Chapter 447: Explosive response, go be the overlord of Suzuran!

Entering mid-September, the temperature in Tokyo became increasingly mild. The daytime temperature was around 25°C. One could go out in a short shirt, and adding a jacket wouldn't be too hot, but at night, one already needed to cover with a thin quilt.

With the departure of the scorching summer sun, the city's greenery became more lush. The deep green leaves intercepted every ray of summer's remaining light, as if starting to prepare for the autumn harvest.

Under the shade of trees, teenagers gathered in twos and threes, discussing different worries and joys in life. However, this time, they had a common topic in their conversation—"Crows Zero"!

"If I go to Suzuran, I must also dominate Suzuran!"

A sturdy young man said this, but it was met with ridicule from his companions,

"Sota, you fellow, you'd be knocked down by Serizawa with one punch! Just like that second-year student who didn't know his own strength!"

The young man called Sota stiffened: "Oishi! You fellow, do you want to try the super strength that can dominate Suzuran?"

Saying that, several students started playing around under the shade of the trees, making their watching friends laugh non-stop.

During breaks, after school, after work, and whenever they gathered with friends on rest days, the young people seemed to be chatting about a high school called Suzuran, telling the story of the struggle for hegemony between Genji Takiya and Tamao Serizawa.

High school students wearing uniforms casually had become something like a trend, and even if the teachers repeatedly ordered them, they couldn't make them wear their uniforms properly.

From time to time, middle-school-syndrome guys would shout on the street:

"I am the man who will be the overlord of Suzuran!!!"

Even older college students were enthusiastically discussing the characters in "Crows Zero" with their classmates, and even pulling their friends to watch the movie a second or even third time.

On variety shows on TV, the image of high school students in uniforms suddenly increased, and talk shows were also discussing the popularity of "Crows Zero," and were also excitedly discussing whether there was really such a school in reality.

Johnny's Shonentai, Shibugakitai, and Toshihiko Tahara were asked related questions in all announcements because they participated directly.

Only a few days after its release, this movie had already spread by word of mouth among the crowd, making those who hadn't seen it feel the urge to go to the cinema to find out.

"Preliminary... success!"

In the studio office, Dayou Fangcun looked at the report in the newspaper and said to Xiuyi Yin Tang. Once the movie "Crows Zero" was released, its explosive response swept across the cinemas in Japan, making movies of the same period pale in comparison.

Major newspapers and magazines also commented on all aspects of the movie, whether it was casting, plot, or filming, all exposed clearly by the ubiquitous reporters.

Xiuyi Yin Tang was also reading a newspaper: "Ah, yeah, less than a week after release, the projected box office has exceeded 200 million. Once word of mouth spreads, there should be no problem for the first-week box office to reach 500 million."

"What a bright result. I don't know how many awards we can get in this year's movie awards..."

Dayou Fangcun had already considered the year-end Blue Ribbon Awards and the Film Academy Awards.

"Don't be happy too early. According to Naoki-san's prediction, criticism about 'Crows Zero' will come out soon." Xiuyi Yin Tang looked at Dayou Fangcun. "Have the relevant media been greeted?"

"Hi, all friendly media have been given gifts, and other media have also agreed that if they want to report negative news, they will inform us in advance." Dayou Fangcun said. "With the cooperation of Haruki Kadokawa-san, several magazines have also passed the word."

"I just feel that the preparation is not perfect." Xiuyi Yin Tang said. "By the way, where did Naoki-san go?"

Dayou Fangcun smiled: "Naoki-san should have gone to participate in the promotion activities in Kyoto today, and later he seems to be going to hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the courtyard."

"Ha? At such an important moment, he actually went to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony?"

Xiuyi Yin Tang complained, but upon hearing that Naoki Nagayama was still so calm, his own mood also calmed down a lot.

After putting down the newspaper, Xiuyi Yin Tang also prepared to walk out the door.

"Xiuyi-san? What are you going to do?"

"If Naoki Nagayama, that guy, doesn't care, then only we bitter people can worry more." Xiuyi Yin Tang waved his hand. "I'll go find my classmates in the media industry and see if I can say more good words."

And Naoki Nagayama, who was slandered by Xiuyi Yin Tang and Dayou Fangcun, was already in Kyoto at this time.

In a cinema in Kyoto, Naoki Nagayama and the leads Hiroyuki Sanada, Toshihiko Tahara, and Mieko Harada had just finished the media meeting.

The reporters in Kyoto asked various questions, wanting to discover angles that their Tokyo counterparts hadn't written about, but they were all well-fended off by the leads.

"Naoki-san, do you want to go for a drink later?" After the promotion activity ended, Toshihiko Tahara and Hiroyuki Sanada suggested, "It's been a long time since I came to Kyoto."

"Sumimasen, I have an activity to participate in later, let's do it next time~"

Naoki Nagayama politely refused the invitation of the two men, watching them go off to have fun together familiarly. In the movie, the two were very good friends, and he didn't expect their relationship to be quite good outside the movie.

"What activity is Naoki-san going to participate in?" The only lead actress, Mieko Harada, asked.

Mieko Harada, who didn't even participate in the preview, was filming a movie called "Bakumatsu Seishun Graffiti: Ryoma Sakamoto." If the venue hadn't happened to be in Kyoto, she wouldn't even have participated in this promotion activity.

"It's a groundbreaking ceremony for a courtyard." Naoki Nagayama replied. "How is Mieko-chan's movie filming going?"

"Such a period historical movie takes a lot of time to film..." Mieko Harada sighed. "It's still in the early stages of filming, many scenes are not satisfactory, and the actors are also grinding."

This kind of period movie pays special attention to the ancient style and appearance. If you meet a serious director, the requirements for costumes, makeup, and props will drive the props team crazy!

The filming cycle is also very long... the legendary slow work produces fine products.

"Then is it okay for Mieko-chan to come out today?" Naoki Nagayama asked.

"There are no scenes for me in these few sessions, they are all filming male scenes." Mieko Harada smiled and replied. "So it's no problem to ask for leave."

"Is that so~" Naoki Nagayama nodded. "Then do you have anything to do this afternoon? If not, do you want to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony of my courtyard together?"

"Eh? Is it okay?" Mieko Harada asked.

"Of course. It would be very lonely if it were just me, it's best to have friends accompany me~"

Naoki Nagayama and Mieko Harada walked outside while talking. Since it was the afternoon, having lunch together was of course certain.

He had told Akina Nakamori before that the miso in Kyoto was rich, but in fact, there were many other dishes in Kyoto.

And because there were many temples, exquisite dishes that used vegetables and fruits to replace meat were formed, especially tofu dishes, which were even more famous.

After telling the taxi driver directly, he wanted to go to the most famous yudofu (boiled tofu) restaurant in Kyoto. The driver uncle, who was nearly fifty, took the two directly to a restaurant named "Sohonke Yudofu Okutan Kiyomizu" in Higashiyama Ward.

Many old shops in Kyoto have exquisite courtyards, and this yudofu restaurant that has been passed down for more than two hundred years is no exception.

Walking into the shop, the simple dining tables and storefront still retained the style of the Edo period.

The pond-style strolling garden outside the window was quiet and serene, with murmuring streams flowing through it, which was interesting with the tofu bubbling in the pot.

Naoki Nagayama and Mieko Harada ordered a yudofu set meal, and the appetizer was a plate of grilled tofu coated with sweet miso sauce.

"Oishii (really delicious)~"

Mieko Harada said happily after tasting a bite,

"Sure enough, it's a delicacy passed down for hundreds of years!"

Naoki Nagayama was still a bit unaccustomed to the practice of Japanese girls saying it was delicious no matter what they ate. He originally thought it was business rhetoric on TV, but he didn't expect it to be like this in private.

However, this grilled tofu skewer was indeed delicious. The sweet miso neutralized the fishy smell of the tofu a little bit, highlighting the freshness of the tofu on the basis of not destroying the original taste of the tofu.

The casserole tofu after the appetizer used a stove that had been around for hundreds of years, which was very nostalgic. In the casserole were several large pieces of tender tofu, bubbling in the clear soup base.

The tofu after entering the mouth carried its own fragrance and the rich taste of the soup base, fresh, fragrant, tender, and smooth, incomparably delicious.

Naoki Nagayama and Mieko Harada chatted while eating exquisite and delicious tofu.

"Naoki-san, when did you buy land in Kyoto?"

"Well, in the middle of this year, because I really like the cherry blossoms and red leaves in Kyoto, I wanted to have a villa here where I could appreciate them well."

Naoki Nagayama blew on the steaming tofu and took a sip.

"Then wouldn't it be enough to come to Kyoto for tourism every cherry blossom season and red leaf hunting season?"

Mieko Harada didn't understand why he wanted to build a house here.

"If it's tourism, coming and going too hurriedly, I always feel that I haven't appreciated the beautiful scenery carefully, and I'm still competing with others for a scenic spot."

Naoki Nagayama smiled. "Just like this yudofu, it needs to be tasted slowly to be more delicious."

"It sounds very reasonable~" Mieko Harada also carefully examined the tender white in the spoon, and then tasted it carefully. "However... even if you build a house here, you still have to be with tourists, right?"

Naoki Nagayama smiled: "So I want to build a courtyard of my own~"

"A courtyard?"

Mieko Harada subconsciously looked at the exquisite courtyard of this tofu restaurant, thinking it was such a courtyard, and it looked really good.

When the two enjoyed the yudofu dish and took a taxi to the aristocratic courtyard in Sakyo Ward, Mieko Harada opened her mouth wide looking at this courtyard surrounded by walls, covering an area of nearly 3,000 square meters.

"Naoki-san, do you want to build a palace?"

"Haha, how is that possible. If it were a palace construction, it would be at least four times the size of this."

Naoki Nagayama saw that a simple shed had been set up inside the wall, and Takashi Honma was already there, so he waved his hand to signal,

"Mieko-chan, let's go in, the groundbreaking ceremony should be ready."

The aristocratic courtyard had already been demolished, the original shrubs and weeds had been cleared, the remaining main house structure was still intact, but the reconstruction materials were also slowly being prepared.

"Honma-san! Naoya-san! You are all here!" Naoki Nagayama greeted Takashi Honma and Naoya Sakata.

"Hi, actually we have already rented an inn nearby." Takashi Honma said this. "When we build in the future, we will be here for a long time."

"Ah, that's really hard work!"

"Haha, this is what should be done. Naoki-san gave us a chance to exert our creativity, we must cherish it!" Takashi Honma said with a smile. "By the way, the 'Jichinsai' is almost ready, we can start."

"Hi!"

Naoki Nagayama took Mieko Harada into the simple shed, where a priest wearing a god's robe had already placed the offerings and wine.

The so-called "Jichinsai" is a prayer ceremony entrusted to the shrine before the construction of the house, asking the gods for the right to use the land, asking the gods to bless the building, and blessing the owner's family to live happily on this land, etc.

Generally, you must first invite the gods to come, entertain them with offerings and wine, then sprinkle rice and salt to exorcise evil spirits and purify, and then the owner must pull grass, move earth... there are more than a dozen steps, which is quite cumbersome.

Naoki Nagayama followed the priest's instructions, finished one by one, and after sending the gods away at the end, he had to give a red envelope... Fortunately, Takashi Honma had already prepared the red envelope—50,000 yen.

After the groundbreaking ceremony, Takashi Honma began to command the construction team to enter the venue, while Naoki Nagayama took Mieko Harada for a simple inspection.

"Naoki-san, did you say before that you didn't want to compete with tourists for a scenic spot, so you wanted to build your own courtyard?"

Naoki Nagayama nodded: "Yeah, coming here for vacation in spring and autumn, or coming here to escape the heat in summer, are all good choices."

Mieko Harada looked at the handsome guy beside her and found that her impression of Naoki Nagayama had changed.

She originally thought he was just rich, but now she realized that this guy was super rich!

"It's really super amazing!"

In a club in Tokyo, Kinji Fukasaku asked Yoji Yamada very angrily,

"Yoji-san, didn't you say there was no problem at all?

Why was 'Crows Zero' still released in all cinemas?

What about the R18+ rating?"

Yoji Yamada also sighed: "Who knows that Kadokawa is so cautious, they actually went around the United States and introduced it again!"

Kinji Fukasaku's eyes widened: "Is it possible to completely avoid domestic restrictions like this? This is completely drilling a loophole in the law!"

"No way, we couldn't think of it, this is a trick that used to be taken by adult films." Yoji Yamada said helplessly, "Our people in the review group can't see the film at all!"

Facing the movie that starts with fbiwarning, the Film Ethics Management Committee can't intervene at all!

"Kono yaro! Is Kadokawa so cunning!"

Kinji Fukasaku thought this was a trick completely thought up by the old and cunning Haruki Kadokawa,

"Yoji-san, can't we make an article about this?

For example, 'Crows Zero' knows that the content has a bad influence, and specially released it in the United States to avoid review, etc.?"

Yoji Yamada shook his head: "They can say that the goal of the movie is the global market, so it is more convenient to start directly in the United States.

Besides, Shinji-kun, Japanese movies have never been restricted because of violence before. Our practice of wanting to forcibly rate 'Crows Zero' cannot be publicized."

"This..."

The evil plan that was originally calculated well was actually emptied at the beginning, which made Kinji Fukasaku very frustrated, and he could only pick up the wine glass and drink it hard.

The spicy liquor made his blood burn, Kinji Fukasaku loosened his collar and calmed his mood:

"Yoji-san, since this method doesn't work, we can only continue to exert force in the newspapers. The reporters who write black material should have no problem, right?"

"Well, there is no problem at all. Reporters have already run to the Yamaguchi-gumi Shizuoka branch in Shimizu City to verify it. The group leader there is indeed from the Nagayama family."

Yoji Yamada said, "The evidence and photos have been shared with other media. There will definitely be no problem this time!"

"Well, plus the previous criticism of youth violence, this time it will definitely set off a wave of public opinion."

Kinji Fukasaku felt a little relieved,

"In that case, this year's Film Academy Awards will definitely not have a share of this movie!" ===== CHAPTER 448 =====