Tokyo: Oreimo

“He’s not the only one who’s excited.” Saori chuckled. “Takeda said in an internal email yesterday that the anime studio’s revenue this year has surpassed that of many mid-sized developers. Tanaka is quite amusing; he used thirty exclamation marks in his reply.”

Ling Nai closed her eyes and smiled slightly.

“Ayumi’s tweet from the day before yesterday has been retweeted over 100,000 times,” she said. “The comments under her drawing commemorating Aozaki Aoko’s 10th anniversary are all calling her ‘teacher’.”

"Are you jealous?" Saori asked.

"Who's jealous?" Ling Nai opened her eyes. "I'm happy for her."

"That's true, after all, she's Rumiko Takashiro, what's that saying again, a legendary manga artist?"

"Stop making fun of me, Giantess!"

Ryosuke didn't say anything.

Over the past decade, the Anime Research Studio has grown into an independent creative unit under ANIPLEX.

Tanaka and Ayumi got married three years ago. At the wedding, Tanaka cried more than ever when he watched Clannad.

Ayumi is now a well-known concept artist in the industry, and the lines of her characters are being imitated by many young artists.

Makoto Takeda went from being the programmer who pushed up his glasses to becoming the technical director, Yosuke Kobayashi became the core of the script planning team, Shota Okubo was in charge of coordinating offline events, and Misaki Asakura switched to copyright management.

An entire team emerged from that small activity room at Waseda University.

“Mao is working overtime today.” Ling Nai changed her posture and stretched her legs out. “That guy is a bit like the Female Titan, too career-oriented. She said in the group that she might sleep at the company tonight.”

“She’s been sleeping with the company for the past five years,” Ryosuke said.

“Back then it was to save money, now it’s for a sense of responsibility.” Saori paused. “But she said that her younger brother got into university, and she can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”

Ling Nai hummed in agreement.

Mao Gokou went from being a convenience store manager who worked to support her younger siblings to becoming the operations director of the "Future Dimension" forum.

The forum has evolved from a gathering place for like-minded people into one of the most important user communities in the ACG industry, and has grown into a leading video website.

'Future Dimension' now accounts for a large portion of Aniplex's revenue.

Ryosuke had been watching her grow up.

“And Liuli,” Ling Nai’s voice softened a bit, “I heard she’s on Time magazine again.”

“I saw this too,” Saori said. “The small print at the bottom says, ‘Model Ruri Aragaki, from Chiba to the world.’”

Ling Nai remained silent for a moment.

She and Ryōri Aragaki have always had a good relationship, and after she married Ryōsuke, he would often visit her.

When Liuli formally announced her intention to become a model after graduating from university, she thought the other person was joking.

Later, her career flourished, but their relationship did not grow distant over time. Although they met less often, every time they met, Liuli would still hold her hand and go shopping together, just like she did in high school.

“She’s still single,” Ling Nai suddenly said.

Saori didn't respond.

Ryosuke wasn't there either.

The night breeze blew across the balcony, ruffling Saori's hair and lifting the hem of Ling Nai's T-shirt.

“ANIPLEX.” Saori uttered the name, her tone carrying an indescribable emotion. “When you chose this name, did you ever imagine it would turn out like this?”

"Probably," Ryosuke said honestly.

After all, this name should be in his memory right now; he's lucky to have Saori.

It seems to have exceeded the influence that the name originally represented.

Saori looked at the blue light and said, "Now it is one of the largest independent content providers in the industry, covering the entire matrix of games, animation, comics, music, and forums."

She spoke these numbers calmly, leaning on Ryosuke's shoulder with a slight smile on her lips.

She knew what lay behind those numbers: countless late nights spent rushing to finish drafts over thirteen years, the arguments she had made at every planning meeting, the anxiety she felt before the release of each work, and the careful reading of every piece of user feedback on the forum.

She did these things with him.

“Ritsu Saito told me yesterday,” Saori’s voice tinged with amusement, “that when he switched from Kadokawa to this company, his colleagues at the next table thought he was crazy.”

"And now?" Ling Nai asked.

"Now that magazine has done a special issue titled 'Genius Supervisors Who Changed the Industry,' and his name is listed first."

Ryosuke chuckled.

From Puella Magi Madoka Magica to the controversial yet legendary "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya," and every subsequent anime adaptation, Ritsu Saito's directorial career is essentially a history of ANIPLEX's animation division.

"Where's Hideo Nomura?" Ling asked.

“He came to the company last week with a new project for ‘Death Note,’ saying he wanted to make a complete anime remake,” Saori said. “Shueisha has already approved it.”

When Hideo Nomura left Kadokawa for Shueisha, he latched onto the coattails of the Takashiro siblings.

He is now the deputy head of the manga editorial department at Shueisha, but he still sends New Year's greetings every year with the same respectful tone as if he were on his first day at the company.

Ryosuke recalled that thirteen years ago, in the corridor of the Kadokawa Building, Ling Nai burst out of the conference room door, her eyes red and swollen.

At that time, he thought he was just there to help his sister get revenge.

Later, he helped many people "get a sigh of relief".

“Speaking of which,” Saori raised her head, resting her chin on Ryosuke’s shoulder, “Ito Shinpei called today and said that Dream Chaser is going to hold a 10th anniversary tour next year, and asked if we could sponsor it.”

“Okay,” Ryosuke said.

"Not asking about the budget?"

"No need to ask."

Saori glanced at him but didn't ask any further questions.

Dream Chaser, led by Shizuka Hayakawa, disbanded three years ago, with its members pursuing solo careers.

Shizuka transitioned into a music producer and occasionally sings theme songs for ANIPLEX games. She remains unmarried and receives an unsigned bouquet of flowers every year on her birthday.

Ryosuke knows who sent the flowers.

Saori knows that too.

Ling Nai also knew.

None of the three of them mentioned this matter.

"It's late." Ling Nai straightened up and rubbed her eyes. "Are you sure you can go to our daughter's parent-teacher conference tomorrow?"

“I’m sure,” Ryosuke said.

"Then you take the child to school tomorrow morning, and I'll sleep in a little longer."

"it is good."

Ling Nai stood up from the rattan chair, walked barefoot across the wooden floor of the balcony, and stopped in front of the sliding door.

She didn't turn around.

"Goodnight, Giantess, goodnight...brother."

"Good night."

The door closed, and the footsteps disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Only Ryosuke and Saori remained on the balcony.

Saori leaned on his shoulder with her eyes closed.

“Thirteen years have passed, and Ling Nai is still so dishonest. What an adorable guy,” she said softly.

"You two siblings are really interesting."

Ryosuke did not answer.

Saori opened her eyes.

“It’s been ten years,” she repeated Ling Nai’s words.

"Ah."

Do you regret it?

Ryosuke lowered his head and looked at the woman in his arms who had been by his side since he was twenty.

When she smiles, the beauty mark at the corner of her eye is still as striking as when we first met.

"Regret what?"

"I regret not pushing any of us away back then."

Ryosuke remained silent for a few seconds.

"If you push any of them away, you'll truly regret it."

Saori stared at him for two seconds, then buried her face in his shoulder and chuckled as she scolded him.

"Scumbag."

The night breeze blew across the balcony.

In the distance, the blue light of the ANIPLEX building was still shining.

Ryosuke looked at the light and remembered the moment thirteen years ago in his apartment in Chiba when he wrote the first word in his notebook.

At that time, he thought he was living a second life so that he could bring those works to the world.

He found out later.

Those works are just signposts, pointing to this balcony, these two people, and the two children sleeping in the room.

"What are you thinking about?" Saori asked.

"I'm thinking about who will make breakfast tomorrow morning."

Saori smiled.

Ryosuke smiled too.

In the distance, the blue light of the Aniplex glowed quietly.

The night was gentle.