In the 1960s, conflicts arose between Watanabe Productions and NTV. Shin Watanabe once threatened that artists under Watanabe Productions would no longer appear in NTV programs in the future.
At that time, Watanabe Productions was at its peak and was the number one force in the entertainment industry. These harsh words carried full weight.
Of course, we all know the ending. Things have turned, and with the broadcast of "Star! Birth", the "Watanabe Surrounding Network" in the entertainment industry has formed, and the hegemony of Watanabe Productions has begun to collapse.
Everyone in the industry knows this about old history. When Shinichi Iwahashi suddenly mentioned this matter again, Watanabe Mayumi was a little confused. As the agent of Watanabe Productions, he naturally knew this kind of thing very well.
After a moment of reaction, he replied: "A few years ago, I had reconciled with NTV and continued to perform."
Of course, by the time it reconciled with ntv, Watanabe Productions had lost the confidence to speak harshly, and it was difficult to have close cooperation with ntv.
On the one hand, there was such a struggle, but the most important thing is because Watanabe Productions no longer has the good cards in hand.
"I remember that TBS TV station had a banning order against the Kitten Club before." Shinichi Iwahashi's topic jumped to this topic again.
"That's true." Watanabe Manyumi nodded, knowing it.
In 1986, when Kitten Club became popular, Kitten Club and its derivative groups had the terrifying achievement of being the number one song on the Oricon Chart for 38 out of 52 weeks in a year.
However, on the one hand, it dominates the Oricon Chart, and on the other hand, it continues to suffer losses in TBS TV's flagship audio program "The Bestten".
According to the ranking calculation method of "thebestten", physical sales only account for 60% of the points. Although Kitten Club has strong sales, its performance in the other 40%, which is radio on-demand and fan contributions, is not very good.
Although Kitten Club won the first place on the Oricon Chart, the sales trends of the entire group and its subunits were surprisingly consistent. Sales exploded in the week of release, and then started to plummet in the second week.
The problem reflected by this kind of sales trend is obvious. It means that the group relies on die-hard fans to support sales and has little popularity. Fans will move crazy boxes or even buy multiple copies of their records in the week of release in order to see good sales. However, passers-by are not interested in their records.
I have no interest and will not spend money for them, so after I have consumed my fans, my sales will also disappear.
Die-hard fans can put their idols at number one on the Oricon Charts in the first week, but they cannot keep their idols at number one. If they are not popular enough, the data on radio on-demand and fan contributions will not look good.
Putting these aspects together, there is a strange scene that happens from time to time on "thebesten". Kitty Club and its derivative groups, although the single ranked first on the Oricon chart in the first week of its release, it did not get the first place on "thebestten".
But in the second week, there was a big dive, and there was no counterattack at all.
The fundamental reason for the failure of "TheBestten" is that the popularity structure of Pussycat Club is not healthy enough. However, Pussycat Club believes that this is a stumbling block caused by TBS TV station, and deliberately prevents Pussycat Club produced by Fuji TV from taking the first place.
In the end, Kitten Club was blacklisted by TBS TV station because they repeatedly refused to appear in "The Best Ten" and disappeared from TBS TV programs for a long time.
Although the entire ban period was actually only a few months, it was indeed a long period of time in terms of the survival time of the Kitty Club. It was not until Sonoko Kawai, one of the core members of the group, made her own decision to star in "The Best Ten" that the two parties announced a reconciliation
.
This reconciliation was also quite dramatic. Sonoko Kawai was determined to star, but Fuji TV tried every means to prevent her from appearing. On the day of the live broadcast, Sonoko Kawai was on her way to the TBS TV station. Fuji TV even sent a car to ram Sonoko Kawai's car. The two sides staged a fight.
A street racing drama.
In the end, Sonoko Kawai successfully got rid of Fuji TV's pursuit and came to the backstage of "TheBestten" before the live broadcast. At this point, this war (farce) finally came to an end.
"There are no eternal enemies."
Watanabe Manyumi knew it well and explained the reason why Iwahashi Shinichi suddenly mentioned Watanabe Productions and the Kitten Club.
"Yes, there are no eternal enemies. This is true between offices and TV stations, and it is also true between offices and offices."
Iwahashi Shinichi said, "Go Hiromi and Johnny can now share the stage. Amuse and we are partners in Band Heaven and rivals in the competition for places in the Kohaku Utakara. Wait until next time, maybe there will be a new one."
Relevance.”
"In the entertainment industry, the identity of the 'enemy' is always changing, so in fact, the identity of the enemy is not that important."
Today's friends are tomorrow's enemies, and today's enemies are tomorrow's friends. In such an ever-changing entertainment industry, it doesn't matter who the enemy is, because everyone is already a rival and a potential partner.
"That's what I said." Watanabe Manyumi did not breathe a sigh of relief because of his words.
She knew in her heart that Iwahashi Shinichi felt that there were no permanent enemies, and when it came to enemies in the entertainment industry, defense was most likely useless. Only soldiers could stop the water and cover the ground with the earth, so he didn't care about the identity of the enemy.
"The identity of the enemy may not be of interest, but the enemy's goal is important."
Iwahashi Shinichi's optimism is justified, but Watanabe Wanyumi's worries are not asking for trouble. In her view, the identity of the enemy and the enemy's goal determine how she will make adjustments next.
"You are right." Iwahashi Shinichi said, "However, if you want to know who the enemy is and who they are targeting... whether it is a Band of Heaven-type band or 'us', we will be able to do it very soon."
See you soon."
When he said "we", it meant that he understood her worries, and Watanabe Wanyumi felt a little better.
"Anyway, let's put the matter of this hand aside for now." Shinichi Iwahashi smiled at Watanabe Manyumi, "Next, let's deal with the Kohaku Song Festival nicely."
Watanabe Manyumi cooperated, "Then I'm looking forward to it."
"Don't just expect, be more realistic and prepare." Iwahashi Shinichi realized that she was unhappy about the secret enemy, so he deliberately joked with her and made a toast gesture, "There is also wine for celebration.
"
Watanabe Manyumi smiled and said, "Okay, even the wide-mouthed glass wine glasses are ready...and the handshakes too."
Yes, to hold this hand, you can only keep your fighting spirit forever.
Iwahashi Shinichi thought and looked at his watch, "I'm going to the recording studio to see Zard, how about you go too? I can just listen to your opinion."
Throughout the preparation period for zard's debut, Watanabe Manyumi rarely showed up.
This is not abnormal. The band's manager made an appointment at Star Office, which has nothing to do with U-Miz. At the record company, Shinichi Iwahashi is the chief producer, and she has no reason to always show up.
Even so, Iwahashi Shinichi still wanted to hear her opinion.
Watanabe Manyumi confirmed the itinerary in her mind, "Okay. However, I am an outsider in music production, so I can't give you any advice."
"If a layman can say 'it sounds good', that's the greatest affirmation." Shinichi Iwahashi is not joking. Most of the audience for pop bands are laypeople who can't express any opinions.
The distance from u-miz to the recording studio is not far, so the two of them didn't take a car, so they simply walked there and chatted on the way.
Watanabe Manyumi is more concerned about DreamseTrue's new album than Zard in the recording studio ahead.
"This time I'm singing the final song. In terms of song selection, I'd better try to be as catchy as possible." After the plan took shape, Shinichi Iwahashi slowly added details to it.
"Be careful to avoid suspicion of death by curse." Watanabe Manyumi added.
"That's right..." She said this, and Shinichi Iwahashi remembered again, "The entire publicity plan is connected together. Now that the locust situation is not good, we still need to make a plan to deal with the national mourning."
I don’t know when the Locust will get up to speed. If the period of spending money on advertising happens to coincide with the national mourning, and if the topic is used again, the plan will be messed up again.
At such a time, there is no other way but to leave room for response in advance.
"There is also zard's debut." Iwahashi Shinichi said, "Previously, "So Happy! So Happy! I Love It!" was selected as a commercial song, and the effect was quite good. This time, I originally wanted to give priority to zard's debut song for the commercial.
Business listens.”
"However, the current situation has made me change my mind again." He said, "Instead of sending it to advertisers, it is better to try sending it to the TV station production bureau."
"TV series?" Watanabe Wan Yumi understood immediately.
Iwahashi Shinichi told her, "Teacher Akimoto told me before that Kameyama-san from Fuji TV is now in charge of TV series production. After that, I sent zard's audition tape to him and asked him to listen to it."
…
"Yumiko, this is the recording studio."
After Sachiko Kamaike said hello to the staff, she turned around and introduced Yumiko Kamaike who was greeting everyone behind her.
"That glass wall, I will sing on the other side of the wall." Sachiko Kamaike told her.
In the past few days, my younger sister Yumiko Kamaichi came to Tokyo to visit her sister. After obtaining the consent of the staff and teammates, Sachiko Kamaiike brought her sister to the recording studio where she works.
Yumiko Kamaichi listened to her introduction and looked at everything in the recording studio with incredible eyes. Is this the recording studio?
My sister works in a place like this... She thought to herself.
Ordinarily, it would be rude to tell her sister that she wanted to visit the recording studio where she works. Considering Yumiko Kamaiike's character, it took a lot of determination to make such a request.
Wanting to see where my sister works is out of curiosity, and at the same time, I also care about my sister.
When her sister was working as a pink-collar worker in a real estate company, Yumiko Kamaike would not want to visit the real estate company. For ordinary people, the entertainment world, recording studios, and singers are all very far away.
In particular, before signing a contract to become a singer, my sister also worked as a model for photo shoots.
Yumiko Kamaike does not look down upon her sister's choice. On the contrary, as a sister from the same mother, she knows her sister's personality clearly, and she also knows how much courage it takes for her sister to become a photo model.
When her sister came home that day and told her parents that she and her brother had signed a contract with a record company and would debut as the lead singer of a band, Yumiko Kamaike almost cried for her sister when she heard that her sister's long-held wish had finally come true.
Knowing how much courage it took for her sister to quit her job and become a photo model, Yumiko Kamaiike became curious about the record company her sister signed with and her working environment.
This kind of curiosity does not arise because the entertainment industry is too far away from her, but because she cares for her sister.
I want to know where and how she works, whether she is happy or not, and whether her dream is really about to come true... With this idea in mind, Yumiko Kamaike showed a rare willfulness and suggested to Sachiko Kamaike that she should come and visit.
Her sister Sachiko Kamaiike, who grew up together under the same roof, could also guess what she was thinking.
Before his official debut, he brought his family into the recording studio to visit. I don’t know if this would make the three teammates unhappy. However, when Yumiko Kamaike proposed it, Sachiko Kamaike would not refuse.
It's not that I can't refuse Kamai Yumiko, but my sister's request reminds me of my father and mother at home.
When Yumiko Kamaiike visited the recording studio, she would tell everything she saw to her parents and younger brother. Let her family know that she was indeed doing a dream job, and let her father and mother feel at ease...
Thinking of this, Sachiko Kamaike went to discuss with the staff and teammates and wanted to bring her sister to visit the recording studio.
She is usually very reserved, not the kind of girl who wants to tell the world about something, but she suddenly mentioned that she wanted to bring her sister to visit, which surprised the staff and teammates.
However, precisely because she is such a reserved person, everyone is extremely tolerant of her occasional small requests and all express no objection.
"Tachi-san, get ready to start."
At this time, the sound engineer Kamio called Kamai Sachiko to start recording. It was polite to ask for permission from his teammates in advance. In fact, the only one recording in the studio today was Kamai Sachiko.
There were two Kamaike-san in the recording room. As soon as Kamio opened his mouth, Kamaike Yumiko straightened up subconsciously. She looked at her sister who responded neatly: "Yes, Kamio-san" and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Kamai Yumiko is an absolute layman and has no idea how sophisticated the equipment in this recording studio is. She only feels that the sofa she is sitting on is very comfortable, probably high-end.
Kamai Sachiko communicated with the end, and then told her sister, "I'm going to start recording."
"Come on, sister." Yumiko Kamaiike encouraged her.
Sachiko Kamaike smiled at her sister. Yumiko Kamaike watched her sister walk into the recording room. Through the glass wall, she saw her confirming the music score on the music stand and putting on her headphones.
Then, he gave a thumbs up gesture to Kamaiike Yumiko who was on the other side of the wall.
Yumiko Kamaiike looked at her sister's cheerful expression and smiled too. Then, right in front of her eyes, her sister walked to the glass wall and drew the curtains.