Anime rating game

Shortly after lunch, having nowhere to go, I was invited to rest in Masamune's office.

Seeing that she was holding her phone and seemed to be looking at something, Masamune hesitated for a moment, then sat down opposite her and apologized softly.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Setsuna."

"What's wrong? Mr. Masamune, what did you do to offend me?" Setsuna teased.

“We are interfering in your lives from a third-party perspective and making choices on behalf of Kitahara Haruki.”

"It's okay, it's fine this way. This isn't just polite talk, it's the truth."

Setsuna put her phone down and said with a smile:

"Your story is very well written. I am a very greedy woman who wants both romance and friendship."

"Perhaps it's because I've never had many friends that I value friendship too much."

"That's why they did that, making a mess of the relationship between the three of them."

“I actually know that the reason Mr. Masamune wanted to help me realize my dream of becoming a singer was to make up for it.”

"However, I really don't care at all."

"In the end, those things never happened."

"So, you don't need to apologize; on the contrary, I want to thank you."

"Thanks to you, I have finally found something I really want to do, and I'm no longer just drifting through each day aimlessly. I'm so grateful!"

The two looked at each other and then couldn't help but laugh.

Chapter 231 Why Don't You Disguise Yourself as a Boy and Date Her?

"It seems like Chitose hasn't gotten any decent work this month?"

After a dubbing session, Shibasaki Manyo couldn't help but ask Sakaki Shizuka, who was in the same agency as Karasuma Chitose, about it.

Perhaps it was because he liked her cheerfulness and confidence, or perhaps it was because he really liked her acting skills during a certain dubbing performance, Shibasaki Manyo had always been concerned about Karasuma Chitose's current situation and hoped to work with her more often.

"Chitose hasn't received many voice acting jobs this month, but if all goes well, you should be able to see her on TV in a couple of days."

"Oh...? She took on other work?"

"Yes, President Hayase thinks she has a great image and asked her to be a backup dancer for a new idol singer in our agency. She has almost finished practicing the dance, and the official recording is about to begin."

"She readily agreed?"

"The president gave us a larger share, so if the song sells well, we can make a lot of money."

Shibasaki Manyo fell silent. Low-level voice actors earn too little and have to work part-time to make ends meet. If there were a temporary job with higher pay, he would definitely accept it gladly.

However, as a voice actor, if you can't focus on acting, something just doesn't feel right.

I aspire to be a voice actor who focuses solely on acting, but reality is harsh; most of my work each month has nothing to do with voice acting.

Do you think... this is a good idea?

“I understand what you mean.” Shizuka Sakaki nodded slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke, “Acting skills are indeed very important, and they are the foundation of our existence, but life itself cannot lack a material foundation.”

"I don't think this is a bad thing. Whether it's savings or fame, it's all built up little by little."

Shibasaki Manyo remained silent, which was the correct argument, but also the most detestable reality.

I'll probably drink tonight.

Because I'm in a bad mood, that's the only way I can forget these terrible thoughts and not carry all the negative emotions into the next day.

Just then, Shizuka Sakaki's phone rang.

"...Understood, I will convey her message."

After noticing that Shizuka Sakaki had hung up the phone and was looking at him with a mixture of surprise and curiosity, Manyo Shibasaki couldn't help but ask:

"what happened?"

"The company called and said that there are two roles in our Musashino anime series that will be airing in October that would be perfect for us. They told me to go audition tomorrow morning."

"Are you sure you heard it right?"

Shibasaki Manyo looked surprised. Compared to those animations with mixed reviews and high risks, Musashino's animations were all high-scoring works.

For voice actors, taking on the lead role in ten one-star anime series is not as valuable as taking on the second lead role in one three-star anime series.

Moreover, accepting too many low-quality animation projects will damage one's reputation.

The Musashino anime offers a consistent reward of superpowers, making it a highly sought-after show for countless voice actors each season.

However, they rarely hold auditions publicly; they usually only invite a few voice actors by name to audition.

“I’m sure,” Shizuka Sakaki said with a smile. “I look forward to working with you again. Let’s do our best together tomorrow.”

"Okay, I'll talk to my agent later. What time tomorrow?"

"It starts at 2 a.m., but if everyone is there, it might start earlier. So you can arrive at the second floor of Musashino at 9 a.m.."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, let's work hard together. I haven't read the script either, but I hope it's a very interesting role."

"Isn't that a bit too extravagant?"

"That's true to some extent."

Shizuka Sakaki couldn't help but laugh. It was incredible that she had gotten to where she was today without even realizing it.

……

The next morning, Shibasaki Manyo arrived early at the Musashino office on the second floor.

After waiting patiently for more than an hour, at 9:40 a.m., I finally met the Musashino group in the lobby.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting, Ms. Shibasaki. This is Eiji Nishimura, the director of 'White Album'."

"Next, he will host this audition."

“Ms. Shibasaki, we feel that your voice is highly similar to that of Touma Kazusa. Therefore, please familiarize yourself with your character first before trying to dub it.”

"If it's a good fit, sign the contract immediately."

Listening to Masamune's explanation, Shibasaki Manyo was somewhat surprised; such a decisive and efficient producer was a rare sight.

Moreover, it sounds like I don't have any competitors.

However, that's precisely why it's even more difficult.

"President, which role am I?" Shizuka Sakaki asked directly.

I was given a script as soon as I arrived this morning.

After reading it once, she had a general understanding of the main characters.

The female lead, Setsuna Ogiso, will definitely be voiced by Setsuna herself; there's no doubt about it.

Shibasaki and Touma Kazusa are indeed very similar; their appearance, personality, and way of speaking are extremely alike, making it highly likely that Shibasaki will land the role.

Looking at it this way, it seems like I can only choose those supporting roles.

With that in mind, she didn't beat around the bush but asked directly.

“Kitahara Haruki,” Masamune said with a smile, “I believe your acting skills are sufficient to portray this role well.”

"President, aren't you going to hire a male voice actor?"

"Kitahara is indecisive and too gentle, so a neutral voice is just right. Your voice has a lot of variation, and I've heard your neutral voice acting before, so you should be able to handle it."

"Thank you for your trust, President. I'll give it a try."

Shizuka Sakaki also felt this was a challenge. She had voiced many female leads, but this was the first time she had voiced a male lead in her career.

The sound check began quickly.

After adjusting her mood, Shibasaki Manyo began to put herself in Touma Kazusa's shoes.

While reading the script, she kept thinking about which role she would be suitable for, and the first one that came to mind was Touma Kazusa.

Therefore, the effect was outstanding on the very first attempt, giving the impression that Touma Kazusa herself was speaking.

And Shizuka Sakaki, who acted opposite her, has a versatile voice and voiced both Setsuna Ogiso and Haruki Kitahara very well.

For a moment, both of them were immersed in the role and enjoyed the thrill of acting.

“Okay, that’s all for now.” Nishimura Eiji nodded slightly. “Both of you did a great job. Now try the more difficult part in the second half, the one I specifically marked.”

"clear."

This time, both of them performed slightly poorly, and after three or four attempts, they still could not succeed.

Shizuka Sakaki read the script again and frankly admitted her own shortcomings.

"Sorry, President, I may need to prepare for half an hour and simulate the feelings in that situation."

"Me too."

Shibasaki Manyo followed up.

It's difficult for someone who has never been in a relationship to truly understand the feeling of heartbreak through their own experience.

The romantic storyline in this animation is quite complex, and it's difficult to find similar characters in past experiences.

"Okay." Masamune nodded slightly.

With permission, the two immediately sat down together and began to discuss it in hushed tones.

Each person shared their understanding of the script and the characters, as well as their analysis of the emotions and details.

It lasted for more than ten minutes before it finally ended.

"We're ready now, let's start over."

"no problem."

Eiji Nishimura made a gesture, indicating that the two should come again.

[…What a joke! What a joke! (Hysterical)]

[Touma...Touma, my feelings for you...]