I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 79 Variety show "Super Change"! Nohara Hiroshi's wonderful ideas!
The smile on Asumi's face grew brighter. He picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip. The warm tea fragrance seemed to be tinged with the sweetness of victory.

"Nohara-kun, now that we've talked about the results, let's talk about the next...war." Asumi put down the teacup in his hand.

The atmosphere in the conference room quietly tightened.

Asumi tapped his knuckles lightly on the polished mahogany tabletop. "The higher-ups at the station have placed unprecedented hopes on 'The Wonderful World'. Therefore, we at the Kanto faction have received unprecedented resources for promotion."

"Starting next Monday, all of our flagship variety shows with ratings exceeding 10% will have a special promotional segment dedicated to you. At the same time, all our major partner magazines and newspapers will use front-page headlines to report on the latest work of our 'genius producer.'"

He paused, his eyes fell on Nohara Hiroshi's calm face, and his tone was tentative:
"Of course, to achieve the best publicity, they'll definitely repeatedly mention your identity as the father of 'Anzhiju', the originator of 'Urban Tales,' and the author of the popular manga 'Yu Yu Hakusho.' After all, these are your most dazzling and audience-attracting labels."

The conference room fell silent.

The expressions on the faces of Kurosawa Eiji, Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi, the three veterans of the Kanto school, all underwent subtle changes.

They were all old foxes who had been immersed in the world of fame and fortune of television for decades. Almost instantly, they smelled the lingering smell of gunpowder of power struggle behind these words.

Their eyes fell on Nohara Hiroshi at the same time, their brows slightly furrowed, and they seemed to sigh a little.

Because they all knew that Asumi hadn't finished speaking yet.

This is true.

"And..." Asumi's voice sounded again. This time, he did not beat around the bush, but put the matter directly on the table.

Asumi was also very frank:
"During the promotional process, they'll undoubtedly ask why you didn't continue with the third season of 'Anshiji Residence.' The official explanation from the station will be that you need to devote all your energy to the more important S-rated live-action drama 'The Wonderful World of Tales.' Therefore, we had to reluctantly hand over the production of 'Anshiji Residence' to our excellent colleagues like Section Chief Iwata."

"This not only clears you of any connection, allowing you to focus on your new work, but also...in a disguised way, it's an endorsement and promotion for Iwata and his team's season."

coming.

Kenji Sato and Takeshi Yamamoto looked at each other and saw a hint of suppressed anger in each other's eyes.

This tactic is really too insidious!
It's clearly the Tokyo faction that's squeezing every last bit of surplus value out of Nohara Hiroshi!
They want to use the empire built by Nohara Hiroshi himself to cheer for their usurpation of the throne!
They want Nohara Hiroshi, the real "father", to admit in person that the "child" they took away is living a good life now!

No, the external statement was not "stolen" by them.

But it was Nohara Hiroshi, the 'father'...

'Send' away!
If the third season of "An Shibaju" is successful, it is because of the good leadership of their Tokyo faction and the outstanding ability of Masao Iwata.

If you fail... that's okay too.

Since Nohara Hiroshi had already publicly disassociated himself from the production, all the blame naturally fell on Iwata Studio, which had taken over.

The Tokyo faction can take this opportunity to declare to the outside world that "even the creativity of the father of "An Zhiju" will be unsustainable without our Tokyo faction's mature production system", thereby further suppressing the Kanto faction's voice in the production field.

Win or lose, they are invincible.

This conspiracy is vicious and unsolvable.

"This is a bit too much." Even the usually calm Kurosawa Eiji couldn't help but frown at this moment. A trace of worry about the younger generation flashed in his sharp eyes.

But when he looked at Nohara Hiroshi, he was slightly stunned.

He found that the young man's facial expression did not change much from beginning to end.

That calmness even made him, an old man who was used to the storms, feel a little frightened.

What a great way to cultivate qi!

Nohara Hiroshi was certainly calm.

Because in his memory blueprint that spans time and space, the current predicament of Iwata's classroom had already been rehearsed countless times.

Because while I was busy filming "The Strangest Tales of the World" for the past month, I was also observing Iwata's classroom. I also knew that at this moment, the few temporary painters in Iwata's classroom were scratching their heads and at a loss in the face of the unique and rough painting style of "Anshiba" that was full of the feeling of "Paper Shiba".

He also knew about the arguments between Masao Iwata and Ichiro Hashimoto, which were filled with suppressed anger and anxiety when they faced the production schedule that had made no progress.

Based on the few bits of information he had received from Iwata's classroom, he was able to piece together a complete, darkly humorous fact.

Iwata Studio has completely gone astray in the production of the third season of "Anshiji Residence".

They simply don't understand the essence of urban legends, which are "derived from life and terrifying when you think about them carefully."

In pursuit of the so-called "grand scene" and "visual impact", they actually added real green-faced and fanged evil spirits into the script, and even arranged for an onmyoji holding talismans and chanting spells, performing a weird "subduing demons and eliminating evil" drama.

This is no longer "Anzhiju".

This is just a modern version of the horror cartoon about exorcising demons and monsters, disguised as "Anzhiju"!

A huge joke about to explode!

And what he, Hiroshi Nohara, has to do now is to watch with a smile this group of self-righteous enemies, step by step, walk into the trap they have dug for themselves.

Then, at the most appropriate time, gently cover them with the last handful of soil.

"'Anshiju' was an anime produced by the Tokyo TV production department in Japan in the past. They mobilized their elite team to produce it, just to grab the evening ratings. How could it be copied so easily?"

"Even I only copied their finished products and didn't understand the details."

"Let's say Iwata Studio wanted to create a follow-up project similar to 'Anshiba'. Without the guidance of the elite experts from the previous life, the end result would be the same as the last dozen seasons of 'Anshiba', completely degenerating into a popcorn film to kill time."

"Besides... urban legends are really something that can cause aesthetic fatigue!"

There was more and more sarcasm in Nohara Hiroshi's eyes.

However, no matter how loud the inner calculations are, one still has to put on a good show on the surface.

Nohara Hiroshi slowly raised his head, and his clear eyes just revealed the unwillingness and forbearance after being plotted against.

He did not look at Asumi, but instead fixed his gaze on the three faces of Kurosawa Eiji, Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi, which were full of concern.

Then he looked towards the Sea of ​​Asumi.

"Deputy Director Ming Rihai." His voice was calm, with a hint of gratitude: "My personal honor and disgrace are irrelevant. Since this is the decision of the station, I will naturally cooperate."

He paused, then changed the subject: "But, since I've made the sacrifice, what kind of benefits can we, the Guandong faction, get in return?"

This sentence is very plain.

But it was like a bomb dropped into deep water, shocking everyone present!
Kurosawa Eiji, Sato Kenji, and Yamamoto Takeshi all raised their heads almost at the same time and looked at the young man. The look in their eyes was as if they were looking at a strategist who was an extremely unfamiliar person but whom they admired immensely.

They didn't expect that at this time, this young man, who was only 23 years old, would not consider his own gains and losses first.

But the honor and disgrace of the entire faction!
This kind of mind and this kind of pattern have far exceeded the scope of a producer or even a section chief!

Asumi was completely shocked by these words.

He looked at Nohara Hiroshi, and for the first time, a look of heartfelt emotion and admiration appeared on his face, which was always elegant and calm.

He knew he made the right bet.

The old guy Suzuki did not find a strong general for their Kanto faction.

But a king who is capable of commanding the three armies!

"Hahaha! Okay! Well said!"

Asumi swept away his previous solemnity and laughed heartily: "Nohara-kun, I knew you wouldn't let me down! You're right, of course we have something to exchange for!"

His voice was loud and full of the victorious spirit:

"Those Tokyo-based guys may control the variety show department, but their so-called flagship shows have seen declining ratings over the past six months, and they desperately need new buzz to boost their popularity. And we in the Kanto-based faction need platforms to promote Director Kurosawa's film, the medical drama you're working on, Section Chief Sato, and the crime drama Director Yamamoto is preparing to film."

"So, the terms of exchange this time are—"

Asumi made the final decision, his voice filled with a resoluteness that brooked no room for argument: "Starting next month, all prime-time variety shows on TV Tokyo must unconditionally open a promotional window for our Kanto-based projects! Furthermore, it must be during prime time, and must be given at least ten minutes of running time!"

These words instantly brought a hint of joy to the faces of Kenji Sato and Takeshi Yamamoto.

They know too well the value of this condition!

In this era, TV variety shows are the ultimate promotional platform! A single prime time slot is far more effective than buying ten pages of advertising in a magazine!
However, after the ecstasy, a helpless sigh appeared on Asumi's face.

"Alas, in the final analysis, we don't have a single ace variety show that we can show off."

He rubbed his brow, his voice a little tired. "We at Kanto TV weren't good at this before. And now that we're at Tokyo TV, we're being hampered in every way. The variety show department is full of people from Tokyo, leaving us with no room to maneuver. Every time we do promotion, we have to trade projects for resources with them. It's really... too passive."

"Yes."

Sato Kenji also sighed deeply, his gentle face filled with resentment. "If...if we could have a national variety show like 'Let's Chat' or 'When Stars Shine',' which could influence a generation, then we, the Kanto faction, wouldn't have to rely on them anymore."

These words plunged the conference room into silence again.

Everyone knows that this is just a beautiful fantasy.

The birth of a national variety show requires the right time, place, and people, and more importantly, a genius creative core.

This kind of thing can be encountered but not sought after.

Tokyo TV has been planning this since the 60s and has cultivated countless variety show talents and celebrity celebrities.

Even now, after the merger with Kanto TV, if they want to produce variety shows, as long as TV Tokyo leaves even a slight opening, they can produce decent variety programs.

This is enough to show the scale of Tokyo TV.

Now we want to innovate.

Launch a new variety show.

It's really a pipe dream.

However, in this almost unrealistic silence, an inappropriate and thoughtful voice sounded quietly.

"Um……"

Everyone's eyes were instantly focused on the young man who was gently stroking his chin with his right index finger.

Nohara Hiroshi.

It's him again.

Kurosawa Eiji looked at his signature thoughtful expression, a knowing smile flickering across his sharp eyes. He picked up the teacup, blew on the steam, and asked slowly, in a tone of anticipation:
"What? Nohara-kun, from what you said, could it be that... you even have ideas about variety shows?"

"Shh-!"

Asumi, Kenji Sato, and Takeshi Yamamoto, the eyes of the three, like three searchlights, were instantly fixed on Hiroshi Nohara.

That look was filled with disbelief and shock, and an expectation that was almost absurd.

After all, Hiroshi Nohara has created miracles!
Under the scorching gazes of the crowd that were enough to melt a person, Nohara Hiroshi put down his hands, and a confident yet somewhat mysterious smile slowly bloomed on his handsome face.

He nodded.

"I do have an idea...

'boom--! ’

This affirmative answer, like a real atomic bomb, exploded in the minds of the three Kanto faction leaders!

They looked at the young man with eyes as if they were looking at Doraemon who had just taken out a brand new prop from his four-dimensional pocket!
The show "Anzhiju" has revolutionized the late-night movie season.

The book "Yu Yu Hakusho" exploded the comics world.

"Wonderful Stories of the World" challenges the production limits of the entire television industry in a way that is almost miraculous.

Now, this monster is actually trying to get involved in... the field of variety shows that even the entire Kanto faction is helpless to deal with?!
"Nohara-kun, you...you are not kidding, right?" Sato Kenji's voice was trembling. He felt that his worldview had been repeatedly overturned countless times by this young man today.

"of course not."

Hiroshi Nohara stood up and walked to the whiteboard. Instead of starting to write immediately, he asked everyone a question.

"Seniors, in your opinion, what is the most important element of a successful variety show?"

"It's the stars," Yamamoto Tsuyoshi answered without hesitation. This was the most common consensus in the industry: "As long as we can invite popular idols, comedians, or hot celebrities, the ratings are basically guaranteed."

"It's a part of the process," Sato Kenji added. "Interesting games and exciting challenges can make the audience feel involved and engaged."

"It's the production," Kurosawa Eiji mused. "A gorgeous stage and sophisticated equipment can enhance the overall quality of the show."

Nohara Hiroshi listened quietly, then shook his head.

"What the seniors said is correct, but not the core."

His voice was not loud, but it was like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart hard.

"A variety show that truly becomes a national hit, transcends time, and is remembered by countless people, always has only one core—"

He turned around, picked up a pen, and wrote two words on the white board.

——“Creativity”.

"Moreover, this creativity must come from life, from the purest, most imaginative folk wisdom of every ordinary person around us."

He looked at those faces full of confusion, and the smile on his lips became even wider.

“The show I envisioned is very simple.”

"It doesn't need any stars. Its protagonists are the millions of ordinary people in Japan. They can be students, housewives, office workers, or even retired grandparents at home."

"It doesn't require a fancy stage, or even complicated props. All they need is their own bodies and some of the most common items in life, like bed sheets, cardboard boxes, flashlights..."

"What they have to do is, in just three minutes, use these simplest things to complete a real-life imitation show full of imagination and fun."

Nohara Hiroshi paused and described a series of specific and vivid scenes for them.

"For example, a person covers their entire body with a black cloth, leaving only their hands exposed. Wearing white gloves, they imitate bowling in front of a black background. Those two hands represent the rolling ball and the pins being knocked away."

"For example, a group of people can stack themselves on top of each other, and with the changing light, they can imitate a glass of beer being slowly filled. The rising foam is their heads bobbing up and down."

"For example, a girl can use a simple piece of white cloth and a fan to imitate Marilyn Monroe's classic moment of her skirt being blown up by the wind."

Every time he gave an example, the eyes of the bigwigs in the conference room lit up a little.

When he finished his last example, the weather-beaten faces of Asumi, Kurosawa Eiji, Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi were already shrouded in an unprecedented astonishment.

It immediately turned into ecstasy.

"This...this...this is simply a genius idea!"

Ming Hai slammed his hand on the table. His usually elegant and calm face was now filled with undisguised excitement. "Let ordinary people become the protagonists! Use the simplest props to inspire the most limitless creativity! This... this is no longer a simple variety show, it's a performance art that everyone can participate in!"

"Furthermore, this model has almost no barriers to entry! It's highly replicable and incredibly topical!"

Yamamoto Takeshi also stood up excitedly, his sharp eyes gleaming with the enthusiasm of a producer. "Every issue of this work becomes the hottest topic of discussion in every office and school the next day! Oh my god, I can already see it blowing up the country!"

"the most important is……"

Kurosawa Eiji let out a long breath, his tone filled with the admiration of someone who had truly understood the essence of the program. "This program is full of positive energy. It encourages innovation and celebrates wisdom. It can maximally inspire the creative passion of our entire nation. This... this completely meets the station's highest standards for the program's 'educational significance'!"

In Japan, variety shows have always been at the bottom of the contempt chain.

Even the top variety show stars always feel inferior to those movie and TV actors.

The fundamental reason is that most variety shows are considered to be "sensational" and "lacking nutrition" fast food culture.

However, the plan proposed by Hiroshi Nohara cleverly gave this program, which was destined to be extremely funny, a shining sacred coat of educational and entertaining, created by the whole nation!

This has elevated it from a simple entertainment product to the height of a cultural phenomenon that no one can criticize!
This skill, this vision, this pattern...

The four of them looked at the young man again, and their eyes could no longer be described as simple admiration.

It was a kind of respect that came from the heart after witnessing a miracle.

"Then...what's the name of this show?" There was an uncontrollable tremor in Asumi's voice.

Nohara Hiroshi turned around and slowly wrote a few large characters full of childishness and magic on the whiteboard, stroke by stroke.

——"Super Change"!
(Japanese: All Neon Costume Awards)

He put down his pen and looked at the four Kanto faction leaders who were completely shocked by his idea. His face showed that calm smile again.

"Seniors."

"Now, do you still think that we need to look up to the Tokyo faction in exchange for those pitiful publicity resources?"

"Do not."

His voice was calm, yet it carried an absolute confidence that was enough to overturn the entire game.

"If we do a good job on this variety show, then from now on, they will be the ones begging us to be on our show."

There was a glint of confidence in Nohara Hiroshi's eyes.

Through his previous thoughts, he has realized that the current Japanese variety shows are either singing or dancing, and the variety show stars who are dressed up beautifully and glamorously sit there and chat together.

It's still a very old variety show.

It’s no wonder that variety show stars do the worst in the film and television industry. After all, their singing skills are not as good as those of singers, and their acting skills are not as good as those of actors.

It's just a real vase.

Similar to an idol.

Now, Hiroshi Nohara has simply abandoned the generations of idol stars that Tokyo TV has nurtured for decades, and directly allowed the entire nation to participate in variety shows.

How can it not be innovation?

Besides, this "Super Change" was a well-deserved national variety show in Japan in the previous life!
Therefore, Asumi and Kurosawa Eiji, who are senior executives, and Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi, who are middle-level managers, felt that this variety show plan was completely feasible just by hearing Hiroshi Nohara's idea!

(End of this chapter)