I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 234 The Dilemma of Kanto Television! An Introduction to Senior Seito Suzuki! Hiroshi Nohara's Ambitions!

After Hiroshi Nohara disappeared from the elevator, the lively atmosphere in the office instantly subsided.

Asuka sat back down on the sofa, her gaze fixed on the koi swimming slowly in the fish tank. Her fingertips unconsciously traced the cool glass, and her brows, which had been smiling just moments before, were now tightly furrowed.

Seeing his expression, Takada Toshihide also dropped his earlier enthusiasm, picked up his teacup and took a sip. The warm matcha did not dispel the seriousness in his eyes: "What? Still worried about the Kanto-tai matter?"

Asumi sighed softly, his voice filled with undisguised weariness—the exhaustion accumulated from spending every day at Kanto TV over the past six months: "Director Takada, you haven't been to Kanto TV's production department now—when I went there last month, half the workstations in the directors' offices on the third floor were empty. The rest were either gray-haired veterans or inexperienced new graduates. Do you know? When we acquired Kanto TV last year, their most outstanding 'golden production team' is now reduced to just team leader Suzuki. Of the remaining five core directors, three were transferred to TV Tokyo's variety department, and two were poached by Tokyo City Television. Even their 'Kanto Gourmet Chronicle,' which they were preparing, was abandoned."

He paused, tapping his finger lightly on the coffee table, as if counting the mess left by the Kwantung government.

His tone grew increasingly weary: "The average age of the production team at TV Kanto is almost fifty now. Last week, I had a project planning meeting with them, and one of the older directors was still suggesting 'making a sequel to a local drama,' saying that 'Kanto Family Story' was a hit ten years ago, and making it again now would definitely attract viewers—but he forgot that last year's sequel only had a 3.2% rating, less than half of TV Tokyo's late-night slot. The younger directors, on the other hand, have ideas. There's a young woman named Honda who wanted to make a documentary about 'exploring old streets in Kanto,' filming those disappearing handicraft workshops, but the head of the production department rejected it, saying, 'Nobody likes to watch shabby old things,' and added, 'It's better to just rebroadcast a few episodes of TV Tokyo's 'Super Transformation,' which would save trouble and guarantee ratings.'"

Takada Toshihide frowned, put down his teacup, and tapped the coffee table lightly with his fingertips, making a dull sound: "I knew Kanto TV was having a hard time, but I didn't expect it to be this bad—Director Sakata only told me last time that 'Kanto TV's original programming ratio is too low,' he didn't mention that the staff turnover was this serious."

He was afraid you'd worry.

Asumi gave a wry smile, took out another thin report from his briefcase, and pushed it in front of Takada: "This is Kanto TV's programming schedule for last month. Take a look—besides the prime time slot from 7 pm to 9 pm, which includes two episodes of their own local news and folk dramas, the remaining twelve hours are all rebroadcasts of our Tokyo TV programs, from morning dramas to anime reruns in the early morning. Even the commercials are leftovers from Tokyo TV. Once, I was drinking with the director of Kanto TV, and he complained to me that viewers in the Kanto region are almost forgetting that Kanto TV is a local station. Young people would rather watch talent shows on Tokyo TV than watch 'Tales of the Unusual' rebroadcast by Kanto TV."

He recalled an incident that occurred at TVKanto last month, and his tone became even more somber: "A young editor who had only been with the company for six months told me that he came to TVKanto to make his own program, but he ended up editing reruns of TVTok every day. Last month, he submitted his resignation, saying, 'I can't see a future here.' When I tried to persuade him to stay, he asked me, 'Manager, do you think that TVKanto will eventually be swallowed up by TVTok and not even have a name left?' — How am I supposed to answer that? I can't exactly tell him that we're struggling to even maintain TVKanto's production license."

Takada Toshihide picked up the program schedule, his fingertips tracing the densely packed words "broadcast," his expression growing increasingly grim.

He has worked in the television industry for thirty years and has witnessed the rise and fall of many television stations, but he has never seen a once-powerful local station reduced to the point of barely surviving by rebroadcasting other people's programs.

Although in the past, Takada Toshihide was happy to see the decline of Kanto Television.

But now that he has become the production director of Kanto TV, his vision has broadened, and he knows to use all available resources to help TV Tokyo.

Seeing the current state of Kanto Television, I feel quite helpless.

These are all messes he has to deal with.

So Takada Toshihide sighed and looked at Asumi helplessly, asking, "Don't those veteran employees have any sense of crisis? Are they just going to watch Kanto TV become a 'relay station' for Tokyo TV?"

How can I be content with this?

Asumi shook her head, her tone filled with complex emotions: "Last time I argued with the old director of the production department, he told me, 'Kanto TV originally started with local dramas. It's not our fault that young people don't like watching them anymore; it's just that times have changed.' Listen to that! What kind of talk is that? Times have changed, but they haven't changed, and they blame the times? There are also some veteran employees who think of us Tokyo TV as 'outsiders,' and they're always on guard against us. Last time I wanted to send some young directors from Tokyo TV to mentor the newcomers, they said, 'Outsiders don't understand Kanto TV's rules,' and they stubbornly turned them away."

He rubbed his throbbing temples and continued:
"Right now, the ratings for Kanto TV are entirely supported by older viewers. The local news at 7 p.m. can get a 5.8% rating, but after 9 p.m., the ratings drop to 1.1%, which is even lower than late-night anime. Last month's financial report showed that Kanto TV's advertising revenue dropped by 40% compared to last year. Many local businesses have gone to cooperate with Tokyo TV, saying, 'Young people watch the city TV programs more, so we need to advertise for young people.' If this continues, Kanto TV won't be able to hold on on itself, even before the station manager, Sakata, gets angry."

Takada Toshihide remained silent for a moment.

He tapped his finger heavily on the program schedule, his tone becoming firm: "That's why we have to send Hiroshi—Kanto TV can't just collapse like this. It's not only our Tokyo TV's 'left arm,' but also our 'shield' against Tokyo City TV. You know what? Last week, Kazuo Takahashi called me and said that their city TV station is launching a program next month called 'Exploring the Areas Around Tokyo,' which will be filming tourist attractions in the Kanto region. They've even hired Shunsuke Kamiki as the host. It's obvious they're trying to steal Kanto TV's local audience."

Asumi's eyes instantly turned cold. The name Kamiki Shunsuke reminded him of the Kirin Group and Sato Tokugawa, who was very close to Tanaka Mikami: "They are using the guise of 'visiting' to try to attract viewers from the Kanto region—after all, Tanaka Mikami's support rate in Kanto is not low right now, and many businesses want to take advantage of his momentum to improve their relationship with the city's broadcasting station."

“That’s not all.” Takada Toshihide’s voice dropped even lower, as if he were talking about a secret: “Director Sakata told me last week that Tanaka Mikami recently approved a 1 billion yen ‘development fund’ for Tokyo Metropolitan Television, saying it was to ‘create local specialty programs.’ In reality, he just wants the city station to compete with us for market share. Think about it, if we lose Kanto Station now, it’s the same as losing 30 million viewers in the Kanto region. If the city station then competes with us for viewers in Tokyo, we’ll be attacked from both sides.”

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued his analysis: "Moreover, things aren't going smoothly at the station's higher-ups right now—several deputy directors are close to Tanaka Mikami, and during the last meeting, they even said, 'Kanto Station is a burden, we should just give it up sooner rather than later,' clearly trying to use the problems at Kanto Station to put pressure on us. Although President Shimazu fully supports us, he's currently busy running for mayor and has limited energy, so he can't offer us much help. If we can't revitalize Kanto Station within three months, not only will we have to write our resignations, but Director Sakata's days in the group won't be easy either."

Asumi's heart sank upon hearing this. He had only seen the internal problems of the Kanto Bureau before, but he had not realized that the external situation had become so dire: "So, we have nowhere to retreat now?"

There is no way out.

Takada Toshihide nodded, his tone suddenly softening as he looked at the sofa where Nohara Hiroshi had just sat: "But thankfully, we still have Hiroshi. Think about it, what was the situation with 'Yamishibai' back then? Nobody had high hopes for it, and the budget was only half that of other anime, but he managed to turn it into a benchmark for 'urban ghost stories,' with viewership ratings exceeding 10%; and then there's 'Seven Samurai.' So many people said 'samurai films are outdated,' but the film he made not only grossed over 89 billion yen but also won the Best Director Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival."

He recalled attending the station's celebration banquet with Hiroshi Nohara last year. When that young man spoke on stage, he didn't say a single grand statement, only that he "wanted to make stories that the audience wanted to watch." But it was this down-to-earth attitude that allowed him to make one good work after another.

So Takada Toshihide said in a deep voice, “Hiroshi is different from those young people who are all talk and no action. He knows what ‘adapting to local conditions’ means. He was able to create a nationwide IP like ‘Kumamon’ in Kumamoto. He can definitely find content suitable for the local audience in Kanto TV as well. Didn’t you hear what he just said about ‘Kanto Midnight Diner’? What a great idea! It uses the successful model of our Tokyo TV and combines it with the local characteristics of Kanto. It’s much better than those programs that are just copied.”

As he looked at the trust in Takada Toshihide's eyes, Asumi's worries gradually subsided.

He recalled reviewing the sample episode of "Midnight Diner" with Hiroshi Nohara last year. That young man noticed details like "fried pork cutlet should be served with Kanto soy sauce" and patiently explained to the actors "the mindset of ordinary office workers eating in the canteen." This dedication to detail and respect for the audience is exactly what Kanto TV lacks most right now.

Asumi nodded and said, "Now that you mention it, I feel there is some hope. Last time, Matsumoto Keiko told me that Hiroshi is the 'young director who understands the audience the most' she has ever met. Even Kurosawa Eiji is willing to work with him, saying that he 'can capture the soul of the samurai'."

"you do not say."

Takada Toshihide smiled, his tone tinged with satisfaction: "So, from now on, the reform of Kanto TV will all depend on you."

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes becoming exceptionally serious: "I've already discussed it with Director Sakata. Starting today, you'll be fully responsible for the content reform of Kanto TV—you'll approve whatever resources Hiroshi needs directly; he doesn't need to report to the station before making any programs, just bring over the sample episodes for review. I've already spoken to the finance department; in addition to the previously added 500 million yen, if the production budget for Kanto TV isn't enough, we can apply for another 300 million yen. We absolutely cannot let Hiroshi be held back by money."

Asumi was stunned for a moment, not expecting Takada to give him such great authority—you know, in the past, any budget change at Kanto TV required the signatures of three or four leaders in the station, but now he was given full authority and could "do it first and report later".

Looking into Takada Toshihide's sincere eyes, a warm feeling welled up inside him, and the fatigue he had accumulated seemed to lessen: "Director Takada, thank you—I know you've always been worried that I would favor the Kwantung Army because of my 'Kwantung faction' affiliation. Now that you trust me so much, I..."

"The Kanto faction and the Tokyo faction are all things of the past." Takada Toshihide interrupted him, his tone tinged with emotion: "Director Sakata is right. The Tokyo TV station now needs to be a television station for the 'Greater Tokyo Area,' not a small group that creates internal divisions. You come from the Kanto TV station, and you understand the Kanto audience better than we do. It's perfect for you to be in charge of reforms."

He picked up the folder on the table, turned to the page on "Kanto TV Reform Plan," and pointed heavily at the "Objectives" column: "Our goal is not to turn Kanto TV into a second TV Tokyo, but to make it the 'fist' of our TV Tokyo—TV Tokyo has 'Super Transformation' and 'Tales of the Unusual,' and Kanto TV needs to have 'flagship programs' that can attract local viewers, so that when viewers in the Kanto region think of a TV station, they first think of 'Kanto TV under TV Tokyo,' not Tokyo TV."

Asuka nodded solemnly, her eyes rekindling with fighting spirit.

He recalled what Hiroshi Nohara had just said about "content with warmth," the young directors and producers at Kanto TV who were still persevering, and his original aspirations when he first joined Kanto TV—back then, he was also a young man who wanted to make "good programs" and wanted more people to see the stories of Kanto.

"Director Takada, don't worry."

Asumi's voice was firm and powerful: "For the next three months, I will spend every day at Kanto TV, working with Hiroshi to oversee every program proposal and every sample edit. Even if it costs me my old bones, I will reform Kanto TV and make it a success. I will never let it become a burden on TV Tokyo, nor will I let Tokyo TV laugh at us."

Looking at the light in his eyes, Takada Toshihide smiled with satisfaction.

He picked up his teacup and raised it towards Asuka: "Good! With your words, I'm relieved. Come, let's drink tea instead of wine to wish our Kanto TV reforms success, and also to wish our Tokyo TV a firm footing through this storm."

Asumi also picked up her teacup and gently clinked it against his.

The crisp clinking of glasses echoed in the quiet office, like the tolling of a bell signaling the start of this inevitably difficult reform.

The koi in the fish tank continued to swim slowly, and sunlight streamed in through the window, casting dappled patterns of light on the coffee table.

As Takada Toshihide looked out the window at the gradually darkening sky, he suddenly recalled the figure of Nohara Hiroshi leaving earlier—that young figure, upright and resolute, like a sapling that could stand firm even in the wind and rain.

He suddenly felt that perhaps this time, they could really win.

After all, Hiroshi Nohara had never let them down.

Asumi took out her phone and dialed the number of the director of the Kanto TV office. Her voice was filled with a long-lost enthusiasm: "Hello, it's me—have all the directors and editors in the production department come to the conference room for a meeting at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. There's something important to announce. Also, have all the program reports and audience feedback from Kanto TV for the past three years compiled. I need to see them tomorrow morning."

After hanging up the phone, he looked at the folder on the table and lightly tapped the name "Hiroshi Nohara" with his fingertip.

Perhaps this young man can truly bring a different future to Kanto TV.

……

The elevator doors opened with a "ding" on the 12th floor, and Hiroshi Nohara was immediately surrounded by a group of people as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.

Kitagawa Yao stood at the front, carrying a stack of freshly compiled submission forms for "Yamishibai." A stain of ink stained the collar of her light gray business suit, clearly from smudging while organizing the documents. Her face wore an expression of both eagerness and curiosity.

"Minister, you're back from Director Takada's office! Is there a new assignment? I just heard Secretary Miyazawa say that you talked with Managing Director Asumi for a long time. Was it about Kanto TV?"

Hashiichiro squeezed in as well, still clutching the gleaming pencil in his hand, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force—he had heard that Kanto TV was going to reform, and he had been wondering if they, the special production department, would be able to help, since Hiroshi was one of the key figures behind the success of "Yamishibai".

He spoke with a hint of caution: "Minister, if Kanto TV needs manpower from the animation team, please just say so. We have almost finished preparing the script for the sixth season of 'Yamishibai' and can spare some people to help."

Tanaka Kei patted Hashimoto on the shoulder and laughed as he continued, "Hashimoto, you're too hasty. The department head just got back and hasn't even had a chance to catch his breath yet. But speaking of which, department head, I heard from the variety show department that Tokyo TV is going to launch a variety show called 'Exploring the Tokyo Area' next month, and they've even invited Kamiki Shunsuke to be the host. It's obvious they're trying to steal viewers from the Kanto region. Should our station retaliate?"

Looking at the group of people in front of him, each with concern and expectation in their eyes, Guangzhi felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

He raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, his voice steady and gentle: "I know everyone's good intentions, but it's not time to trouble you all yet. Director Takada and Managing Director Asumi did come to me about the Kanto Station, but the specific plan hasn't been finalized yet. I'll tell you all after I finish my research at the Kanto Station next week."

His gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Hashimoto: "Hashimoto, the call for submissions for 'Yamishibai' must be published in the culture section of the Asahi Shimbun tomorrow. I've already spoken to the finance department, so the budget isn't a problem. Yamamoto, I need to see the revised script for 'The Old Postman' by tomorrow. Tanaka, give me the first draft of the revival competition judges for 'Super Transformation' before you leave work today. Ito, go check on the renovation of Mr. Mizukami's diner tomorrow morning, take pictures of the scenes that need to be recreated, and give me a report when you get back. Don't let it affect the filming of 'Midnight Diner' later."

"Don't worry, Minister!" the four replied in unison. Kitagawa Yao immediately took out her notebook and wrote down Hiroshi's arrangements. The scratching sound of the pen tip on the paper was particularly clear in the corridor.

Hiroshi nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards his office.

Seeing that he didn't elaborate, the staff behind him didn't ask any more questions and returned to their posts to get busy. They were already used to Hiroshi's style—he didn't make promises lightly, but he always managed to do things well. Since he said he would talk about it after the survey was completed, there must be a reason for it.

Pushing open the office door, a faint aroma of coffee wafted out—Kitagawa Yao knew he liked black coffee, so she specially brewed him a cup that morning, which was still steaming hot.

Hiroshi walked to his desk and sat down. He lightly touched the coffee cup with his fingertips, and the warm touch made his tense nerves relax a little.

Several documents were spread out on the table. On top of them was the "Kanto TV Operation Report" that Asumi had given him. The three characters "Kanto TV" were printed in red on the cover, making them particularly eye-catching.

Hiroshi picked up the report, turned to the page on "Historical Development," and traced the words "In 1975, Kanto TV won the Best Local Program of the Year award with 'Kanto Folk Customs,' and its ratings once surpassed those of Tokyo TV" with a complex look in his eyes.

He was no stranger to Kanto TV. When he first came to this world and started working at TV Tokyo, he often heard veteran employees talk about the glory days of Kanto TV. In the late 70s and early 80s, Kanto TV consistently ranked first in viewership ratings in the Kanto region with a series of down-to-earth local dramas and local news programs. There was even a saying that "TV Tokyo is for entertainment, Kanto TV is for life."

Back then, the Kanto TV station was not only on par with the Tokyo TV station, but it also nurtured top-tier directors like Eiji Kurosawa and held considerable high-quality local resources. However, starting in the mid-80s, the Kanto TV station began its decline.

The station's leaders at the time wanted to follow the trend of making "urban idol dramas" and abandoned their expertise in rural themes. As a result, the idol dramas failed to take off, they lost their old audience, and the ratings plummeted.

In order to survive, TV Kanto began to rebroadcast a large number of programs from other TV stations, and the proportion of original programs dropped from 60% to less than 10%. Talent also began to leave – many were poached by TV Tokyo, many young directors went to emerging private TV stations, and those left were either old employees who were content with the status quo or new graduates with no experience.

Four years ago, Tokyo TV took advantage of Kanto TV's broken cash flow and acquired it at a low price, hoping to expand its market by leveraging Kanto TV's local resources. However, it ended up getting mired in a "factional struggle".

The Tokyo faction's employees felt that the Kanto station was a "burden" and were unwilling to share resources; the Kanto faction's veteran employees felt that the Tokyo station was an "outsider" and were defensive at every turn. The two sides were locked in a fierce struggle until Nobuhiko Sakata was promoted to station director and forcefully implemented the "Greater Tokyo Area Integration Policy," removing several troublemaking middle-level leaders and personally taking charge of integrating the two factions. Only then did the struggle gradually subside.

"Now that I think about it, I'm afraid that the reason why Director Sakata put me in charge of the reform of Kanto TV was not just because I could produce programs."

Hiroshi leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, gradually clearing his mind.

With the support of Tanaka Mikami, Tokyo TV is pressing forward relentlessly, not only poaching talent but also producing targeted programs for the Kanto region, aiming to seize Tokyo TV's local market.

Yoshihiro Shimazu is running for mayor and needs the support of TV Tokyo in the local area. TV Kanto serves as TV Tokyo's "window" in the Kanto region. If TV Kanto can be revitalized, it can help Shimazu win the support of many local voters.

More importantly, Nobuhiko Sakata wanted to use this reform to completely eliminate the divide between the Tokyo faction and the Kanto faction, and to truly integrate the two stations into "one family"—and he, being neither from the Tokyo faction nor the Kanto faction, and having been promoted by Sakata himself, was the most suitable person to be this "middleman".

But reform is never that easy.
Asumi said that Kanto TV is now barely surviving by broadcasting. Suzuki Kiyoto had mentioned this to him before as well. The old staff at Kanto TV are clinging to outdated ideas, and most of the young people have left, resulting in poor self-sustaining capabilities. Relying solely on producing a few new programs will likely not change the current situation. He needs to understand the actual situation at Kanto TV, know who can be utilized, what resources can be tapped, and what problems are chronic, before he can formulate a reliable plan.

Hiroshi picked up the landline phone on the table, his finger pausing on the dial pad—he was thinking of Kiyoto Suzuki.

Kiyoto Suzuki was his mentor when he first joined TV Tokyo. At that time, he was a recent graduate and worked as an assistant director under Kiyoto Suzuki.

Kiyoto Suzuki has a gentle personality but is very talented. He not only taught him how to choose locations and how to communicate with interviewees, but also stood up for him when he was being harassed by Masao Iwata.

Later, Kiyoto Suzuki was promoted to executive deputy director of the production department and became a second-level director, but he still paid close attention to him.

More importantly, Kiyoto Suzuki has lived in the Kanto region for over twenty years and is very familiar with the people and things there, so he can definitely give him a lot of useful advice.

After swiping the dial pad three times, the call connected, and Suzuki Seito's gentle voice came through, tinged with tired hoarseness—it was a little past five in the afternoon, and Suzuki Seito was indeed very tired: "Hello, this is Suzuki Seito's office."

“Mr. Suzuki, I am Hiroshi Nohara.” Hiroshi’s tone softened, showing the respect of a junior to a senior.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a hearty laugh from Suzuki Kiyoto: "Hiroshi-kun? What a rare guest! You little rascal, we haven't been in touch since we talked about the post-production of 'Seven Samurai' two months ago. Have you been busy dating Misae-san and forgotten about this old man?"

Hiroshi couldn't help but laugh, gently scratching his chin with his fingers: "Mr. Suzuki, you're joking. I went to Kumamoto on a business trip the other day to help Misae's manga company with the development of Kumamon's IP. I just got back when Director Takada called me to a meeting, so I haven't had a chance to call you yet. How are you feeling? You mentioned last time that you had some back pain, is it better now?"

"Much better, much better." Suzuki Seito's voice was full of relief. "You're so thoughtful, you even remembered my back pain. I went to the hospital for physiotherapy last month, and I'm much better now. I can even play Go with that old man, Kurosawa Eiji. By the way, you just said you were called to a meeting by Director Takada? Was it about the Kanto TV?"

Hiroshi was slightly taken aback—Suzuki Kiyoto was indeed well-informed.

He didn't hide anything and said frankly, "Yes, Director Takada and Managing Director Asumi asked me to concurrently serve as the content director of Kanto TV, in charge of program reform there. I'm not very familiar with the actual situation at Kanto TV right now, so I'd like to ask you for some advice."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, then Suzuki Kiyoto sighed softly: "I knew it... Last month, Asumi talked to me about the Kanto government, saying she wanted to find someone capable of doing things to reform it, and I guessed it might be you. Hiroshi-kun, I'm not trying to discourage you, but the Kanto government is more difficult than you think."

His voice turned serious, tinged with helplessness: "Back then, even though Kanto TV was already declining, it still had a few original programs that were worth mentioning, such as 'Kanto Gourmet Chronicle,' which could get a viewership rating of around 7%. But what about now? If you look at Kanto TV's program schedule, apart from the local news from 7 pm to 9 pm and two episodes of a local drama, the rest of the time is spent rebroadcasting TV Tokyo programs, from the morning drama 'Sakura Monogatari' to the rebroadcast of 'Yamishibai' in the early morning. Even the commercials are leftovers from our station. Businesses would rather spend more money on the city station than cooperate with Kanto TV."

Hiroshi gripped the microphone, his fingers tightening slightly—Asukai had told him about a similar situation, but hearing it from Suzuki Kiyoto made it sound even heavier.

"There are still talented people."

Kiyoto Suzuki continued, his tone tinged with regret: "Five years ago, the production department of Kanto TV had a dozen or so directors who could independently produce programs. Now? Those who remain are either long-term employees nearing retirement or inexperienced newcomers. Last year, the city TV station poached three core directors, all young people capable of creating original programs. One of them, named Sato, told me that he 'couldn't see any hope' at Kanto TV. The city TV station offered him twice the salary of Kanto TV and allowed him to produce his own programs, so he had no reason not to go."

"What about the veteran employees?" Hiroshi asked softly. "Don't they have any thoughts?"

“Ideas? Of course we have some!” Suzuki Kiyoto gave a wry smile. “There’s an old director named Matsui who used to be really good at ‘Kanto Scenery.’ He wanted to revive the show and film the changes in the Kanto region now, but the head of the production department rejected it, saying, ‘Young people don’t like watching these kinds of shows anymore. It’s easier to just rebroadcast ‘Super Transformation.’ Matsui called me and said that he’s just editing rebroadcast footage every day now and feels like he’s ‘a machine, not a director.’ There are also some older employees who think that TV Tokyo is an ‘invader’ and are very resistant to reform. Last time, Asumi wanted to send a few young directors to help, but they said, ‘Outsiders don’t understand the rules of TV Tokyo,’ and they turned them away.”

Hiroshi was silent for a moment, his finger tracing circles on the table—the situation was more complicated than he had imagined. The older employees were conservative and resistant, the young workforce was dwindling, original creative abilities were practically nonexistent, and they also had to face competition from the city's television station. No wonder Asuka was having such a headache.

"Mr. Suzuki, do you think there's any hope for Kanto Taiwan?" Hiroshi asked softly, his tone serious.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a firm voice from Kiyoto Suzuki: "There's hope! How could there be no hope? Kanto TV has an advantage that others don't—it's a 'local station' in the Kanto region, and viewers have an emotional attachment to it. When 'Kanto Folklore' was popular, how many people tuned in every week? Although the younger generation has left, there are still many older viewers supporting it. The local news at 7 pm can achieve a 5.8% rating, and that's the foundation. The key is for someone to find a 'breakthrough,' to create original programs that viewers like, to give young people hope, and to get veteran employees willing to change."

His tone suddenly softened, tinged with expectation: "Hiroshi-kun, I think you are the 'breakthrough.' From the moment you made 'Yamishibai,' I knew you were different—others thought no one would watch 'urban ghost stories,' but you made them a hit; others thought 'samurai films were outdated,' but your 'Seven Samurai' became the second highest-grossing film of the year; others thought 'Midnight Diner' was too 'slow,' but you made it the number one film in the second-highest time slot. You can always do things that others think 'can't' well. Perhaps only you can clean up this mess at Kanto TV."

Hiroshi felt a surge of warmth in his heart upon hearing these words.

Kiyoto Suzuki's trust was more effective than any encouragement. He took a deep breath, his tone becoming firm: "Mr. Suzuki, thank you. I plan to go to Kanto Taiwan tomorrow to conduct research, to understand the actual situation before making a plan. Are you free tonight? I'd like to invite you for a drink and discuss the Kanto Taiwan matter with you in detail."

“I’m free! Of course I’m free!” Suzuki Kiyoto immediately agreed, his voice tinged with laughter. “Let’s go to ‘Sakurasaki Izakaya’. Their grilled mackerel is pretty good. We can eat and chat. Seven o’clock tonight, how about it?”

“Okay! I’ll be there at seven o’clock sharp.” Hiroshi nodded in agreement. “I’ll have Kitagawa Yao make a reservation first.”

After hanging up the phone, Hiroshi leaned back in his chair and looked out the window at the gradually darkening sky.

The setting sun dyed the clouds orange-red, casting dappled light through the window onto the desk.

The "Kanto TV Station Operation Report" was still open on the table, with the "Problem Analysis" section filled with various problems, but Hiroshi's heart was not as heavy as before.

He knew that reform would definitely not be easy and would encounter many difficulties, such as resistance from veteran employees, recruitment of young people, planning of original programs, and competition from the municipal station... But he was confident.

Just as Seito Suzuki said, Kanto TV has a foundation and the audience's feelings. As long as it can find the right direction, it can be revitalized.

"Knock knock knock—" A knock sounded on the door, and Kitagawa Yao walked in carrying a freshly brewed cup of coffee. There were coffee stains on her light gray suit, obviously from accidentally getting them on while making the coffee.

She placed the coffee in front of Hiroshi and asked softly, "Manager, were you on the phone with Managing Director Suzuki just now? Are you planning to book an izakaya tonight?"

Hiroshi nodded, picked up his coffee and took a sip. The warm liquid slid down his throat, carrying a slightly bitter taste, but it invigorated him: "Okay, book 'Sakurasaki Izakaya', a window seat, 7 pm, Mr. Suzuki and I. Also, could you compile a list of Kanto TV's original programs from the past three years, as well as a list of current directors and producers? I need to take it over tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Minister!" Kitagawa Yao nodded immediately, took out her notebook and wrote it down. "I'll organize it now and make sure it's for you by tomorrow morning. By the way, Section Chief Hashimoto just asked if we should also post the call for submissions for 'Yamishibai' on the station's official website?"

"Official website?" Hiroshi paused for a moment, then shook his head. "No need. Not many people go online these days; newspapers are still the main source of information. Also, tell Hashimoto to select two meticulous young people from the animation team to come with me to Kanto TV next week to help organize animation-related materials."

“Okay, I’ll tell Section Chief Hashimoto right away.” Kitagawa Yao agreed, turned to leave, but stopped at the door, looked back at Hiroshi, hesitated for a moment, and then said softly, “Minister, if you’re too busy, just tell us. Everyone in our department is willing to help. The Kanto TV project is difficult, but we trust you.”

Looking into Kitagawa Yao's sincere eyes, Hiroshi felt a warmth rise in his heart. He smiled and nodded, "Okay, I understand. Go ahead and get busy, remember to leave work early."

Kitagawa Yao responded and gently closed the office door.

The office fell silent again, with only the occasional sound of cars honking outside the window.

Hiroshi picked up the "Kanto TV Operation Report" on the table and turned to the "Local Resources" page—it stated that there was a lot of undeveloped local culture in the Kanto region, such as the traditional "Kanto Festival" and many long-established small shops, all of which were materials that could be utilized.

“Perhaps, we can start with ‘local culture’,” Hiroshi murmured to himself, his finger lightly tapping the three characters “Kanto Festival”.

The advantage of Kanto TV is its "local" focus, so it should create content that local audiences like. It doesn't need to follow trends by making urban idol dramas or imitate talent shows from city TV stations. Instead, it should focus on the people and events in the Kanto region and package them in new formats, such as "Kanto Midnight Diner" or "The Story of the Kanto Festival." This will allow local audiences to see their own lives and familiar places, and that's how it will attract them.

He took out a pen and wrote down "preliminary direction" in his notebook:
We conducted a survey of the existing team at Kanto TV and selected 10 young directors to come to Tokyo TV for a three-month training program.
Explore local resources in the Kanto region and plan 2-3 original programs, focusing on "local culture", "local cuisine" and "stories of ordinary people";
Some classic old programs, such as "The Scenery of Northeast China", have been revived and filmed from a new perspective;
Reduce the proportion of rebroadcasts and gradually increase the proportion of original programs, aiming to reach 30% of original content within three months.

After writing this, Hiroshi put down his pen and looked out at the night.

The streetlights were already on, and the warm yellow light shone through the window onto the notebook, making the handwriting appear exceptionally clear.

He knew this was just a preliminary idea, and the specifics would depend on the results of the research, discussions with Asumi and Suzuki Kiyoto, and various difficulties. But he wasn't worried—just like when he worked on "Yamishibai" and "Seven Samurai," as long as the direction was right and he was willing to work hard, there was nothing he couldn't accomplish.

At 6:30 p.m., Hiroshi packed his things, picked up his coat, and left the office.

There weren't many people left in the office area on the 12th floor. Only Hashimoto was still at his workstation in the animation team, revising the storyboard for "Yamishibai" on his computer. Under the light, his profile looked particularly focused.

"Hashimoto, go home early, don't overwork yourself." Hiroshi walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

Hashimoto looked up, saw it was Hiroshi, and immediately smiled: "Chief, are you leaving? I'll leave after I finish revising this storyboard."

"Okay." Hiroshi nodded and turned to walk towards the elevator.

The elevator slowly descended, and Hiroshi leaned against the wall of the car, watching the floor numbers change.

He remembered that Misae had said that morning that they would have tonkotsu ramen together that night, but now it seemed he would have to break his promise.

He took out his pager and sent a message to Misae: "Misa-san, I have to talk to Mr. Suzuki about work tonight, so I can't have ramen with you. I'm sorry. I'll treat you to teppanyaki in Ginza tomorrow night to make it up to you."

Misae quickly replied: "It's okay, Hiroshi! Work is important! I want to have a cheese omelet tomorrow night! And I'm bringing back the strawberry cake that Yume mentioned last time!"

Hiroshi looked at the message on the pager and couldn't help but smile.

With such a group of people supporting him, he is confident that he can overcome any difficulties he encounters.

The elevator doors opened, and Hiroshi stepped out of the office building, started his Toyota Crown, and drove towards "Sakurasaki Izakaya".

As night deepened, neon lights illuminated the streets of Tokyo, creating a bustling and vibrant scene.

(End of this chapter)