are extremely rare!
What's more, this is a "controversial work" that has been criticized by countless media outlets and predicted to fail by countless people!
And it's only for Christmas Eve!
"A miracle...this is simply a miracle!" someone cheered.

Immediately, a heated discussion erupted once again in the office.

"I knew it! Nohara-bu has pulled off another miracle!"

"Should our department also arrange a film classroom next?"

"Chief Nohara is a god! He's never failed!"

They looked at the young man, whose calm eyes, seemingly without the slightest ripple, were filled with boundless anticipation for the future and absolute trust in Hiroshi Nohara's godlike abilities!

"Congratulations, Minister!" Tanaka Kei was so excited that he was incoherent. He didn't even know what words to use to describe his feelings at that moment. He just instinctively bowed deeply to Nohara Hiroshi: "You...you have created another miracle!"

"Congratulations, Minister!" Everyone bowed deeply in excitement.

"Not bad." Hiroshi Nohara finally put down his teacup, slowly raised his head, and his clear eyes swept over the three people and the department employees behind them, a faint smile appearing on his face.

He knew this was just the beginning.

The box office for "Seven Samurai" will definitely continue to climb at an astonishing rate in the coming days and even weeks!
Because its reputation has completely exploded!
He could even foresee that in the near future, this film would become an insurmountable and eternal monument in the history of Japanese cinema in this parallel world!
It might even be more dazzling than the previous "Seven Samurai"!
"Oh, right." Hiroshi Nohara's gaze fell on an inconspicuous little name in the corner of the box office report: "What was the opening day box office for 'The Samurai of the Cherry Blossom Tree'?"

“That one…” Upon hearing this, all the elation on Tanaka Kei’s face vanished, replaced by a look of schadenfreude and disdain: “That movie, its opening day box office… was only a mere 35 million yen.”

“Thirty-five million yen?!” Yamamoto Takeshi and Hashiichiro exchanged a glance, both seeing a tacit, mocking look in each other’s eyes.

You should know that the movie was supposedly 300 million yuan in investment, and the publicity expenses were astronomical!
The result? A mere 35 million yen in box office revenue on the first day?!
This is simply... a huge loss!

"Hmph!" Tanaka Kei snorted coldly. "I reckon their movie will only gross 500 million yen at the box office, and that would be a miracle! As for all that advertising money, it's all gone down the drain!"

Yamamoto Takeshi sneered, "Serves them right for not focusing on the movie and only engaging in those low-down hype tactics! Now they're reaping what they sowed!"

Hiroshi Nohara smiled but didn't say anything.

He slowly stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, and looked down at the steel city that was gradually awakening in the morning light.

My mood became increasingly cheerful.

"It seems that with the great success of Seven Samurai, my Akita Inu project can be put back on the agenda."

P.S.: Still asking for recommendation votes and monthly tickets~ There will be another chapter tonight~
(End of this chapter)