The literary era since 1979

Shibuya district, which has 16 movie theaters, is known as the "Movie District."

Not only are most movie premieres held in theaters here, but even the Tokyo International Film Festival is held here.

At this moment, reporters from newspapers such as the Yomiuri Shimbun and the Asahi Shimbun rushed over after hearing the news, stood on both sides of the door, and took pictures.

Fang Yan did not choose to enter the theater from the main entrance, but entered quietly from the side door, walked along the corridor, and came to the lounge prepared for the roadshow of the film's creative team, where he saw Okuyama Rong, Matsuzaka Keiko, Kurihara Komaki, Chiba Shinichi and others gathered together.

"Mr. Fangyan, it's been a long time!"

A warm smile spread across Okuyama Rong's face.

Fangyan greeted them one by one, his eyes sweeping across their faces, finally landing on the bright and generous face of Matsuzaka Keiko.

It wasn't until Ao Shanrong reminded them that their attention was diverted back to the past:
"Mr. Fangyan, the suggestions you provided for the promotion of "The Ring" are really great!"

"It looks like the effect is pretty good?"

Fangyan smiled.

"It's more than good, it's a great success!"

Okuyama Yu said that Shochiku used slogans such as "Don't watch this if you're a coward" and "An unprecedented oriental horror film" to warm up for the release of "The Ring", and the response was very strong, breaking the pre-sale box office record previously held by Japanese horror films.

Fang Yan said: "This is just the beginning. We must continue to strike while the iron is hot."

Aoshan Rongtou looked at him inquiringly, "What should I do?"

Fang Yan said that they wanted to use the media to build momentum for "The Ring". For example, when "The Ring" was released, an audience member with a heart disease was frightened and fell ill on the spot and died suddenly. The relevant departments are re-evaluating the social impact of "The Ring" and deciding whether to ban it.

"This...isn't this too exaggerated..."

Ao Shanrong was stunned.

"In addition to creating an atmosphere of fear and frightening effects through its own content and elements, horror films also need appropriate marketing techniques."

Fangyan disagrees. In fact, most horror movies are not scary at all. They just rely on marketing methods such as trailers to trick audiences into going to the cinema.

For example, "The Blair Witch Project," which cost $20 but grossed $2.5 million, is mediocre and even boring.
It tells the story of a film student who disappeared in the woods near a small town in Maryland. At that time, they were filming a documentary about the ancient local legend "The Blair Witch". But the reason why it achieved such a huge success at the box office was because a special website about "The Blair Witch" was set up. It not only fabricated various news reports and related items before and after the disappearance, but also continuously published and updated the handwritten notes, life photos, and lost and found videotapes of the missing persons in the film, which little by little aroused the audience's curiosity about the Blair Witch.

"What Fangyan said makes sense."

Okuyama Rong prepared to discuss his proposal with other senior executives of Shochiku, and then got up and left.

After watching him walk out of the lounge, Matsuzaka Keiko turned around and looked at Fangyan lovingly, with a hint of resentment in her coquettish tone:
"Why did you come to Japan without calling me and Xiaojuan first?"

"I'm afraid it will delay your rehearsal."

Fangyan gave a playful smile.

"how could be!"

Keiko Matsuzaka and Komaki Kurihara looked at each other, "Right, Komaki-chan?"

Kurihara Komaki nodded in agreement. Soon it will be the 30th anniversary of the exchange between the two countries. As representatives of the Haiyuza Theater Company, they will not only exchange new plays during their visit to China, but also perform for their peers in the film and drama circles, so they have been rehearsing all the time and dare not slack off. "Speaking of drama, this time I have specially compiled a good play for you."

There is mystery in the dialect.

Hearing this, Matsuzaka Keiko and Kurihara Komaki looked at each other, surprised and happy, "Really? What drama?"

Fangyan teased, "Guess."

Keiko Matsuzaka bit her lip in annoyance: "Yada! A child is still guessing!"

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Well, I can't tell you about this. I'll keep it secret for now. When you get to China, the answer will be revealed."

The more she said this, the more Kurihara Komaki became itching to see what kind of new play the talented Fangyan had written to welcome them.

…………

As time passed, industry insiders, film critics, media reporters, audiences, etc. came into the theater one after another.

Kadokawa Lehiko looked around and finally found Fangyan in the crowd. He saw that he was surrounded by senior executives from Toho, Toei and other film companies. His heart suddenly skipped a beat and he hurried forward, fearing that he would be a step late and that Fangyan's gold mine would be grabbed by others first.

Today, although entertainment agencies led by Watanabe Entertainment, Johnny's and Hori Production are impacting the old studio system, it will still be difficult to shake the "Five-Company Agreement" for the time being. This is an agreement signed by Shochiku, Toho, Shintoho, Daiei and Toei, which dominate the Japanese film industry. It stipulates that the directors, screenwriters, actors and others of each company "will not be borrowed, loaned out or poached."

In other words, "Shochiku pillars" like Matsuzaka Keiko and Kurihara Komaki are generally not allowed to accept acting contracts outside of Shochiku.

Of course, with the company's permission, the five societies can cooperate with each other and share resources.

It is precisely because the five companies are in the same boat that Kadokawa Pictures, a young company that rose to prominence through idol movies, has suffered a lot of suppression and exclusion from them. If the dialect is taken over by the five companies, Kadokawa Pictures will not be able to eat meat, and I am afraid that the five companies will not even give it a sip of soup.

When he thought of this and the recent situation of Kadokawa Pictures, he couldn't wait to take out his business card and respectfully presented it with both hands.

"Hello, Fangyan-kun, I'm the vice president of Kadokawa Shoten, Kadokawa Koyomi!"

"Nice to meet you."

Fang Yan took the business card and glanced at it. "I've heard Vice President Suzuki mention Kadokawa Bookstore and your names before."

Kadokawa Toshihiko skillfully established a relationship, "Yuhikaku and our Kadokawa Bookstore have always maintained a close and pleasant cooperation."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "This time, the book signing event for Love Letter will be held at various branches of Kadokawa Bookstore. Please take care of it in the future."

"Mr. Fangyan is really too polite. It is an honor for Kadokawa Shoten to host a book signing event for a great writer like you!"

Kadokawa Koyomi knows how to strike a balance.

Fangyan looked him up and down, and he was indeed worthy of being the godfather of the two-thorn monkey who founded Dengeki Bunko.

"Bunko" does not mean "publishing house", but "a publishing brand owned by a publishing house". "Dengeki Bunko" is a branch of a publishing house established in Japan in the 90s whose business is to publish paperback books. It caused a storm in the two-dimensional field at that time.

The copyrights of light novels and comics in hand include but are not limited to "Shakugan no Shana", "A Certain Magical Index", "Toradora and Tiger", "Spice and Wolf", "Full Metal Panic", "Holy Blood", "Record of Lodoss War", "Sword Art Online"...

Later, he brought Dengeki Bunko into Kadokawa Bookstore, allowing Kadokawa to successfully reform and embark on the entertainment light novel route, becoming a "big man" who pushed Japanese comics into a new era. The leader of this Dengeki Bunko and even Kadokawa Bookstore is Kadokawa Koyomi. (End of this chapter)