"Ding-dong, this train will arrive at Uji Station in Kyoto Prefecture in one minute. Passengers preparing to disembark, please get ready." A sweet announcement from the conductor echoed through the quiet train carriage.
Kamiyā Yuu swore this was probably the most pleasant announcement he had ever heard in his life. He had now fully experienced the "special characteristics" of Tokyo's subway system. Tokyo was one of the most densely populated international metropolises in the world—on this tiny patch of land, using the subway as the primary mode of transportation was nothing short of torture. Kamiyā Yuu felt like a pancake being pressed flat inside the carriage, the pressure from all directions making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
The passengers around him maintained an astonishing level of silence. Office workers dressed as elites took the opportunity to close their eyes and rest, their standing bodies conveniently supported by the tightly packed crowd. In such an atmosphere, no one dared to speak and break the silence.
The carriage was packed to the brim. It was so crowded that even changing his standing posture was extremely difficult. On top of that, there were quite a few female passengers around him, making him not dare to move carelessly. Due to certain cultural sensitivities in Japan, physical contact was treated very strictly—if he accidentally brushed against a female passenger, he might end up being invited by the police for a "chat."
"Screech—!"
"Ding-dong, the train has now arrived at Uji Station in Kyoto Prefecture. Please prepare to disembark and maintain proper order."
The train doors suddenly slid open. Standing not far from the doors, Kamiyā Yuu was carried along by the flowing crowd as he got off. He squeezed his way to an open spot, leaned against a stone pillar, and muttered with lingering fear, "Is this Tokyo subway for transporting people or making pancakes?" He said this in Chinese. After looking up and recognizing the familiar surroundings, he quickly found the route in his memory and left this place that had nearly given him psychological trauma.
After a thirty-minute walk from the station, Kamiyā Yuu successfully arrived at his destination for the day—[Kyoni Animation Co., Ltd.]
It was a somewhat old five-story building. The exterior, paved with dark red tiles, stood in stark contrast to the surrounding modern high-rise buildings, giving off a distinctly 1990s Japanese architectural style. This was Kamiyā Yuu's workplace—an animation company with decades of history. However, within the anime industry, it was already considered to be in decline.
"Hmm~ if I remember correctly, the Production Department is on the second floor, the Animation Department on the third, and the Key Animation Department I belong to is on the fourth." Kamiyā Yuu stood below the building and looked up at the top, where a worn-out sign displayed the company name in Japanese: [Kyoni Animation Co., Ltd.]. Due to its age, much of the paint had already faded.
"Yo, isn't that Kamiyā? How's your health? You collapsing during overtime really scared everyone. But in the end, we managed to call an ambulance in a panic—without a doubt, the one who contributed the most was yours truly." A blond young man in casual clothes approached with a grin and greeted him. His facial features were fairly decent, but perhaps because of his dyed blond hair, he gave off an overall frivolous vibe.
Kimura Jirō—a member of Kyoni Animation whose personality matched his appearance perfectly. Frivolous inside and out, he embodied it to the fullest. He belonged to the Production Department and was responsible for handling various miscellaneous tasks during animation production.
Members of the Production Department were also known as production assistants. They were responsible for checking key animation, in-between animation, backgrounds, photography, and a series of other tasks, coordinating and planning the entire animation production process. Although this position seemed the least directly related to animation, it was actually one of the most crucial roles in the production process. Moreover, production assistants were usually the most familiar with the entire workflow. It was also a position with great potential—once someone fully understood the process and built sufficient connections and influence, they could easily transition into a planner—the person who initiates an animation project. In terms of status, that role was even higher than the chief director of the animation.
"So, how about it? Aren't you super grateful to me? Want to treat me to a drink at the Red Rose Bar? I heard there are some pretty nice female college students there—real, genuine female~ college students." Kimura Jirō casually wrapped an arm around Kamiyā Yuu's neck, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as he spoke.
Kamiyā Yuu spread his hands and smiled. "Morning, Kimura. More importantly, shouldn't you be paying more attention to the progress of 'Mr. Onigiri Man'?" 'Mr. Onigiri Man' was the animation currently being produced by Kyoni Animation. It told the story of a righteous hero who drew power from eating onigiri and fought against evil forces. From the name alone, it was clearly a children's show. It was fairly popular among kids, so a total of fourteen episodes were planned, each about twenty minutes long. The sheer workload of this project alone was enough to keep Kyoni Animation working day and night for an entire quarter.
On top of that, due to a mess Kimura Jirō had caused earlier, the production schedule had been delayed somewhat. It was precisely because of the overtime caused by these issues that Kamiyā Yuu had collapsed at his key animation desk.
Kimura Jirō laughed loudly and said carelessly, "No problem! No problem! I'm someone who separates work from entertainment!"
Kamiyā Yuu's mouth twitched. He wasn't sure whether to call him thick-skinned or just naturally clueless.
"Work is work, entertainment is entertainment? Then what exactly are you doing during work hours, Kimura?" A deep, heavy voice came from behind Kamiyā Yuu. A thick, powerful right hand firmly grabbed most of Kimura Jirō's head. From the sheer size of the hand and the bulging veins, it was clear just how terrifyingly strong it was.
"Ahhh—wait!?"
Before he could struggle, Kimura Jirō was effortlessly dragged away. Turning around, Kamiyā Yuu saw a well-built middle-aged man dragging him toward the company building's stairs. The man glanced at Kamiyā Yuu and nodded. "Kamiyā, it's good that you're fine. If you've fully recovered, return to your post as soon as possible. The company is already swamped." After speaking, he flicked his left hand and smacked his lips in dissatisfaction. "All this muscle of mine is going to waste in an office."
The man was the very image of a powerhouse—his muscular build was clearly visible even through his white shirt. His rugged appearance went beyond roughness, giving off a strong sense of security. He was the kind of person who could stop a child from crying at night just by standing there.
Fujiwara Tora—the head of the Production Department, also known as the production manager. His working style was as forceful as his appearance, earning him the nickname "Fierce Tiger" both within Kyoni Animation and throughout the anime industry.
"W-wait… wait! L-let go of me first!" Kimura Jirō struggled desperately, his bean-sprout-like body completely unable to resist the iron grip on his head.
"Sorry, I can wait—but time won't."
It was only a little past eight in the morning. Normally, work didn't start until nine, right?
"Looks like this isn't a normal situation." Kamiyā Yuu took out his phone to check the time, sighed, and then, with the resolve of heading into battle, followed them into the old company building.