"Never forget at any time that Edison was a great man~"
"This is common sense that everyone knows~"
Sakura held her chin in one hand, turned to look out the window, and hummed a song in a nonsensical tone. Her workbench was next to the window, and she looked out at a quiet residential street.
When I was in school, although I was not a naughty and troublesome student, I was not what the teacher said was a good student. I would get distracted in class, use my imagination, and think about things.
After graduating from high school and joining the workforce, I was confused when I was working as an office worker. From time to time I was scolded by my boss for being distracted and making mistakes.
Even now, as a professional cartoonist, after work, I still can't help but look up from the mountains of drawings and stare at the sparrows that occasionally land on the windowsill and make a rattling sound on the windows. Despite the deadline
Getting closer and closer, already standing on the edge of crossing the line.
...just like the "Chibi Maruko-chan" described in the novel.
When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a cartoonist. When I grew up, I created "Chibi Maruko-chan" based on myself.
The comic became a huge success after it was serialized, and is about to be animated and put on TV. Author fees, royalties, peripheral royalties, money and fame are rolling in. For Sakurako, who has just turned 24, her life can be said to be smooth sailing.
Although the work of a cartoonist is far more difficult than ordinary people imagine. Especially for a new cartoonist like her whose works are currently popular, she has to live a life of working hard day and night, and being urged by editors to push her manuscripts.
Being a cartoonist is a physical job - this is something Sakurako only deeply understood after starting her career.
This year, the editorial department told her that "Chibi Maruko-chan" will be animated. The daughter of a vegetable house owner in the countryside of Shizuoka has become a best-selling cartoonist. Her original cartoon will be broadcast on TV, and it will be on the same page as "Miss Conch".
the same day!
Sakurako was excited by the news. If it hadn't been for the fact that the animation news hadn't been officially announced yet, she would have already told all her relatives and friends about it.
However, the editor in charge of her also told her that when comics are animated, the animation production company controls everything, and the original author has nothing to use. She can just wait for official news and the finished product.
But while she was waiting, someone named Nagato Daiyuki, the head of a production company called BEING, contacted her.
Sakurako had never heard of BEING, let alone Nagato Daiyuki, but when they met and chatted later, she learned that this middle-aged man, who was short and mild-mannered, was a great producer.
The year after her debut as a manga artist, she drove to Shonan with a colleague she met at work. On the way, her colleague played a TUBE song, and the producer was this Nagato-san.
With the work she had heard of as a guarantee, Sakurako had great trust in Nagato-san.
Nagato Daiyuki claimed to be a loyal fan of her manga, and also brought a song produced by his production company, hoping that the song could be used if the manga can be animated in the future.
Sakurako has always kept the secret that the manga will be animated, but Nagato Daiyuki's visit unexpectedly happened. Not only that, the song specially written for the manga is so good.
The kind and smart Nagato Daiyuki left a very good impression on Sakurako.
After getting the song, Sakurako contacted Sato and informed him that a head of the production company came to recommend her——
Then, I learned that the soundtrack and theme song of the animation would be handed over to the Japanese animation company's brother record company.
"A producer named Iwahashi took over. Do you know Chisato Moritaka and WINK?" Sato asked her on the phone.
Cherry nodded repeatedly, "I know, I know!"
Sakurako, a veteran groupie, liked Yamaguchi Momoe and Yamamoto Linda when she was a child, and was a loyal fan of Tahara Toshihiko in adolescence. Now, despite her busy work schedule, she can still spare a little attention to pay attention to popular idols.
"That Iwahashi-san is their producer, so please don't worry!" Sato said.
He moved Chisato Moritaka and WINK out just to dispel Sakurako's idea of recommending Nagato Daiyuki. He wanted her to know that the production committee had found someone more powerful than Nagato-san for the animation.
Sato was the first to say that the manga author had no say in the animation. At first, he did not know that the animation company he cooperated with also had a record company, so he contacted Nagato Daiyuki without permission.
Now, knowing the existence of GENZO Iwahashi-san, Sakurako can only contact Nagato Daiyuki and tell him, "The theme song must be entrusted to a record company that has a regular cooperation with the animation production company."
Nagato Daiko accepted the reality, but Sakurako still worried about this matter in her heart——
She wrote the lyrics for that song according to the simple lyrics skills taught by Nagato Daiko. If possible...
Sakurako herself, just like Maruko-chan in her comics, has a hint of unrealistic naivety that knows things are hard to change, but still wants to give it a try.
The news that the manga would be adapted into animation was announced recently, and at this moment, Sato contacted her again.
It wasn't that there was any problem with the drawings, but that Iwahashi-san wanted to meet her and listen to her opinions as the original author of the manga.
To create a theme song, Sato felt that Shinichi Iwahashi was making a fuss out of a molehill.
But Sakurako learned that Iwahashi-san wanted to listen to her opinion in person, so before they met, she had some expectations for Iwahashi-san——
Could you please give Iwahashi-san the song that Nagato played to her in the sauna?
"That child, this child, come together quickly~"
"Let's dance together~"
The sparrow landed on the windowsill and rattled the window. Tao Zi stared at the sparrow combing its feathers with its beak and happily hummed the song that was easy to understand and catchy. You will never forget it after listening to it twice.
song.
Then, when I look forward to meeting that Iwahashi-san, what should I say to him?
Hopefully that's a good and reasonable person!
…
In order to recommend himself, Nagato Daiyuki put a lot of effort into Sakurako, but because of the sudden appearance of "Iwabashi-san", the previous efforts were in vain——
But it may not all really be in vain.
It was precisely because Nagato Daiyuki's previous efforts impressed Sakurako that she was still unwilling to give up even though Sato clearly told her that she would hand over the theme song to GENZO.
Sakurako also has a good impression of Nagato Daiyuki, who is gentle and knowledgeable in front of her, and feels that he is like a teacher. Therefore, she is willing to work hard for Nagato-san who likes her comics so much, and tries to ask Iwahashi Shinichi.
We must let Nagato-san’s efforts pay off!
On the day when she met Shinichi Iwahashi, Sakurako mentally encouraged herself before going out.
The two of them, plus Sato as the middleman, met in a cafe near Sakurako's house.
Nagato Daiyuki is over forty years old, and Sakurako uses him as a reference. Iwahashi-san, who she thought could also be the head of a record company, is probably about the same age as Nagato-san. However, when they met, she found out that he was a person similar to herself.
Young people who are not much different.
Can the head of a record company be so young?
When Sakurako stared at Shinichi Iwahashi, she seemed to have forgotten that as a best-selling manga artist, she had both fame and fortune, but she was actually only twenty-four years old.
But how can an artist who relies on inspiration be the same as the person in charge of a company?
Unlike Nagato Daiyuki, who is gentle and knowledgeable, like a teacher, the younger Shinichi Iwahashi looks quite tall and majestic sitting there.
But for someone like Sakurako, who has been mediocre since childhood, the young and promising Shinichi Iwahashi actually has a sense of distance.
He became the head of a record company at a young age. Artists like Cherry Zi were a little intimidated by such a company manager, and they wondered if he was a difficult person to get along with.
However, Iwahashi Shinichi allayed Sakurako's concerns as soon as she opened her mouth.
"Teacher Sakura and I are from the same hometown."
After the greetings, Iwahashi Shinichi said to Sakurako.
I thought it would be difficult to get along with such an impressive young person in charge. As a result, she called her "teacher" as soon as she opened her mouth. Sakurako quickly lowered her head and drank juice to cover up her embarrassment.
"My hometown is also in Shizuoka, so I feel very close to you when I see your comics. My mother is still a fan of your comics," said Shinichi Iwahashi.
The Japanese have a strong sense of geographical connection. Japanese people from all over the world have established one hometown association after another in Tokyo. Not only that, when someone appears in their hometown, they will go all out to support them.
Iwahashi Shinichi revealed that he was from Shizuoka, and he was similar in age to Sakurako, which suddenly brought the two of them closer.
They are all from Shizuoka, so they will definitely be easy to get along with.
Sakurako thought a little nonsensically, and silently added in her heart that if this situation were a comic written by herself, she would probably follow this idea with a voiceover comment——
There are so many people from Shizuoka.
After Iwahashi Shinichi ceased to be an unknown person in the recording industry, he rarely received surprises about his age. When he came to see Sakurako today, he was surprised again after a long time.
Seeing the unexpected look on her round face, Iwahashi Shinichi found it interesting.
"As for the animation soundtrack and theme song, I will leave it to you."
Sakurako spoke clumsily with social rhetoric, trying to bring the topic to Nagato Daiko and BEING, but with Sato being present, she didn't know how to speak appropriately, which was a bit embarrassing.
While she was encouraging herself at home, she completely forgot about the fact that Sato would also go.
She is indeed Chibi Maruko-chan herself!... Sakurako thought in her heart.
In the end, unexpectedly, it was Shinichi Iwahashi who spoke up first and mentioned the matter, "I heard Sato-san mention it before that a music producer who is a loyal fan of manga recommended himself to Sakura-sensei."
Sato listened to him mention this and couldn't help but stare at him.
What was going on in the mind of this young producer? That day in Kobe, when Sato was pressed for details by Shinichi Iwahashi, the questions he had in his mind at that time revived again at this moment.
Is it possible that you are being petty by asking endless questions like this?
"Yes, it's Nagato-san." Sakurako breathed a sigh of relief quietly, wanting to praise Iwahashi-san for speaking at the right time. Using this as an introduction, she told Iwahashi Shinichi the whole story.
"I see." Shin Iwahashi nodded and asked politely, "Can I also listen to the song Nagato-san gave to Sakura-sensei?"
He said seriously and from the heart, "Since Nagato-san is a loyal fan of the comics and can do so much for the comics, if possible, I would also like to try to lend a helping hand to Nagato-san."
"Really?" Yingyingzi didn't expect him to be so easy to talk to.
Iwahashi Shin nodded, "I don't have that kind of scholasticism... If we can have suitable music, it's not impossible to cooperate with Nagato-san and use the music provided by him."
Sato heard from the side and understood what Shinichi Iwahashi was planning. He put aside all the messy thoughts just now and got to know more about this young producer——
It turns out that not only is he not a small-minded man, he is also a man with a broad mind and is willing to cooperate with others for win-win results.
"Actually, I even wrote the lyrics for that song myself."
As soon as Iwahashi Shin opened his mouth, Sakurako was able to speak freely. When she said this, she revealed that she was actually quite fond of the piece given by Nagato Daiyuki.
Once Iwahashi Shin heard it, he didn't criticize it.
This cafe was not far from the apartment she rented, so she simply suggested that Iwahashi Shinichi and Sato come to her place and listen to the music.
…
She brought the two people back on a whim, but Sakurako's apartment was not tidied at all. She asked Shinichi Iwahashi and Sato to wait outside, rushed in and cleaned up briefly before inviting them in.
Seeing her like this, Iwahashi Shinichi believed that she was Chibi Maruko-chan herself.
Sakurako brought the music given by Nagato Daiyuki, as well as the seemingly random scrawled lyrics that she filled in by herself. Iwahashi Shinichi pressed the play button and listened to the music while comparing it with the lyrics.
As soon as the melody sounded, Iwahashi Shinichi's heart moved.
This is it!
He immediately breathed a sigh of relief, listening to the music and reading the lyrics. Compared with the familiarity of the music, this was the first time he had seen these lyrics, although in fact he didn't know whether the lyrics that were finally decided were this one.
But after listening to the music and reading the lyrics, he felt that this lyrics was quite appropriate.
However, if this song can really be used, Shinichi Iwahashi would like to hear the opinion of Nagato-san. After all, it is his song.
"What do you think? Iwahashi-san." Sakurako asked.
Iwahashi Shinichi smiled at her, "It's a very good song, and the lyrics you wrote are also very interesting. After watching the animation, the audience will be very happy to hear such an interesting song."
He said this, and Cherry was also happy.
"So, I have something to ask of you."
Iwahashi Shinichi turned to the topic and expressed his thoughts, "I would like to ask for your help to introduce me to Nagato-san. I would like to talk to Nagato-san about whether we can cooperate."
As for how to cooperate, Iwahashi Shinichi had two plans in mind.
It depends on President Nagato’s attitude towards this matter.
