Chapter 282: Offer and Return
In an Osaka subway station, three women were shopping in the underground plaza when they suddenly heard a news bulletin on television.
"Yesterday, Hinotori Publishing held a press conference and announced that Mirai-sensei's second animation work, 'Gundam SEED', will be launched in June this year after 'Pokémon'..."
"The original story, setting, and music for 'Gundam SEED' were all done by Mirai-sensei alone. He is also the main director and producer of this animation. According to Kenji, head of Hinotori Animation, this animation was made half a year ago...".
The three women stopped, and some young people in the commercial street also stopped, staring at the TV screen in amazement.
"What did it say just now?"
"Mirai-sensei's new animation? Did I mishear?"
"Absolutely! Mirai-sensei is launching a new animation. Geez, I thought he was gone!"
The crowd began to stir, and after being stunned for a few seconds, the women exaggeratedly hugged each other.
That handsome guy is back!
Great! Check your phone to see what's going on. Did Hinotori Publishing hold a press conference yesterday? Did Mirai-sensei appear?
I haven't seen him in a year! What has that handsome guy become?
Although there has always been Mirai-sensei's manga in manga magazines, for the fans who follow him, his disappearance is a disaster. When Mirai-sensei left the celebration, all sorts of rumors spread.
Many fans thought he would never appear in public again, but today's news gave them hope.
Those who saw the news searched online for information. At Mirai-sensei's Home dessert shop, fans gathered to share information. The atmosphere was very lively.
"I found Mirai-sensei's latest photo. Everyone, check the forum! At Tsuki Animation Company's press conference in Tokyo, Mirai-sensei was sitting in the center."
"Did you see it on your phone? Let me see it!"
"Wow, I saw it too! So handsome...! Mirai-sensei has grown up!"
He's so handsome he leaves me speechless. Mirai-sensei has changed a lot since he grew up. He looks delicious!
There was a stir in the pastry shop. Akari also looked at her phone excitedly. The phone showed a post by a fan from Japan who had accidentally attended the Tsuki Animation Conference.
In the post, the man sitting in the center was Mirai-sensei. He looked very different from a year ago. The "cute" temperament disappeared, but he became more handsome.
"That girl just now... Don't say 18 years old, Mirai-sensei is only 17 this year!"
Akari scolded the girl who said boys change a lot when they grow up. She felt a little sad. Mirai-sensei seemed older. Although it was good to be handsome, she liked the child more.
"I'll never see that cute child again...".
As one of the organizers of the Older Sisters Alliance, Akari felt very confused, but she looked at the post. There were countless identical replies.
"Congratulations to Mirai-sensei on his great growth!"
"Congratulations to Mirai-sensei on his great growth!"
Fans used the simplest words to congratulate Mirai-sensei on his return. Akari smiled slightly. She thought it was good, so she took out her phone and wrote the same phrase:
"Sisters!" After replying to the post, Akari stood up angrily, raised her hands, and shouted: "Mirai-sensei is back! Our time has come!"
"Oh, oh, oh!"
The girls were excited.
Mirai-sensei's return spread throughout Japan. In a few days, fans from all over the country actively gathered in person to celebrate the emergence of the new anime.
A few days later, the "Gundam SEED" sample was released.
Guo Letong rushed to Hinotori Publishing early in the morning, but he was not happy at all when he saw the scene in front of him.
"Why are there so many people?"
In Hinotori Publishing's conference room, there were representatives from 20 to 30 television channels. Guo Letong not only knew acquaintances from major cities, but also unknown anime directors from small towns, and even NHK representatives.
"What are these people from small counties looking for? Can they afford the price for the first broadcast of this anime?" Guo Letong cursed in his heart those who overestimated their own abilities, and then he cursed NHK: "NHK has so many anime to choose from, why are they here to join the fun?"
What worried him most was the wealthy NHK, but NHK and Mirai-sensei had always been at odds, and they shouldn't pay such a high price for the first broadcast.
Many thoughts crossed his mind, but Guo Letong remained calm on the surface, sitting with the others to wait for the sample film.
Time was up, and Kenji, from Hinotori Publishing, went on stage and began to present some of "Gundam SEED's" settings and plots.
They didn't explain it in detail, but broadly, but everyone present instantly understood that "Gundam SEED"'s worldview was very broad.
Such a broad worldview is difficult to control, and "Gundam SEED"'s main theme is the war between new humans and humans. This science fiction war theme is even more concerning.
"With Master Mirai-sensei's talent, he should be able to handle this animation well, right?"
Guo Letong thought, but around him, many people spoke with some concern.
"As expected, Gundam can only be about war, but this is a global war between two opposing sides. Can Mirai-sensei handle it well?"
"I think it's difficult. Mirai-sensei has never described modern warfare, and there's no reference!"
"That's right, 'The Strongest Mobile Suit' is a small-scale battle, with aliens fighting each other in groups, but Mirai-sensei is going to start a world war. His ambition is too great..."
"Don't worry! Let's watch the sample first!"
Representatives from local television stations were full of doubts. Finally, Kenji explained the story's background clearly. The conference room darkened, and the "Gundam SEED" sample began to play.
For anime samples, some companies would make a separate film with a simple story, but Hinotori Publishing didn't. To reduce unnecessary expenses, they directly played the first episode.
After watching a short episode, applause was heard in the conference room. This animation is truly excellent.
"What do you think?"
the NHK representative asked Guo Letong. This representative can only be considered a member of NHK's anime group management, not a leader. NHK still has some resistance to Hinotori Publishing.
"...The music and visuals are good." Guo Letong thought about it and said.
Although it's only the first episode, this animation's visuals are beautiful and exquisite, very similar to films, but most importantly, it reminds Guo Letong of the beauty Mirai-sensei showed in "Five Centimeters Per Second".
What's even more surprising is the music. There aren't many songs in the first episode, but each provides the audience with a wonderful experience.
Guo Letong now understands why Hinotori Publishing made such a high offer. Based solely on the music and exquisite visuals, "Gundam SEED"'s production cost must not be low.
As for the plot, Guo Letong did not comment in front of his opponent.
"Is that true? I think so too...".
The NHK representative seemed very satisfied with Guo Letong's reply and happily said: "Especially the ending, the Gundam standing under the firelight with the ending song; even someone like me, who doesn't like Gundam, will find it very appealing."
"What do you think is this animation's broadcast value?"
he asked naturally.
Guo Letong's face was solemn: "I think 10 million yen will be enough."
"10 million yen?" The NHK representative nodded: "That's right, I think so too."
10 million yen is a relatively high price. But Guo Letong knew deep down that it was impossible. Hinotori Publishing even rejected 16 million yen; it would be strange if they accepted 10 million yen.
Indeed. When Kenji announced the broadcast price, he said:
"The first broadcast rights for Gundam SEED will be divided into three parts and broadcast simultaneously on three television channels, two of them in mainland Japan, and bidding starts at
20 million yen." 20 million yen. And it's not an exclusive first broadcast, which made many representatives in the conference room uneasy.
"20 million yen! Why don't they go steal it!"
"What kind of animation can be worth 20 million yen? Not even Mirai-sensei can guarantee it will be a bestseller, right? And it's the first broadcast on three
television channels, only naive people will buy it!" Representatives from television channels across the country expressed their anger. Kenji asked someone to open the door and said: "Gundam SEED's production cost reaches 2 billion yen. 20 million yen is the minimum we accept. Those who don't want to buy, leave."
He opened the door and let the representatives choose.
Most of the television channel representatives turned around and left. In the end, only five people remained. Guo Letong didn't leave. The production cost was 2 billion yen. Upon hearing this figure, his resentment dissipated.
An animation produced with such a high budget is really worth 20 million yen.
"You're not leaving?" the NHK representative asked.
"Let me see...",
Guo Letong asked: "And you?"
"Me too, I'll just take a look...", the NHK representative replied.
Then, bidding began. Seeing that there wasn't much competition, the remaining five television channels cautiously raised their prices, raising them by a few thousand or even tens of thousands. It took them half an hour to reach 26 million yen.
"26 million yen? Two have confirmed it. Can anyone offer a higher price?"
Kenji was about to confirm it.
At that moment...
"28 million yen!"
The NHK representative made a sudden offer and raised the price by 2 million yen, which surprised many.
"28 million yen!"
Another also made an offer.
Guo Letong turned to look at the NHK representative: "Didn't you say you'd take a look?"
He smiled: "This animation is good, I changed my mind."
"...". Guo Letong narrowed his eyes: "Okay, then I'll offer 30 million yen!"
"Another 2 million yen, 30 million yen! Does anyone else want to raise the price?"
Kenji was excited. The other representatives looked at them angrily. At first, they were raising the price little by little, but these two raised it by half in one go. How could they continue playing?
"I don't want to play anymore!" he exclaimed.
"Me too."
Two more people left, leaving only three.
"30 million yen at once! If no one accepts, it will be 28 million yen again!"
Kenji continued.
The NHK representative looked at the other buyer and did not continue bidding. 28 million yen was his limit. NHK could buy several animations, and it would do an excellent job if it did them itself. If it was more expensive, the risk for Gundam SEED would be very high.
"This person shouldn't raise the price..."
The NHK representative looked at the last one and thought that, as long as he didn't raise the price, both could win 28 million yen, so he had no reason to do so...
"30 million yen!"
However, just as the NHK representative was full of confidence, unexpectedly, the last one raised the price! 30 million yen...
"You're stupid!" The NHK representative stood up angrily: "30 million yen! You're in the same group, right?"
He turned and left.
Guo Letong looked at the last one and smiled.
No wonder Saitama TV's anime director was so generous. They wanted to show their sincerity to Mirai-sensei and let Hinotori Publishing move faster.
30 million yen. Tokyo TV discussed it for a day and finally accepted the price. The first broadcast of "Gundam SEED" was 90 million yen per episode, and the cost was recovered, which surprised all Hinotori Publishing and Tsuki Animation Company employees.
"This guy is a money-making machine..."
Genji thought, and then he called his wife.
"Give the phone to Alice...".
He asked his wife to pass it to his daughter and said: "Takumi is going to celebrate again. In July he asked me to let you know. Do you want to come back and help him?"
"Takumi...",
the voice on the phone sounded a little nervous: "Does he want me to come back?"
"No...",
Genji shook his head and sighed: "He didn't say that, but I think his attitude is vague. He should respect your decision; otherwise, he wouldn't let me inform you."
He felt that Takumi had asked him to inform Alice and that, unconsciously, he wanted her to come back.
"I...", Alice, a little excited, said: "I can't leave now, nor can I help with the celebration... But since he said so, I'll go back to the company in two months."
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