In Japan, the anime that truly explode into mainstream success almost always come from Tokyo's four major television networks. But by the same token, many of the low-rated disasters that were torn apart by viewers and left behind lasting infamy in the history of the industry also came from those very same stations.
There were plenty of unknown Kantokus who became famous overnight after a single work aired on one of those networks.
But there were just as many talented, promising, already well-regarded Kantokus whose futures were cut short after one poorly received anime was broadcast nationwide through the same channels. Once a work failed to win over the broader audience, the backlash would come down hard. Investors would stop trusting them, and before long, some of those people would find themselves with no backers left at all, forced to quietly leave the industry.
Yumi understood that reality better than most.
Her family had always been part of this world, so she knew exactly how cold the industry could be. She knew how quickly warmth turned to distance, how easily admiration became contempt, and how differently people were treated depending on whether they were climbing upward or slipping at the wrong moment.
That was why she had gone out of her way to learn in advance that two networks had already taken an interest in Sora Kamakawa, and that after this month was over, people from those stations would likely come to discuss a partnership with him.
She wanted him to be ready.
Not just as a Kantoku, but in every sense that mattered.
His positioning within the industry, the script for his next work, the music, the overall concept, the materials he would bring to the table - everything required time. And when it came to opportunities like this, the more time one had to prepare, the better.
"I understand what you mean," Sora said, his expression finally turning serious as he looked at Yumi Noriko. "But I haven't exactly been sitting around doing nothing lately. I've already started thinking about the next project our studio should make."
At those words, both Yumi Noriko and Sumire showed the same flash of surprise and delight.
"You already have a new idea?" Yumi asked at once, unable to hide her curiosity.
"Yeah..." Sora nodded.
The truth, of course, was that he had not decided yet.
Saying that now was mostly meant to reassure Sumire, who carried the burden of being the studio's assistant Kantoku, and Yumi Noriko, who had invested in them and had every reason to be anxious.
As for the next work, Sora still intended to wait until Natsume Yuujinchou had completely finished airing. Only then, after accumulating enough emotional energy, would he make his final choice.
But Sumire immediately sensed the problem hidden inside what he had just said.
She frowned faintly, then asked in a careful voice, "But... let's say, just hypothetically, that things happen exactly the way Yumi said. If Seiun TV and Southern TV really do come to you, and they ask you to tailor an anime specifically to fit the kind of market style they want... then the project you're already thinking about now..."
She did not have to finish.
The issue was obvious enough already.
If the networks imposed conditions, then the work he was beginning to consider now might not be usable at all.
Sora took a slow breath, then smiled instead of letting the tension settle in.
"What's the point of worrying about that already? If they don't make any demands, then that's the best outcome. I'll just bring out an anime good enough to satisfy them. And if they do make demands, being anxious now won't solve anything. Besides..."
He paused for a moment, calm as ever.
"As long as what they ask for isn't something outrageous, and it's just a work that fits a mainstream style, I'm still confident I can create a new anime that matches what they want and becomes a hit."
The confidence in his voice sounded almost too effortless.
Almost casual.
And that was precisely why it left people unsure of how to respond.
Because if anyone else had said those words, they would have sounded vague, superficial, like empty reassurance meant to quiet the room.
No matter what they ask for, I'll be able to deliver something excellent and successful.
It was exactly that kind of statement.
Naturally, it sounded like the sort of line someone would throw out on the spot. And yet the conviction in Sora's voice always carried a strange weight, as though he could already see something no one else in the room had access to.
The problem was that over the past year, Sora Kamakawa had always been like this.
That same almost offhand attitude.
That same inexplicable confidence.
And with it, he had created Voices of the Stars and Natsume Yuujinchou, the second-highest and highest rated anime of the year on NatsuYume.
Facts had already proven more than once that whenever he said something like this, he meant it.
If that was the case, then what was left for them to say?
At that moment, the same thought rose in both women's hearts almost at the same time.
All they could do... was trust him.
...
December 22nd. Sunday.
Akane no Sora was an anime with only twelve episodes.
Which meant that tonight, its final episode would air.
The topic "Akane no Sora Finale" had already been sitting at the top of NatsuYume's trending list for half the day.
Although the story quality had slipped a little over the past two weeks, it had still remained above a decent standard overall, so a great many anime fans stayed in front of their televisions that night, waiting for the final episode to begin.
And in truth, its ratings did rise a bit compared to the previous week.
The finale itself was somewhat conventional, but it perfectly fit the grand-happy-ending formula. Nearly all of the anime's popular characters made an appearance in episode twelve, and the story moved exactly the way most viewers expected it to. There were no surprises to criticize, but there were no major highlights either. It was the kind of ending that would not offend fans, which also meant that post-finale merchandise sales would likely remain stable.
That night, NatsuYume was flooded with posts and news about Akane no Sora.
Major media outlets and anime commentators all offered congratulations on the series' conclusion, while also publishing analysis pieces discussing its chances of winning Best Anime of the Year at the upcoming Tokyo Animation Festival.
More than an hour later, episode twelve of Natsume Yuujinchou aired on Tokushima TV.
And just like always, the moment it began, Tokushima TV's ratings in Shikoku surged like mad.
The following day, the ratings data for episode twelve of both Akane no Sora and Natsume Yuujinchou were officially released.
Akane no Sora's final episode had indeed risen somewhat. Nationwide, it recorded a 4.57% rating, while in Shikoku it reached 4.59%.
It was the best performance the anime had achieved since it began airing.
But Natsume Yuujinchou's episode twelve posted 4.80%.
It was still ahead.
It never gave Akane no Sora the chance to overtake it.
And with that, the competition between the two anime in Shikoku came to an end.
Ever since Akane no Sora had first been surpassed by Natsume Yuujinchou, it had never once managed to take the lead back.
When he saw that result, Enji Hara, the bearded Kantoku of Akane no Sora, a man already in his forties, could only let out a bitter smile and sigh.
"So once you get overtaken, that's it... there's never another chance to climb back over. These newcomers really are something else. Sora Kamakawa from Tokushima, huh..."
As a veteran Kantoku in Japan's anime industry, he naturally understood just how outrageous this was.
Natsume Yuujinchou was airing on Tokushima TV, a regional station, and yet it had still managed to suppress Akane no Sora steadily across the entire Shikoku region.
That alone was astonishing enough.
If a work like that had been broadcast on any one of Tokyo's four major networks, then the most popular anime of the season in Japan would almost certainly have been Natsume Yuujinchou.
"What, are you upset? Jealous of a kid who isn't even twenty yet?" the plump middle-aged episode Kantoku beside him, Ken Inui, joked with a grin. The two had known each other for years.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Enji Hara smacked Ken Inui hard on the shoulder and snorted. "Do you think I'm as narrow-minded as Maki?"
"And besides, you saw what happened to Maki. He looked down on that kid just because he was young and new to the industry, didn't treat him with any respect, and ended up getting slapped in the face by reality. He's already become this year's biggest joke in the anime world. I have no interest in becoming the second Maki."
"But that young guy named Sora really is incredible," Ken Inui said, his playful expression fading into something more serious. "It's a shame, honestly. He doesn't have the right connections in the industry, so his works could only air on Tokushima TV. Both Voices of the Stars and Natsume Yuujinchou deserved better. One ended the year ranked second on NatsuYume, the other ranked first. But in the end, the actual reach and name recognition of those works still lag far behind the reputation they earned."
"There's no need to rush something like that. He's still young," Enji Hara said with a smile. "He's definitely going to do big things in Japan's anime industry sooner or later."
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, he added, "Speaking of which, I'll be seeing him at the Tokyo Animation Festival next week. My daughter loves Natsume Yuujinchou so much she already told me to get Sora Kamakawa's autograph for her."
"Just don't end up in an awkward spot," Ken Inui said, grinning again as he teased his old friend, "where he wins Best New Anime Kantoku, Best Anime Screenplay, and Best Anime Music at the awards ceremony next week, while you walk away with nothing. Then you go ask him for an autograph while he's standing there holding three trophies in his hands. That'd be pretty embarrassing, wouldn't it?"
"Why don't you consider the possibility that he might win nothing at all?" Enji Hara shot him a look.
"Best Screenplay and Best Music, I can't say for sure," Ken Inui said with a snort. "But Best New Anime Kantoku? Do you really think that award can escape him?"
He gave a dismissive laugh, then continued, "Looking at the new Kantokus who appeared in Japan's anime industry this year, and the quality of the works they made... no matter how muddle-headed those Tokyo Animation Festival judges are, do you think they'd actually dare leave Natsume Yuujinchou out of that category? If they did, the credibility of that entire awards ceremony would probably start falling apart on the spot."