Japanese Entertainment: From special effects actor to action superstar

Chapter 453 I Want You to Take Me Home
Just like in the original film, the final battle in the movie is set in an old warehouse.

In addition to the necessary set design costs, Gu Ming had to pay 200,000 yen in rent every day for this large warehouse, which was a huge expense.

Gunfights, action, and CQB – Gu Ming tried his best to combine these elements in his filming.

Even so, these scenes took four full days to film, ultimately resulting in a ten-minute-long battle sequence.

After filming today's scenes was completed, Gu Ming estimated the results himself.

That should be enough. With two more days of additional footage, we should be able to finish filming.

Spring has passed and winter has come; it's almost summer of '82.

"If only there were a perfect soundtrack! Ideally, it would be a symphony with a deep, resonant drumbeat. I guess I'll have to look around and see if there's a suitable composer and orchestra."

Gu Ming thought for a moment.

Don't say it, there really is.

The people are readily available. Toru Fuyuki, who wrote about Uncle Wang back then, is now on Gu Ming's list, and he can contact him at any time.

Gu Ming was pondering when he saw Xiaoquan circling around in front of him, and he couldn't help but interrupt, "What are you doing? Why aren't you leaving?"

Koizumi quickly bowed and said, "Brother Furuya, I'm waiting to pick someone up."

"Don't worry about me for now. I have some things to do. I might need to discuss tomorrow's scenes with the director. You should drive the extras back first."

Gu Ming waved his hand, said nothing more, and went into the filming location first.

Koizumi scratched his head.

anyway.

The task Gu Ming assigned him was to pick up and drop off Shimizu Yukiko, a junior high school girl!

But since Gu Ming had given other instructions, Xiao Quan didn't ask any further questions.

Besides, he couldn't quite find Yukiko Shimizu anymore.

Koizumi left first, taking the other extras back with him.

Gu Mingze had a brief discussion with Jissōji Akio on the set about the filming plans for tomorrow.

"So you really aren't considering signing a director?"

"What are you talking about? We're an acting agency, of course we don't sign directors. Why don't you, Mr. Jisangji, set up your own director's studio, and then we can all collaborate!"

Gu Ming had only spoken a few words when he heard something fall down.

He looked up and saw Yukiko Shimizu carefully putting a filming prop back in its place.

"I'm so sorry!" she said, bowing slightly. "I accidentally knocked this over."

"It's alright, it's not an important prop." Looking at the little girl, Gu Ming could almost see the admiration and enthusiasm in her eyes.

Gu Ming is always quite tolerant of children.

"It's getting late, the actors' cars have all left, why haven't you gone home yet?"

"because……"

Yukiko Shimizu seemed a little embarrassed to say it, lowered her head, and muttered softly, "Because I went to the restroom."

Actually, it was intentional; she waited until Koizumi left before coming out.

Akio Jisōji raised his elbow and nudged Tani Akira.

"Have you forgotten? Didn't you tell Koizumi to take this child home? Just now you told Koizumi to take the other actors home."

Gu Ming couldn't help but slap his forehead.

Ah-hei!

He had completely forgotten about that.

These past few days have been so busy with filming that Gu Ming hasn't had time to think about these other things.

I glanced at my watch; it was getting late.

Yukiko Shimizu clasped her hands tightly against her chest, looking cautiously at Taniguchi.

Tell her! Say it! Say what she wants to hear.

"It's getting late, and I need to go see Mr. Fuyuki Toru later. Mr. Jissoji, would you mind taking this child home?"

Yukiko Shimizu:?

What the hell?

She glanced at Gu Ming, then at Jisōji Akio.

The tall and cheerful man was her idol on screen, while the other was the somewhat thin and sinister-looking Akio Jisōji.

I don't want this bald old man! He looks like Tokugawa Ieyasu!
Jissoji instantly sped off: "I can't drive! Koizumi will be back soon, won't he?"

Gu Ming scratched his head: "So you're just going to make this girl wait here all by herself?"

Jissoji Akio exclaimed angrily, "Can't you just drive her home yourself? Are you that busy?!"

Gu Ming originally wanted to say that he was really busy.

But Yukiko Shimizu had already lowered her head first.

“It’s okay, Koya-san! It seems like there’s still the last train running. I can take it back by myself!” Akio Jisōji shook his head, his face full of disdain.

Yukiko Shimizu lowered her head, but her eyes secretly glanced at Akio Jissoji.

Although he is a middle-aged man with a receding hairline.

But at least he did something good!
Gu Ming could only sigh slightly.

Alright then! He'll go see Fuyuki Toru again tomorrow.

Seeing that Gu Ming had picked up the coat draped over the chair, Shimizu Yukiko ran over and helped Gu Ming put on the coat.

Gu Ming couldn't help but feel a little emotional upon seeing this.

Look how well this child has done! He has such a good eye!
Let's think about our pills again.

Gu Ming wanted to slap his thigh, but seeing no one around to slap, he could only slap his own.

Even the little pill has never done anything like this!

Yukiko Shimizu smiled sweetly.

See, she really is a good and responsible younger sister!

And what's more, this is with my idol!

……

……

Gu Ming always drives very steadily, especially when there are passengers in the car.

Occasionally glancing up at the rearview mirror, Shimizu Yukiko simply sat quietly in the back, making no sound. Although she seemed curious, she didn't touch anything around.

"Actually, don't be so reserved. I often drive my friends home. For example, Hiroko often rides in my car and feels very comfortable."

Yukiko Shimizu nodded, looking hopefully into the rearview mirror: "So, I can become friends with Furuya-san too? Like, someone like me."

"What's wrong with you? You performed quite well, but when it comes to friends, you're still young and may not understand what true friendship is."

Gu Ming had no intention of lecturing on such life principles, so he quickly changed the subject: "Just focus on acting. You're not very skilled at acting, but you have your own strengths. Your energetic and youthful appearance makes you a potential type of actress. If you capitalize on that, you'll become quite famous in the future."

Yukiko Shimizu said, "Like, Yakushimaru-neechan, right?"

"Hmm...that's hard to say."

Gu Ming was too embarrassed to say it like that, so it was probably not going to work.

It can be said that, throughout the history of Japanese film and television, there are not many actresses of the same caliber as Hiroko Yakushimaru; they are among the most well-known.

Several of them were not originally actors, and in terms of acting achievements, they are not as accomplished as Hiroko Yakushimaru.

Several of them, despite being singers, sold fewer records than actress Hiroko Yakushimaru.

As for Yukiko Shimizu, who later went by the stage name "Izumi Igarashi," although she had an image, she was far from reaching that level.

Gu Ming had no intention of shattering a little girl's naive idea, so he just gave her a few perfunctory replies.

Yukiko Shimizu was still very happy, with both hands on the back seat and swinging her legs.

"Thank you, Brother Gugu! I will definitely work hard! Um, I don't really have anything to thank you for, Brother Gugu. How about I... sing you a song, it's 'Northern Country Spring,' it's really beautiful."

"Slender white birches; vast blue sky; gentle south wind..."

Although there's not much technique involved, it still has a unique charm when combined with the voice characteristic of a girl of this age.

Gu Mingben was driving when he suddenly remembered something, slammed on the brakes, and stopped on the side of the road.

"Songs, nursery rhymes, warehouse battles. Hmm, I've changed my mind!"

Gu Ming looked up at Shimizu Yukiko in the back seat, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"Do you like to sing? This weekend, I'll take you and your sister Bozi to a recording studio."

Yes, rock music is passionate, and the drumbeats are exhilarating, but Gu Ming suddenly thought of another situation.

Why did Ryosuke Gasai rush to the warehouse for the final battle?
Because my sister has been kidnapped!

My sister is mentally challenged, but from another perspective, in the context of visual and auditory language, a fool can represent purity and innocence.

In those scenes of carnage, the background music was a nursery rhyme sung in a clear, girlish voice.

Such contrasts are also a very common technique in audiovisual language.

Of course, it hadn't been systematically summarized in the early 1980s, so using it now would be quite novel.

Thinking of this, Gu Ming couldn't help but slap his thigh.

We can't find Toru Fuyuki anymore; he's not good at writing children's voices. We need to find Kunio Miyauchi for this.

The opening theme songs for the early Ultraman children's chorus were all written by Kunio Miyauchi.

This person is not well-known outside the industry, but is actually very capable.

Kunio Miyauchi is a patient who is rarely seen, but fortunately, Tani Akira is still able to find him.

Although Yukiko Shimizu didn't understand, she suddenly realized something.

So they were going to record a song!
That's wonderful! She's an amazing singer!
(End of this chapter)