I am a literary giant in Japan

Chapter 245: Tanizaki Award or Akutagawa Award, Go Wherever You Want! (Two in One)

"The Dancing Girl of Izu" was created by Yasunari Kawabata based on his own personal experience.

The hero of the story meets a group of touring performers in Izu by chance, and then he develops a vague love with one of the dancers, Kaoru.

The whole novel is based on the two people's meeting, acquaintance, understanding, cherishing each other, and finally having to separate. It uses exquisite and beautiful writing to show readers a very Japanese-style tragic love story.

Yasunari Kawabata's novels are known for their unique concept of "aesthetics".

The plot that best suits his aesthetic writing style is the kind of hazy, elusive love.

This is why he likes to write about unrequited love, about being crazy about love, and about everyone's unforgettable first love.

But this was precisely the biggest problem that Hidefumi Kitagawa encountered when copying "The Dancing Girl of Izu".

The male protagonist in the novel has a vague love with Kaoru, and the story is set in the 1960s and 1970s, with a strong flavor of the times.

In reality, Kitagawa Hide was reminded of this novel by his trip to Izu, Kaoru in this world, and the touring artist troupe she belonged to.

He feels a brotherly love for Kaoru, and he has admiration and pity for the touring artist group. He hopes that since the original story only depicts a beautiful first love, he can dig deeper into it.

These days, Kitagawa Hide has been revising this short story over and over again. He has written at least seven or eight drafts, but he has never gotten a work that satisfies him.

After listening to his narration, Saito Reina suddenly realized something. She thought for a while, looking at her colleagues celebrating enthusiastically in front of the champagne tower. Suddenly, she thought of something and clapped her hands gently, "Kitagawa, do you regard writing as a too personal job?"

Beichuan Xiu was stunned for a moment, and asked in confusion: "Too personal?"

"Yes. You are 'Tianxia Yipin', a literary writer, but you are also my author, the author of Kawaide Shobo." Saito Reina looked at him and whispered, "You can definitely use external forces to help you write."

Saito Reina paused again, then continued, "In my opinion, the reason you can't write a version of the work that satisfies you is that you don't know Kaoru and the others well enough.

Do you remember the time before you wrote The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle? You went to many libraries to look for information and research literature, right?

In fact, you can ask Xunzi and others to assist you in writing, such as asking for their opinions, doing some questionnaires or something like that. "

She enumerated several methods that she thought of on the spur of the moment, with the aim of informing Kitagawa Hide, the "oddball" in the literary world, that his writing style has always been completely private and independent.

But in fact, in Japan, whether it is the literary world, the film and television industry, the animation industry, or the gaming industry, all major industries have developed their own set of industrial assembly lines during the long process of development.

Good works are certainly not produced solely through assembly line mass production, but a mature industrial system will certainly help excellent creators to go further.

Taking the animation industry as an example, the three popular comics "Death, Fire, and Sea" that were talked about by comic fans in later generations were actually operated by an entire systematic studio after they became popular.

The cartoonist has many assistants around him, some are responsible for line drawings, some are responsible for coloring, some are responsible for filling in dialogues, and so on.

In addition, the studio also has employees responsible for operations, legal affairs, plot planning, etc.

Behind a huge IP brand, there must be a large team working together.

The same is true in the literary world.

Behind every top writer, there must be a complete operation team and support team.

Behind Kitagawa Hide are Saito Rena and Kawaide Shobo, but he has been so powerful along the way that everyone feels that he does not need any assistance.

"I definitely don't mean to ask you, Kitagawa, to industrialize your work." Saito Reina was worried that he might misunderstand, so she quickly waved her hand and explained, "Literary works are different from other works. The author's soul is the most important.

I just suggest that when you are stuck, maybe you can try to let me or other friends who can help you complete it. "

Kitagawa Hide has no intention of setting up a writer's studio at the moment, and he also doesn't think from the bottom of his heart that industrialized products can produce any masterpieces that will last forever.

But what Saito Reina said does make sense.

When he was writing "The Dancing Girl of Izu", he was not sure about the personality of the character Kaoruko in the book because he had no reference to real people.

It would be too absurd to let him imagine that he and Kaoru were in love.

However, he could just wait until the weekend to call Kaoru and the others over, and use questioning to understand their reactions and thoughts when faced with similar things.

This is what is called collecting wind.
Kitagawa Xiu suddenly realized and nodded thoughtfully.

Seeing his enlightened expression, Saito Reina realized that she had helped, and smiled, "It seems that you have found a solution."

"Well, thank you so much, Saito." Kitagawa Hide was very satisfied with his partner from the very beginning. One of the important reasons why he was interested in Saito Rena was that she had an extremely responsible work attitude and strong editing skills.

"By the way, is there anything else to do these days? I may have to stay in seclusion until around the end of November. When I go back, I will send you the follow-up manuscripts of "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" and "The Assassination of the Knight Commander."

Kitagawa Hide asked.

"Yes. The copyrights of Paradise Lost and Border have been sold, and the related film and television works are about to start shooting. They hope that you can be listed as the screenwriter and help choose the main role."

Saito Reina rubbed her eyes and smiled helplessly.

"The TV series and movies you produced and the scripts you wrote all sold like hot cakes. The key is, Beichuan, do you know that many of the actors you selected became instant hits!

The entire entertainment industry is watching you now. I wonder how many actors want to cling to you. "

"Really? Aren't there just those few movies and TV shows?" Kitagawa Hide was confused.

He has never thought that he has any ability in this area, and basically left several film and television dramas to Shunji Iwai, becoming a hands-off boss.

"Yes! Have you forgotten? Kimura Takuya, Kudo Shizuka, Jabami Rei, and now Nagano Hiroshi. Even Takagi Rei, who played a minor supporting role, are all very popular."

Saito Rena stretched out her fingers and listed them one by one. She also admired Kitagawa Hide's sharp vision very much.

In addition, even Mayumi Aso, who has only filmed once, now has many advertising companies inviting her to shoot commercials!
Now, talent scouts in the entertainment industry all worship Kitagawa Hide as their ancestor and worship him every day!
"I'll think about it." Kitagawa Hide's mind is currently focused on short stories, and he has no interest in getting involved in these things.

Seeing his reaction, Saito Reina understood and nodded, "Then I will help you push them all away from now on."

“Will it be tricky?”

"No, this is part of my job." Saito Rena waved her hand. She and Kitagawa Hide agreed on this matter.

They have come to where they are today relying on their excellent works. If anything may affect Kitagawa Hide's creation, not to mention Kitagawa Hide, she will definitely be the first to come out and strangle the other party in the cradle!

"Oh, there's one more thing." Saito Reina asked her secretary to bring a folder over. "The Tanizaki Award said they want to push you to win the award this year. What are you going to do?"

The Tanizaki Prize, held twice a year, is the ceiling of Japan's pure literature world, the First Prize.

Once upon a time, in order to win this award, Saito Rena worked day and night, hoping that Kitagawa Hide would win this award with his book "Border" in the first half of the year to make up for the regret of not winning the Akutagawa Prize.

However, due to the behind-the-scenes manipulation, Kitagawa Hide missed the opportunity.

Now when talking about this award, the two smiled at each other, with no emotion in their eyes, as if they no longer cared about it.

"What do you think?" asked Kitagawa Hide.

Rena Saito thought for a moment and answered truthfully: "I think this is the olive branch that Mr. Tanizaki threw out to you in order to mend his relationship with you after a few incidents." It is a recognized fact that Kitagawa Hide is not favored by domestic literary awards in Japan.

Since the Akutagawa Prize, there has been one pure literature award after another, as if whoever awards it would seem to have lost value.

Last time, the Tanizaki Award was not given to him due to some behind-the-scenes manipulation, and the matter was finally brought to Tanizaki Ichiro, but Tanizaki Ichiro refused to speak for Kitagawa Hide on the grounds that "this award has nothing to do with me."

Now that Kitagawa Hide seems unstoppable, these literary awards are coming back to him one after another. It's really ironic.

"Well, I thought of a little story." said Kitagawa Hide.

"What?" Saito Reina tilted her head.

Kitagawa Hide briefly talked about how a certain music superstar next door was targeted by the Golden Melody Awards.

The judges of these awards are all very conceited, as if not giving the awards to the right people would demonstrate their own style.

"This is indeed common in the entertainment industry." Rena Saito didn't expect that Hide Kitagawa was also involved in the entertainment industry next door. She thought this was the story happening now.

"Remember what I said at the Akutagawa Prize ceremony?" said Kitagawa Hide.

"Of course I remember. What will be remembered forever is the work, not the award."

Saito Reina smiled at him.
"That's what I was going to say. So you..."

“I don’t need their olive branch of charity, and maybe they will play a trick on me again?

Whether it's the Tanizaki Award or the Akutagawa Award, just go wherever is cooler!"

"He doesn't want the Tanizaki Award?"

The old man with white hair and beard rolled up his sleeves, picked up the exquisite purple clay teapot and began to heat the cups and pour tea.

The young man sitting below nodded and said, "That should be what he meant. The one who responded to us was Editor Saito."

"Editor Saito?" The old man poured the tea without stopping, but his voice was slightly higher. "Who is it?"

The young man replied, "Saito Reina, the newly promoted editor-in-chief of Kawade Shobo, his first female editor."

"Female editor? Editor-in-chief?"

The old man pushed the poured tea in front of the young man, frowning.
"After the death of that boy Kawade Ming, is there no one in the family to take care of that girl? Let a woman be the editor-in-chief?"

"Teacher Tanizaki, the person who posted those photos of Mr. Arima on the Internet was Shizuko Kawaide." The young man whispered.

After Ichiro Tanizaki stopped writing, he has been recuperating in his hometown of Edogawa and has rarely been involved in literary affairs.

This time, the incident of Arima Yoshiyoshi being pulled down from the altar caused too much of a sensation, and was related to their "Number One in the World", so he asked a few more questions.

It turned out that it was the little girl from He who became a nun who did it.

"When the adults are not around, don't the children know the rules?" Ichiro Tanizaki frowned even more.

He remembered that at the beginning of the year Kitagawa Hide did not win the Tanizaki Prize, and seemed to have had a quarrel with Kawaide Shobo.

It seems that not only this newly emerged "No.1 Bookstore in the World", but the entire publishing house is a thorn in the side that is difficult to deal with.

No matter who you are, what kind of power you hold, or what kind of fame you have, you should maintain basic respect for your predecessors and the literary world.

Rules are the key to a circle’s long-term success.

For thousands of years, Japan has never lacked people who "overthrow their superiors", but what was their final outcome?
"My father thinks so too," the young man agreed in a low voice.

"Hengtai, I understand what you said." Ichiro Tanizaki didn't say anything more.

The young man in front of him was none other than Emperor Meiji's great-great-grandson, Takeda Tsuneyasu, who was also a writer.

However, his political ideas are radical. He frequently advocates militarism on TV, denigrates his neighbors in his speeches many times, and even publishes a book with content that "demonizes" his neighbors. Even the media bluntly regards him as a representative of the right wing.

Tsuneyasu Takeda's father is Prince Tsunekazu Takeda, Chairman of the Japanese Olympic Committee and one of the sponsors of the Tanizaki Prize.

Previously, Arima Yoshiyoshi went to Tanizaki Ichiro for help but was rejected, so he turned around and asked Takeda Tsuneyasu to go to Tanizaki Ichiro and speak for him on the grounds of the Tanizaki Award.

Unfortunately, before this matter was accomplished, Arima Yoshiyoshi was finished.

But this did not affect Takeda Tsuneyasu's efforts to find opportunities to attack Kitagawa Hide.

He was originally well-known in the literary world and was one of the giants in literary criticism.

It was because of Kitagawa Hide that his pseudonym "Ichiro" was criticized and exposed, and finally he was defeated miserably by the unknown Tetsutaro Mori in literary criticism.

He couldn't swallow this anger!
"Then I'll go back first. Mr. Tanizaki, please say hello to your wife for me." Takeda Tsuneyasu bowed respectfully, drank the tea in one gulp, then stood up and walked out.

Ichiro Tanizaki looked at his departing back, thought about the young man named Kitagawa Hide, and tapped the table with his hand.

The reason why he can sit firmly at the top of the "World's No. 1" is not only due to his strength, but also due to his popularity over the years and the long-standing rules.

That's right, he considers himself the rule maker of Japanese literary world.

Everyone lived under the rules he created, in an orderly and prosperous manner.

Kitagawa Hide and Kawaide Shobo who suddenly appeared were breaking the rules, so he couldn't just sit back and watch.

But this time there is still Naoki Momota, so he will just wait and see for a while.

"Young man, you are still too young." Ichiro Tanizaki thought of Takeuchi Osamu again. Didn't the young man who was once known as a duo of heroes together with Ichiko Sadatsugu eventually fall under the iron hoof of rules?

It’s near the end of November.

After almost two months at school, Kaoru has gradually become friends with her new classmates. The only ones she doesn't get along with are the bad girl group led by the hot girl Chihaya Ruri.

However, even though their relationship was bad, Chihaya Ruri and the others did not bully her as a "country girl" like they did on TV.

According to Kaoru's best friend at school, Kyoko, Chihaya Ruri and the others don't bully because they like reading Kitagawa's novels, especially the recently popular "Confessions".

Influenced by her surroundings, Chihaya Ruri not only did not become a bully, but she also showed great disdain for bullies.

According to her, only weak people would bully those who are even weaker.

She simply looks down on "country girls", or it could be said that the "Tokyo Minato" blood in her bones makes her "Celestial Dragon" attribute maxed out, making her look down on everyone.

These things are nothing to Xunzi.

What bothers her most now is that Mr. Beichuan actually invited her to write together!
(End of this chapter)