Japanese Entertainment: From special effects actor to action superstar

Chapter 522 Throwing a Baseball Towards the Blue Sky
In this special physical education class, Ryu Manatsu's teaching method is to teach everyone how to play baseball.

Baseball is such a complex sport that, apart from a very few countries like the United States and Japan, most people are indifferent to it.

I don't know how to play, and I don't want to play.

But this is Japan after all, so the kids still love playing baseball.

What's more, you can play baseball with your idol.

"Alright, you stand here and be the batter." Manatsu Ryu settled Kenji down and made a swinging motion.

"May I...?"

"you can."

After settling the boy in, Zhen Xialong looked at Gu Ming.

"Gugu-ge! Come on, throw the ball!"

"Don't rush, let me see."

Gu Ming turned another page of the rules sheet in his hand and quickly glanced at it.

The rules of baseball are too numerous to be written on a single page. Generally speaking, while the outcome of a baseball game is related to the baseball itself, it has nothing to do with the contest for the baseball.

There are first base, second base, third base, and home plate on the field. Running to fourth base completes one lap.

Generally speaking, the defense must eliminate the offense with three strikes before the offense completes a lap, while the offense must complete a lap before the defense eliminates all its players.
So, quite surprisingly, while the outcome of a baseball game is related to baseball, it doesn't revolve around the baseball itself, but rather around the people involved.

Gu Ming put down the rule sheet and roughly understood.

As a pitcher, his goal is to throw the ball accurately into the hands of the opposing catcher.

"I'm sorry, but I might have to go easy on you."

Gu Ming looked at the boy standing on the rampart.

For a Japanese child, there is probably nothing more exciting than swinging the ball and hitting a fast-moving baseball.

Swish! !

The baseball traced a strange arc in the air.

Young Kenji stared intently at the incoming baseball, which was spinning rapidly in the air and almost became an oval ball. If it hit a person, it could obliterate them in an instant.

To hit the ball. To swing the bat and hit the ball.

With that thought in mind, he swung his baseball bat.

With a thud, the baseball flew high into the air.

"Hey?"

He raised his face, gazing at the arc of the baseball flying through the blinding sunlight.

On the other side of the field, Zhenxia Long was screaming his lungs out.

"Run! Run! Run! Don't let anyone look down on you anymore!"

Once a batter hits the baseball, he is no longer a batter. According to the rules, after hitting the baseball, the batter becomes a base runner and must run from home plate to first base, then from first base to second base, and so on. He wins by running a counter-clockwise lap around the field and returning to home plate.

If the ball is hit at the right distance, the defense doesn't have time to complete the second pitch, and the runner is fast enough to complete all the base runs before the second batter.

That's called a home run.

However, those words were too complicated for the boy; he simply ran desperately toward first base.

He was panting heavily, his lungs felt like they were about to burst, as if he were about to cough up blood and foam.

Until the moment he finally reached first base, the boy who collapsed to the ground seemed to become one with the solid ground beneath him.

He looked out of the stadium.

Those who once bullied him are now worried about him.

"Stand up, stand up!"

Zhenxia Long urged him, "You can do it, stand up!"

Gu Ming, the pitcher, had already received his second baseball and was eager to try it out.

Young Kenji took a deep breath, filling his tender lungs, and leaned against the baseball bat, standing at first base. Grabbing the bat, with the blue sky above him, he felt needed, no longer a lonely child being bullied.

……

The game was not over, of course, and a complete baseball game could not be completed in the forty minutes of physical education class.

When the bell rang, the sweaty boys, ignoring the stench of their sweat, huddled together, collapsing near home plate. The bullies were drenched in sweat, and so were the bullied ones; they were indistinguishable.

Now, no one will bully anyone anymore.

On the way back to Nara, Manatsu Ryu quietly asked Tani Akira.

"Brother Gugu, you deliberately fed the ball to that kid, didn't you?"

Gu Ming smiled and spread his hands.

"Perhaps he has a special talent."

……

Many years later, Kenji Yamazaki, a baseball player who was inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame, enthusiastically recounted his childhood experiences in an interview with Yokohama TV.

"Yes, the person I am most grateful to is not only my mother, but also 'Ultraman Leo'! What I learned from that lesson will stay with me for the rest of my life."

……

……

Of course, that's all many years from now. After this class ends, tomorrow, several TV stations and news channels around Tokyo, including Yokohama Shimbun, will interview Manatsu Ryu. However, Gu Ming won't personally handle that kind of thing.

Ikoma, Gu Ming looked at the news report in his hand.

Zhen Xialong's affairs had already been arranged, so he didn't need to worry about them. However, at this moment, Gu Ming clearly saw something else at a glance.

Shinichi Chiba announced that he will open an actor training class in his hometown of Chiba Prefecture.

There are many actor training programs like this. For example, Tatsuya Nakadai has a similar actor training program, and many famous actors do this.

However, Shinichi Chiba's training program is different. He plans to set up various training equipment and facilities in the program to train specialized stunt performers.

JAC is a club-like organization, not a professional actor training institution, but now it seems he's finally getting serious.

Gu Ming looked up at the person who delivered the newspaper, Nara's councilor Ita.

This councilor, Itada, is the one who made the final decision to build the film studio. Although it hasn't reached the point where Taniguchi is just making empty promises yet, the film studio has already shown initial results. Many production crews with relatively low budgets are leaving Tokyo and choosing to film here in Ikoma, which has, to some extent, boosted employment and consumption in the Ikoma area.

"So, what does it mean by this, Itada-kun?"

"Well, if Chiba-kun can run an actor training class, wouldn't Furuya-kun be even better at it?"

Looking into the other person's eyes, Gu Ming felt a little awkward.

He's a special case!

His performance style is very special. Simply put, he beats the muscles until they are forced to perform the corresponding actions.

This falls under the 'method acting' category, where the actor does not immerse themselves in the role but rather tries to resemble the character as closely as possible.

Therefore, what he achieves through self-control cannot be taught to others!
Representative Itada seemed somewhat disappointed, but still put away the newspaper and bowed.

"Is that so? I'm so sorry to have disturbed your work, Furuya-kun."

He said this and turned to leave.

Gu Ming frowned slightly.

Representative Itada's words clearly expressed dissatisfaction, and he was obviously not satisfied with Tani Akira's reply.

Gu Ming just didn't understand. What could he possibly be dissatisfied with?
It's worth noting that Gu Ming played a significant role in the establishment of Ikoma Film City.

"Does that mean I have to open a training course here too? Isn't that a bit excessive?"

Although the other party concealed it well, their attitude was still palpable.

Gu Ming shook his head inwardly.

It seems that Commissioner Itada is complaining that he's getting paid too much.

(End of this chapter)