Japanese Entertainment: From special effects actor to action superstar

Chapter 543 You said I, a cartoonist, ended up working as an assistant?
Furthermore, in the Onimusha series, the most important antagonist is undoubtedly Oda Nobunaga. Whether it's the first or the third part, Oda Nobunaga is always the final villain.

Looking at various Japanese works, including Taiga dramas, if the protagonist is not Oda Nobunaga, then Oda Nobunaga will most likely be the villain in the end.

Playing this role well is no easy task.

After much deliberation, Gu Ming found a suitable candidate.

Or rather, at least in the 1980s, there was no one more suitable than him.

……

Takashi Daisuke.

A student of Tatsuya Nakadai, he was an actor known for his exceptional acting talent. He played Oda Nobunaga as early as the film "Kagemusha" and later participated in many of Akira Kurosawa's works.

Unfortunately, Ryu Daisuke's fame has never been high, and his salary has also been low.

When talking about Oda Nobunaga, Taniaki immediately thought of Ryu Daisuke.

Come to think of it, the two were somewhat connected when they were filming Shadow Warrior.

Ryudaisuke does have an agency, the same agency that Tatsuya Nakadai belongs to. However, he's not very famous right now, so renting him wouldn't be a problem.

In the afternoon, Gu Ming met Ryu Daisuke at the office.

"Furuya-kun."

Ryudaisuke bowed, his expression somewhat reserved.

It had been quite a while since their last meeting, and now that he saw Gu Ming again, he knew Gu Ming was someone he had to treat with caution.

Gu Mingze scrutinized Long Daisuke.

He's tall enough, and while he's not exactly handsome, he's perfect for the role. Plus, Daisuke Ryu's acting is exceptional.

After all, his teacher was Tatsuya Nakadai, a well-known and talented actor in Japan.

"To make a long story short, I've actually been preparing for a film recently..."

Daisuke Ryu said, "I do!"

Gu Ming paused for a moment, then continued, "The number one villain is Oda Nobunaga..."

Daisuke Ryu said, "I do!"

Gu Ming couldn't help but raise his hand.

Alright! We've easily reached a consensus!
He easily won over Ryudaisuke, which meant he also won over an extremely important character in the story.

After a quick comparison, Gu Ming felt that Ryu Daisuke's tall and slender physique was capable of carrying off that kind of armor. As for the later demonized Nobunaga, they could find other props to enhance the visual effect later.

He raised his hands, making a camera shape, and framed Ryudaisuke's body with the gestures.

"It's alright." Gu Ming estimated the time: "There are still half a month before filming starts. Long Jun, if possible, I hope you can do some muscle-building exercises, or just gain some weight."

Half a month is not enough time to develop well-defined muscles, but as long as you look good in photos, that's fine.

Ryudaisuke reacted very quickly and immediately nodded in agreement.

In his view, this was most likely some kind of filming assignment, and if you didn't do well, you wouldn't be allowed to participate in the filming.

Since that's the case, then of course we should do our best.

After seeing Ryudaisuke off, Tani Akira put his feet up on the desk and let out a long sigh.

"So, next we can start the open auditions to select some minor roles, which will also serve as a promotional campaign, and we can even put a cameo in the movie..."

For example, when Akechi Mitsuhide attacked Honnoji Temple, there was a samurai named Ida Kojuro Iryu who carried a small flag, which is understandable.

Tanaka knocked on the door and came in, lowering his voice.

"Brother Furuya, that guy named Araki Toshiyuki came over and said the writing is finished."

Gu Ming looked up instantly, his eyes filled with disbelief.

It's only been a week, and he's already finished writing it? I didn't expect Araki to be so efficient!

Gu Ming had heard long ago that Araki was one of the few manga artists in Japan who could finish his work on time. Compared to a certain manga artist whose work was composed of four positive words that could be used to form a negative word, Araki's completion rate was the most reassuring.

but.

That's way too fast!

"This guy doesn't actually have the Gates of Heaven, does he?"

Gu Ming muttered a curse to himself, then asked Tanaka to invite someone in.

Before long, Gu Ming met Araki Hirohiko, who looked just like a young Haojing.

When Haojing was young, he still looked somewhat immature, but Araki was different.

He is in his twenties now, but he looks no different from when he was in his fifties or sixties.

Premature aging before youth!
Upon seeing Araki, Gu Ming immediately sensed that something was wrong. Although his eyes were bright, his eye bags were extremely heavy, his expression was clearly tired, his steps were heavy, and his limbs were stiff. It was obvious that he had been up for a long time.

Gu Ming gestured to Tanaka to make tea before asking Araki, "Hey Araki-kun, you haven't been resting at all, have you?"

"Rest? Cartoonists don't need rest."

Araki presented the packaged artwork in the envelope with both hands.

"This story is so wonderful, I think it's perfect for me, I could definitely turn it into a comic..."

Gu Ming opened the envelope and examined it closely.

Araki's handwriting is still excellent, after all, this is an era of handwriting. As for the story, Gu Ming had a sense of déjà vu at first glance.

The story begins with the historical "Great Return to China," which has nothing to do with the other side. It refers to the emergency withdrawal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's troops from the Chugoku region of Japan after the Honnoji Incident.

It was precisely because Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army marched at an extremely fast pace, completing the withdrawal process almost simultaneously with Oda Nobunaga's death, that he was able to launch a surprise attack when Akechi Mitsuhide's position was not yet secure, defeat Akechi Mitsuhide's army in the Battle of Tennozan, obtain the so-called 'righteous legitimacy' after Oda Nobunaga's death, and then, as the leader of the alliance, further complete the feat of unifying Japan on the foundation laid by Oda Nobunaga.

In this story, during the Great Return of China, Akechi Samanosuke encountered the vanguard of the Toyotomi army, only to discover that this vanguard possessed distinct inhuman characteristics. Although he tried his best to repay them, he was too late. The Battle of Tennozan ended, Akechi Mitsuhide disappeared without a trace, and Akechi Samanosuke, having been defeated by demons, gained inhuman power and received the protection of the Oni clan.

This story has already roughly showcased Araki's characteristics, namely, his so-called "witty banter and intellectual battles."

That is, the style of 'I found out you discovered my plot, so I turned around and devised this scheme against you'.

Gu Ming looked at it over and over and felt that this story was very similar to Araki's first work officially serialized under the pen name Araki Hirohiko, 'The Visitor of Bao', which tells the story of a cyborg's experience of seeking self-discovery. The only difference is that the visitor of Bao is Bao, while this one is Akechi Samanosuke.

The manuscript also includes illustrations in some corners, making it almost like a light novel.

Although the brushstrokes were not yet at the level of later works, Gu Ming could already clearly see Araki's artistic aesthetic and the character's alluring posture.

“Araki-kun.” Gu Ming put down the manuscript and said, “How did you come up with the idea of ​​using this kind of plot to start the story?”

"Ah, back then I was thinking, isn't the Great Reversal of Fortune in China a bit bizarre? If it were a human, it couldn't be done, but if it were a non-human, it would definitely be no problem! So that's how I got this idea, if I drew it into a comic..."

Gu Ming raised his hand to interrupt.

"Araki-kun, I want this story, and I really hope you can finish writing it. As for the manga, I have a favor to ask: would you be interested in being Mr. Hara Tetsuo's assistant for a while?"

Tetsuo Hara still needs an assistant, but this recommendation is only based on personal connections.

Araki blinked, not quite understanding for a moment.

It's as if all his thoughts are focused on his creative work, causing him to seem a step behind in life.

Then, belatedly, he slapped his forehead in realization.

Oh!
Hara Tetsuo.

Oh dear.

Araki sighed.

You might ask, why would I, a cartoonist—though not a very successful one, and who has yet to publish a complete work—suddenly become Mr. Tetsuo Hara's manga assistant?

(End of this chapter)