NOVEL NEXT Chapter 79: Chapter 81: Regrets
Hirokazu Matsunoka stood on the top floor of Toho Company's office building, looking down at the bustling streets of Tokyo through the glass window.
His expression seemed unusually calm, as if he didn't care at all about the ticket sales figures for Fate/Zero that his secretary had just mentioned.
However, as the managing director of Toho Company, especially in charge of film production operations, Matsunoka's inner anxiety was greater than anyone else's.
¥1.135 billion, 850,000 admissions, that was the box office data Fate/Zero had achieved last week.
Including the previous results, this film, which had been released for three weeks, had already raked in ¥6 billion in the Japanese market.
In comparison, all the films released by Toho Company so far this year had only surpassed Fate/Zero's earnings by a small margin.
This was not something to be happy about. As Japan's largest film company, Toho had released dozens of films, large and small, this year.
But when so many films were overshadowed by one, Toho's face felt swollen with embarrassment to Matsunoka.
"The situation isn't too bad," said Takayuki Ikeda, the executive director, as he smoked and analyzed the situation.
"The box office performance of our main animated feature films in May and June hasn't been affected too much. According to the predictions of the box office department, the box office of this year's theatrical versions of 'Detective Conan,' 'Crayon Shin-chan,' and 'Pokémon' will actually be higher than usual."
"Because those who watched Fate/Zero often feel the movie is too intense, so they like to watch an animation afterwards to relax."
Matsunoka didn't say anything upon hearing this, but his expression was not too pleasant.
What nonsense was this guy saying! He was just a worm in the company! How did he even rise to the position of executive director?
When did Toho, Japan's top film company, become dependent on others for charity?!
More importantly, according to reliable information, a director named Shinji Matou had already begun inviting other film crews to film in Fuyuki City.
Type-Moon Film and Television Company would provide comprehensive support from the set to special effects technology.
Matsunoka suspected that by next year, Type-Moon Film and Television Company's films would no longer stand alone. Both in terms of quantity and variety, they would be more comprehensive.
By then, Toho would face a real challenge from Type-Moon Film and Television Company.
Compared to the crisis that might bring Toho Film Company down from its pedestal in the Japanese film industry, the tiny boost in ticket sales from a few animated films now was insignificant.
"However, Shinji Matou and his Fate films aren't all bad challenges. At least he has opened up new possibilities for us."
From Fate/stay night last year to Fate/Zero this year, Shinji Matou had proven that as long as a film had grand scenes and exciting action scenes, it could achieve extremely high box office results.
In the future film market, purely commercial films would become increasingly dominant.
Those commercial blockbusters that brought in huge profits would be the trump cards in the hands of film companies.
But the question was, how would Toho make such films?
These films were completely different from the slow-paced old-fashioned films (art films).
Matsunoka might be dumb, but he didn't believe that Toho's current film directors could make exciting blockbuster films.
However, Toho had an advantage over other film companies: they had a complete special effects production team.
Although Toho had disbanded its special effects team after 1995 due to poor box office performance, the team members were still within Toho's production crew, so reassembling them wouldn't be difficult.
"But the question is, who should direct the film?"
The director's influence on a film was enormous. Even in Hollywood, where the producer-dominated system prevailed before Shinji Matou's time travel, the director still played a crucial role in the crew, let alone in this world dominated by art films.
Unfortunately, Honda Ishiro had passed away, and the director of the Heisei period Godzilla series, Takao Okawara, lacked the ability. The declining box office performance of the Godzilla series was evidence of this.
"If only we could get Shinji Matou to direct."
Matsunoka Hirokazu closed his eyes slightly and uttered nonsense.
If Shinji Matou could join Toho, not only would Toho not have its current problems, but it could also become a world-class film company with the Fate series.
"Not acquiring the Fate series films was truly the company's biggest mistake," Matsunoka said, rubbing his temples.
Toho had missed the best opportunity to acquire Shinji Matou. Although Shinji Matou and Type-Moon Film and Television Company were not yet at their peak, they were no longer the unknown figures who had begged Toho to distribute their films.
But that wasn't the most critical issue. Even if Toho hadn't acquired Fate back then due to critics' interference, they could still have invited Shinji Matou to direct films.
Now, it wasn't just about inviting him; even being spat on by him would be considered fortunate.
"Now it's troublesome. With critics blocking us, we can't cooperate with Shinji Matou."
"Indeed," Takayuki Ikeda said sarcastically, "We might as well sever ties with those leeches. That would make things easier."
Matsunoka glanced at him, clearly expressing the sentiment "Are you an idiot?" without saying a word.
Ikeda seemed not to understand his boss's look and continued, "Without cooperating with Shinji Matou, we can't make films with the same impact as Fate/Zero."
"Then find special effects companies in Europe and America," Matsunoka said helplessly. "Although it's more expensive, their technology isn't much worse than Shinji Matou's."
"And the director?"
Ikeda asked.
"We'll find one from abroad. I've analyzed Shinji Matou's film style; he's used many shooting techniques from Western films. So let's look in the European and American film circles. We should be able to find a substitute slightly weaker than Shinji Matou."
Ikeda mechanically nodded, but inwardly he felt that his boss's idea was unreliable.
"From now on, people all over the world will be divided into two types— those who have already seen Fate/Zero, and those who are about to watch Fate/Zero."
"This film, which critics have collectively scorned, is spreading at an incredible speed!"
The above were praises from the latest issue of The Daily Telegraph.
Since the release of Fate/Zero, The Daily Telegraph had spared no words in its praise.
The consistent and unabashed praise for Fate/Zero from The Daily Telegraph indicated where the newspaper stood.
But it couldn't be denied that this sentence was the best footnote to the global viewing frenzy sparked by Fate/Zero.
Such praise was quite important. As one of the three major newspapers in the UK, The Daily Telegraph had a large number of readers who usually didn't care much about films.
Brainwashed by the newspaper's praise, these people would become interested in Fate/Zero, which would then attract them to the cinemas.
After all, watching a movie wasn't an expensive form of entertainment. Spending a few bucks to enjoy some special effects was a very cost-effective form of entertainment for most people.
Of course, not only The Daily Telegraph, but also The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Mail— almost all British media, large and small, were collectively singing the praises of Fate/Zero.
Even The Financial Times, which had nothing to do with entertainment content, published records of Fate/Zero's box office performance.
Of course, to prevent outsiders from questioning their authority, The Financial Times specifically discussed Fate/Zero from the perspective of the film industry's development.
"While Fate/Zero has created a box office miracle, it has also demonstrated the potential of the film market to all investors. It is foreseeable that the future film investment market will usher in a wave of investment frenzy, especially with companies like Type-Moon Film and Television Company Film Company, Crown Digital, Avalon Films, IMAX Corporation..."
"Aren't these companies all led by Magi?" Kariya put down the newspaper and asked his nephew.
Shinji smiled faintly, "More accurately, these companies are part of the modern magus family's business under the Type-Moon Film and Television Company Film Company system. Initially, to prevent the film company itself from becoming too cumbersome, it was divided into separate companies."
"So, are you planning to scam people for money?"
"Talking about money is so vulgar," Shinji said leisurely, looking at the ceiling. "We are just encountering a small setback on the path of seeking the root cause and need the help of ordinary people to overcome it. After all, filmmaking is a long-term investment, and we can't waste the opportunity to explore mysteries. In return, we will voluntarily give some gifts to these people to ensure they don't lose out. This way, we advance further on the mysterious path, and ordinary people benefit, a win-win situation."
Shinji's roundabout words left Kariya speechless, "Say it in plain language."
"The company needs to expand, but the film dividends haven't been paid out yet, so we need financing."
Shinji directly compressed the language for Kariya.
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