Chapter 1027: Still unable to escape the shadow of Naoki Nagayama!

After the conclusion of Fuji TV's *Tokyo Love Story*, the subsequent dramas failed to satisfy the audience's expectations.

As for other variety shows and the like, they lacked any sense of novelty, leaving people with no choice but to change channels in search of alternatives.

It was precisely at this moment that TBS firmly seized this wave of traffic; their novel outdoor competitive reality show instantly captivated these viewers.

Akimoto Yasushi could be said to be riding high lately. The interesting interactions between guests in his *Fighting People*, the novel games, and the innovative format all made for a highly satisfying viewing experience for the audience. The ratings kept soaring, and the broadcast time was even moved up from the late-night slot to prime time!

This variety show already possessed the momentum of a groundbreaking work, and it looked like as long as the regular guests and presence were maintained, coupled with the rotation of other guests, the show's popularity could be sustained indefinitely.

"Akimoto-san~" "Producer Akimoto!" "Well done, Akimoto-kun!"

Inside the TBS building, every television station staff member Akimoto Yasushi encountered greeted him enthusiastically. Even his superiors patted him on the shoulder in praise, inviting him to go out for a drink after work.

This situation was somewhat reminiscent of the treatment their production team received at Fuji TV when *Twilight Nyan Nyan* exploded in popularity. However, back then, he had Sugiura Taitai and Nishi Rumi to share the glory with, and there was also the faint shadow of Naoki Nagayama looming in the background.

But now, these praises and smiles were all for him alone!

"I told you I had the ability!!!"

Akimoto Yasushi wore a smile. In truth, he was a proud person by nature; otherwise, he wouldn't have believed his own writing was better than the station's while still in college, leading him to submit scripts to the television station.

It was just that after meeting Naoki Nagayama a few years ago, he suddenly discovered a great mountain standing before him. Naoki Nagayama's talent was so high that he could only sigh in admiration...

However, now, he felt he was capable again:

"Even Naoki-san couldn't possibly produce a more interesting variety show than *Fighting People* now!"

"Naoki-san, I have already stepped out of your shadow!"

"In the future, I will definitely surpass you!"

As for the "Of Course" game from the beginning, it hadn't even aired yet!

"Akimoto-san..." an administrative staff member came to the office to notify him, "Station Manager Ogata Kotaro wants to see you... right now..."

"Oh? The Station Manager?"

Akimoto Yasushi was somewhat surprised. He wasn't familiar with the Station Manager and assumed something major had gone wrong with the show.

"Hai, I'll be right there..."

After walking into Ogata Kotaro's office, Akimoto Yasushi found the Station Manager on the phone with someone. Seeing him arrive, the manager didn't hang up, signaling for him to wait a moment.

While waiting, Akimoto Yasushi heard words like "broadcast rights" and "International Film Festival," until the call finally ended.

"Akimoto-kun..."

"Hai, Station Manager..."

Akimoto Yasushi asked respectfully,

"Has something happened with *Fighting People*?"

"Ah, that's not it."

Ogata Kotaro paused for a moment and shook his head.

Although this show was very popular, having sat in this position for decades, TBS had experienced too many popular shows; this was just one of them, and it didn't require his excessive attention.

"You've done a great job with the show... keep up the effort~" Ogata Kotaro praised him slightly, "However, I didn't call you here this time for the sake of the show..."

"??"

Looking at Akimoto Yasushi's puzzled expression, Ogata Kotaro didn't hide it and asked directly:

"I heard... when Akimoto Yasushi was at Fuji TV, you formed the *Twilight Nyan Nyan* office with others in the production bureau..."

"Hai!" There was nothing to hide about that. "Sugiura Taitai, Nishi Rumi, and I were the earliest members..."

Ogata Kotaro was somewhat surprised:

"Isn't it said that Naoki Nagayama was also involved?"

"Er... Naoki-san didn't join..." Akimoto Yasushi didn't know why Naoki Nagayama was mentioned, but he replied, "At that time, Naoki-san was considered... considered a consultant..."

"We would sometimes ask for Naoki-san's opinion to use as a reference... though whether we used it or not wasn't certain..."

"Ah, I see~"

Although he didn't fully understand the specific role, Ogata Kotaro's goal wasn't to clarify the production process of a show. He leaned forward slightly,

"In that case, Akimoto-kun and Naoki Nagayama's relationship must be quite good, right?!"

"Er... I suppose so~"

Akimoto Yasushi was even more surprised. Why did the Station Manager keep mentioning Naoki Nagayama when speaking to him?

"That's good!" Ogata Kotaro nodded, "Akimoto-kun, you know about the Tokyo International Film Festival, right?"

"Hai!"

"The first Tokyo International Film Festival had a huge influence both domestically and internationally. The heat and exposure during that time could be said to be rare in a decade."

Ogata Kotaro sighed,

"At that time, after we broadcasted it, the ratings were comparable to year-end programs like the Red and White Song Contest. It had a great impact on our advertising business and other revenues."

The reason why television stations want to spend money to broadcast large-scale events like the World Cup or the Olympics is precisely because they have huge audiences, which bring in massive advertising revenue while also showcasing the station's influence.

"However, this time, the broadcast rights were actually only licensed to Fuji TV!!"

Ogata Kotaro slammed the table in anger,

"Doesn't this mean other stations are a tier below Fuji TV!"

"..."

Akimoto Yasushi looked at the angry Station Manager, momentarily confused. What does this have to do with me?!

"Station Manager Ogata... this..."

Ogata Kotaro looked at Akimoto Yasushi, his eyes full of seriousness. Of course it has to do with you!

Because when the station communicated with the Tokyo International Film Festival organizing committee earlier, they discovered that the broadcast rights had already been licensed out!

It was naturally difficult to coordinate with Fuji TV, so they could only turn to Tree Friend!

TBS certainly had a partnership with Tree Friend, but on the matter of the Tokyo International Film Festival broadcast rights, even Yoshimura Otomo couldn't speak on it.

Because at the time, Naoki Nagayama had used these broadcast rights to exchange for shares in Fuji TV, and only he could decide such matters.

But Naoki Nagayama was a guy who was very hard to schedule. Within TBS, there was actually no one familiar with Naoki Nagayama!

Until... someone suggested that Akimoto Yasushi might be very close to Naoki Nagayama and might be able to pass on a message...

"So, I hope Akimoto-kun can help contact Naoki Nagayama so we can come out and talk about the broadcast rights."

"... It's actually because of Naoki-san..."

Hearing this, Akimoto Yasushi felt very conflicted.

"Very few people know Naoki-san's private number. When I was at Fuji TV, it was always Nishi Rumi who contacted Naoki Nagayama..."

Akimoto Yasushi said somewhat reluctantly, wanting to turn around and say he didn't know Naoki Nagayama. However, seeing the look in TBS Station Manager Ogata Kotaro's eyes turn serious, he immediately changed his tune:

"However, I have had a few private calls with Naoki-san. If you want to invite him out, I can try."

"Then I'll leave it to you!"

Ogata Kotaro nodded with satisfaction, then said seriously,

"Please, by all means, invite Naoki Nagayama out!"

The subtext was: if you can't invite Naoki Nagayama out, you, Akimoto Yasushi, are of no use, you know!

Popular shows come every year; TBS doesn't lack a producer, but Naoki Nagayama is a once-in-a-century talent!

"... Hai!"

Akimoto Yasushi was full of bitterness. He still wanted to compete with Naoki Nagayama in the future! Yet now, the TBS Station Manager he had to look up to actually had to go through an acquaintance to host Naoki Nagayama for a meal...

He didn't expect that even at TBS, he wouldn't be able to escape the shadow of Naoki Nagayama!

A week later, Naoki Nagayama didn't continue to stay at home; he finally came out~

After completing the script for *Once a Thief* at home and finishing the character prototypes for *Slam Dunk*, he decided to visit Tree Friend.

After arriving at the Tree Friend building and hearing everyone greeting him, smiling, nodding, and bowing, a strong feeling of being seen, being noticed, and being needed welled up in his heart.

"This is probably the combination of the fourth and fifth needs of Maslow's hierarchy of needs~"

Naoki Nagayama sighed. This was a spiritual feeling combining respect and self-actualization. One would imagine that Li Ka-shing, who was over 90 and still working at his company, and Jackie Chan, who was over 70 and still filming on set, must all need this feeling.

"Naoki-san, why did you come over?"

Outside the elevator, Naoki Nagayama ran into Yoshimura Otomo,

"Aren't you at home keeping Akina-chan company?"

"One has to come out for some fresh air sometimes~" Naoki Nagayama laughed, "How can a man stay at home all day long."

Hearing this, Yoshimura Otomo paused for a moment, then laughed out loud:

"Haha, that's true~ The world outside is full of fun!"

"..."

He always felt that Yoshimura Otomo seemed to have misunderstood something, but Naoki Nagayama didn't press for an answer, instead looking at him holding a briefcase with some curiosity:

"Is Otomo-san going out for a business engagement?"

"Yes..." Yoshimura Otomo nodded, "Regarding the Tokyo International Film Festival, the advertising side at Dentsu still needs to be discussed."

For a large-scale event like the Tokyo International Film Festival, the required advertising exposure is massive, and if you want to advertise in Japan, you definitely cannot avoid Dentsu.

And although they were the party in need, in front of such an almost monopolistic advertiser, they still needed to set aside the attitude of the "client is king" and negotiate well for advertising fee discounts and other concessions.

"Thank you for your hard work..."

Naoki Nagayama said dryly. Regarding this Tokyo International Film Festival, he really hadn't paid too much attention.

"Since you're tired of staying at home... why don't you come with me, Naoki-san?" Yoshimura Otomo thought of something, his eyes somewhat subtle, "The place we're going to is a newly opened club in Roppongi; the girls inside are all very cute..."

"... No need~"

Although he felt a bit itchy inside, Naoki Nagayama's expression was serious,

"I'm not that kind of person!"

"..."

Yoshimura Otomo looked at Naoki Nagayama as if he were looking at someone pretending to be righteous. When it comes to knowing about nightclubs, you are much better than me and Xiu-san!

Arriving at his own office, Naoki Nagayama leaned back against the leather boss chair, his whole body relaxing.

Sure enough, a man still needs a space of his own!

Picking up the newspaper on the table to flip through, Naoki Nagayama suddenly saw the latest tech product; the so-called epoch-making mobile phone had already started selling.

This was what was later commonly known as the "Big Brother" phone, each one weighing over a pound, like a small dumbbell.

But in this era, it was already the latest technology.

"The Big Brother phone is out!"

Naoki Nagayama laughed. Motorola's mobile phone had appeared, so future technological development was about to enter a fast track,

"I'll go buy one later..."

In the absence of SIM cards, buying a mobile phone also required going to the telecommunications bureau to handle the number, service, and other business together, so that a mobile phone that could make calls could be activated.

Looking at the battery life described in the newspaper as only half an hour or so, Naoki Nagayama didn't mind. Even with so many shortcomings, this kind of Big Brother phone was still expensive and highly sought after.

While reading the newspaper, the office door was knocked on, and Yin Tangxiu walked in.

"Naoki-san, I heard from Hua-chan downstairs that you were here..."

Yin Tangxiu thought Naoki Nagayama had come to ask about the animation business,

"I haven't had a chance to talk to them about the animation studio we mentioned before~"

"Ah, I'm not here to ask about that." Naoki Nagayama shook his head and took out a stack of manuscript paper from a document bag, "These are the character prototypes and story outlines I drew at home these past few days..."

Yin Tangxiu took it. *Slam Dunk*?

"Is this a sports anime?"

"Hmm..."

Naoki Nagayama nodded,

"Didn't I say before that the inspiration I gave to the animation studio was all very fragmented? So this time at home, I sorted out the story of *Slam Dunk*, and the plot and character prototypes have all been sorted out...

Before acquiring other animation studios, let's try drawing *Slam Dunk* first..."

Even if they acquired Kyoto Animation or A-1 Pictures, it was certainly impossible to let them start producing the animated films in his mind without any basis.

There would definitely be a relatively long adjustment period, and they would also need to wait for the projects on their hands to conclude, so Naoki Nagayama decided to let his own anime studio draw *Slam Dunk* first.

"Naoki-san..."

Regarding sports manga, Yin Tangxiu had no objections. *Captain Tsubasa*, which started serialization in '81, was already a deeply popular national manga, and it was also very popular after the anime adaptation.

Even the theatrical film *Captain Tsubasa: Road to Tomorrow! * from two months ago had achieved quite good box office results... although it was only half an hour long...

"In that case, the first project for our anime direction is decided! *Slam Dunk*!"

Before, the anime side was like a headless fly, and even after he took over, he couldn't find a clear direction. But now, Naoki Nagayama had given a project that looked very promising.

Next would be drawing the manga, publishing the manga, anime adaptation... until the final big anime film!

"Hmm..."

Naoki Nagayama nodded. In his mind, the images of Hanamichi Sakuragi, Kaede Rukawa, Takenori Akagi, and most importantly, Haruko Akagi appeared...

In his ears, the line "Next time, it's the national tournament!" seemed to ring out.

"I've even written the theme song; I'm just waiting for the anime to be released!"

"Eh?!!"

Yin Tangxiu said in surprise. The manga hadn't even come out yet, and he had already written the anime theme song?!

"Is it that far ahead?!"

"Yes... *I Want to Shout 'I Love You'* is one of them!"

Naoki Nagayama had already given this song to Shizuka Kudo, and it had been on the charts for several months.

Hearing this news, Yin Tangxiu seemed to feel a sense of motivation:

"Then, we can't continue to be so idle either!" ===== CHAPTER 1028 =====