Tokyo Sound

"——I have traveled around and explored everywhere, and have seen many incredible things. Now I am still on the road to study. Come with me to get to know the world again!"

"Oh my god, this is the TV show, the beginning of 'Seeing All the Ancient Monuments in Five Minutes'!"

"——Kirito-kun, I'll leave everyone to you."

"Ah, it's Nobuyuki Sugo from Sword Sanctum!"

"???"

"No, no, no, it's the blue-haired knight who died in the second episode. But by the way, your voice also sounds like Nobuyuki Sugo."

"That's me too."

"Oh, that's disgusting."

There was a brief silence.

"…Children should watch less and more popular science education programs."

"I will." Kenzo-kun had a cheerful smile on his face, and he tried to hold his head high, looking very energetic. "My grades are very good."

"That's great. What's your dream for the future?"

"Astronaut."

"Very good! You should have the spirit to march towards the sea of ​​stars!" The man praised, and then turned his eyes, "Didn't you say before that you liked Li-chan from the same class? Just keep this spirit, become even better, and work hard to pursue the girl you like!"

"Well, it's not that I like her, I just care a little bit." Kenzo-kun became embarrassed when he heard that. "Besides, she doesn't like people like me who only know how to study. As expected, the handsome and fashionable ones are more eye-catching, right?"

"So what do you think of me?" The man showed off his vulgar appearance.

"Ultimate form." Kenzo used the Digimon's rank to express his approval.

"I don't have a girlfriend yet, so your opinion is wrong. On the contrary, I still regret that I wasn't braver and better when I was in school and in front of my first love." The man patted the boy's narrow shoulder and said earnestly, "There is no love fairy in this world who can turn back time. You have to work hard."

"Brother is so cool, so he dropped out of school?"

"No, I'm from the University of Tokyo."

"What?! You still don't have a girlfriend even after getting admitted to the University of Tokyo? Is it true that studying has no future?" Kenzo was shocked.

"Well, this is mainly because the ratio of men to women in the school is a bit unbalanced...right? You can take the exam at the school next door, then it won't affect you."

"I see. From now on, I will avoid the University of Tokyo and only apply to other top universities."

In other words, the leader of the Faculty of Arts is not here, otherwise someone would definitely be punished.

"You don't seem happy with your friends?" The man pinched the little boy's cheek.

"I can't run fast, I'm not good at arm wrestling, and the rope easily gets stuck when I skip rope. In the grade competition, I even dropped the baton in the relay race." Kenzo lowered his head in embarrassment.

"It's really frustrating, but it doesn't matter. Some failures in childhood are very cost-effective. The blow is not that big, but it can be remembered deeply and motivate me from time to time."

The man squatted down, looked straight into those clear and simple eyes, and spoke slowly.

"Sometimes, whether or not a group accepts you does not depend on your ability. Atmosphere is a very complex thing. When you are young, you don't have a clear understanding of good and evil, so you often hurt others the most. If you feel really unhappy, there is no need to force yourself to be wronged. As I said before, watch more educational programs, absorb more knowledge, broaden your horizons, and become excellent. In the end, you will gain no less than anyone else, and during this journey, you will definitely meet like-minded friends.

“But no matter where the future leads, please remember not to be a person with an overly cold soul.”

"I don't understand. It's so hard to understand." Kenzo pondered for a while, looking a little distressed. "But since it was Senior Durian who said it, I will remember it."

"Very good, then let's have the final showdown." The man said vigorously, "Who can finish the small carton of milk from the convenience store next door faster? Considering that you are short of money, I will sponsor the competition supplies."

"I'd rather drink Coke..."

"No."

"What about milk tea?"

"Not at all."

"Oh."

"Go home early and don't let your mother worry."

"My home is nearby, very close, less than 100 meters away."

"That's good. As a reward for the winner, I will give you the autographs of Senior Durian and the Rose Thief."

"Thank you, big brother!"

"Don't be complacent, you haven't won yet."

The little boy held the volleyball and hooked the hand of the hero he met by chance, and the two walked out of the park.

They were clearly two people who had just met, one older and one younger, but they looked just like older and younger brothers.

Risa Taneda could see the little boy's bright smile from a distance, and she couldn't help but smile too.

Today is really a leisurely and happy day.

The girl checked the time.

I sat there for another ten minutes before I put away my documents, picked up my bag, and walked out of the park.

It's about five or six minutes' walk from here to the audition location, but the selection of male roles will start first, and the female roles will come later, so there will definitely be enough time.

at this time.

A figure scurried past Risa Taneda. The image of him running in a panic was as helpless as a man who was going to be late for work, had no hope of getting perfect attendance this month, was burdened with mortgage payments on his car and house, and was in the midst of a mid-life crisis.

When we passed each other, I could vaguely hear the mumbling that disappeared in the wind.

"I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die, it's too late now, Kashiwa-nii-san is definitely going to punish me violently--!"

"?"

Risa Taneda looked at the not-so-strange figure from afar, with a confused look on her face.

Chapter 21: Crossroads

“Salute to a lifestyle that consumes a lot of energy.”

"Ah, my great sin is laziness alone."

"If you think my life will be extraordinary, it means you have a bad eye for people~"

"Even if the mystery is not solved in the end, it will slowly fade away in your mind sooner or later. Life is like this, repeating forgetting."

"Don't do things that can be avoided, and keep things simple when you have to do them."

"By the way... about that 'business strategic vision' that you gave up. How about I take charge of it for you?"

The unique immature and lazy voice of the male high school student spread through the headphones into the ears of the sound director and the animation director.

It was so vivid and real that I could almost see the classmate in the back row slumped over the desk and dozing off. The next second, he was called up by the math teacher and questioned. After giving the miraculous correct answer, he continued to rest his chin on his arms and squint his eyes.

"..."

Nagasaki Yukinu in the studio felt his ears itching slightly. He looked through the glass at the familiar face who was performing calmly in the recording studio, and he felt that something was strange.

The dubbing is of course very good, and he grasps every aspect of the role very well, with his emotions and state of mind being very vivid. Most importantly, he is very popular, especially on N Station, where his ghost videos are enough to create a small section. Relatively speaking, his qualifications are still young, and his salary is not expensive.

As a representative all-around voice actor with no shortcomings and balanced attributes in all aspects, he can always deliver answers and results that satisfy the client, and this time is no exception.

What's more, this time, he and the role are highly compatible, and under the mutual influence, his performance in this audition is even more brilliant. He is not inferior to the veteran acting predecessors, which is amazing.

The animation director who was also present at the audition and was selecting the voice actors was nodding repeatedly while covering his headphones. He was looking through this person's information, like a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law, the more he looked, the more he liked him.

"Nagasaki-san, I think he is very suitable. What do you think?" The animation director, who was so busy that he didn't even have time to wash his hair, changed into a comfortable sitting position and asked.

"...I thought so too." Nagasaki Yukinu glanced at the guy in the recording studio, his eyes twitching, his tone complicated, and he reluctantly gave a sincere evaluation, "His performance was very natural and impeccable."

"Yeah, for this series I plan to focus on creating a campus atmosphere, hoping to have less of an industrial feel and present a plain and real daily life. This voice actor has mastered all his skills, showing his essence without any craftsmanship. It's like he's acting in his true colors, which is exactly what I need. And judging from his resume, he has worked with you many times, so he can be considered a veteran with experience. I mean, it's him." The animation director added.

The old man naturally had no objection and then ticked the box on the list.

As a sound supervisor, he must shoulder his due responsibilities, cooperate with the production team, and strictly select talents. To be honest, this time someone's audition performance was quite outstanding, and he should have been selected.

The main thing that always makes Nagasaki Yukinu feel weird is this.

Doesn't this mean that he has to act out his true self...? !

The old man complained loudly in his heart.

Look at these lines that are lazy, yet playful and slacking. For that guy, it's like two Smiling Thomases running in the opposite direction on the same track - it's a perfect match. It's not to say that it's what he likes, but at least it's tailor-made for him.

"Thank you for your hard work. Please stay after the audition is over." Nagasaki Yukinu said as he approached the microphone.

Someone is no longer an ignorant newbie. From what he said, the producer must have made a decision. Someone who caught up with the team after a short sprint breathed a sigh of relief as if he had survived a disaster. He looked like he could finally give an explanation to his family. He bowed politely and left neatly.

"Well, the male role has been basically finalized today." The animation director glanced at his watch. "It took longer than expected. It's already four o'clock in the afternoon. What would Nagasaki-san like to eat for dinner? Should I ask them to buy it in advance?"

"Rice balls, please." Nagasaki Yukinu touched his belly, "I need to eat something light recently."

"Okay, let's take a short break and then continue." The animation director said as he twisted his waist a few times. It was a little tiring to listen to nearly a hundred sounds in one day.

……

Risa Taneda sat in a chair and waited silently. Whenever she moved her eyes away from the information, she saw many people stopping and sitting in the corridor. They were all colleagues who came for the audition.

There were a lot of people in the corridor, but no noise was made, even though there was no ban on noise and it was a normal corridor.

Everyone looked uneasy, some were pacing back and forth, some were squatting on the ground with their knees hugged, as if that was more relaxing, some were facing the wall, thinking about something, and some were rolling up their long hair to reveal their smooth necks, carefully applying delicate makeup.

Risa Taneda, who majored in fine arts, is no stranger to this kind of atmosphere. She has participated in similar important exams, and except for a few very capable and confident geniuses, everyone was worried.

But compared to the art exams in my student days, the people here are obviously twice as anxious and tired.

There is indeed not much comparison between the unattainable artistic future and the current life of settling paychecks.

Tension and anxiety are like a rope tightly wrapped around everyone's body. For some people who have a hard life and few ways out, this rope is around their necks, which is the most deadly part.

Before entering the industry, Risa Taneda was warned more than once by her teachers at the training school. Female voice actors are updated very quickly, and the proportion of women in voice actors is also larger, so the competition is fierce.

It’s really not good. Being here, bathed in the heavy air, the fear in my heart is being aroused.

I encountered a lot of happy little things today.

Risa Taneda took a few deep breaths and couldn't help but go to the bathroom.

I met the same auditioner at the sink.

The girl with a not-so-healthy complexion and dark circles under her eyes was pouring cold water on her face and rubbing her hands. It was as if she was washing her hands at the hand-washing place in front of a shrine, pious enough to wash away all the bad luck. She was obviously more nervous than the others, and her face was a little pale. I don't know if it was because she was unwell or too pessimistic. Anyway, she paused for a while, then suddenly bent over and retched for a while.

"Are you okay?" Risa Taneda asked with concern.

"I'm fine." The girl lowered her head and said repeatedly, turning on the tap and washing again. Then she looked up at her companion next to her, trying to hide her embarrassment, and said embarrassedly, "My stomach is not feeling well, it's an old problem."

"Would you like something to drink? Mineral water? There's sugarcane juice in the vending machine. I'll buy it for you?" Risa Taneda kindly handed over a tissue.

"Thank you, but no thanks. I'll be there soon." The girl thanked him, then her face became firm. She took the tissue, wiped her hands and cheeks, and left quickly.

It's such hard work.

In just a few seconds of communication, I was able to feel how difficult it was.

Am I going to compete with someone who persists to this extent…?

Risa Taneda quickly returned to her seat, sat down against the wall, and couldn't help but pick up the small bag she was carrying.

In addition to the necessities, there were some other things stuffed into the small bag. A notebook, headphones, and a few books, two poetry collections, and a novel. The poetry collections were all selected collections of foreign poets, such as Shelley and Pushkin, and the novel was Japanese, the size of a palm.

The first article in the Classical Series: Hyouka.

Because my agent said many times that this animation had great potential, the production company was also well-known in the industry, and it was also my first important job, so I even bought the original work and read it all night.

Risa Taneda is not someone who knows nothing about "otaku culture". On the contrary, she has had a very childish past.

Rather than being a light novel, Hyouka is more like a youth mystery novel with the characteristics of a light novel. It extends from simple "daily mysteries" to every corner of life. This warmth and freshness has a breath of life and a fresh texture that assembly-line commercial works do not have.

At first, "light novels" were a genre that was developed and explored by various people, and what was written at that time was still a mature literature. But now it seems to have completely faded, only living in the scope of ACG, restricted by various routine templates and shortcuts.

Nowadays it is rare to see works of this scope by someone like Sakuraba Isshu.

When Risa Taneda read the original work, she felt like she was seeing the era when this field was enthusiastically cultivated. Her desire to act in the film became even stronger.

The corridor was still gloomy.

She took out the old notebook in her bag, which was full of lines and essays full of middle school feeling. Boys all wanted to be Kamen Riders, and girls all wanted to be princesses in fairy tales. The notebook recorded a story about the "Princess of the Wind".

She wrote several stories that were so simple and pure that they seemed like works inspired by reading Grimm's Fairy Tales and Andersen's works.

A bit shameful...

But this is also the motivation that supports her to move forward here.