dkrc Chapter 295 Kimura, welcome to join me
Chapter 295 Kimura, welcome to join me
Chapter 295 Kimura, welcome to join me
With the phenomenal success of "Haikyuu!!" and "Dragon Zakura" sweeping across Japan, the name Shin Kitahara has become an insurmountable mountain in the Japanese film and television industry and even the entire financial world.
In order to further expand the influence of the series and to respond to the extremely enthusiastic attention from all sectors of society, Kitahara Shin led the main creative team of "Haikyuu!!" to accept an exclusive interview on a top-rated in-depth interview program on Fuji TV.
The program was recorded in Fuji Television's top-of-the-line panoramic studio.
When Kitahara Shin stepped into the studio surrounded by bodyguards and assistants, almost the entire senior management of the television station turned out and lined up at the door to greet him.
"President Kitahara, your presence truly brings honor to our program!" The director of Fuji TV personally stepped forward, bowing deeply, and tightly grasped Kitahara's hands, his face filled with a fawning and respectful smile.
In Japanese society, which places great emphasis on seniority, changes in how a person is addressed often most directly reflect their social standing.
There was a time when industry professionals, no matter how respectful, would address Kitahara Shin as "Mr. Kitahara" or "Director Kitahara." It was an artistic title of respect for top actors and genius creators.
But today, from the TV station director to the ordinary stagehands and lighting technicians, everyone who sees him immediately addresses him with the uniform, even somewhat awe-inspiring, title of "President Kitahara."
This change in his name signifies that, in the subconscious of everyone in the industry, Kitahara Shin is no longer simply an "entertainment celebrity." He is now a "multinational financial tycoon" who wields countless resources, can easily decide the life and death of others, and can even single-handedly alter the public's attention to a particular sport.
This dramatic shift in status is vividly demonstrated in many traditional circles that once held themselves in high esteem.
For example, the "Nikokai" in the Japanese entertainment industry, which prides itself on being aloof, has an extremely strict hierarchy based on seniority, and controls a lot of traditional stage plays and serious drama resources.
A year or two ago, the power holders in the Second Science Association, who called themselves "veteran artists," still put on airs as seniors and tried to show off their power to the sharp-tongued Kitahara Shin, attempting to teach this arrogant young man a lesson in the allocation of resources for certain projects.
But now, faced with the overwhelming and terrifying influence of the Kitahara Group and its phenomenal ratings success, the old guys from the Nikokai are too scared to utter a single word. Not only have they completely hidden their past attempts to sabotage them, they've also started going to great lengths to curry favor with Kitahara Shin.
This kind of fawning was most directly embodied in Matsu Takako.
As someone who joined Kitahara's office under pressure and was thoroughly labeled "Kitahara Shin's woman," Matsu Takako is now treated like a star in the Nikakai. Those veterans who were once strict and critical of her now greet her with smiles, addressing her as "Ms. Takako," and practically offering her all the best scripts and awards.
Riding on the formidable support of Kitahara Shin, Matsu Takako's career has progressed at breakneck speed in recent years. Not only has she won numerous top honors in the traditional stage play field, but she has also firmly established herself as a leading lady in Japanese dramas thanks to several leading roles provided by Kitahara Shin. She has become an absolute core figure in the Second Division Association, whom even the president has to show deference to.
Inside the studio, the lights came on, and the interview officially began.
Shin Kitahara, dressed in a well-tailored, bespoke dark suit, sat relaxed on a single sofa in the center of the stage. Meanwhile, the main actors of "Haikyuu!!", including Satoshi Tsumabuki, Yosuke Kuboe, and Takeru Satoh, who are now incredibly popular, sat properly on a row of sofas to Kitahara's side and behind him.
Under the spotlight, the rigid hierarchy and class order of the entertainment industry are vividly displayed.
Even though these young people could cause a sensation by walking down the street, they were like docile sheep in front of Kitahara Shin.
Whenever the host posed a question to these young actors, whether it was the sunny Satoshi Tsumabuki or the usually rebellious Yosuke Kuboe, their first reaction was never to try and steal the spotlight from the camera. Instead, they would unconsciously glance at Shin Kitahara sitting in front of them. Only after seeing Kitahara nod slightly or confirming permission from his micro-expressions would they pick up the microphone to answer.
Moreover, during their answers, these clever young men always managed to subtly shift the focus of the conversation and attribute all the credit to President Kitahara's patronage and wise guidance. Their heartfelt reverence and absolute obedience secretly alarmed the media reporters present, giving them a deeper understanding of Kitahara Shin's absolute, monarchical power within this empire.
Midway through the interview, the veteran host finally asked the question that had been of great curiosity to viewers all over Japan.
"President Kitahara, we all know that before this, your works such as 'Tokyo Love Story,' 'Love Letter,' and 'Infernal Affairs' covered multiple genres including pure love, suspense, and crime, and you achieved excellence in all of them. However, sports themes have always been considered a thankless and risky area in the industry. Why did you suddenly decide to venture into sports themes this time, and why did you choose volleyball, a relatively niche sport?"
Faced with this highly intriguing question, Kitahara Shin slightly adjusted his posture, crossed his hands on his knees, and revealed a perfectly appropriate sigh in his deep eyes.
He began to calmly and casually "talk nonsense" in front of a national audience.
"Actually, the reason is very simple." Kitahara Shin's voice was deep and magnetic, as if it had a natural persuasive power. "Because sports themes contain a huge energy that people can't imagine, an energy that can break through all barriers."
In this era where many feel lost, I hope there will be a work that doesn't require too much complicated intrigue, but only the purest sweat, the purest running and leaping, to tell everyone that as long as you haven't given up, as long as the ball hasn't hit the ground, anything is possible.
These words, spoken in a grand and persuasive manner, instantly ignited the passion of many audience members and staff.
Immediately afterwards, Kitahara Shin's lips curled into a faint smile, seemingly unintentionally dropping a bombshell: "However, as for why I suddenly had the inspiration to shoot a sports-themed film—it's all thanks to Kimura Takuya."
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The moment those words were spoken, the air in the entire studio seemed to freeze for a second. Then, the eyes of all the reporters instantly gleamed with the light of hungry wolves! The host was so excited that he almost stood up from the sofa, and his hand holding the microphone trembled slightly.
Takuya Kimura!
In the Japanese entertainment industry in 1997, if there was anyone whose name could be discussed in the same context as Kitahara Shin, it would only be Kimura Takuya.
The media has been keen to hype up the concept of "two heroes of the era." However, in the eyes of discerning people and industry leaders, Takuya Kimura has long been far surpassed by Shin Kitahara in terms of capital strength, international influence, and the prestige of awards, and cannot be called "the other hero" at all.
But in the eyes of the general public and their die-hard fans, these two top stars, who both possess unparalleled good looks and have both created miracles in viewership ratings, are enough to generate terrifying traffic that could shake up the entire Japanese entertainment industry as soon as their names are linked together!
However, these two "arch-rivals" have never interacted on stage together in any work or even in any public setting.
"You mean, Mr. Takuya Kimura inspired you to film 'Haikyuu!!'?" The host, barely suppressing his inner elation, eagerly pressed on.
Kitahara Shin smiled and nodded: "I ran into Kimura-kun at the airport a while ago. He had just returned from vacation. He told me he had learned to surf. Seeing his expression of passion for sports, I suddenly realized that sports can bring out a person's most primal vitality. So after I got back, I immediately started this TV series project."
Upon hearing this bombshell gossip, the host immediately seized the opportunity, asking the question that countless media outlets and fans had been agonizing over: "President Kitahara! You and Mr. Kimura have long been considered the two titans of our time, and audiences across Japan are eager to see you two have a showdown or collaborate on stage. What are your thoughts on this?"
Facing the host's expectant gaze, Kitahara Shin's expression remained completely unchanged.
He simply leaned back on the sofa in complete relaxation, like a true leader at the pinnacle looking at an interesting junior, a condescending yet incredibly tolerant smile on his lips.
"Of course I have no problem with it." Kitahara Shin said to the camera, his tone as relaxed as if he were talking about tonight's late-night snack. "Kimura-kun is an excellent actor. If he is interested in my scripts, or wants to try some different challenges, he can always have his agent contact me. My door is always open to talented people."
The broadcast of this statement immediately triggered a magnitude 10 earthquake in Japan.
Kitahara Shin's nonchalant "You're always welcome to come and join me" attitude subtly elevated his own position to that of an observer, or even a boss. This left Kimura Takuya, watching the interview on television, with extremely mixed feelings—a mixture of excitement at being recognized and a profound sense of powerlessness.
But compared to the gossip frenzy in the entertainment industry, the shocking impact of the TV series "Haikyuu!!" on the real sports world is the true miracle that has left the entire Japanese society in awe.
With the continued popularity of the TV series, volleyball, a sport that was becoming increasingly marginalized and relatively unpopular in Japan, has experienced an unprecedented "revival".
The most direct manifestation of this is the attendance rate at major professional volleyball leagues (V League) in Japan.
In the past, the stands at these professional volleyball club matches were always empty except for a few die-hard fans and players' families. Even if the tickets were given away for free, no one would want them. Many clubs couldn't even get sponsors and were on the verge of disbanding.
But since "Haikyuu!!" became a nationwide hit, the situation has changed dramatically.
Countless ordinary people, students, and even housewives who were originally just fans of celebrities, inspired by the passionate and fighting spirit of volleyball in TV dramas, began to flock to major stadiums, wanting to experience the shock of a volleyball hitting the floor in person.
Long queues formed at the once quiet ticket counters, with tickets for popular matches being resold at exorbitant prices by scalpers. The stadiums were packed, with spectators waving banners supporting characters from the play or cheering wildly for the real-life professional players. Not only did ticket revenue skyrocket for major clubs, but merchandise sold out everywhere. Even top sponsors who had previously shrugged off volleyball were now lining up with checkbooks, eager to sponsor clubs.
This TV series single-handedly pulled Japan's volleyball industry back from the brink of collapse and even propelled it to an unprecedented peak of prosperity!
Faced with such immense gratitude, akin to being given a second life by parents, the owners of the Japan Volleyball Association and various professional clubs expressed their boundless appreciation for Kitahara Shin.
The day after the interview aired, a delegation led by the president of the Japan Volleyball Association, consisting of senior representatives from several of Japan's top volleyball clubs, visited Kitahara's office with extremely generous gifts.
In Kitahara Shin's spacious and luxurious president's office, this group of bigwigs who had been in the sports world for decades bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle to Kitahara Shin, who was much younger than them.
"President Kitahara! We, the entire volleyball community, will never forget your immense contributions to Japanese volleyball!" The volleyball association president was moved to tears. "If it weren't for your TV drama, many lower-level clubs might have gone bankrupt this season!"
Kitahara Shin personally stood up, smiling as he helped the group to their feet. He then instructed Sasaki to serve them the finest tea, saying, "You flatter me. I was deeply inspired by the indomitable spirit of volleyball, and that's why I wanted to pass on that passion to more young people. It's an honor to see you all step onto the court."
After expressing their sincere gratitude, one of the top club owners rubbed his hands together somewhat awkwardly but with great anticipation, and then brought up another important purpose of their visit.
"President Kitahara, it's like this. As we all know, the quality and depth that 'Haikyuu!!' has shown so far make it a super long-running masterpiece that can continue to be made and accompany a generation as they grow up."
The boss paused, his tone becoming extremely sincere and professional: "Our club's coaching staff has studied every single episode of the show's action sequences. To be honest, your company's actors are incredibly dedicated; their current volleyball level is already quite impressive for non-professional players. But—"
"If we look at it from the perspective of a long-term seasonal drama, as the national tournament unfolds in the later episodes, the requirements for tactics and individual skills will definitely become higher and higher. Their current level still has a lot of room for improvement."
At this point, the boss took a deep breath and offered a dream proposal that no film and television company could refuse: "Therefore, after internal discussions, our top professional clubs have unanimously decided that if President Kitahara doesn't mind, we are willing to open our most core professional training base free of charge!"
"Whenever your company needs us, whether it's the off-season or any other time, you can send the lead actors Satoshi Tsumabuki and Takeru Satoh to our club. We will send a national team-level coaching staff and current professional players to provide them with one-on-one professional training and physical conditioning! We can even arrange for them to play real matches against our youth team!"
Hearing this proposal, even the usually composed Sasaki secretly gasped. Having active professional volleyball players and national team coaches serve as free sparring partners for a few actors? This was practically using the top resources of Japanese volleyball to provide after-sales service for Kitahara Shin's drama!
But this precisely demonstrates just how terrifying Kitahara Shin's current momentum is.
Kitahara Shin leaned back in his boss's chair, his fingers lightly tapping the leather armrest. Looking at the expectant eyes of these sports tycoons before him, he knew very well that this was a perfect win-win situation.
The actors will receive top-notch professional training, resulting in even more hardcore and flawless match footage that will completely silence any layman's doubts. Meanwhile, the volleyball world can continue to cling tightly to his ability to generate massive online buzz, ensuring the enduring popularity of volleyball in Japan.
"Since you all have this intention, then I thank you all on behalf of these lads for your guidance." Kitahara Shin stopped tapping, a perfect smile curving his lips, and stood up to extend his hand to them.
"It's a pleasure working with you."
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