The way to show off your muscles and strength needs to be clever, rather than throwing money around stupidly.

Tao Zhiming first began intensive visits and discussions.

The first was the long-planned Santomo Investment Bank's investment in TV Tokyo. Tatsuo Nojima, who had benefited from Tao Chiming, began to seriously help promote it. Dongshi, which ranked last among private TV stations, saw the carefully prepared video by Tao Chiming.

After a strategic plan, I am also willing to accept such a fund.

The money from Sanyou Investment Bank was purely injected and did not interfere with Dongshi's decision-making. However, under the influence of the strategic planning provided by Tao Zhiming, Dimension Culture and WanderDane signed several strategic cooperation agreements with Dongshi.

Subsequently, preliminary planning began around the Hokkaido Music Festival, two variety shows on music and games, and a late-night animated series.

The time just arrived in late November. Tao Chiming once again took Ueno Yosuke and Ueda Shina to Hokkaido. With the new resources of Dongshi, Tao Chiming had a long talk with Governor Kokura Matsukata, and Ueno Yosuke went to Soya City.

After discussing the details, Tao Zhiming and Ueda Shana went on vacation to create a baby.

When he returned to Tokyo, he immediately continued to visit.

This time, the target was directly some of the clubs that he had checked in Hokkaido these days, as well as the clubs that he asked Kumina Maehara to check.

Naturally, Chiyan Xinshui has been paying attention to Tao Zhiming's whereabouts.

"He went to Tokuma Bookstore."

Chiyan Xinshui frowned. This bookstore is quite large. Although it is not one of the top ones, there are more than a thousand stores in the entire Neon.

The next day: "He went to Kadokawa Bookstore again."

Chiyan pondered: He couldn't get through the largest sales and distribution dealers, Dongbian and Nippon, and he felt the pressure from retail channels. Should he specifically seek cooperation with these sub-tier bookstore chains? That guy wanted to establish his own distribution channel.

?

Then:

"Bandai..."

"A newly established animation production club named STAFF..."

"It's still an animation club, called Animation Studio..."

"Nintendo..."

"Printing together..."

"Kodansha..."

Chiyan was confused: What is this guy doing? Why is he in such a mess?

In the Kodan Club, Tao Chiming came with Ueno Yosuke, Ogino Yoshizo and Goto Hiroki.

In the room, in addition to the president of Kodansha, the president, the editor-in-chief of "Shounen Magazine", there was also an old man.

They all respected the old man very much.

Because I can't help respecting him, because Shueisha's most famous manga award is named after him.

Osamu Tezuka.

Takayuki Takayuki, the president of Kodansha, looked at Ogino Yoshizo and Goto Hiroki with emotion: "I didn't expect that today, we would actually meet in this capacity today."

Ogino Yoshizo said calmly: "In the past, we were just in a position of competition with each other. I just performed my duties."

Tao Zhiming smiled and said to Toshi Takayuki: "President Toshi, Shueisha has changed beyond recognition. Ogino-kun and Goto-kun ran away precisely because they knew that they would take the comics in a very terrible direction. In the past ten years,

Now, Kodansha is in a bit of a difficult situation facing the competition from Shogakukan and Shueisha. But now that Shueisha has undergone such a big change, it is also an opportunity for it to rise again."

Tushi Takayuki was noncommittal: "President Tao, aren't you also going to enter the comics industry? Although your comics have not yet been published, I am amazed by President Tao's investment, and I am following it carefully."

"Dimensional culture doesn't just focus on comics. Now I want to make animations, but I don't have my own work yet. Besides, being in the same industry, it's not just about competition." Tao Zhiming paused and said, "

Our Mitomo Bank has successfully become a shareholder of TV TOKYO, and Dimensional Culture has also purchased TV TOKYO's late-night time. I plan to turn this time period into a special time period for late-night animation."

Tu Shi Xiaozhi's eyes became solemn: "President Tao's investment in this industry... is much greater than I imagined."

Tao Zhiming smiled modestly: "Because of love."

He spoke of love, but in his heart was business. He looked at Osamu Tezuka and said respectfully: "Tezuka-san, you are the number one person in the comics industry. I come today with a sincere willingness to cooperate and hope that we can

I have this opportunity to animate one of your masterpieces."

Osamu Tezuka came here today because he received a call from a big shot.

He looked at the young man curiously and asked noncommittally: "Which work?"

Tao Zhiming said with certainty: ""Bird of Fire"."

"What?" Osamu Tezuka was a little surprised, "That work... is not suitable as a TV animation to be broadcast to teenagers. Its plot structure and what I want to express... are not suitable."

"So, I came today with sincere intentions." What Tao Zhiming values ​​​​is the title of Osamu Tezuka's work, and the topicality that this work, which is known as the strongest neon work, may bring.

, "Tezuka-san, animation is not just for teenagers. Works with rich connotations also have their audience. I plan to open up late night time as a time slot for animated series, just to expand the audience for animation."

Takayuki Toshi immediately spoke: ""Fire Bird" is indeed an excellent work. Tezuka-san has spent 19 years and has not yet completed it. This year, Kadokawa Haruki-kun, the president of Kadokawa Shoten, will publish "Phoenix Chapter"

"The response to the OVA produced by "Fire Bird" was not good. "Fire Bird" is a work with extremely high artistic standards and profound ideological connotations. Chairman Tao, it was a bit too risky to target "Fire Bird" from the beginning.

?”

Osamu Tezuka also said: "Are you planning to produce an OVA of a certain episode, or a complete series?"

"Of course it is a complete drama." Tao Zhiming said, "The entire work, precisely because of the time relationship between different chapters and the clues in it, can we have a more complete viewing experience? Tezuka-san, Neon Society has already

I am getting more and more impetuous, and I feel that the times are calling for such a thought-provoking animation work."

Osamu Tezuka just smiled without comment.

Tao Zhiming said again: "Now, some people in the industry are also complaining privately, saying that Tezuka-san used to produce the animation of "Astro Boy" for only 500,000 yen per episode, which has laid the foundation for the animation industry since then.

Low hidden dangers. Of course, the conditions back then were not what we can talk about today, but this time I envisioned a more dynamic model and prepared to promote this model with this work. As long as it succeeds, I believe that the entire industry will be better in the future.

All practitioners can benefit from it.”

"Oh? What kind of new model?" Osamu Tezuka looked very interested.

"This model is what I call the animation production committee system."

Tao Zhiming began to explain this new model in detail, expand funding sources, and establish more sophisticated and professional industrial chain cooperation. The higher the production costs that animation production can attract, of course, there will be sufficient manpower to produce better images.

"...So, this is a series animation produced with movie-level standards." Tao Zhiming finally said, "As a first attempt, Dimensional Culture can serve as the main force of this production. Tezuka-san, just Dimensional Culture,

This time we can spend 30 million yen per episode on this project. Now, Bandai, Kadokawa Pictures, Nintendo, and East TV have all initially considered joining the production committee."

The production cost of an episode is 30 million yen, and this is just for Dimension Culture.

Takayuki Takayuki and Osamu Tezuka were a little shocked by the generosity.

"Of course, this is indeed because each chapter of "Bird of Fire" contains different characters. Commercial success may not be easy, so our dimensional culture will bear the main risk." Tao Zhiming said.

He said with confidence, "However, as long as the model is verified to be feasible, more and more works can be animated in the future. Moreover, I am confident that this work will be a success."

He looked at Yosuke Ueno, and then said: "This time, I have contacted many very powerful animation production teams. The animation will be done to the highest standards, and the dubbing will also invite the most expressive voice actors. In terms of music...

…Tezuka-san, could you please listen to the soundtrack that I think could be used?”

Osamu Tezuka was a little surprised: "Have you started creating music yet?"

Tao Zhiming smiled: "I also have a music club myself."

Ueno Yosuke has already taken out the recorded tapes, so there is no shortage of equipment at Kodansha.

With the reserve of various songs and tunes that Tao Zhiming has heard, there are all kinds of songs that convey different emotions. They are all works that have been widely circulated. At least in terms of atmosphere rendering, they are all top-notch.

Apart from money, the only other aspect that can be used now is music to impress Osamu Tezuka.

This is his most carefully created work. Since there has been an OVA attempt this year, it means that he will not refuse. It is just that he does not want to screw it up in the end.

So Tao Zhiming first used some aspects to show his strength.

The demos of these songs, even without the visual representation, have already shocked the people of Kodansha and Osamu Tezuka just by the music itself.

Tao Zhiming brought four songs over, namely, Quiet, Sad, Fighting, and Epic. These were all people who were very familiar with this work, and they could not help but map it in their minds to the plot that they thought was very suitable.

After the song was played, Tao Zhiming asked Osamu Tezuka with a smile: "What do you think? Use your prestige in the industry to support me in trying a new model. There were last resorts back then, but times have developed to this day, and more and more people

More and more young people are entering this industry, and they have a wider scope

of the future. I believe that this model will allow more practitioners to live a better life. Moreover, even if the plot of "Fire Bird" is not purely commercially successful this time, we must make it

Express the artistry and humanistic connotation and let it affect the whole world!"

Tao Zhiming put on his tall hat, and Osamu Tezuka thought for a long time, and suddenly said with emotion: "If you can't make money, it will be difficult to continue. Hayao Miyazaki's "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind", this year's "Castle in the Sky"

》, a lot of money has been invested, but now it has not achieved the expected return. This kind of thing is unsustainable.”

"Those who pioneer the path will pay a certain price." Tao Zhiming's eyes were firm, "But I believe that comics and animation are very good carriers. Shueisha wants to use them to spread ideas like war, and I want to use them to express them.

Themes like love, dreams, and youth. President Tokuma has received support from our Santomo Bank, and part of the funds I invested in the past will continue to be used to support Miyazaki-san's creation."

Tezuka Osamu was a little surprised: "You also invested in Tokuma Bookstore?"

"That's right. Under my leadership, Sanyou Investment Bank has established two directions of investing in technology and culture. These are all areas related to the future, not only Tokuma Shoten, Kadokawa Shoten, Animation Studio, but also many new animation production teams

, as well as Bandai, which has just been listed, and Sanyou Investment Bank are all supporting it." Tao Zhiming said about the results of these years, "I have gathered enough resources for the animation production committee system, now we only need an influential one

Works."
To be continued...