I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 218: Short clips about Kumamon! A collection of silly things! Hiroshi Nohara's whimsical ideas!
The concrete ground of the Kumamoto Prefectural Government parking lot was still damp with morning dew, and the air was filled with the distinctive scent of incense from nearby shrines, mixed with the aroma of freshly baked taiyaki from a convenience store in the distance, giving it a somewhat rustic feel.

Hiroshi Nohara had just parked Yoshiharu Koyama's old Toyota and hadn't even had time to remove the key when he saw a familiar figure standing under a camphor tree not far away—Isshin Fujiwara, wearing a crisply pressed navy blue suit and a perfectly tied tie, clutching a black briefcase. As soon as he got out of the car, he quickly walked up to him.

"Nohara-san!" Fujiwara Isshin's voice sounded even more urgent than it had on the phone. He strode up to Hiroshi, bowed slightly, and unconsciously touched the clasp of his briefcase with his right hand. "We arranged to meet at nine o'clock yesterday via pager. I didn't expect you to arrive so early. I thought I would have to wait ten minutes."

Hiroshi casually closed the car door, his fingertips brushing against the slightly chipped paint on the handle, and nodded with a smile: "Anyway, it's close to Uncle Yoshiharu's house, so it's better to arrive early than to keep you waiting. Besides, it's not proper to be late when talking to people from the county government."

His gaze swept over the faint bluish tinge under Fujiwara Isshin's eyes, and he raised an eyebrow, saying, "Fujiwara-kun, judging from your condition, you must have stayed up quite late last night, right? Has the Kumamon plan been refined yet?"

Fujiwara Isshin's ears turned slightly red upon hearing this, and he scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly: "I did revise it until the wee hours of the morning—I felt like I didn't fully understand what you said last time, so I kept studying your draft and even checked the latest cartoon character data from Tokyo. The more I thought about it, the more I realized there was a lot to it."

As he spoke, he stepped aside to make way for him and gestured for him to proceed: "By the way, Mr. Nohara, the head of the prefectural government's publicity department, Ichiro Yamada, is already waiting for you in his office. He specially rearranged his schedule from the morning meeting so that he could have a detailed chat with you."

"Oh? Minister Yamada seems quite interested." Hiroshi raised an eyebrow, not stopping, and followed Fujiwara Isshin toward the prefectural government building.

Along the way, you can see several civil servants in uniform hurrying by, each carrying thick files. A map of Kumamoto Prefecture hangs on the corridor wall, with several key areas circled in red, and the marker for Mount Aso is particularly eye-catching.

The two walked to the door of a room on the third floor with a sign that read "Office of the Minister of Publicity". Fujiwara Isshin knocked on the door first, and a slightly hoarse voice immediately came from inside: "Please come in".

The moment he opened the door, Hiroshi noticed the office's layout—a large mahogany desk stood by the window, piled with several stacks of documents, and on top of it was an enamel mug with the words "Souvenir from Kumamoto Prefectural Government" printed on it.

Behind the table sat a middle-aged man with gray hair, wearing a dark gray suit and reading glasses; it was Yamada Ichiro.

On the sofas on either side of the desk sat two young women in their twenties, each holding a pencil and a thick notebook. Upon seeing them enter, they immediately stood up and bowed, displaying exceptional respect.

"Nohara-san! We've been waiting for you!" Yamada Ichiro almost immediately stood up from his chair, quickly walked around the desk, and reached out to shake Hiroshi's hand. His palm was rough but strong. "I'm Yamada Ichiro, the Public Relations Manager of the Kumamoto Prefectural Government. I've wanted to meet you for a long time, but I was always held back by trivial matters. Thanks to Isshin, my wish has finally come true!"

Hiroshi smiled and shook hands in return, his tone gentle: "Minister Yamada, you're too kind. I was just asked by Isshin to come and talk to you about our promotional strategy for Kumamoto. It's not as serious as you say, 'hope'."

"How can it not be serious!" Yamada Ichiro let go of Hiroshi's hand, pulled him to sit on the sofa, and then gestured for Fujiwara Isshin to sit down as well: "You're a very busy person at TV Tokyo! 'Yamishibai' stirred up the stagnant waters of the anime industry, 'Tales of the Unusual' made 'urban ghost stories' a trend, and 'Seven Samurai,' I went to see it in the cinema last week, and I couldn't sleep all night afterward—that's what a real samurai film is! Even my husband, who doesn't usually like watching movies, has been telling me for days, 'It's such a pity about Kikuchiyo!'"

As he spoke, he pointed to the two young women on the sofa: "These two are my secretaries, Zona and Xiaoling, who are in charge of taking meeting minutes. The content of our discussion today is important, so I specifically asked them to take shorthand notes. Please don't mind."

The secretaries, referred to as Zona and Suzu, immediately bowed again and said in unison, "Hello, Nohara-san, sorry to bother you."

Hiroshi nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze falling on the notebooks in the hands of the two men—the covers were printed with the words "For Kumamoto Prefectural Government Use Only," and the open pages already contained simple tables, clearly indicating that they had been prepared in advance.

"Look, our minister specially had us organize all your work materials yesterday for today's meeting," Fujiwara Isshin added with a smile, taking out a stack of documents from his briefcase and handing them to Hiroshi: "Even the 'Hachiko Monogatari' you planned for Governor Koike Ryuichi, and the 'Information Cocoon' campaign plan you made for President Shimazu Yoshihiro, are clearly marked."

Hiroshi took the document, flipped through a couple of pages at random, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes—the document not only recorded the broadcast time, ratings, and awards of each of his works, but even his remarks in interviews such as "cultural symbols need warmth" and "publicity should be a subtle and silent connection" were circled in red pen, with brief annotations written next to them.

"Minister Yamada, your preparations are even more meticulous than those of TV Tokyo's planning team." Hiroshi closed the file, his tone filled with genuine admiration: "You even know about an idea like 'information cocoon,' which isn't publicly disclosed?"

Upon hearing this, Yamada Ichiro chuckled twice and pointed to the words "information cocoon" on the document: "I have an old friend who works at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Last time we chatted on the phone, he mentioned to me that President Shimadzu's campaign strategy this time was particularly innovative, making voters focus only on the advantages. Later, he found out it was your idea. I thought to myself, someone who can understand 'human nature' so well can definitely come up with a good solution for Kumamoto!"

He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming serious: "To be honest, Mr. Nohara, Kumamoto has had a tough few years—the eruption of Mount Aso scared tourists away; our local specialties are limited to horse meat and citrus fruits, which can't compete with Akita rice or Hokkaido crab; young people are all flocking to Tokyo, and three elementary schools in the prefecture have closed. As the head of publicity, I can't sleep at night watching the tourist numbers drop every day."

“Yi Xin had mentioned the idea of ​​‘Kumamon’ to me before. I thought it was a novel idea, but I always felt that something was missing.”

As Yamada Ichiro spoke, he pointed to his temple: "It wasn't until I saw your information yesterday that I realized—what I lack is your ability to 'do the little things thoroughly'! So we invited you here today so that you could tell us properly how to do this 'Kumamon'. You must explain in detail, don't think we're being a bother!"

Sato and Suzuki, who were standing next to them, immediately picked up their pencils, the tips hovering over their notebooks, their eyes full of anticipation.

Looking at the serious expressions on the faces of the people in front of him, Guangzhi felt a surge of emotion.

He picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, cleared his throat, and then slowly said, "Minister Yamada, actually, I would prefer to categorize the 'Kumamon' you just mentioned as a type of 'cute pet'."

"The concept of cute pets?" Upon hearing this, both Yamada Ichiro and Fujiwara Isshin were stunned.

Fujiwara Isshin's pen fell onto the notebook with a "thud." He quickly picked it up, his voice full of surprise: "Nohara-san, you mean... Kumamon isn't just a simple urban pet image, but a 'concept'? This is completely different from what we thought before!"

Yamada Ichiro pushed up his reading glasses and leaned forward: "Nohara-san, can you tell me what this 'cute pet concept' actually means? How is it different from the 'Kumamon' we're thinking of?"

Hiroshi put down his teacup and lightly drew a circle on the table with his finger: "Simply put, 'Kumamon' is the 'technique,' and 'the concept of cute pets' is the 'principle.' What you were thinking before was probably to create a cute bear image, print it on posters, make it into a doll, so that everyone knows 'Kumamon is in Kumamoto'; but what the 'concept of cute pets' is to create a conditioned reflex in everyone that 'seeing cute pets reminds you of Kumamoto, and thinking of Kumamoto reminds you of cute pets'—this is not just about promoting a single image, but about labeling the entire city as 'cute and warm.'"

He paused, picked up the pen on the table, and drew a simple flowchart on a blank sheet of paper:
“You see, when people mention Kumamoto now, their first reaction is ‘volcano’ or ‘samurai.’ These labels are either dangerous or old-fashioned, and young people don’t like them. But if we inject the ‘cute animal concept’ into it, the situation will be different. For example, when people see a video of Kumamon falling down, they will think ‘so cute’; when they see Kumamon helping fruit farmers pick tangerines, they will think ‘the people of Kumamoto are so friendly’; and even when they see a tangerine gift box with Kumamon printed on it, they will think ‘this gift box is so interesting, I want to buy it as a gift for my friends’.”

"Over time, impressions like 'cute,' 'friendly,' and 'fun' will become associated with Kumamoto. The next time someone says, 'I want to travel to a relaxing and cute place,' the first place that comes to mind is probably Kumamoto—that's the effect of the 'cute animal concept.' It's not about forcibly pushing an image, but about implanting the city's 'soft power' into people's hearts through that image."

Fujiwara Isshin stared at the flowchart on the paper, his eyes widening as he jotted down notes with his pen, the tip scratching across the paper. "I get it! Before, I always thought that as long as Kumamon was cute enough, everyone would like Kumamoto. Now I understand that what we need is not 'like Kumamon,' but 'like Kumamoto because we like Kumamon!' This is about deeply linking the image with the city!"

"Yes."

Hiroshi nodded and continued, "Just like 'Hachiko, the loyal dog' of Akita, people remember not just a dog, but 'Akita is a warm place'; and Mickey Mouse of Disney, people like not just a cartoon character, but 'Disney represents happiness'. What Kumamon wants to do is become Kumamoto's 'symbol of happiness' and 'symbol of warmth'."

Yamada Ichiro nodded repeatedly, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, his voice full of excitement: "That's so true! Nohara-san, what you said really resonated with me! I used to think that publicity was just 'making others know,' but now I understand that publicity is 'making others like you'! Is this what you mean by 'soft power'?"

"That's the truth."

Hiroshi added with a smile, "Moreover, the 'cute animal concept' has another advantage: it's replicable and extensible. For example, if Kumamoto launches new specialty products in the future, there's no need to do new promotions. As long as the image of Kumamon is printed on them, people will be willing to try them because they 'like Kumamon.' We can even collaborate with other prefectures, such as having Kumamon interact with the takoyaki character in Osaka. This can both bring us closer to the product and leverage the promotional opportunity—it's much more effective than promoting a single image."

Sato and Suzuki, who were standing nearby, had already stopped writing. They looked at each other and saw shock in each other's eyes.

Sato couldn't help but say, "Nohara-san, your idea... is so revolutionary! Our previous promotional plans all revolved around 'how to make more people know about Kumamoto,' and we never thought about 'how to make more people like Kumamoto.' Now that I hear what you've said, I realize that our previous thinking was too narrow."

Suzuki nodded in agreement: "Yes! If we can make people feel that 'Kumamoto is a lovely place,' maybe young people will be willing to come, and parents will be willing to bring their children on trips—after all, who doesn't like cute things?"

Hiroshi looked at Yamada Ichiro and found that the old minister was staring at the flowchart he had drawn, his eyes full of thought.

A few seconds later, Yamada Ichiro suddenly slapped his thigh, his voice trembling with excitement: "I understand! Nohara-san, you're going to 'change the soul' of Kumamoto! Kumamoto's soul used to be 'old-fashioned and serious,' now you're going to change it to 'young and cute'! If this works, Kumamoto's tourism will definitely be a hit!"

"Minister Yamada understands very quickly." Hiroshi smiled, picked up his briefcase, took out a stack of sketches, and handed them to Yamada Ichiro and Fujiwara Isshin: "These are the Kumamon images I refined last night based on the 'cute pet concept.' Take a look."

Yamada Ichiro took the drawing and stared at it for a second. The Kumamon in the drawing was rounder than the one drawn by Fujiwara Isshin. Its black body was like a ball, and the two blushes on its white cheeks were particularly eye-catching. Its eyes were round black bean eyes, and the corners of its mouth were slightly upturned. It looked silly, but it made people want to laugh.

What's most special is that in one of the drawings, Kumamon is wearing a red bib, holding a freshly picked tangerine in its hand, and standing on a small pebble, looking like it's about to trip and fall. It's so cute that you want to reach out and help it up.

"This...this is just too cute!" Yamada Ichiro's fingers gently brushed over the Kumamon image on the drawing, his voice filled with disbelief: "It's even cuter than my granddaughter's doll! If this image were printed on a poster, I'm sure a lot of young people would want to see it!"

Fujiwara Isshin leaned closer to look, his eyes filled with amazement—his previous Kumamon drawings, while cute, had sharper lines, making it more like a "samurai bear," whereas Hiroshi's Kumamon drawings had softer lines and a more endearing expression, making it feel much more approachable.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "Nohara-san, your drawing... is much better than my previous version! Especially the blush and the bib, it instantly gives it a 'Kumamoto feel' without looking forced."

"This bib was specially designed."

Hiroshi explained, “Red is eye-catching and fits the historical background of Kumamoto as the ‘Land of Fire’; the citrus pattern printed on the bib naturally incorporates the local specialty without feeling like a blatant advertisement. And the wrestling pose is to increase the ‘contrast charm’ – a perfect image can easily make people feel distant, while a slightly clumsy image is more down-to-earth and easier for people to remember.”

He pointed to the details on the drawing: "For example, here, Kumamon's paws are drawn round without sharp nails, in order to weaken the 'bear's' aggressiveness; the eyes are black bean eyes, without complicated expressions, so that people of different ages can accept it - the elderly will feel friendly, young people will feel cute, and children will feel like a toy, so that it can reach a wider audience."

Yamada Ichiro grew increasingly excited as he looked at the sketches, his hands nearly crumpling them in his fists. "Great! Excellent! Nohara-san, you've considered every detail so thoroughly! I'm now completely confident that this Kumamon will be a hit!" He turned to Sato and Suzuki and said, "You two, write down every single word Nohara-san said! Especially the 'cute pet concept' and the details of its appearance. This afternoon, compile them into an official document and submit it to the prefectural government leaders!"

"Yes, Minister!" Sato and Suzuki immediately bowed their heads and quickly filled in the blanks they hadn't finished writing down, the sound of their pens scratching across the paper was exceptionally clear.

Fujiwara Isshin looked at the Kumamon design on the sketch, then suddenly remembered something and looked up to ask, "Nohara-san, now that this character is finalized, what's the next step? Should we make the plush toys first, or shoot a short animation?"

“Let’s start with ‘offline penetration’.” Hiroshi answered without hesitation: “The first step is to print Kumamon’s image on the prefectural office’s brochures, buses, and bus stop billboards so that locals become familiar with it. For example, we can put a giant Kumamon doll at the entrance of the Aso Volcano Scenic Area, and tourists can take photos and hand out flyers, which will naturally spread the word. The second step is to cooperate with local convenience stores and restaurants to launch ‘Kumamon limited edition meals,’ such as giving away Kumamon stickers with the purchase of bento boxes or Kumamon keychains with the purchase of ramen, so that everyone can come into contact with this image in their daily lives. The third step is to consider making short animations and related products—first, let people become ‘familiar’ with it, and then let them ‘like’ it. This gradual approach will yield better results.”

Yamada Ichiro nodded repeatedly, exclaiming, "Nohara-san, your thinking is so clear! If I had talked to you sooner, I wouldn't have been worrying for so long. Don't worry, I will definitely push things forward with all my might! If there is any resistance from the prefectural government, I will handle it!"

Hiroshi smiled and said, "Minister Yamada, there's no need to rush. The plan still needs to be refined. For example, the content of the short animation should be combined with Kumamoto's attractions and specialties; the pricing of the merchandise should take into account the spending power of different groups; even Kumamon's 'persona,' such as what it likes to eat and what it's afraid of, needs to be decided in advance—only when these details are done well can Kumamon truly 'come alive.'"

“Yes! Character design!” Fujiwara Isshin’s eyes lit up. “Nohara-san, what you said before about ‘being a bit clumsy and often falling down’ is a character design, right? If we can give Kumamon a distinct character design, people will definitely remember it more easily! For example, make it like to eat horse meat sashimi, and every time it eats, it will get sauce all over its face. That would be cute and would also promote Kumamoto’s specialty!”

"That's a great idea!" Yamada Ichiro immediately chimed in. "We could also make it afraid of volcanic eruptions, so it would hide every time it hears a volcanic warning. That would not only fit the reality of Kumamoto, but also add to the fun!"

Seeing their excitement, Hiroshi felt reassured. He knew that as long as the direction was right, the rest would be easy.

And perhaps this little character, Kumamon, can truly be like a seed, taking root and sprouting in the land of Kumamoto, growing into a different future. The sunlight in the office gradually shifted onto the artwork, illuminating Kumamon's adorable smiling face.

Sato and Suzuki were still diligently taking notes, while Yamada Ichiro and Fujiwara Isshin were gathered around Hiroshi, enthusiastically discussing the next steps of the plan. Occasionally, a few laughs could be heard, making the quiet corridor feel especially warm.

Looking at the scene before him, Hiroshi suddenly recalled the scene when he was working on "Super Transformation" on TV Tokyo—back then, everyone was just like this, discussing a small idea with great enthusiasm, full of the passion to "do things well".

And now, that enthusiasm has been rekindled in the prefectural government office in Kumamoto.

Looking at the scene before him, Hiroshi picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and moistened his slightly dry throat. Suddenly, an idea struck him: "That's right, static images and offline penetration alone are not enough. We need to add some 'dynamic material'—how about shooting some interesting short films? We can shoot them around the silly things Kumamon does."

"A short video about Kumamon's silly antics?"

Yamada Ichiro paused mid-air, the steam fogging up his glasses. He quickly took them off and wiped them with his sleeve, his eyes full of confusion: "Nohara-san, are you talking about something like a short clip from a TV drama? But Kumamon is a cartoon character, how can we make a short film about it? We can't just make it actually move, can we?"

Fujiwara Isshin frowned, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the clasp of his briefcase: "Yes, Nohara-san, if we're making a short film, we'll have to hire actors, find locations, and build sets, which will be another considerable expense. Our prefectural government's publicity budget is already tight; if we spend more on making a short film, we probably won't have enough for subsequent merchandise production and advertising."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, there are very few film and television production teams in Kumamoto now. If we were to bring a team from Tokyo, the cost would be even higher. I understand that you previously filmed 'Hachiko Monogatari' in Akita Prefecture, and the production cost alone was several hundred million yen. We don't have that much budget."

Seeing the worried looks on their faces, Hiroshi couldn't help but laugh: "You're overthinking it. I didn't say we were going to make a live-action movie, and we don't need to hire a professional team. We can just use the 'mascot costume' method—find someone to wear a Kumamon costume and film some silly things it does in the streets, tourist attractions, and convenience stores of Kumamoto, like tripping while walking, grabbing the wrong thing, or making a fool of itself with tourists. We can just edit it together and use it."

"A costumed mascot?" Yamada Ichiro's eyes lit up. He leaned forward, his chair creaking against the floor. "You mean... have the staff wear mascot costumes and act as Kumamon? That's a great idea! We don't have to spend a lot of money hiring actors, we can bring Kumamon to life, and we can also promote our Kumamoto attractions!"

Fujiwara Isshin also realized what was going on and quickly jotted down notes in his notebook: "I get it! For example, Kumamon is so engrossed in the scenery at the foot of Mount Aso that he accidentally slips and falls on his bottom; or he's buying snacks at a convenience store and mistakes a citrus candy for an orange and almost eats the wrapper along with it—these little moments are cute and funny, and they naturally incorporate elements of Kumamoto!"

“That’s right, that’s exactly what I mean.” Hiroshi nodded, his tone confident. “These short videos don’t need to be too long, thirty seconds to a minute each is enough. We can insert them into local dramas or variety shows in Kumamoto Prefecture first, for example, after the local news, or in the Kumamoto Life Guide on the prefectural TV station, so that locals can get to know this ‘slightly clumsy but very cute’ Kumamon.”

He paused, then dropped an even bigger bombshell: "If Kumamoto Prefecture is willing, I can even put these short films into the variety shows I produce, and even talk to TV Tokyo to let them interact with Kumamon in their prime-time programs. Just think about it, the Tokyo area accounts for nearly 40% of the audience in Japan, making it an absolute trendsetter—as long as the audience in Tokyo falls in love with Kumamon, it won't be long before it becomes a sensation throughout Japan."

Upon hearing this, Yamada Ichiro's pen fell onto his notebook with a "clatter." He quickly picked it up, his voice trembling slightly: "Nohara-san, you...you're not kidding, are you? To be on a prime-time program on TV Tokyo? That's the highest-rated time slot in all of Japan! Before, if we in Kumamoto wanted to air a ten-second tourism ad on TV Tokyo, we had to wait in line for half a year and spend several million yen!"

Fujiwara Isshin stood up excitedly, the chair leg scraping against the floor with a screeching sound: "If Kumamon could appear on TV Tokyo, it would definitely be a hit! Nohara-san, your show 'Super Transformation' is currently the hottest variety show in all of Japan, and last week's ratings even broke 40! If Kumamon could make an appearance on the show and interact with the contestants, viewers all over the country would be able to see it!"

The two stenographers beside them also stopped writing. They looked at each other and saw unbelievable surprise in each other's eyes.

They had previously conducted research on TV Tokyo's programs and knew how difficult it was to get screen time during prime time. Now that Hiroshi Nohara had offered to help, it was like a windfall!

Seeing their excited expressions, Hiroshi remained calm: "I'm not joking. 'Super Transformation' needs fresh elements, and Kumamon, with its cute and local characteristics, fits the show's tone perfectly. Besides, I've spoken with Director Sakata and Deputy Director Asumi of TV Tokyo, and they are very supportive of 'promoting local culture.' As long as the content is good, getting it on the show is definitely not a problem."

He paused, then added, "Besides, I'm practically a Kumamoto native myself, a son-in-law of Kumamoto Prefecture, so it's only right that I help promote Kumamoto. As long as Kumamon becomes popular, boosting tourism and sales of local specialties, and improving the lives of the people, this little bit of help is nothing."

"Thank you so much, Nohara-san!" Yamada Ichiro stood up abruptly and bowed deeply to Hiroshi, his waist almost touching the table. "You are truly a benefactor to Kumamoto! If Kumamon becomes a hit, I will definitely represent the people of Kumamoto to present you with a banner! No, ten banners!"

Fujiwara Isshin also bowed, his voice full of gratitude: "Thank you, Nohara-san. You not only helped us improve the Kumamon plan, but you were also willing to use your own resources to help us promote it. We, the Fujiwara family and Kumamoto Prefecture, will never forget this kindness."

The two stenographers quickly stood up, bowed, and said in unison, "Thank you for your help, Nohara-san! We will definitely record your ideas carefully and put them into practice!"

Hiroshi quickly helped Yamada Ichiro up, smiling as he said, "Minister Yamada, you're too kind. We're all doing this for the good of Kumamoto, no need to be so formal. The most urgent thing now is to finalize the issue of the overlay dolls—you just asked how to make the overlay dolls, and I already have some concrete ideas."

As he spoke, he pulled a stack of drawing paper from his briefcase, quickly began to draw, and then handed it to Yamada Ichiro: "This is my design sketch of the Kumamon mascot costume. The size, material, and details are all clearly marked. For example, the costume's height should be set at 1.8 meters, so that it is eye-catching but not oppressive; the body should be filled with high-density sponge, so that it feels soft to the touch and makes people want to hug it; the blush on the face should be made of removable fabric for easy cleaning; the paws should be made into semi-circles, with a small pocket inside to hold candy or stickers, which can be given out when interacting with tourists."

This is not difficult for Hiroshi Nohara.

All you need to do is retrieve the information about Kumamon that you knew from your past life, and then you can be a plagiarist in this world.

This includes data on the Kumamon costume model.

Yamada Ichiro took the design drawings and became more and more surprised as he looked at them, his fingers gently stroking the paper: "Nohara-san, you even thought of these details? This design is so professional! It's even more detailed than the designs from those toy manufacturing companies in Tokyo!"

He pointed to one of the drawings, his tone full of admiration: "Look at the design of this collar, using an invisible zipper instead of traditional buttons, which is both beautiful and convenient to put on and take off; and this tail, made of elastic fabric, can swing with movement, making it look more dynamic—we could never have thought of these details!"

Fujiwara Isshin leaned closer to look, his eyes full of admiration: "Nohara-san, you not only understand film and television production and manga creation, but you're also so professional in doll design. Just how many other talents do you have that you haven't been hiding?"

Hiroshi smiled, picked up a pen, and drew a few simple scenes on a blank sheet of paper: "Besides the mascot costume, we can make even more funny skits. For example, we can have Kumamon attend a prefectural meeting, but get stuck in the meeting room door because he's too fat; or have him help fruit farmers pick tangerines, but end up dropping all the tangerines into his clothes and becoming an 'Orange Bear'; we can even have him learn a traditional dance, but end up doing the steps like calisthenics—these skits are both funny and reflect the characteristics of Kumamoto, so everyone will definitely like them."

He paused, stroked his chin, and a flash of inspiration appeared in his eyes: "Speaking of which, I suddenly thought that we could also make a series called 'The Silly Daily Life of Kumamon,' based on the style of those funny short films from our previous life. Each episode would be five minutes long and would revolve around a theme, such as 'Kumamon's Part-Time Job Diary' or 'Kumamon's Travel Diary,' showcasing the local customs and culture of Kumamoto in a lighthearted and humorous way. This would not only make Kumamon's image more complete but also promote Kumamoto in a comprehensive way."

"An episodic drama?" Yamada Ichiro's eyes widened. He slapped his thigh, his voice trembling with excitement: "This idea is brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Nohara-san, how do you think your brain works? How do you always come up with such wonderful ideas!"

He turned to his two stenographers and said, "You two, quickly write down Nohara-san's idea for the episodic drama! This afternoon, contact the local film and television production company and have them produce a script outline based on Nohara-san's ideas! Money is not a problem; I'll apply for a special budget from the county government!"

"Yes, Minister!" The two stenographers immediately lowered their heads, their pens flying across the notebooks, afraid of missing a single word.

Fujiwara Isshin excitedly added, "If we can produce this anthology series, we can also collaborate with TV Tokyo's 'Tales of the Unusual' and have Kumamon appear in one of the episodes! 'Tales of the Unusual' is currently the most popular anthology series in all of Japan. If we can use this platform for promotion, Kumamon will definitely become even more popular!"

“That’s a good idea.” Hiroshi nodded: “Section Chief Takeshi Yamamoto of ‘Tales of the Unusual’ is my old subordinate. I can just give him a heads-up. We can film a ‘Kumamon’s Amazing Day’ to show it some interesting people and things. It will fit the style of the show and also promote Kumamoto.”

Looking at Hiroshi with eyes full of gratitude and admiration, Yamada Ichiro took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Nohara-san, you've done so much for Kumamon, I really don't know how to thank you enough. Rest assured, from today onwards, I entrust you with all the production and promotion work for Kumamon! You tell us what to do, and we'll do it without hesitation!"

He paused, then took a check from his briefcase and placed it in front of Hiroshi: "This is ten million yen in flexible publicity funds that I applied for from the prefectural government. It's not much, but it's a small token of our appreciation. We hope you won't think it's too little and that it will help us do a good job with Kumamon."

Hiroshi looked at the check on the table but didn't accept it immediately. Instead, he smiled and said, "Minister Yamada, ten million yen isn't a small amount; it's enough to make mascot costumes, shoot short films, and TV series. However, I have one condition—if I design the Kumamon character and the plan, then the ownership of the Kumamon design must belong to me, Hiroshi Nohara. I can give it to Kumamoto Prefecture for free, but any revenue outside of Kumamoto Prefecture, such as sales revenue from merchandise and broadcasting rights fees from other TV stations, must be used as payment for my help with production and promotion."

Without a second thought, Yamada Ichiro immediately nodded: "No problem! This is perfectly legal! Nohara-san, it's already an immense favor that you've allowed us to use the design drawings for free. It's only right that you keep the rest of the profits!"

Fearing that Guangzhi might change his mind, he picked up a pen, signed the check, and handed it to Guangzhi, saying, "Look, I've already signed the check. You can take it and cash it now. If you need anything else later, just let me know, and I'll apply to the county government!"

Fujiwara Isshin added, "Nohara-san, if any other prefecture wants to use Kumamon's image, we will definitely talk to you first and will never let your rights be harmed. Don't worry, our Fujiwara family has some connections in Kumamoto, and we can definitely keep an eye on this for you."

Seeing their sincere expressions, Hiroshi accepted the check and said with a smile, "Then I'll accept it without hesitation. Don't worry, I will definitely do my best to make Kumamon a success and make it Kumamoto's 'living brand'."

Yamada Ichiro breathed a sigh of relief, a satisfied smile spreading across his face: "With Nohara-san's words, I'm relieved. From today onwards, you are the chief planner of our Kumamon project, and we will all follow your lead!"

He turned to his two stenographers and said, "You two, this afternoon, contact the doll manufacturing company according to Nohara-san's design and have them produce samples as soon as possible; at the same time, liaise with the local film and television production company and have them produce three short film scripts and one episode outline according to Nohara-san's ideas. Report to Nohara-san immediately if there are any problems!"

"Yes, Minister!" the two stenographers replied in unison, their eyes full of enthusiasm.

The atmosphere in the office became exceptionally warm, with sunlight streaming through the windows and illuminating the smiles on everyone's faces.

Looking at the scene before him, Hiroshi felt particularly at ease.

He knew that with everyone's efforts, Kumamon would definitely become popular, and Kumamoto would usher in a different future because of this little cartoon character.

……

Then they chatted for a whole morning. Yamamoto Ichiro personally booked a nice Kumamoto-style hotel in Kumamoto City, and together with his two stenographers, Fujiwara Isshin, and Nohara Hiroshi, they went to celebrate.

Of course, during the celebration, Yamamoto Ichiro did not forget his mission and continued to consult Nohara Hiroshi on relevant publicity techniques.

Hiroshi Nohara answered each of their questions.

Having the experience of his previous life, Yamamoto Ichiro, the head of publicity for the Kumamoto Prefectural Government, was extremely surprised. Finally, he looked at Nohara Hiroshi with great emotion and exclaimed, "No wonder you have such a reputation in the Tokyo area at such a young age. It's truly admirable."

"You flatter me, Yamamoto-sama." Hiroshi Nohara was, of course, extremely modest.

But Yamamoto Ichiro just waved his hand.

Looking at Hiroshi Nohara's humble demeanor and his young and handsome face, and thinking of his own foolish and naive appearance when he was young, he didn't say anything more. He simply raised his sake to toast with everyone, and in his heart, he had to admit that Hiroshi was somewhat superior.

After all, he was almost sixty years old, while the young man in front of him was only twenty-four, four or five years younger than Fujiwara Isshin.

"From now on, it really is the young people's turn." Yamamoto Ichiro felt a mix of emotions.

(End of this chapter)