Japanese Entertainment: From special effects actor to action superstar

Chapter 464 The Big Prize Today Revealed Through a Dark Curtain

The interlude performance continued, featuring a rain-themed show similar to a stand-up comedy routine.

Gu Ming had just tightened the buttons on his cuffs when he felt someone sit down next to him, their hands braced on the table, like a nimble mastiff, precisely slipping into the seat next to him.

Gu Ming glanced sideways and then saw that the person who had crawled over was Kadokawa Haruki.

"I thought you should be in the position of the organizer."

"You mean the chairman's seat, right? Is that some kind of forbidden word?"

Haruki Kadokawa stretched his neck and sighed, "The film I directed is going to win Best Picture, so of course I have to get ready to go on stage and accept the award. I may not be able to win foreign awards, but at least I'm going to win a grand slam of Japanese awards!"

Jisōji Akio's gloomy face was instantly projected onto him.

He's going up on stage to receive the award!

Haruki Kadokawa crossed his hands and returned the look with the same glance.

Jissoji Akio clenched his fists, his face turning red, and finally he could only whisper: Fine then! You go ahead!
When Gu Ming saw him approaching, he knew roughly what was going on.

"Since you were also one of the organizers, you already knew about the awards?"

"I don't know. Although I am indeed one of the organizers, the chairman of this year's event is Toei President Shigeru Okada. He is the only one who knows the award results."

The Japan Academy Film Prize was jointly organized by four companies: Toei, Toho, Shochiku, and Daiei. After Daiei dissolved, it was replaced by Kadokawa, the company behind Haruki Kadokawa.

Shigeru Okada is the president of Toei Company and the chairman of the Japan Academy Film Prize.

Shigeru Okada has held this position ever since the first edition.

Gu Ming had never met Okada Shigeru, but that didn't stop him from having heard of his name.

As the interlude ended, Gu Ming slightly stepped aside, preparing to make way.

Haruki Kadokawa adjusted his bow tie slightly, making thorough preparations for going on stage.

"Speaking of the best film, I believe everyone has their own ideas. This year was particularly fierce. Looking at the local films of 1981, there were not only imaginative works like 'The Demon King', but also films like 'Station' that showcased the charisma of the characters. Moreover, there was an artist who had three films screened in one year."

Gu Ming also sat up straight.

Who directed three films in a row? It's Akira Furuya, of course! It couldn't possibly be Kinji Fukasaku, could it? Of course, others are good too.

On stage, the host, Shingo Yamashiro, turned a page of his cue cards, preparing to announce the name of the winner of Best Picture.

Gu Ming stepped aside to make way, and Kadokawa Haruki stood up, ready to make his entrance.

Even the spotlight shone on him at that moment, focusing on his face.

However, Gu Ming saw that Shan Chengxinwu's face froze instantly, as if he had seen something unbelievable.

After a moment's hesitation, Shancheng Xinwu honestly read out the name after it had been smeared on.

"The film that won Best Picture is 'Makai Tensei'!"

Gu Ming sprang to his feet instantly.

The train station is Toei Cinema.

"Demon World Reincarnation" is also a Toei film.

Apart from Keiko Matsuzaka winning an award for Shochiku Film, almost all the awards this year were swept by Toei Films.

Even so, he wasn't even on the list of recipients!

He only received the 'Best Killing Formation Design' award; this newly added, pie-sized prize...
Haruki Kadokawa had only taken a few steps when he suddenly froze.

"You bastard! Do you dare to read it again?! What 'reincarnation in the demon realm'?! Read it properly!"

Shingo Yamashiro seemed a little nervous, but he checked his cue card several times. "Yes, this year's Best Film is 'Demon World Reincarnation'."

Haruki Kadokawa instantly turned his head to look at the chairs at the head of the table.

"Okada Shigeru, how is your aunt? I heard she has passed away. If she knew in the afterlife that you were such an unfilial son, wouldn't she be so angry that she would rise from the dead and drive you, this unworthy descendant, off the throne of Toei? All the important awards go to Toei films. Do you think Toei is the only company in all of Japan? Otherwise, we should just change this film academy award to the Toei Academy Award!"

He completely disregarded the presence of reporters and other television and newspaper interviews around him. He unleashed a torrent of abuse on Okada Shigeru on the podium.

Gu Ming frowned, puzzled, unable to relax.

Such large-scale programs are, of course, rehearsed.

If even the spotlight is shining on them, it means that they are the target during rehearsals.

Otherwise, neither side would have looked so surprised, to the point that even the Demon Reincarnation crew hadn't realized such a thing had happened.

After a brief moment of astonishment, the demon world reincarnation team naturally recovered and, after a short discussion, had the lead actor, Sonny Chiba, personally go on stage to accept the award.

Gu Ming tapped the table, his eyes fixed on the other person.

Shinichi Chiba certainly didn't have the power to influence the changes to the awards, but Akira Tani could probably guess the reason.

He had only taken a few steps when Kadokawa Haruki stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"Use your brain! Do you deserve this award? Is it something you should be entitled to?"

Gu Ming looked out at the scene and saw that most of the reporters had consciously pressed their cameras and put on their lens caps, clearly realizing that some things could not be filmed.

However, Haruki Kadokawa casually pointed to the sidelines and shouted, "Keep filming! Keep filming! I have plenty of money for travel expenses! Shigeru Okada, do you dare to stand up and say something? Did you withhold my Best Picture award?"

Of course, no reporter would be so tactless as to raise their camera at this moment.

So, Okada Shigeru did indeed stand up.

He patted the microphone, and a strong, vibrating sound swept through the hall.

"Kadokawa-kun, what's wrong with you? Why are you so agitated and unable to listen to what people are saying?"

"All Academy Awards are selected by a jury of members who are members of the Academy. All voting is authentic and credible. You can't be so publicly furious and lose all composure just because you didn't win an award. The jury unanimously agreed that these films still have some gaps in terms of artistic merit."

Gu Ming hadn't said anything at first, but when Okada Shigeru finished speaking, Gu Ming's eyes widened instantly.

What does it mean to have a certain gap in artistic quality?

If it were that Tani Akira didn't win the Best Picture award at first, he wouldn't have cared as much as Kadokawa Haruki did.

The film has already finished its theatrical run, so whether it wins awards or not doesn't really matter. And frankly, Gu Ming doesn't care that much about winning awards either.

However, Gu Ming could not understand this statement.

He admitted that the revised sailor suits and machine guns lacked much of the original work's humanistic concern and reflection, but damn it.

The Demon Reincarnation is also a pure commercial blockbuster!
Big cast, big investment, everything is big.

Tani Akira could not believe Okada Shigeru's explanation.

With a thud, Gu Ming pushed aside the round table in front of him, stood up, and picked up the microphone.

After a brief period of chaos, the spotlight gradually shone on Gu Ming.

"President Okada, I am Akira Furuya, merely an insignificant assassin and minor actor. As the investor and lead actor of this film, I have a question to ask. In the eyes of the jury, what is the artistic merit of 'Demon World Reincarnation' that allows it to surpass other films and win the Best Film award? If this question cannot be answered, let's ask another one. What exactly are the jury's criteria for what they mean by 'artistic merit'?"

"If there are no standards, can everyone on the committee simply open and close their mouths to determine what constitutes artistry? Or, I'll have to come up on stage and talk to you about this award."

(End of this chapter)