Chapter 526: Let the popularity reach an even higher level!!!

The speed at which the situation was fermenting was faster than imagined, even in Tokyo, which was covered in heavy snow.

As more and more people watched the movie and heard this theme song, "Snow Flower," which was full of emotion, the reputation of the movie "Love Letter" spread rapidly among the people.

Pedestrians on the street, students in schools, office workers in office buildings, and even housewives and the elderly at home had all heard of this movie.

"I heard it's very good!" "The theme song is also nice!"

"I also had a secret crush on someone when I was in school!" "Eh? Was it me?"

"It makes people think of beautiful memories; this movie is very warm~"

The young people who had watched it marveled at the delicate and sincere emotions in the movie, and the natural and vivid performances of the characters, which satisfied their most beautiful memories of secret crushes.

"This opening shot is simply amazing! It's like an angel who has fallen into the mortal world!" "Different personalities, played by the same person! Very outstanding!"

"The memories are just right! And it echoes with the ending!"

Professional film critics highly praised the movie's use of shots and couldn't stop praising the director's editing skills. The two story lines from different perspectives, plus the montage of past memories, made the movie's development flow so smoothly, which was truly amazing;

And for the film production companies in the entertainment industry, they felt they had learned a valuable lesson.

Yamamura Toshitaka, the Minister of the Planning and Sales Department of Toei, was also looking at the reports on "Love Letter" in the newspapers in his office at this time. His trusted assistant, Nakano Toru, sighed beside him:

"This Naoki Nagayama is really amazing, actually filming three movies in a row! I really don't know how he filmed them!"

Yamamura Toshitaka didn't comment too much on the filming speed: "Filming movies fast just shows that the director is good at filming. Writing the script himself, filming it himself, and editing it himself, he has a clear target image in his mind and the power to make decisions, so naturally, it will be fast...

When Shochiku's 'Cameraman Urata' was established and the director-centered studio system was confirmed, movies were also exploding at that time, and one movie a month wasn't rare..."

"But what really surprises me is the promotion method adopted by Tree Friend Film this time!" Yamamura Toshitaka put down the newspaper, "This kind of abandoning the early trailers, media leaks, and preview screenings...

Instead, it boldly went straight to release!"

"This kind of movie promotion can be said to have never happened before!"

Nakano Toru didn't understand: "But if no one goes to watch it... then the movie's momentum will look very ugly!"

"This is the cleverness of Tree Friend Film!" Yamamura Toshitaka seemed to have everything under control, "First, it attracted the curiosity of the public through the scandals of the lead actors, but didn't promote the movie."

"After that, it suddenly spread throughout the city on a holiday like Christmas! Bus stops, subway stations, office buildings, newspapers, and TV stations... let every Tokyoite hear and see nothing but 'Love Letter' during this time at the end of the year!

What's even more sigh-worthy is that it actually snowed with good luck! It really had the right time, the right place, and the right people all together!"

Nakano Toru smiled: "Maybe it was artificial snow~"

"Are you an idiot? Do you think artificial snow is like the Winter Olympics?" Yamamura Toshitaka looked at his trusted aide with annoyance, feeling for the first time that he was a bit stupid.

"Hi hi, just saying~" Nakano Toru explained hurriedly, and then continued, "Then what will Tree Friend Film do next? They've already done all the ways to promote it, right?"

Yamamura Toshitaka crossed his hands against his chin and thought for a moment: "Next, if it were me, I would find a way to make this popularity reach an even higher level!

If that doesn't work, I must at least maintain this popularity!

During this time at the beginning of the new year, gain the greatest exposure so that everyone wants to watch this movie.

Coupled with the word-of-mouth effect of 'Love Letter' itself, only then can we obtain the greatest box office!"

"Make the popularity reach an even higher level? The popularity is already very high now! Maintaining the popularity is already very difficult!"

Nakano Toru said, and even in the Showa era without the internet, entertainment hotspots in the entertainment industry were one after another!

"Yes~" Yamamura Toshitaka nodded, "But I always feel that this guy Naoki Nagayama will still give everyone a surprise!"

In the office of the Kadokawa Group, Planning Minister Morikawa Gong was a bit indignant:

"Haruki-san! Tree Friend Film didn't notify us at all this time! They just released it directly! I think they want to ditch Kadokawa Film and go it alone!"

Kadokawa Haruki was leisurely reading the newspaper:

"Relax, Tree Friend Film won't want to ditch Kadokawa! This time they just changed a promotion method. Besides, don't we have our own people in the box office settlement? The dividends won't be less!"

"But... they didn't use our distribution channels at all!"

"Ah, this matter." Kadokawa Haruki put down the newspaper, "Minister Yoshimura of Tree Friend Film called me before, saying they wanted to build their own distribution department. Morikawa, you must have made things difficult for them during the distribution, right?"

"Eh? How could that be?!" Morikawa Gong explained hurriedly, "We all settled according to the market price! We were also very hardworking during the promotion!"

"So that's it!"

Kadokawa Haruki understood as soon as he heard it. The company they invested in, the cash cow that gave Kadokawa a large amount of dividends, actually used the high-sounding market price... No wonder they wanted to build their own distribution channels!

Morikawa Gong also knew that the market price was a bit unkind, so he hurriedly promised: "Haruki-san, next time we will definitely help distribute at the lowest cost!"

"No need... Next year, Tree Friend Film will undergo company adjustments and will build its own distribution channels."

Kadokawa Haruki recalled the exchanges during their previous chats. Tree Friend Film was going to become Tree Friend Group; it looked like they had already started trying!

In that case, perhaps he should also consider increasing his shareholding, or according to Otomo-san's suggestion, use a portion of Kadokawa Film's equity for a swap?

"This..." Morikawa Gong's face looked ugly; a large revenue was about to be gone!

"Morikawa." Kadokawa Haruki looked at his subordinate, "Next year, the relationship between our Kadokawa and Tree Friend Film will be even closer... The Ren Bo Qingshui we sent over before is already useless, right?"

"Yes, he has completely devoted himself to the underworld organization!" Morikawa Gong's mouth twitched. He had had high expectations for Ren Bo Qingshui at the beginning!

"Ha, that's also a choice." Kadokawa Haruki didn't say much. In this era, joining a gang might not be a way out, "But next year, we still have to send someone... Tree Friend's development will be amazing! We need to be even closer!"

"Hi, I understand!"

At the same time, Sakai Kotaro, the director of the production bureau of Tokyo TV, also noticed the news of the past two days. His focus was also on Tree Friend Film's planning ability.

Recalling the previous "Cat's Eye" and Fuji TV's latest hit variety show "Evening Meow Meow"...

"It should be the work of that Naoki Nagayama!" Sakai Kotaro remembered the young man who looked like a character who had walked out of a book, "He is truly a genius!"

After thinking for a while, he stood up and walked towards the Minister's office.

"Should have more contact with Tree Friend Film..."

Naoki Nagayama and Akina Mori were constantly accepting interviews.

After the movie media meeting in the morning, they received various connections and telephone interviews on the road one after another. At noon, the two went to Fuji TV to accept the recording of an interview program.

Naoki Nagayama came with the car from Ken-On. Yin Tangxiuyi really couldn't stand being a lightbulb and mascot, and had already run away during the previous program.

However, after getting off the car this time, he didn't expect that there would still be people to receive them. Sugiura Tai and Nishi Rumi were waiting at the entrance.

"Naoki-san, you've come again~" Sugiura Tai said with a smile, welcoming them into the headquarters building.

"Yes... I only came to 'All Night Fuji' not long ago, and now I'm here again~" Naoki Nagayama shrugged.

"That shows that Naoki-san has really made a big news this time!"

Sugiura Tai glanced at Akina Mori, who was exchanging greetings with Nishi Rumi, "It is said that all TV stations are calling Ken-On, wanting to book Akina Mori's schedule, and as for Naoki-san's side, if you are not familiar with him, you can't even find the person..."

"Hahaha~" There was no refuting this point. Naoki Nagayama rarely announced his agent or public contact information to the outside world. Those who could find him were all acquaintances.

After all, whether it was the programs he participated in or the movie production, most of them were initiated by Tree Friend Film.

"Then doesn't that mean Fuji TV is exclusive?" Naoki Nagayama and Sugiura Tai chatted and laughed while arriving at the studio of "It's Okay to Laugh!".

"Naoki-san, Akina-chan, because this time is relatively special, we used a live broadcast method directly." Sugiura Tai led the people to Tamori's side, "You have also participated in the recording of 'It's Okay to Laugh!' before, and you should know Tamori-san too~"

"Hi, I do know him." Tamori smiled immediately after seeing Naoki Nagayama, "I won't forget the guest who confessed to my assistant host the first time he was on the show!"

"..."

Naoki Nagayama smiled awkwardly. That time he really couldn't hold it back. Suddenly recalling it, he did a "one-minute friend" thing in front of people...

Thinking about it now, it's so shameful!

By the way, isn't the assistant host still that Miss Miyata Sanae?! Naoki Nagayama scanned the area secretly and really found Miyata Sanae's figure. It really is her!

When he scanned Akina Mori beside him, he found that her face was calm, as if she hadn't heard anything~

"Tamori-san, I'll leave it to you today~" Sugiura Tai said, "Naoki Nagayama and Akina Mori are also participating temporarily today, so the control of the program still depends on the experienced Tamori-san!"

"Hi hi, daijoubu, don't worry!" Tamori, wearing sunglasses, looked very relaxed. After all, he had more than ten years of variety show experience.

Tamori only roughly stated the process, then showed the two of them a few scheduled questions, and then went to prepare himself. The main thing still depended on his on-the-spot performance.

The studio was busy preparing the relevant materials for "Love Letter," and even borrowed a super-large poster. Watching the host and the director constantly communicating, and then telling the guests that today is a live broadcast, so they can't mess around...

Naoki Nagayama quietly said to Akina beside him: "Akina, have you participated in 'It's Okay to Laugh!' before?"

"During the second album, I came to participate..." Akina Mori replied in a low voice, "Has Naoki-san participated many times?"

"Only once..."

"Ah, that's the time you confessed!" Akina Mori smiled wickedly, "Let me see, ah, that assistant host is still there! Yabai, she's looking over here!"

Naoki Nagayama looked at his little girlfriend who had suddenly become nervous and felt a bit helpless: "That time was just discussing the movie... There was absolutely no intention of confessing!"

"..." Akina Mori pretended to look at the assistant host Miyata Sanae, "Miyata-san looks very cute!"

"..."

Naoki Nagayama saw that the people around didn't notice this side, so he quietly stretched out his magic claws and poked Akina's waist... Although it was thin, it was very ticklish. This was a conclusion drawn from practice!

"Ah!..." Akina let out a low cry and angrily patted Naoki Nagayama's arm, "Damn Naoki-san!"

The studio preparation was completed. At noon, following the director's command, the program officially started.

The live broadcast started, first with the warm-up:

"It's snowing today! It's so cold..."

The audience under the stage echoed: "Indeed!"

"A movie was released when it snowed, I heard it's very popular!"

"Indeed!"

"Looks like it's worth a good chat~"

"Indeed!"

"Hahaha~ Welcome everyone to today's 'It's Okay to Laugh!'" Then Tamori said directly at the opening: "This program is broadcast live throughout. If there are any mistakes... let my assistant Miyata Sanae apologize!"

The audience under the stage immediately booed, and on the other side, the assistant host Miyata Sanae bowed helplessly.

"Please understand~"

After a few warm-up sentences, Naoki Nagayama and Akina Mori were invited in directly, "Today, we have invited the stars of 'Love Letter', Akina Mori and Naoki Nagayama! Welcome them!"

Amidst a burst of applause, Naoki Nagayama and Akina Mori walked in.

"Does Naoki-san still remember my assistant host?" Tamori joked directly, "With Akina-chan beside you this time, don't go teasing others!"

Naoki Nagayama felt that this joke couldn't be passed today: "... I already said, that was just a program performance~"

"Sanae-san doesn't think so!" Tamori pointed to Miyata Sanae on the other side, "She has already treated you as a one-minute friend!"

"..."

Seeing that the teasing was successful, the host and Akina Mori beside him also laughed happily, and the audience under the stage also burst into laughter.

"It's Okay to Laugh!" is a program with high ratings, and it's in the lunch time slot, so many people watch it while eating lunch at home.

At this time, many housewives smiled knowingly, because the "one-minute friend" at that time was indeed impressive.

"The movie starring Naoki Nagayama and Akina Mori, 'Love Letter' ah... is it the one that suddenly popped up in the last two days?" a housewife muttered, "Should I go take a look?"

Turning her gaze to the TV screen again, she saw the host Tamori take out an envelope.

"Akina-chan, it's this kind of letter, right?"

"Hi, it's about this kind." Akina Mori said, "It was bought from a convenience store, the cheapest kind..."

Tamori looked surprised: "Eh? Is it so casual? This is a letter sent to heaven!"

"... It was Naoki-san who asked someone to buy it!" Akina Mori decisively shifted the blame.

And Naoki Nagayama had to explain: "Because it was a bit rushed at that time... and Otaru was snowing heavily, and no other shops were open, so I just bought one casually... The important thing is the meaning carried by this letter!"

"Is it that..." Tamori cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted in a funny way, "How—are—you? I—am—fine~"

The overly funny action made everyone present laugh: "Hi... yes..."

Next, the host asked about interesting things during filming and considerations during promotion. Overall, the questions were very similar to those at the press conference, but Tamori's questions were gentler and occasionally funny, making the whole process very smooth and the program effect very good.

In Japan, famous comedians are all people with off-the-charts ability and emotional intelligence.

While chatting and laughing, Tamori suddenly said: "Naoki-san, Akina-chan, if you were to write a letter to a lover you missed, how would you write it?"

This is a trap question!

Naoki Nagayama reacted immediately, but Akina Mori said very honestly: "That definitely can't be 'How—are—you? I—am—fine'... It would be very strange, right?"

"..." Host Tamori also didn't know how to answer for a moment. Little girl, you are promoting your own movie!

"Then how would Akina write it?"

"... I don't know, I don't have a lover I missed..." the little girl answered very seriously.

"Eh?!

" The audience under the stage exclaimed again...

"Honto?" Tamori asked in surprise, "Not even one?"

"No!" Akina said very frankly, and even the host had to believe it.

Since there was no breakthrough here, Tamori immediately changed direction: "Naoki-san, how would you write it?"

"... I don't know either, I don't have a lover I missed!"

Naoki Nagayama was sure he was telling the truth, but Tamori and the audience below all booed...

"Naoki-san, hontoni?" The host doubted, "Can't you bring out even one to talk about?"

"..." This is discrimination, right? It's definitely discrimination, right?

Host Tamori still didn't give up: "But I heard that Naoki-san had a secret crush on Ms. Momoe Yamaguchi, right?"

Ah, this really can't be refused~

Naoki Nagayama deliberated: "Yes, but for Momoe Yamaguchi, that was just admiration! It wasn't a secret crush!"

"So that's it... But if Naoki-san hasn't had a secret crush on anyone else, how could you write a novel like 'Love Letter' and film such a movie that embodies delicate, green, adolescent secret crush emotions?"

The host still didn't believe it~

Naoki Nagayama couldn't answer for a moment. Should he say he recalled memories from the future? If he didn't say it, there was really no way to explain it!

"This... actually, these are all based on imagination! Hmm!" Naoki Nagayama said forcefully, "Actually, as an author, many times the things written are just fantasies in the brain!"

"Oh? Fantasy... " Tamori continued to ask, "Can fantasy actually imagine such sincere emotions?"

"That's for sure! Don't underestimate an author!"

"Boo..." The audience under the stage booed again, clearly not believing it. And Naoki Nagayama didn't know how to refute, so he could only pretend to be calm, as if everything was true.

Tamori thought that this episode was a live broadcast and couldn't put too much pressure on the guests, so he gave a step:

"I see. Then if Naoki-san imagines missing a secret crush... ah, no, it can't be the same as 'Love Letter'... By the way, if you missed the previous relationship, just like the relationship with Miyata Sanae!

If you want to win her back, how should you write a letter to her?"

"This... win her back? That would be an apology..." Naoki Nagayama said.

"A simple apology won't win back Sanae-chan's heart!" Tamori returned to a relaxed state and joked.

"This..."

Naoki Nagayama knew this was a live broadcast. If he said something bad, it might cause everyone to question the "Love Letter" he wrote, and it would also affect the "Love Letter" movie.

His mind raced... The classic quote collection he remembered—"I Passed Through Your World"—suddenly appeared in his mind... Naoki Nagayama recalled what he could say...

I want to have someone like you?... No, I said that before!

Yanzi! How can I live without you!... Too explicit, right!

I once wanted to be your whole world, but in the end, I just passed by~... No, this is a breakup!

You left a legacy to this world, and I am your only relic.... Is this dead?

Seeing the guest silent, Tamori kindly prepared to give a step: "If you can't think of it for a moment, then let's..."

Just at this moment, Naoki Nagayama suddenly thought of the most famous line, like a fishhook, hooking up the memory group in his subconscious.

For a moment, the entire "A Chinese Odyssey" movie emerged from his mind: the monkey, the second-in-command, Bai Jingjing, Chun Sanniang, Tang Sanzang, your mother...

The overly sufficient memory made his mind a bit chaotic, and he just subconsciously said:

"There was once a sincere love placed before me... I didn't cherish it..."

"I only regretted it when I lost it."

"The most painful thing in the world is nothing more than this."

"If God could give me another chance to do it again, I would say to that girl... I love you."

"If I have to add a time limit to these three words, I hope it is..."

"Ten thousand years!"

The microphone placed in front of the stage amplified Naoki Nagayama's words without missing a word.

For a moment, Tamori, Miyata Sanae, and Akina Mori beside him all looked at him. The audience below fell silent from the moment he started speaking. Even the program director forgot to add sound effects. The entire studio fell into absolute silence.

After a long time... Tamori reacted with his strong hosting skills, and said excitedly:

"This..."

"This is really..."

"Sugoi!"

"!"