My daily life with the original diva

It's worth noting that the dramas produced by Wit Studio have consistently achieved excellent viewership ratings over the years, with almost none falling below 15%. If Hiroshi Kimura were to direct, his two dramas currently boast viewership ratings above 30%, which is an astonishing figure. Once an actor lands a role, their fame skyrockets.

So while Kimura Hiroshi was writing the script, he also had to select actors. However, there weren't many actors who met his requirements. Even if some were very good-looking, or if some agents said strange things, such as that if the audition was successful, he could have dinner with the artist or go out to play, he ignored them all. He only wanted suitable actors.

The plot of this drama, "Rare Friends," almost entirely revolves around the two female leads. Whether the drama is good or not depends on the performance of the two female leads, so the casting cannot be arbitrary. Kanna has a ready-made actress, Nakamori Akina, who would definitely be the most suitable for the role. Unfortunately, his wife is currently busy recovering her voice and is unwilling to act in the drama at all, so Kimura Hiroshi naturally cannot force her.

As for the other female lead, Yumiko, Kimura Hiro felt that if all else failed, he could go directly to Yasuda Narumi. Kimura Hiro knew which agency she was in. Yasuda Narumi was a child star who was scouted in the third grade of elementary school and started shooting commercials at the age of fourteen or fifteen.

It was another day of auditions for actors. Kimura Hiroshi auditioned four actors, but he wasn't satisfied with any of them. He told their managers directly that it wasn't acceptable and asked them to take the artists home.

"Looks like I won't be able to find any suitable actors again today." Kimura Hiroshi stretched and sighed. He had wanted to train new talents this time, but none of them met his requirements.

After two days of searching, no choice has been made yet. As the assistant director, Akimi Yoshida tentatively suggested, "Why don't we choose some established actresses? Their acting skills are more likely to meet your requirements, Chairman."

That's a good suggestion," Kimura Hiroshi replied. "Does Yoshida-san have any suitable candidates? Could you tell me so I can consider them?"

"Ah, yes, there is. I've already read the script written by the chairman. One of the female leads, Yumiko, is a quiet and somewhat shy person. I think Ms. Kikuchi Momoko's image is very suitable. I heard that the chairman has a good relationship with her. If possible, the chairman could invite her to participate in the film." Yoshida Akimi mentioned a female artist he thought was suitable.

Kikuchi Momoko flashed through Kimura Hiroshi's mind. And to be honest, she really suited the role. She debuted as a sweet idol, and she was quite cute with a quiet temperament, which was very fitting. Moreover, since her failed attempt to become a rock band singer, she has been acting all the time, and her acting skills are quite good. She has acted in several popular TV dramas with Nakayama Miho.

Sitting up straight, Kimura Hiroshi said, "Yoshida-san's suggestion is excellent. Momoko-chan is a suitable candidate. How about this, have someone contact her. If possible, have her come to our Hegemony Studio in the next couple of days. If she's not available, then forget it. I actually have other candidates here. But who would be the most suitable actor for Connor?"

Finding an actress to play Yumiko wasn't difficult; the challenge was finding an actress to play Kanna. Not every actress can portray that seemingly wild and unrestrained style. Akina Nakamori's performance in the original film was truly impressive, considering she was a former idol. Playing such a character was a breakthrough for her.

"It really requires good acting skills. After all, there are almost no female celebrities in Japan who debut with this kind of image. So who should we look for? Maybe she can do it." After thinking for a while, Kimura Hiroshi settled on one person. Although her image is more intellectual, she also has a kind of unrestrained style in her bones. That person is Kuroki Hitomi.

When Hitomi Kuroki was recruited by Stardust Media, it was Stardust Media that was in charge of finding resources for her. However, Hiroshi Kimura, who was the one who actually recruited her, didn't really give her any resources. The only role he gave her was as a senior in "Your Name." This time, Hiroshi Kimura plans to use her again, since the senior she played was somewhat similar to Kanna, except that she wasn't as unruly as Kanna.

With the two female leads selected, choosing the other roles was much easier; Kimura Hiroshi didn't need to worry about that. The other staff would carefully select the actors according to his requirements. After all, if he, as the chairman, had to do all the casting, he'd probably be exhausted before filming even started.

He instructed his subordinates to contact Momoko Kikuchi and Hitomi Kuroki separately. Although he had some personal connections with both of them, this was company business, so it was natural to have company personnel handle the contact. If he contacted them personally, it might be inappropriate to send them back directly, as it could affect their personal relationship.

When I called, I learned that Hiroshi Kimura was going to film a new TV series. Both agencies were very quick and confirmed that I could come over for a discussion the next afternoon. I wouldn't have to wait too long. In particular, Yoshiro Hosono's side even called to ask if I needed to make any preparations. Hiroshi Kimura replied that I didn't need to, and that I could just come for an interview.

The following afternoon, accompanied by their respective agents, the two women, both acquaintances of Kimura Hiroshi, appeared in the conference room of Baquan Company. Seeing them, Kimura Hiroshi was quite moved. So many years had passed, yet they hadn't changed much at all; they were truly actresses with a very long shelf life.

"President Kimura, hello. This is Ms. Momoko Kikuchi. We're here to audition for a role in your new TV series."

"Ah, Chairman Kimura, I am the manager of Ms. Hitomi Kuroki, an artist from Stardust Media. This is Ms. Hitomi Kuroki, who is also here for an interview."

When the two managers saw Kimura Hiro enter, they quickly and respectfully introduced the artists they had brought to him. The two women who came for the interview also stood up to greet him. Kikuchi Momoko smiled sweetly, while Kuroki Hitomi was relatively aloof, which seemed to be her personality.

"Peach Sauce, long time no see, Ms. Kuroki Hitomi. We should have met a few times at Stardust Communication." Kimura Hiroshi greeted them.

"Yes, it's been a long time, Kimura-san. I'm so glad you invited me for the interview." Kikuchi Momoko replied happily. She really didn't expect Kimura Hiroshi to invite her. After all, they had some unpleasant experiences working together before. She had refused Kimura Hiroshi's invitation, which resulted in Kawai Sonoko's successful comeback. This made her somewhat regretful, and she was also afraid that Kimura Hiroshi would still remember it. Fortunately, Kimura Hiroshi was not a petty person, and he would still contact her when the opportunity arose.

In contrast, Hitomi Kuroki simply greeted him indifferently, without showing any emotion. As a female entertainer from Takarazuka, she still had her own pride, even though she had encountered setbacks everywhere in Tokyo before.

After exchanging greetings, Kimura Hiroshi didn't engage in much small talk with them. He directly had Yoshida Akimi bring over a portion of the script and place it in front of the two of them.

"Peach, Hitomi, here is part of the script. Please take a look. Then I need you to do some acting. Peach is auditioning for a gentle, quiet, and somewhat timid young lady from a wealthy family. As for Hitomi, your role is a woman who appears wild on the outside but has a gentle heart. She is very complex and not so easy to play."

Knowing that Hitomi Kuroki is someone who likes to play complex roles, to put it bluntly, she has her own pursuit in her acting career, you have to tell her about the complexity of a role, to show her that the role is difficult to play and that she needs to work hard to play it well.

Sure enough, upon hearing Kimura Hiroshi's words, Kuroki Hitomi immediately became interested, her eyes lighting up as she spoke up, "Oh, is it a rather difficult role to play? Then I will read the script carefully, Chairman Kimura. Please rest assured, I will do my best to meet your requirements."

Kimura Hiroshi then left without interrupting, sitting there silently and letting the two actresses read the script. This particular scene was just the beginning of the story, but it almost perfectly revealed the personalities of the two female leads, requiring them to work together. If their performance lacked chemistry, then Kimura Hiroshi would have to reconsider.

The time spent reading the script varied, but Kimura Hiro wasn't in a hurry. He sat quietly, sipping green tea, waiting for the two of them to finish reviewing it before starting the audition. About half an hour passed before Kuroki Hitomi put down the script. She seemed to be deep in thought, as if she was conceiving what the character of Kanna should be like.

A short while later, Momoko Kikuchi also put down her script, frowned, and seemed not to be very confident about the role. She looked at the script again, but then, as if she felt that too much time had passed, she stopped reading it.

"Alright, you two don't need to feel too much pressure. Just try acting it out. I mainly want to see if you have the feel for the characters in the script. If it's suitable, we can finalize it today. Now, I'll need you two to perform." Seeing that Kikuchi Momoko and Kuroki Hitomi had watched enough, Kimura Hiroshi let them begin.

Both of them are professional actresses, so they weren't nervous at all. They got up and started preparing for their performance. After confirming that the other was ready, they began.

This is a rainy day scene. Yumiko is wearing a beautiful kimono and is preparing to go on a blind date arranged by her aunt. However, because of the rain, it is inconvenient for her to wear a kimono, so she tries to flag down a taxi. But just as she is about to get in the car, another woman wearing a denim jacket stops the car and jumps in.

Yumiko was completely bewildered by this situation. She was quiet and didn't know how to deal with it. She just stood there, feeling lost and helpless. But just then, the taxi came back. The woman in the denim jacket was chewing gum and teasing her, but she asked her to get in the car and said she could take her to her destination first.

Unrestrained and somewhat rude, yet revealing a touch of tenderness within, the two began their performance, mainly depicting a slightly awkward conversation between two people inside the car.

It has to be said that Hitomi Kuroki's acting skills are excellent. Although she was dressed very formally today and had her hair straightened, she still managed to portray that unruly expression. It's just that the outfit wasn't quite right. Hmm, she needs to get a perm, draw a very obvious black eyeliner, and then add a bright red lip to make it more convincing.

Momoko Kikuchi's performance was also very good. Her image was originally suitable for this kind of role, and with a little bit of acting skills, she was a perfect fit. Kimura Hiroshi was satisfied.

After the two finished their scene together, Kimura Hiro clapped his hands and said, "Good, very good. You two perfectly meet my requirements. So, the two leading ladies are confirmed to be you two, Momoko-chan and Hitomi Kuroki. I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration in the future."

Kimura Hiroshi immediately confirmed the casting, which thrilled the two managers. Being able to star in Kimura Hiroshi's drama series, especially as the lead, meant that their popularity would experience an explosive growth. Kikuchi Momoko, in particular, was in a difficult situation and desperately needed some buzz to boost her popularity.

Having gained Kimura Hiro's approval, the two female leads were naturally very happy. Kuroki Hitomi also smiled, showing that although she had a cold face, she still had emotions and could laugh when she was happy. After all, they weren't robots.

Chapter 673 Do I still need to stay with you?

Although two female leads have been confirmed, filming cannot begin immediately. After all, the leads need to familiarize themselves with the script, suitable filming locations need to be selected, makeup artists need to communicate with the leads about makeup, and schedules need to be confirmed, etc. Filming will not actually begin for about a week.

However, Hiroshi Kimura wasn't in a hurry. It was only March, and he had plenty of time to film. Filming urban dramas was relatively easy.

Having arrived early in the morning, Kimura Hiroshi spent two hours explaining things to his subordinates before driving away from Baquan Studio to Warner Music. Today, he needed to discuss the song selection for the compilation album with Warner Music. After all, he had sung quite a few songs over the years, and the album could only hold ten songs, so he needed to discuss it with Warner Music.

Of course, Hiroshi Kimura didn't just go to pick out songs; he also went to check on Akina Nakamori's recovery training. She had been training for several days, so it should be almost over by now.

However, when Kimura Hiroshi arrived at Warner, he encountered an unexpected person at the door of Tomioka Yukio's office: Nozaki Toshio, the true controller of Ken-On and now the president of Ken-On. Hanami Kagami had officially announced his retirement from Ken-On two days earlier and would no longer engage in any work related to artists.

When Kimura Hiroshi saw him, Nozaki Toshio was smiling and saying goodbye to Tomioka Yukio, as if they were talking about something. Both of them looked quite good, but they didn't expect to run into Kimura Hiroshi when they came out.

"Ah, it's Kimura-san. It's nice to see you here." Nozaki Toshio came up to greet Kimura Hiroshi, but his mood was unreadable.

Tomioka Yukio, on the other hand, looked rather displeased. He stood at the office door, not going forward, but instead giving Kimura Hiroshi a meaningful look, indicating that he should just give him a perfunctory response.

Maintaining basic politeness, Kimura Hiroshi stepped forward and greeted him in return, "President Nozaki, it's a pleasure to see you too. It's been such a long time."

Nozaki Shuno did not attend his wedding with Nakamori Akina. It is said that he was extremely dissatisfied with his marriage to Nakamori Akina, but he was helpless. No one in his superiors raised any objections, so even if Nozaki Shuno disagreed, there was nothing he could do. On the wedding day, he did send a wedding gift to save face.

"Yes, it's been a long time. Kimura-san has started working again after getting married, and I heard that Akina-san has also resumed work. But why didn't you go back to Ken-On? That's where you debuted." Nozaki Toshio asked, seemingly unaware of anything.

Kimura Hiroshi did not show any embarrassment in response, and replied quite normally, "Ah, it's true that I've resumed work and started supervising TV dramas again. As for Akina, she hasn't resumed work. I only agreed to sing a theme song for a TV drama because I insisted. I don't even know if she will sing again in the future, so I haven't contacted her agency."

"Is that so? It seems I was wrong. But if you want to stay in Ken-On, remember to come find me. I'll be in charge of Ken-On from now on, so Kimura-san can rest assured. I, Nozaki Toshio, am a very generous person. As long as you're willing to stay at Ken-On, the salary I offer is much more generous than what President Hanami offers." Nozaki Toshio said very generously.

But Kimura Hiroshi remained unmoved. "Is that so? Then I'll definitely contact you when I have the chance. But right now I have something very important to discuss with Mr. Tomioka, so I won't bother you any longer, Mr. Tomioka, you agree, right?"

"Ah, right, President Nozaki, you can go back first. I've agreed to what you said. Now I need to talk to Kimura-san about some collaboration matters." Yukio Tomioka quickly responded to Hiroshi Kimura's words.

Since the other party had things to discuss, Nozaki Shuno naturally felt embarrassed to linger. After gesturing, he turned and left. However, Kimura Hiroshi did not have the impression that he was easy to get along with. Kimura Hiroshi had experienced this firsthand when they negotiated before. So now that Ken-On was in his hands, Kimura Hiroshi would definitely not go back. Nozaki Shuno might be generous, but he was also an absolute pursuer of interests.

Once Nozaki Toshio had walked away, Tomioka Yukio quickly stepped forward to apologize to Kimura Hiroshi, "I'm so sorry, Kimura-san. I didn't expect you to arrive so early, and you even bumped into President Nozaki. If I had known you would arrive so early, I would have arranged to talk to President Nozaki tomorrow."

With a slight smile, Kimura Hiroshi indicated that there was no need to worry. "It's alright. It's not Mr. Tomioka's fault. Nobody expected to meet like this. Okay, let's go inside and talk. I also want to check on Akina's rehabilitation training later."

"Okay, Kimura-san, come in with me. I also have something else to tell you." Yukio Tomioka invited Hiroshi Kimura into his office.

After sitting down, the two began to discuss the compilation album. Since Kimura Hiro had promised to include two new singles, what they needed to discuss was selecting eight singles from Kimura Hiro's previous singles. This was not a difficult task. After discussing for more than half an hour, they had selected eight singles to be included in the compilation album.

"Alright, let's use these eight singles. As for the remaining two new singles, Kimura-san, you should write them as soon as possible and start recording them. After all, the compilation album will be released very soon, and there won't be much extra time." Yukio Tomioka couldn't help but remind Hiroshi Kimura.

Unexpectedly, Hiroshi Kimura didn't say anything. Instead, he took out the sheet music for two singles from his bag and placed it in front of Yukio Tomioka, saying, "The two singles are ready. Mr. Tomioka, please finish composing them as soon as possible. By the way, one of them is the song I sang at the press conference where we challenged the reporters, 'To the Future.' This song is very memorable. I think it would be a real shame not to record it. I'll put it in the compilation album. I think it will be a surprise for the fans. Those who know about it will have a very special feeling when they hear this song."

Thinking of this, Hiroshi Kimura couldn't help but laugh to himself. This song was a quick production under the witness of the media. Now that it's being released, he figured the media wouldn't mind. Besides, it's in a compilation album, not released as a single, so the reporters would probably hardly notice it.

"Sigh, this song is indeed very special." Taking the sheet music, Yukio Tomioka was also lost in memories. It was the first time he had witnessed the special qualities of the young man in front of him, watching him achieve his later success step by step.

With all ten singles finalized, Yukio Tomioka now needs to have Warner Music staff arrange the tracks. Once the arrangements are complete, Hiroshi Kimura will be able to record them, and Warner Music will do some promotion before the album is released. As for any stage promotions, Hiroshi Kimura has absolutely no intention of doing so.

After discussing the compilation album, Yukio Tomioka brought up another matter he had mentioned earlier: Fuji Television's drama production department had taken a liking to "SAY YES," a single from his album "Koi," and asked if he could release the single separately and use it as the theme song for a drama series.

"Fuji Television's drama production department? Why didn't they contact me directly, but instead contacted you?" Kimura Hiroshi was somewhat puzzled. He had a very good relationship with Fuji Television, not to mention that Miyauchi Takesetsu, who was in charge of the drama department at Fuji Television, was his long-time partner.

"Well, Kimura-san, after an album is released, the copyright usually belongs to the record company, so it's perfectly normal for them to contact us. You don't need to feel strange about it; it's a normal way of working together," Yukio Tomioka explained.

"I see," Kimura Hiroshi understood. He didn't object and said, "I see. Well, I'm glad they've taken a liking to my single. In that case, let's release 'SAY YES' separately as the theme song for the drama. After all, I have a good relationship with their department head, so I should support their work."

"That's wonderful! This is beneficial for both of us. Don't worry, Kimura-san, the agency won't take a cut of the royalties. You'll be the one who benefits the most." Tomioka Yukio was naturally overjoyed that the deal was settled so easily.

After everything was settled, the two chatted for a few more minutes. Kimura Hiroshi didn't linger. He asked Nakamori Akina where she was training and then went to find her.

As a top-tier singer, even during her recovery training, Akina Nakamori had her own recording studio, with a professional team accompanying her to conduct a comprehensive assessment of her condition. When Hiroshi Kimura arrived at the recording studio, he saw Akina Nakamori singing while wearing headphones.

She was singing none other than "Kita-Tsubasa," a song she released in 1984. It's a very challenging single, especially the ending note of the first line. Back then, Akina Nakamori held the ending note very long, which caused a huge sensation. Of course, it wouldn't be so easy for her to sing this song well now. After all, she's been singing it for so many years, and her voice has developed some problems. She's not the Akina Nakamori who was just starting out and relied entirely on her voice and technique.

"Mysterious love, with incredible power... cough, cough." Sure enough, just as she started the first line, Akina Nakamori couldn't hold the note properly and started coughing. The staff outside, hearing the background music, asked, "Are you alright, Akina-san?"

Hiroshi Kimura, who was also standing outside, was secretly covering his mouth and laughing. It was the first time he had seen Akina Nakamori in such a situation while singing, and he couldn't help but laugh.

Wearing headphones, Akina Nakamori was about to smile and say it was nothing, but when she turned her head, she saw that there was another person outside, her husband. But this guy was actually laughing outside when she had problems singing. How could he be so annoying? She couldn't help but clench her fist.

Trying to control her emotions, Akina Nakamori smiled and said to the staff, "It's okay, it's okay. It's been too long since I sang such a long note, I haven't gotten used to it yet. Let's do it again."

Ignoring Kimura Hiroshi, Nakamori Akina was very focused on her work and didn't want to be annoyed by him. So she glared at him, warning him not to disturb her work or smirk.

Hiroshi Kimura, who was outside the recording studio, naturally noticed Akina Nakamori's gaze. He quickly suppressed his slightly arrogant smile, put on a stern face, and watched Akina Nakamori sing.

After two attempts, Akina Nakamori finally found the feeling and was able to hold the long notes again. She sang the entire single very well, and had at least 80% of the feeling she had back then. It is estimated that after a few more days of training, she will be able to recover her form and start trying to record a new single.

After finishing her performance, Akina Nakamori walked out of the recording studio without even glancing at Hiroshi Kimura. She then went to talk to the staff about issues that arose during the performance. After about half an hour, the conversation finally ended. Only then did Akina Nakamori walk up to Hiroshi Kimura, grab his arm, and lead him outside.

As they rounded a corner, Nakamori Akina forcefully made Kimura Hiroshi stand against the wall, then punched him twice in the arm, angrily saying, "You wretched guy, I was singing inside, and you, you wretched guy, were laughing at me from outside! That's too much! You have to be punished!"

Kimura Hiroshi, who was being attacked, was on the defensive. While blocking the attack, he pleaded for mercy, saying, "I was wrong, dear Akina. It was my mistake. I shouldn't have laughed at you there. I really have realized my mistake. To make up for my mistake, I'll treat you to Chinese food tonight. I heard that a very good Chinese restaurant recently opened near my house."

His attitude of admitting his mistake was quite sincere, and with the subsequent compensation policy, Nakamori Akina finally walked past him, put her hands on her hips, and said, "That's more like it. Well then, you wretched guy, prepare to bleed a lot tonight. I'm going to eat the most expensive things, otherwise you won't be able to make up for it. Also, you're not allowed to laugh anymore, you know? It's been a long time since I sang, so it's normal for some problems to arise."

"Okay, okay, I understand. I won't laugh anymore. It's all my fault. By the way, how much longer do we have to practice? Can we leave on time?" Kimura Hiroshi asked with some concern.

"No problem at all. Your Akina isn't the same as before. I'm just temporarily doing part-time singing. I'll take care of the work, but I won't be working as hard as before. I'll leave work on time, after all, I still need to spend time with you." Kimura Hiroshi had just finished being angry, and now she was acting all cute again. He had witnessed firsthand how quickly his wife's mood could change.

Chapter 674 The Art of Praise

After several days of recovery training, Akina Nakamori finally started recording a new single after almost a year, while Hiro Kimura also started filming a new TV series. The two seemed to have returned to the time when they were deeply in love, and each started their own work.

The preparation for the urban drama was as fast as ever, and Hiroshi Kimura took over as director. After resting for so long, he started directing TV series again, and it has to be said that Kimura found some enjoyment in his work. After all, he was the most important person on set, and everyone had to revolve around him. He didn't even need to take care of other people's feelings, and he could swear whenever he wanted.

However, Hiroshi Kimura is a very emotionally stable person. He generally doesn't yell at people on set unless they are really angered. Even if you make a mistake, he can still give you a lot of reasons. Therefore, most of the staff on set like Hiroshi Kimura as their supervisor. After all, workplace bullying is very serious in the entertainment industry, and it is not easy to have a boss with a stable emotional state.

There were no newcomers on set for this shoot. Actresses like Hitomi Kuroki and Momoko Kikuchi were all veterans, so Hiroshi Kimura didn't need to slowly train their acting skills. On the first day of filming, they immediately began shooting the story.

"Hey, Miss Mu, please get your makeup ready. And you, Peach Sauce, keep your makeup light. Don't wear such heavy lipstick, understand what I mean?"

Before filming officially began, Hiroshi Kimura was very dissatisfied with the makeup of the two leading actresses and asked the makeup artist to make some touch-ups to meet his requirements.

"Okay, I understand, Director Kimura." Without arguing, Hitomi Kuroki and the makeup artist started the makeup process again, as did Momoko Kikuchi.

After they finished adjusting their makeup, they came to Kimura Hiroshi again to see if it met their requirements. This time, Kimura Hiroshi offered some minor adjustments, and the makeup artist started making adjustments right in front of him. It took half an hour to finally finish.

The two lead actors finally adjusted, so they began filming the first scene. The first scene was the beginning of the drama, where Yumiko first noticed Kanna. It was when they were getting off the subway, and Yumiko was stopped by a missionary who insisted that she sign a contract. Yumiko, who was gentle and didn't know how to refuse, had no idea how to deal with it.