Generation Z Artists

Chapter 178 Top-notch big guy
The release of "Born to Sing" caused a huge sensation in the Japanese entertainment industry.

The first conflict that ensued occurred in front of Kadokawa Bookstore.

"Are you crazy? Ten thousand yen?!"

A young man who had been ahead of the line widened his eyes and broke down in excitement.

"Is it reasonable for a photobook to be sold for more than the complete collector's edition of Dragon Ball?"

The clerk gave a stiff smile and tried to explain, "I'm sorry, sir, the price isn't something we can decide, but if you have a bookstore membership, you can enjoy a 95% discount..."

The young man slammed his fist on the table, furious: "Is that the discount I asked for? I came to queue at 3 a.m., prepared 6000 yuan and it's not enough! Has Fang Xinghe gone mad? He's selling a 41-page photo album for 10,000 yuan!"

Many people felt that this photobook was unusually expensive, but when they heard him insult Fang Xinghe, girls immediately stood up to criticize him.

"If you're not going to buy, then get out of the way and stop interfering with our shopping!"

"It's ridiculous. People can't afford it because they're poor, not because it's expensive."

"Why would a man who's willing to queue up at 3 a.m. disrespect his idol over such a small amount of money?"

The various petty accusations made the young man's face turn red with anger.

He turned around and yelled, "Who wanted to? If it weren't for my girlfriend insisting... Damn it!"

In an instant, several men cast sympathetic and admiring glances at him—we're all the same, but I didn't dare to speak my mind.

Dude, you're really brave!

Yong Ge didn't end up buying it, which might not be because he was really that poor; he might just not have brought enough money.

It's something no normal person would expect to be so expensive.

"It's really too expensive."

"not worth it."

"Maybe I should just forget about it? I don't think I like him that much..."

Similar sentiments echoed throughout bookstores, with a large number of book lovers hesitant to purchase at such prices, and some even reselling their pre-sale cards.

Whether 1 yen was a lot in Japan at that time was a complex question that varied from person to person.

Some people happily bought 10 copies in one go, trying to increase their chances of winning a spot in the "fan meet-up," while others couldn't bear to buy a single one and suddenly stopped.

Many fans even started arguing about it.

Today, with die-hard fans as the dividing line, a rift has suddenly formed among the fans.

Mid-level fan: Why is it so expensive?
Die-hard fan: Although it's a little expensive, supporting Fang Dian is a must.

Fanatic: If you can't even spare 10,000 yen, you don't truly love Fang Xinghe, and you don't deserve to love Fang Xinghe!

There aren't many people arguing in bookstores; Japanese people are reserved and dislike causing trouble for others. But online, the arguments can get really heated.

The media, which had been keeping an eye on the bookstore, immediately launched an attack, bringing up the matter and making a big deal out of it.

The right-wing mainstream is full of criticism.

"They're idols from poor countries, aren't they? They go crazy for money when they see an opportunity. It's not like it's a limited edition, how dare they sell it for such a high price?"

"Fang Xinghe's true colors have been revealed. He has no respect for the Japanese market at all; it's practically fraud. How can a 41-page photobook be worth so much money?"

"This is outrageous! This is robbery! Can't our people stand up for themselves and make him get out of Japan right now?"

Fang Xinghe has always been a controversial figure in Japan, no different from today's top celebrities in this respect.

Bringing glory to people of Asian descent cannot dispel the existing malice, nor can the pursuit by businesses; in fact, it may even intensify the jealousy.

Therefore, the initial reviews of the photobook were not good.

However, this situation quickly changed as buyers provided real feedback.

13-year-old Nicola model Yui Aragaki used her only prize money to buy a photobook, and when she arrived at school, she immediately became the prettiest girl among her classmates.

"Wow! Yui-chan, you bought Fang Dian's photobook?!"

"Hmm~~~"

She nodded proudly and emphasized, "I used my modeling prize money, I didn't ask my family for any money!"

Unfortunately, her classmates weren't paying attention to her "nicola" Best Award. Those who were going to be surprised had already been surprised. Now, they just wanted to get close to Fang Xinghe.

"Can I take a look? I haven't saved up enough pocket money yet."

"So, what do you think? Isn't Fang Xinghe handsome?"

"That's great, Yui-chan... Do you have any photos you'd like to share with us?"

She quickly dodged her friend's hand and complained, "Don't touch it! I haven't even opened it yet. It's not that I can't lend it to you, but shouldn't I open it myself?"

"Then hurry up and drive!"

Seven or eight heads crowded around at the same time, their eyes fixed intently on the photo album in her hand.

"Let us see what kind of beautiful photos they are!"

Yui Aragaki slightly raised her chin, sat properly at her desk, and then slowly cut open the film with a pencil sharpener.

As the transparent but watermarked film peeled off, the girls screamed.

On the hard cover of the A16, Fang Xinghe was actually on all fours, lying face down on the ground.

It was a posture that was hard to describe immediately: hands on the ground, elbows slightly bent, looking very forceful; shoulders hunched, back arched, and feet pushing off the ground one in front of the other.

It seemed as if... it was about to pounce.

The background of the photo is a grassy area, not the kind of well-maintained lawn, but a place overgrown with weeds and shrubs.

Before him swayed a patch of wildflowers, and he tilted his head slightly, leaning in to take a gentle sniff.

Those unique and beautiful eyes weren't looking at the camera or the flowers, but rather warily at a butterfly to the side.

A raw, untamed energy washes over you.

Finally, and most notably, Fang Xinghe's bare left foot dug a hole in the grass, revealing bulging veins and taut muscles, clearly indicating that he was gathering strength.

It was as if he would pounce out at any moment.

Normally, one should pounce on the butterfly, which would be quite interesting.

But looking closely at his muscle structure, the direction of his force seemed to be different—Yui Aragaki suddenly had a feeling that Fang Xinghe was about to leap out of the frame and head straight for her.

"Wow……"

The girls were amazed and took turns sharing their thoughts.

"So handsome..."

"What a strange position, but surprisingly it feels amazing!"

"Yeah, it must look awful if someone else did it, right?"

"I don't understand it, but I feel so shocked, I don't know how to describe it."

"It's an aura! It's the aura of the king of beasts!"

Yui Aragaki made a solemn vow.

As a newcomer to photography, she lacked experience, but her innate talent allowed her to perceive the subtleties in the images.

She couldn't understand the details, nor did she know how many levels Fang Xinghe's Tiger Style training was; she only sensed the "elephant."

It's not that they resemble each other, but rather that they unearthed animalistic imagery.

Other models posing like this would definitely look absurd, possibly distorted, or even fake, even if they were professionally trained actors who had undergone training to liberate their natural instincts.

But Fang Xinghe's body language is on another level.

He's not a tiger; a person's muscles and bones can't be like a tiger's. No matter how you position him, the shape won't be right.

But he wasn't like a human either; his sniffing nostrils, wary eyes, and bulging veins when he exerted himself were none of the ways humans observe the world.

The form is wrong, but the meaning is right: a ferocious beast is roaming the wilderness.

"so amazing!"

The girls chattered away for more than three minutes just looking at a cover.

This version of Fang Xinghe is both unfamiliar and intriguing.

“But…” Liangzi suddenly had a new question, “Why is it called ‘Singing Wildly’? Does Fangdian want to sing?”

"Yeah, yeah! The title of the photo album is weird, and Fang Dian isn't a singer."

Yui Aragaki couldn't understand the reason either, but she subconsciously felt that there must be a deeper meaning behind it.

……

“Singing is also chanting.” Fang Xinghe turned the interview camera on high speed, and soon, the audience and the reporter were both dumbfounded, their brains saturated with Chinese culture.

"It is both literature and etiquette, both praise and law."

"To live life to the fullest" is not just about singing, but a way of life.

The madman of Chu, Jieyu, sang as he passed Confucius...

The grand sacrificial ceremony, the song "Yong" was sung throughout...

But the song, four pieces, originated in the Han Dynasty, and was performed without strings...

Interpret it however you like. I named it, but your feelings are yours; you don't have to agree with me, nor do you have to resonate with me.

The female reporter looked on with admiration and immediately began praising him.

"Many people describe your photo album as a work of art, and now it seems that you did indeed do this with an attitude of creating art."

This effect is something that cannot be achieved simply by putting in effort; it's truly remarkable.

Is there anything you can share with us about this?

"No." Fang Xinghe shook his head with a smile. "I've laid myself out there. Just go find what you want yourself."

……

The Mad Artist: Fang Xinghe, who lays himself bare, revealing his flesh, blood, and song.

Taking advantage of the internet's lightning-fast response, Yahoo! Japan immediately published a lengthy article highly praising "Born to Sing Wildly".

Fang Xinghe's first photobook, "Born to Sing Wildly": A roar in the silence, the ultimate subversion.

"Fang Xinghe, who has always been known for his unconventional fashion style, surprisingly did not make his first photo album his main theme, despite his extreme and unorthodox looks."

Our initial expectations—dazzling light and shadow, graffiti-like colors, overly elaborate and bizarre makeup, stream-of-consciousness captions and numerous metaphors—did not materialize as expected.

However, the avant-garde nature displayed by "Born to Sing Wildly" is beyond doubt.

It effortlessly transcends the dimensions of Shibuya street fashion, reaching a deeper realm of the supernatural.

Fang Xinghe's chosen path is to weave an overwhelming sense of individual uniqueness from real-life scenarios.

He didn't sing aloud. But the notes permeated every frame of the scene, resounding with melody in the silence.

What he practiced was self-congratulation and self-sacrifice.

Fang Xinghe reveals the true nature of flesh and blood, which cannot be deconstructed by words, without reservation, presenting his own existence as a complete work of art to the world.

The unconventionality of "Born to Sing Wildly" lies not in the novelty of its visual symbols, but in the purity and profundity of its artistic path.

It abandons the rebellious symbols that are easily superficial and chooses a more difficult and essential path: to offer simple sacrifices and to sing mad songs of authenticity.

His extreme revelation of his own existence created a spiritual realm that allowed us to truly touch his soul—poignant and profound…

At the end of the article, they selected the top three best photos in the eyes of their employees.

Third place: Cover, a wild tiger smelling flowers.

Second place: p12, Mad Blood.

First place: Last page, Mountains and Seas.

The article itself was nothing special, but the ranking sparked heated discussions among netizens.

"It's art! It's art! Really!"

"It's crazy! I like every single one of them, how can I possibly rank them!"

"If I had to rank them, I guess there could be some preference involved? Anyway, my favorite is Conqueror, he's so cool!"

"Transformation, transformation, transformation! That eye contact tore me apart!"

"The picture of the homeless fool in front of the transformation really startled me. A 35-year-old homeless prince, it was unbelievable but also deeply moving. Now, just thinking about how the world might hurt him makes my heart ache..."

"This set of photos is absolute art, so ingenious and so stunning, absolutely breathtaking!"

"How could anyone think 1 yen is too expensive? Every single one of them is so moving that it makes you want to cry."

"It is indeed very expensive, but it's worth it."

"The cover is number one in my heart, how can his body be so beautiful?"

……

Thirteen-year-old Nozomi Sasaki saved up her allowance for two whole months, cursing the law that "those under the age of 15 cannot work for pay" while trembling as she handed over all her savings.

"Please give me a copy of 'Born to Sing Wildly,' thank you!"

She wasn't among the first buyers; the money was even used to buy SMAP concert tickets. However, her friends were all talking about the photobook, and its reputation online and in real life was phenomenal. Her female classmates who owned it were smug and arrogant, and she couldn't stand this feeling of being wronged.

"I'm determined to see just how amazing it really is!"

She didn't bring the photobook to school; she hid it—feeling a little guilty, as SMAP fans had just strictly forbidden purchasing it.

"I'm just offering some criticism, it's alright."

Feeling uneasy, she returned home and, like a thief, tore open the photo album.

"Wow……"

I was stunned just by seeing the cover.

But she didn't like the cover photo; it wasn't handsome enough, and it looked too strange.

She slowly flipped through the pages, finding it very interesting, though she couldn't understand most of it; page 12 even made her frown.

That photo called "Mad Blood" is too eerie. The black, white, and red colors, the gloomy lighting, the insane eyes, the tilted head looking at the dripping blood... It's insane!

When she turned to page 15, her gaze suddenly stopped, and she stared intently at the color page.

The photo is titled... [I Was a Coward].

Fang Xinghe was pinned against a dirty corner, and the camera focused on his profile from between his standing legs.

A strong hand grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall. Someone bent down and raised their hand high.

Fang Xinghe's face was bruised and swollen, his expression was terrified, his eyes revealed intense fear, and there were tears in the corners of his eyes.

That pure, innocent fear, like that of a wounded little animal, instantly touched Nozomi Sasaki's heart.

Because she had also expressed the exact same emotions.

She stared at Fang Xinghe for a long time before looking for the caption for the photo for the first time.

"Perhaps some people are born brave, but I am not. I have also been cowardly, until I lost more and more."

Loss is a very interesting experience. At first, you feel very lost, then you feel a little melancholy, but you quickly calm down until one day you suddenly realize that the thing will never come back. You feel panicked, gradually uneasy, and find it hard to adapt, but you will eventually adapt—habit is such a terrible power.

The more you lose, the more numb you become, until you no longer care.

I was lucky to lose the most important thing before I got used to losing it. The pain was so intense that I was shocked and went mad.

But if I had a choice, I would want to go back to those years when I was cowardly.

At that time, someone touched my face and asked me if it hurt.

Nozomi Sasaki suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe.

These photos, paired with these words... Fang Xinghe dissected himself, and he dissected her as well.

"Teeth ripped! How could you poke someone like that!"

The girl let out a wail, covered her face, and dared not look at the SMAP poster on the wall anymore.

……

There are many people like her. Fans of Baby's Breath are enthusiastically recommending it all over the world, and the media is singing its praises. Once you borrow it out of curiosity, you will soon be hooked.

While other people's photo albums are about showing off their bodies and looking cool, Fang Xinghe's photo album uses photos and words to record the pain and confusion of youth.

Every photo is so touching; there's always one that strikes a chord with teenagers.

Despite the persistent and intense complaints about the high price, the number of people who absolutely adore this artwork continues to grow.

When its first-week sales actually exceeded 40 copies, the fashion world rejoiced and the entertainment industry was abuzz with excitement.

Interpreting the deeper meaning of each photo has become the most important activity in the official fan cafe.

Fang Xinghe didn't become more famous, but he began to be regarded as a true top star.

He's a top influencer and a big name, possessing both popularity and star power.

The enthusiastic support from Japan has created a trend that has swept across Asia, taking "Born to Sing" to a distant place that was rightfully its own.

(End of this chapter)