Chapter 208: New Sea City

Ishihara Rimi sat in the audience, quietly watching Cheng Chen singing his heart out on stage.

Her eyes were full of admiration at this moment; she had long known that Cheng Chen could speak Japanese.

But when those catchy original songs were sung out by Cheng Chen on stage one after another—

She truly could not hide her excitement!

It was really too good to listen to!

The concert had already entered its finale, and Cheng Chen, holding the microphone, said:

"We in China have a saying: 'Every feast must come to an end.'

This concert is about to say goodbye to everyone!

I am very grateful for everyone's arrival, and for this unforgettable night!"

Hearing Cheng Chen's words, the crowd only then came to their senses.

The concert was actually about to end!

Time had passed far too quickly!

Almost everyone's first thought was that they were reluctant for it to end.

But there was no helping it—when the time was up it had to end, otherwise Cheng Chen would face the risk of paying breach-of-contract compensation for the venue.

Back in the day, Eason Chan repeatedly broke Hong Guan's overtime record.

On the night of the concert, because he sang with such abandon on stage,

he also roused the fans' emotions, and the whole venue erupted.

So a concert that should have ended long ago, because of the fans' enthusiasm,

he returned to the stage three times in a row, only finishing around one in the morning the next day.

At the time, after the concert ended, Hong Guan issued a fine of 200,000 to Eason Chan's management company.

There was also Mayday, who at the time delayed nearly half an hour to let the fans enjoy themselves.

It is said that after that concert ended, the authorities issued a fine of 50,000 Hong Kong dollars.

There was also the time they held four consecutive concerts at Xiao Ju Dan.

Those four concerts together ran overtime by nearly half an hour.

Xiao Ju Dan's authorities issued a fine of 1.7 million New Taiwan dollars…

Fortunately, Cheng Chen still kept his senses and did not get carried away; holding the microphone, he said:

"The new song 'Fireworks' is for you all!"

The fans: …

Hearing Cheng Chen's words on stage, the fans said they were already worn out.

This man was simply too strong!

New songs seemed to be free as far as he was concerned—from the concert until now, a full four new songs!

Judging from the previous three songs, as the concert's closing new song, the quality absolutely could not be bad!

After a brief daze, the fans once again erupted in cheers like a landslide and a tsunami.

And Cheng Chen, amid those cheers, picked up the microphone and quietly sang:

"The shoreline I gazed upon that day—I can still picture it even now.

The words carved into the sand, and your silhouette.

The surging waves, brushing past my feet—what on earth did they sweep away…"

So-called bad films can produce divine songs; this was the case for the anime film *Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? *.

This song "Fireworks" is the theme song of the film *Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? *.

Many people could not stop praising this song, saying one after another that going to the cinema was just to listen to the song and watch an MV.

"Fireworks," as a song tailor-made for *Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? *,

has a beautiful melody of its own, fits the film's theme, and dovetails seamlessly with the movie.

But whether as a standalone song or as a song that draws you into a film, it is wonderful.

"Pat—

Light bursts forth in a flash

Fireworks come into view

Summer surely has not ended yet

Untying the tangled, ambiguous heart and tying it tight once more

May this night never end…"

When Cheng Chen sang the chorus part of this song at "pat—"

fireworks suddenly rose into the sky, the brilliant fireworks matching the lyrics from Cheng Chen's mouth.

Everything seemed so natural, so fitting.

This was, of course, an effect Cheng Chen had arranged, to draw the fans deeper into the song.

In Japanese culture, being able to go to a fireworks festival with one's lover is a wonderful thing and becomes a lifelong memory.

Therefore, every summer, spectacular fireworks festivals are held all across Japan.

Just as if beautiful flowers were blooming in the night sky, people therefore also call it the poetry of summer scenery.

People can wear yukata to attend fireworks festivals, watch the fireworks, and also catch goldfish while eating takoyaki.

In Japan, a single fireworks festival will draw several hundred thousand attendees.

Tokyo's Sumida River fireworks festival draws close to one million people every year.

The restaurants around the venue are basically all fully booked one month in advance.

In the eyes of the Japanese, fireworks and cherry blossoms are equally important.

Both share a common trait: they are both beautiful.

But the time available for everyone to admire them is very brief.

Therefore, every summer, the Japanese people deeply look forward to fireworks festivals.

Cheng Chen's song "Fireworks" tells the story of fireworks.

For a moment, many fans were spellbound.

It was simply too beautiful!

No concert had ever given them such a peculiar feeling before…

Onstage, after Cheng Chen finished the final lyric, he bowed to the audience and said softly:

"Then, that's all for now. Goodbye, everyone!"

"Aaaah, is it ending already? I can't accept it!"

"When will Brother Cheng come to Japan for another concert? I must come again!"

"Why did time pass so fast? Brother Cheng, sing one more song!"

Although the fans were reluctant, their emotions remained relatively restrained.

No one lingered or refused to leave; many faces instead showed satisfaction and lingering longing…

…

The next day, the explosive scene of Cheng Chen's concert in Japan immediately sparked a huge uproar within Japan!

Multiple media outlets ran the event as their front-page headline.

This made Cheng Chen even more popular in Japan; many wanted to meet him, including several top celebrity singers.

But what puzzled Cheng Chen most was that a significant portion of those seeking to meet him were from the profession of director.

It turned out his concert songs had been uploaded online, and some directors had heard them.

Especially the songs "Lemon" and "Fireworks."

These two songs, in both lyrics and meaning, were especially suited for television dramas or anime.

We have long been accustomed to receiving enhanced emotional effects from music while watching films and TV.

One could even say that sometimes, the music of a film or TV drama affects our emotions more than the visuals.

Imagine the low string music in the classic "Jaws" that evokes a somber feeling, foreshadowing something terrible is about to happen.

In the 1960 film "Psycho," Bernard Herrmann used sharp, piercing musical passages to heighten scenes of doom.

This approach became a classic template in film scoring, repeatedly reused in countless movies.

Meanwhile, music not only stimulates emotion in films but can also serve as a source of creative inspiration behind them.

Countless legendary musicians and classic works have been brought to the big screen, becoming known to more people.

Not to mention far back—within the Japanese market, the three divine anime theme songs are, for many anime fans, as essential as cola!

So, these Japanese directors understand perfectly well the impact of music on visual media.

When they were desperately inviting Cheng Chen, they did not know he was already receiving a guest in his room.

"Brother Cheng, hello, I'm Xinhai Cheng!"

Looking at the middle-aged man before him—glasses on, greasy hair, looking disheveled—Cheng Chen was curious.

Is this really the future director of "Your Name," hailed as Japan's next Gongqi Jun?

A bit sleazy…

"Ah, Director Xinhai, please sit."

Seeing Xinhai Cheng staring at him blankly, Cheng Chen realized and smiled, inviting him to sit.

Xinhai Cheng was born in 1973 in Chang Ye Xian.

He debuted in 2002 with the short animated film "The Voice of a Distant Star," completed almost entirely by himself on his home computer.

He rose to fame overnight as a "genius" of the digital age.

Anyone with even a little knowledge of anime should have heard of Xinhai Cheng.

This was one of Xinhai Cheng's early works.

"Early" here refers to the perspective of the future; in fact, "The Place Promised in Our Early Days" had just been released last November.

This was Xinhai Cheng's first and only feature-length animated film.

The screenplay of this work was excellent, touching for the first time on the conflict between "the self" and "the greater self."

That is, whether the female lead should awaken from her dream—staying asleep would preserve the tower.

But she would never again see her lover, nor the place of their promise.

It resembles the ending of "Zui Hou Sheng Huan Zhe," both naturally arriving at this point.

They unconsciously chose "the self," choosing to stay together firmly, aligning closely with contemporary values.

The Japanese revere craftsmanship; whether making sushi or anime,

they uphold an attitude of relentless perfection, pushing to the extreme.

Craftsmanship is a culture, and culture can be passed down.

Xinhai Cheng possesses this quality, which is already half the battle won.

"So, I've come here today to ask Brother Cheng to compose a theme song for my new project.

Of course, this new project has not yet been released, but its general plot is…

A series of three independent animated shorts centered on a boy's life.

The historical setting spans from the 1990s to modern Japan.

Through the boy's life, it portrays the transformation of Tokyo and other regions…"

When Xinhai Cheng told this story, his eyes clearly sparkled—with a sense of reverence and seriousness.

The moment Xinhai Cheng finished his first sentence, Cheng Chen already understood.

This was exactly his upcoming new work, *Five Centimeters Per Second*!

"If cherry blossoms fall at five centimeters per second, how long will it take for two hearts to draw near?"

siluke/0/111/111221/《The Alien Cultivation of a Skeleton Gardener》

That line once swept across QQ Space.

It became a revered maxim for many teenagers.

*Five Centimeters Per Second* tells three stories across different stages of life.

Centered on Gui Shu and Ming Li's relationship, it portrays Gui Shu's coming-of-age journey.

In each segment, Gui Shu's personality traits are unmistakable.

In his story, we seem to see our own unspoken tales.

This is the brilliance of the film—it evokes deep empathy.

First segment: Elementary and middle school Gui Shu stood up to his entire class for Ming Li.

He ignored his classmates' stares, his eyes fixed only on Ming Li, convinced they would be together forever.

He wanted to become better for Ming Li.

In the second segment, after transferring schools, Gui Shu became quiet.

He was unusually gentle and polite to those around him, always drafting text messages with no recipient.

Yet he still worked hard to become better, to become more outstanding.

Though he had no contact with Ming Li during this time, his feelings for her remained unchanged.

Third segment: After starting work, Gui Shu grew even more reclusive, speaking little, the screen filled with loneliness.

His monologues reveal he refused to engage in deep conversations with others.

Because he could never forget the one in his heart, none of his later girlfriends could enter it.

But Ming Li became engaged—she no longer belonged to him.

Finally, the two met again at the train tunnel, the rushing train blocking their view.

Echoing the scene from childhood when Ming Li confessed to him at the train tunnel…

"We will always remember the person we crossed mountains and rivers to meet."

The foolish, self-touching things we did, the efforts with no result.

Looking back, I never feel regret.

I believe every meeting has meaning…"

"This is exactly what I want to express!"

Xinhai Cheng looked at Cheng Chen, laying out the general plot and the ideas he wished to convey.

To aid Cheng Chen's creation, he brought along the script of *Five Centimeters Per Second*.

"Um… Director Xinhai, let's set aside *Five Centimeters Per Second* for now—have you heard of *Your Name*?"

Cheng Chen smiled as he spoke to Xinhai Cheng.

"*Your Name*? A new movie? I haven't heard of it."

Xinhai Cheng nodded honestly.

Cheng Chen smiled faintly—you wouldn't have heard of it, since this film won't be released until 2016!

*Your Name* was undoubtedly Xinhai Cheng's breakout hit.

Many people first learned of this director through *Your Name*.

In terms of box office success, this film repeatedly broke records in Japanese animation.

*Your Name* leans into fantasy, involving a meteor strike and time travel, with the male and female leads even swapping souls.

*Your Name*'s production quality is more mature, the visuals more detailed, and it avoids the large number of static frames of *Five Centimeters Per Second*.

*Five Centimeters Per Second* was criticized for its PPT-like visuals.

But *Your Name* is a later work by Xinhai Cheng, when animation technology had become highly industrialized; his signature landscape scenes were rendered with exquisite precision.

Most stunning was the meteor striking the lake—a vision of dreamlike beauty never seen before.

In truth, the film's plot isn't particularly novel—the female lead, Gongshui Sanye, lives in a small town.

Her father is the town's mayor; she was born into a traditional family.

She must perform sacred dances for the shrine, dances no one understands, and she has many troubles.

One day, she made a wish:

"In my next life, I want to be born as a handsome boy in Tokyo!"

The day before the comet passed over Earth, her wish came true.

She swapped bodies with the male lead, Lihua Long, and a series of charming, beautiful events unfolded.

They developed feelings for each other, searching across misaligned time for one another.

They saved the townspeople, saved each other, and redeemed themselves.

This plot resonated deeply with viewers.

Combined with delicate, intricate details and subtle emotional immersion, it brought many to tears.

Cheng Chen mentioned *Your Name* precisely because he wanted to adapt it…