Could someone who served as the head of the largest online animation community in the world really be an outsider who knew nothing about animation? Although such cases were quite common, Robert happened not to be one of them. Before joining this company, he had been a highly renowned animation critic blogger in the United States, running a personal blog with daily traffic exceeding one hundred thousand views.
He excelled at conservatively evaluating the value of a work from multiple angles. Whether it was obscure philosophical pieces or universally appealing fairy tale adaptations, he had his own unique evaluation formula. At present, in his mind, he had already given Kamiyā Yuu's upcoming 'Red—Crescent Rose' a high score. Its only shortcoming was that the animation's length was only about ten minutes, greatly reducing its inherent commercial value.
"Fakebook" was not content with being just an internet giant. The film and television industry—including animation—was one of the fields it aimed to step into. For Robert, who wanted to produce tangible results, the crowdfunding project for 'Red—Crescent Rose' was like a lifeboat he had spotted in a vast ocean. Unlike the frivolous impression Japanese animation had previously left on him, this work had the potential to truly move audiences and offered something fresh.
"I naturally understand the value of your work, Mr. Sora. However, as I mentioned earlier, this cooperation proposal is made in my personal capacity. If the amount were increased further, I would have to provide an investment explanation to the company's upper management. At present, the evaluation report has not yet been finalized, so I can only express my intent to cooperate for now," Robert typed with a serious expression. As for how true his words were, only he himself knew.
"Mr. Sora, if you don't mind, could you tell me about your plans and the subsequent development of your work? Our company is truly very interested in your project. If you and your team are not satisfied with the price, perhaps we can discuss a more in-depth cooperation model." Not wanting to dwell on the previous topic, Robert shifted the conversation with a hint of a headache.
At this moment, he couldn't see Kamiyā Yuu's reaction on the other side of the screen. If Kamiyā Yuu intended to use this first work to test the market, then Robert would need to be even more careful in seizing the right opportunity for collaboration.
With his experience, he could already foresee that once this work gained recognition, those frenzied investors would likely spend enormous sums to acquire both the animation and its production team. The value generated by an innovative audiovisual work was immeasurable—and a team capable of creating such a work was even rarer.
That was why Robert wanted to establish a formal cooperative relationship before the work was fully revealed. Everything up to now had merely been a test of the team behind 'Red—Crescent Rose'.
A line of English text soon appeared in the chat window: "Our team is also very willing to cooperate with a large company like yours. However, both sides currently lack trust and sincerity in this regard."
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The heavy and prolonged meeting lasted until after six in the evening. What had originally been a discussion to confirm the crowdfunding amount unexpectedly turned into a standard business negotiation. In the end, "Fakebook" agreed to purchase the exclusive overseas streaming rights and licensing rights for 'Red—Crescent Rose' and its subsequent works for one hundred thousand US dollars per episode, while also taking responsibility for promotion.
Aside from finalizing the official cooperation plan for 'Red—Crescent Rose', any agreements regarding future works remained theoretical, with both sides retaining the right to modify terms at any time.
One hundred thousand dollars per episode for a short animation of only ten minutes—even in his previous world, that would be considered a good price. After all, while it was often said that acquiring streaming rights for an animation could cost one hundred thousand dollars, if prices were truly that outrageous, a site like bilibili would have long gone bankrupt.
The fact that Kamiyā Yuu's short 3D animation could be sold for such a sum demonstrated how much importance Robert and "Fakebook" placed on it.
"Finally done!" Kamiyā Yuu said hoarsely as he picked up the mug of barley tea on the table and drained it in one go. During this negotiation, aside from serving as Kamiyā Sora's "seat," he had also been responsible for elaborating on future development plans and explaining detailed aspects of their vision. The unquestioning trust and tacit understanding between the two allowed them to completely dominate the negotiation.
Kamiyā Sora let out a small yawn and lazily collapsed into his arms, no longer moving as she muttered, "Tired."
"Sora, if you stay like this, I won't be able to get up. It's about time to start preparing dinner," Kamiyā Yuu said with a chuckle, reaching out to pinch her cheek.
"No need. This is fine. Let me rest for half an hour." Kamiyā Sora tilted her head back and raised her hands to cup Kamiyā Yuu's cheeks. The cool, smooth sensation made him narrow his eyes in enjoyment.
"Yuu, a reward," she said softly, pinching his face into a smiling expression. During this meeting, the business negotiation skills Kamiyā Sora displayed had far surpassed Kamiyā Yuu's own. Without her, there was no way he could have secured such a deal.
Kamiyā Yuu held her soft hands, feeling their warmth against his face as he said gently, "How about I buy you your own laptop after I get my salary next month? Sharing one between us is a bit inconvenient."
"Alright." Kamiyā Sora withdrew her hands and lightly brushed his lips before stretching lazily. Finally, she stood up from his lap and said, "Yuu, prepare some warm water for me."
"Going to take a bath first?"
"Mm. After dinner, I want to sleep."
"I see."
"Yuu, can I sleep in your room?" Kamiyā Sora tilted her head to look at him. Aside from fatigue, there was a hint of expectation in her calm gaze.
Kamiyā Yuu stood up and laughed. "Wouldn't your own room be quieter? I'll probably continue working on the animation later—it might disturb you."
"It's fine."
Just as Kamiyā Sora was about to get her change of clothes, she turned back and asked curiously, "Yuu, what does Yosuganosora mean?"
Kamiyā Yuu froze for a moment, his expression turning slightly unnatural as he replied, "It's the title of an animation I'm planning."
Noticing his reaction, Kamiyā Sora thought for a moment before asking, "What's it about?"
"A love story between a pair of twin siblings," Kamiyā Yuu answered, meeting her gaze calmly.
"I see. Then I'll look forward to the day you complete it," Kamiyā Sora said with a faint smile, choosing not to press further.