Tokyo: My obsession with China led me to become the king of Japanese entertainment.

"His defenses are broken." This was the judgment Sakurada Jun made as he watched Takizawa Hideaki's retreating figure after he left in a hurry that day.

With the support of his Johnny's memories, he was able to make a judgment about Hideaki Takizawa's style in the shortest amount of time.

Jun Sakurada was willing to "guide" Hideaki Takizawa not only because he took the initiative to approach him, but also because he himself is one of the few reformers and overseas representatives in Johnny's over the years.

In 2019, such reformers almost gave Johnny's Entertainment a much-needed reprieve.

The Japanese music market is extremely conservative overall. While music streaming is highly developed in other countries, Japanese giants, led by Johnny & Associates, are still clinging to physical records.

It's hard to imagine that the only country in East Asia where Johnny's digital music can be heard is not Japan but China. Johnny's idols have no social media, no streaming media, and can't break into overseas markets. They are even being invaded by the surging K-pop.

This situation only changed after Hideaki Takizawa came to power.

Hideaki Takizawa's reforms were undoubtedly the most radical and effective reforms in Johnny's history:

Relax streaming restrictions and allow music videos from Johnny's artists to be uploaded to YouTube;

Relax restrictions on social media and live streaming, and open social media and personal channels for Johnny's artists.

He made a strong push overseas, throwing Travis Japan, an amateur, directly onto America's Got Talent, ultimately achieving his American record debut and starting his journey in the US.

While the situation in China hasn't reached the point of completely abandoning the group, they are actively opening Weibo accounts, participating in various activities, and struggling to expand Johnny's operations in China.

It can be said that Hideaki Takizawa is one of the few people in Johnny's management who has a normal, modern and international perspective and is willing to change the stagnant state of Johnny's.

It was precisely because of this mindset and perspective that Takizawa was able to realize the seriousness of Sakurai Sho's problem under Jun Sakurada's guidance.

And what about Keiko Fujishima?

It can't be said that she had no ability at all, after all, she led Arashi, one of the two most successful groups in Johnny's history.

The problem is, even she herself can't explain how Arashi made it so big and successful.

Aside from his achievement in Arashi, Fujishima's greatest accomplishment was in 2016 when he and his mother, Mary Kitagawa, forced Iijima Michi out of the company and dismantled SMAP.

In 2022, Momoko Sakura snatched the management rights of Snowman, the Johnny's top boy band that Hideaki Takizawa had been cultivating, indirectly contributing to Takizawa's betrayal and departure.

The next time she made a name for herself was in 2023 when Johnny & Associates collapsed, and she read an apology letter and resignation statement as its president.

It's a pipe dream for someone as skilled in civil war as her to possess any foresight or international perspective.

Takizawa Hideaki's warning will most likely be interpreted by her as an attack from some kind of factional struggle, and she will retaliate in the same way as in a factional struggle.

If Johnny's were a publicly traded company, even if someone like him were to rely on Arashi's past achievements, it wouldn't be easy for him to rise to the top position.

However, Johnny's was just a small family business, so this direct descendant of Kitagawa was able to ride roughshod over a capable general like Takizawa.

Jun Sakurada is not a god. Although he was transformed into a half-succubus, he does not have any ability to bewitch people.

If there is no pre-existing rift between the two people, then no matter how much he tries to sow discord, he cannot cause a true break.

At least for now, Jun Sakurada has begun to stir up the resentment, ambition, and other things in Hideaki Takizawa's heart.

And this is exactly the effect that Jun Sakurada wanted.

After hanging up the phone, for no apparent reason, Jun Sakurada suddenly felt a little melancholy and sighed softly.

After making this phone call, Hideaki Takizawa will buy another train ticket and head to Akita. This time, Jun Sakurada might not be so resistant to him.

This young man, who was making jokes about Johnny's Entertainment in his live stream not long ago, is now seriously considering whether or not to venture into this dangerous place.

Admittedly, Johnny's is a cesspool, a foul-smelling den of filth, a hellhole that normal people would find hard to escape once they enter.

However, if we can get Hideaki Takizawa's full cooperation, many things might be able to change.

Under normal circumstances, once Jun Sakurada joins Johnny & Associates, he will not be able to operate social media, stream live, or even make games, depending on Johnny & Associates' decision.

They signed incredibly long contracts, were trapped in the Johnny's Entertainment prison for life, and even their romantic relationships were strictly controlled.

However, with the strong support of reformist Hideaki Takizawa, Jun Sakurada could be used as a pilot project for Johnny's streaming and internationalization reforms.

He's absorbing resources from Johnny's while doing whatever he wants, which sounds quite liberating.

Once Johnny's Entertainment's usefulness has been largely exhausted, Jun Sakurada no longer needs to worry about how to extricate himself from this cesspool.

Because Johnny's Entertainment won't last more than a few years. When the BBC documentary comes out at the end of 22, they, who are just as spineless as this island nation towards Western countries, will choose to kneel down without saying a word.

After 23 years of disgrace and forced restructuring, Johnny & Associates will announce that all its artists will be free to decide whether to renew their contracts with the agency.

If he were to leave at that point, Johnny's wouldn't even have the courage to stop him.

At that time, Jun Sakurada was not even twenty years old yet.

Suddenly, what seemed like a bottomless pit with no hope of recovery became a problem that, while high-risk, was still somewhat tolerable.

Conversely, he could collaborate with Hideaki Takizawa, leveraging Johnny's resources and influence to pull off some groundbreaking projects that he could never accomplish on his own.

At that time, the economic and fame gains will be far greater than what he is currently making a fuss about as an ordinary person.

But all of this is predicated on Hideaki Takizawa's cooperation.

But that's not enough with all the groundwork laid before.

He still needs a grand gift that can directly change the current situation for Hideaki Takizawa.

And coincidentally, Jun Sakurada actually knew of such a super treasure trove, which originally belonged to Johnny's Entertainment but had never been properly developed by Johnny's.

In a sense, this is the best illustration of Johnny's stagnation and complacency.

They could have easily discovered this by spending just a few minutes researching on Chinese short video platforms or other social media.

It's surprising that a certain drama starring one of their artists has quietly amassed a level of national recognition in China comparable to Disney's Jerry, MGM's Tom and Jerry, or Nintendo's yellow mouse with its underwear on the outside.

For more than a decade, they didn't even glance at this treasure.

"Anyway, Johnny's Entertainment is completely blind. So, it's not too much for me to use this treasure trove as a way to make a quick buck and maybe even profit from it."

Jun Sakurada chuckled and casually picked up a document from his desk that was clearly hastily bound, gently stroking its somewhat rough cover.

The sign simply read a name—the name of a very low-profile but well-regarded neutral and easy-going person within Johnny's Entertainment:

Hiroshi Nagano.

Or rather, it owes a debt of childhood glory to hundreds of millions of children in China, a debt that Tsuburaya Productions desperately tried to repay but could never bring back—the Ultraman series, the absolute top brand in China.

Ultraman Tiga, Daigo's team member.