Two days later at Aokusa Pictures.
Inside the meeting hall, the producers and executives gathered around the long table, finalizing the release strategy for their upcoming anime scheduled for July 2.
Rikuya broke the silence first. "So, how's the situation with Evermark's Code Geass looking?"
Koharu, checking her tablet, answered, "The internet hasn't stopped talking about it. In thirty-six hours, it's already hit eight million views."
The room stirred. Shunsuke leaned forward. "Eight million that fast? That's not normal. Is Mizushiro's influence really carrying that much weight right now?"
Koharu shook her head. "It's not just Mizushiro. Look at their production staff. Most of them were semi-retired, big names with global recognition. Old fans came back for this. So when we're gauging the reach, we can't measure it like we usually do for domestic titles. On the global stage, the number's over ninety million."
Ryouhei whistled low. "And Code Geass has been trending everywhere since the premiere dropped. Still, it's early. The hype could die down in a week."
Shunsuke countered, "Or it could hold steady. With this much momentum, I'd say a month minimum, even if things cool off. Worst case, they plateau high. Honestly, if we had delayed our own release by two months instead of one, we could've taken an even bigger share when the wave fades."
Ryouhei shook his head. "No, that's a mistake. This month is already looking empty. Two months late and we'd miss the window. Right now, one month after Code Geass is perfect. People will still be talking about it, but they'll be looking for something new to watch."
Another producer chimed in, "And don't forget, if we release later instead of earlier, the trend will already have a huge fanbase. We know this will be twenty-six episodes. The first batch of thirteen runs for over six weeks, and the second adds another thirteen. That's more than four months. Code Geass is shaping up to be a grand opera anime, with a big cast, layered conflicts, slow-burn pacing. You can already feel they're building toward a massive climax. At that time, people will be talking about it again. Our best window is between its release and its ending. With twelve episodes to air, this is the best outcome. Many studios will be doing the same."
Rikuya tapped the table. "Agreed. Make a contingency plan. Step up promotion. We can't go in half-hearted against this kind of competitor. Even if the earnings potential isn't that high, this time we have to focus on marketing and push the show."
The meeting ended as people left the room, breaking into smaller exchanges.
Shunsuke turned to Ryouhei. "You watched both episodes?"
"Of course," Ryouhei replied immediately. "I watched during the premiere. Honestly, I couldn't believe the production value. Evermark's only a few years old, yet they managed something like this?"
Shunsuke folded his arms. "It looked like a veteran studio. I kept thinking, how the hell did they even pull that off?"
Ryouhei chuckled. "Guess that's what happens when you put legends in one room. Even if they're semi-retired, skill doesn't fade."
Shunsuke muttered, "Yeah… but it makes things harder for us."
As the room emptied, the tension lingered. Everyone knew Code Geass wasn't just another competitor. It had set a new bar, and this year there would be no bigger competition.
At Evermark.
Since Haruki started working on Code Geass, he'd picked up way more about anime production than he expected. A few days had passed since the double-episode premiere, and the response was overwhelming—not just in Japan, but overseas as well. He expected it to be popular, but the way it was trending worldwide went beyond anything he'd seen before. Even classic shows and past hits hadn't generated this much buzz. But this was a new age of social media, and if a show had a strong cast and solid story, it was bound to trend.
Episode one held a 9.5 rating, while episode two dropped slightly to 9.1. Still strong, though. Those early ratings came mostly from hardcore fans of the production team. The real reviews would come once neutral viewers started tuning in. Since it was mainstream, most people waited until more episodes were out before jumping in. Even then, ratings tended to stabilize only after the whole first season finished airing. Take Madoka Magic, for example—it now sits at 8.7 globally after winning the Liora Award and growing its fanbase. Neutral viewers helped level out that rating.
Haruki leaned back in his chair with a cup of coffee, staring at the numbers on his screen. Success was something he had come to expect; the system gave him an advantage no one else had. But seeing it unfold at this scale still made him pause. Eight million in a day. Tens of millions across platforms. Even with the cheat, these results didn't feel ordinary.
He rubbed his temples. "…So this is what it's like on a global stage."
When the thought faded, the silence of the room pressed in. It was the same routine every day: checking numbers, reviewing edits, drinking coffee, returning to work. He hadn't spoken to anyone outside the industry in months. Ever since he told Ryuko to keep her distance, his phone calls had been work-related. Same with texts. At first, he told himself it was good—distancing himself from Ryuko so he wouldn't disappoint her. But now, it just felt empty.
He thought about how long it had been since he sat across from someone and talked about anything other than anime or deadlines. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd laughed with a friend. The system had given him everything in this industry, but outside of it, there was nothing. Just work, numbers, and the occasional late-night thought he brushed away before it could stick.
Finishing his coffee, he went back to the editing room. They had already reached episode eighteen of the planned twenty-six. He had made adjustments along the way: cutting the school festival pizza subplot, trimming the cat mask gag, and giving more breathing room to the main storyline. Those changes pushed the show up a notch. It had been good before, but things like that held it back from reaching the top tier of all time.
He scrolled through the storyboard and murmured, "This should flow better." Then he saved the file, already thinking ahead. If Code Geass kept performing like this, the system would surely reward him again with that special S-rank lottery.
[Note :- Sorry for the short break. I had a viral infection and needed a few days to recover, but I'm back to writing now.
I'm catching up on the missed days and will release 4 extra chapters as a bonus if we reach 600 Power Stones this week.]
Shout out to Moon_pie_99, Curuelros, Overated, Lucien Evans for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)