Tokyo Sound

"Hey, isn't this Yun the scumbag? How come he's like this after just a few days of not seeing him?" Nakajima Jianji was surprised.

"I have a slight cold." The man's eyes were slightly dark, and his tone was low, "And mental trauma."

"We are really afraid of colds in our line of work. If they affect our voice, it will be very troublesome. You should pay more attention to protection. You can always have some loquat paste and throat moisturizer." said a veteran who has been through many battles. "The throat is actually a consumable. If you don't take good care of it, it will definitely wear out."

"Ugh."

"What's wrong? You look so hopeless?"

"What do you think is the meaning of our lives?" Yin Ze had a complicated expression, his eyes were slightly empty, and there was loneliness in his pupils.

"Oh? It's no longer about the lustful virtual harem, but about this heavy and emotional topic."

The teasing look on Nakajima Jianji's face slowly faded, replaced by the wisdom and tolerance of an excellent old man. The caring uncle found a top-notch prey and immediately went online.

"There's still some time before the recording starts. Please sit down and let's have a mini life talk."

"You seem to like teaching others?" Yin Ze sat down on the left side of the intimate uncle.

"To be more precise, I like to save young people who have made mistakes." Nakajima Jianji nodded and stared at him with a calm gaze. "So you are worried and thinking about the ultimate proposition of life. Do you want to know the meaning of life? Do you want to truly live?"

"No." The cowardly man who didn't want to travel through time again for no reason subconsciously chose to refuse.

"?"

"Uh, I mean, yes."

"First of all, I have to say that in this tumultuous steel age, few young people will look up at the stars and quietly think about time and space, the origin and end of all things." Nakajima Jianji said, "This is a grand topic. I wanted to quote classics and use ancient and modern references to give you a high-tech lesson. For example, from a rational perspective, I would use books such as The Selfish Gene [Note: a popular science book written by British evolutionary theorist Richard Dawkins], System of Nature [Note: refers to System of Nature, a philosophical work written by French philosopher Paul Henri Holbach], and The Genetic Revolution [Note: an epigenetic book written by British biologist Nessa Carey] to deeply analyze the relationship and composition of life continuation. However, due to time constraints and the fact that you may not be able to remember my profound theories completely, I can only start from the popular aspects and give you a few suggestions."

"It's okay, I understand what you said, we can talk freely." Yin Ze said.

"So, this young man is just too ambitious and can't stand others saying he's not good enough." Nakajima Jianji frowned, "I know you're a student from a prestigious school, but you majored in liberal arts. Although my academic qualifications on paper are not as good as yours, I have a strong desire for knowledge. I often go to the library to gain wisdom. I have rich experience and a solid foundation. It's normal that you are not as good as me."

"I do remember the books you mentioned." Yin Ze added, "I read them a bit when I was taking the entrance exam."

"Oh, you dare to challenge me just because you have an 'impression'? Aren't you too conceited?" Nakajima Jianji snorted coldly, "It seems that your smooth life in real life has made you lose some of your sense of awe. Well, I will give you a simple test to let you know what it means to have eaten more salt than rice! Please listen to the question, why are organisms cloned by science so unhealthy?"

"This is because epigenetic modification is completed synchronously during the fusion of sperm and egg, while cloned organisms do not go through this process, and their epigenetic modification is lost." Yin Ze answered immediately, "So although their genes are consistent with healthy organisms, we don't know when and to what extent the genes are expressed."

"That's not right. Some cloned organisms survived and their offspring are healthy." Nakajima Masashi was not easily fooled.

"Because epigenetic modifications are repaired during the natural reproduction process. Some childhood experiences and environmental events can also affect DNA methylation. Also, if this influence occurs in the early stages, it will most likely be passed on to offspring, such as mental illness, because the human brain is extremely plastic in the early stages." Yin Ze talked eloquently.

"Epigenetic modification? What is that?" Nakajima Masaji was stunned when he touched upon his blind spot in knowledge.

"Gene methylation and acetylation. DNA that is not involved in protein coding is marked on gene expression through these, causing certain genes to be expressed or silenced, or expressed in large quantities and permanently silenced. Therefore, even identical twins can have inconsistent characteristics." Yin Ze treated this as the third question and explained it in detail.

"Oh, I see."

"Now you believe I understand?"

"…Is this a question you can understand or not? It's a matter of time, okay? We're about to start work, so it's not the right time to talk about it. Young people just love to be greedy and don't know how to make choices." Nakajima Jianji said righteously, "Let's get back to the point. The most down-to-earth explanation for the meaning of life is to find happiness."

"Happy?" Yin Ze repeated.

"That's right. At least most people who think about what life is are unhappy. If you are financially free, you wake up in a presidential suite of about 100 square meters in the morning, fly to the Arc de Triomphe for French food at noon, and visit the Louvre with a beautiful, wealthy woman in the afternoon. You see the treasures of human civilization and chat about upper-class gossip. In the evening, you go skiing in Switzerland with the latest model of the season. You are shamelessly affectionate in the cold and white world, and finally stay in a five-star hotel for the night. You are in me and I am in you in the aria on the G string. If you live like this, will you still have the leisure to think about what life is?"

"Of course!" Yin Ze's expression was fiery. "Can material wealth and enjoyment corrupt me who has bathed in the red glory?"

"I knew it wouldn't happen. Let's continue." Nakajima Jianji talked to himself. "First of all, it's obviously difficult for most people to live such an unrealistic life. But hope always exists in the heart, and the pursuit of a perfect life is never abandoned. It may be because of a promise, or to save face, or for family, or for love. Those office workers who shed tears alone due to pressure on the train, those girls who stare blankly at the exquisite wedding dress in the closet, those parents who carry their babies to do business... they are all microcosms of resistance."

"You mean, the meaning of life lies in the process in which unhappy people fight through blood and sweat and finally gain happiness?" Yin Ze pondered.

"Of course, that's why we work so hard. Otherwise, who would want to study these unrealistic stories every day?" Nakajima Masaji shook the script in his hand. "What's this 'a high school club full of beautiful girls centered around me'? It's simply unreasonable!"

"But, what if some people's source of happiness is not working? Isn't that a paradox?" Yin Ze asked again.

"What a coincidence! That's what I said to the career counselor before graduation." Nakajima Jianji sighed, "I have always believed that just getting by is enough, and there is no need to force myself to be rich. But even such a humble wish is not easy to achieve."

"I didn't expect that your view on money is as simple as mine. But it's true. You used a lot of vouchers to treat us to amusement park." Yin Ze lowered his head humbly and asked, "Do you have any solution now?"

"There is no perfect solution in the world, but I have a natural talent and I have found another way, so of course there is a way."

"What? I actually achieved the reality of being happy without working! How did I do it?" Yin Ze was shocked.

"It's so far away, yet so close at hand." Nakajima Jianji raised the script in his hand again, "The answer is, to be a voice actor."

"?"

"I chose a job where I don't feel like a corporate slave. That's my solution."

"I'm well-read, don't try to fool me." Yin Ze frowned. "Animation may seem glamorous, but the industry's overtime is tearful. I've heard of animators dying from overwork on the set several times. Voice actors are the same. Now they not only need to do voice acting, but also need to look good, sing and dance, and even cook and chop bricks and rocks. The treatment is no better than that of traditional artists, but the standards are raised every year. Who can stand this?"

"Chi'er, if you are really a Buddhist youth who is easily satisfied, why bother to get serious about those messy things? You can have enough food and clothes if you do your job well." Nakajima Jianji said, "Let's use your work experience as an example. Did you do a few broadcasts with a female voice actor from Osawa before?"

"Yes." Yin Ze nodded.

"How was the response?"

"It is said that the data is not bad, and it can be said to stand out among the crowd of the season."

“Did you collect money?”

"Of course. It's not like I'm working for nothing."

"So what did you do?"

"Answer readers' letters, discuss plots, and perform small plays."

"You summarize all the above behaviors and condense them into one simple behavior."

"chat?"

"That's right." Nakajima Jianji said earnestly, "You just chatted with a beautiful girl for half an hour and earned money. Is there any job easier than this? Isn't this happy?"

Huh? That seems to make sense.

The man was deep in thought.

"The previous promotional activity was the same. I just went on stage to chat with girls, played games in public, and shook hands afterwards. I made money and even gained fans. Think about it, wasn't it easy and enjoyable?" Nakajima Masaji added.

“Well, if you insist, you can say that…” Yin Ze scratched his head.

"As for what to do next, given your intelligence, I don't need to explain much, right?" said Nakajima Masaru.

"Keep participating in broadcasts and activities?" Yin Ze asked.

“What prerequisite tasks do you need to complete in order to achieve this goal?”

"How many more shows can you perform?"

"Very good, you have realized it." The caring uncle nodded with great satisfaction, "So become a hardworking voice actor, and all your happiness will be there."

"Senior Nakajima, I am grateful for your guidance." Yin Ze bowed his head in admiration to express his gratitude to the master of this art.

"It's a small matter. I have been doing life talks for a long time."

Before the filming officially started, the man made a special call to his agent.

"Please give me more auditions! I want to work!" the man spoke passionately.

"Am I not awake yet, or are you?" Kashiwa Ippei suspected that he was hallucinating. This guy actually asked for an audition on his own initiative?

"I want to participate in various broadcasts and activities! Please contact me!"

"...Have you been brainwashed by some evil scientist? Please, be normal. I'm scared." The agent wiped his sweat and said, "There will be an internal cocktail party in the company in a few days. Don't have a seizure there."

Chapter 86: The Fast Food Emperor

"Why do you always sit in a corner like this?" Hikasa Yoko said earnestly, as if she was teaching her timid and introverted child. "It's okay to be so far away from everyone, but apart from introducing yourself, you don't even chat with your colleagues. You have to stand up and be sunny and cheerful so that you will be more likely to be liked by girls, understand?"

"I am concentrating on studying acting, without any distractions." Matsuoka Yoshitsugu accepted the advice.

"You are suffering from a little disease of idealism. Look at those voice actors who have high commercial value and are popular. How many of them rely purely on their acting skills?" Hikasa Yoko rolled up her sleeves, revealing her smooth arms.

"Senior, here, explain in detail." Shimazaki Nobunaga, who was on the same set, suddenly interrupted.

"Okay, I'll talk about it today."

Senior Yoko acted like a teacher.

"There are so many practitioners across the country, and they have all received formal training. There is no such thing as an irreplaceable voice. There is an endless supply of reserve voices. In fact, in the past when there was no exposure, no one cared who dubbed which character. We are all the same, with two small hands and two legs, a nose and a mouth. If you want to be different, you have to have qualities that others don't have."

"Does it mean that blind training is useless? If you want to become a master who starts at the designated level of sealing, you still have to master the unique power of 'origin' engraved in the depths of your soul?" Shimazaki Nobunaga seemed to be thinking about it.

"It can be your own personality, it can be a label, it can be the authority of special performances, it can be a fabricated persona, in short, you have to have this kind of thing, otherwise how can others leave an impression on you? Look at the idol industry now, there are cool, beautiful, tomboyish, innocent younger brother types... No matter what you like, you can always pick the type you like."8

!

5

';

"7;

!;6

!'

!6

3:

!;4

.4

2

Hikasa Yoko paused and said.

"Representative roles are certainly a great bonus for voice actors themselves, but there are colleagues who only play supporting roles but have also made a name for themselves. 'Gold medal supporting actors' is their foundation. In the final analysis, a simple, thin voice actor can survive well with good professional skills, but if he wants to climb to the top of the pyramid, he lacks the topic popularity that can be ignited immediately. For example, in the industry of comedians, there is a special group of people who are very popular with the audience. They may not be as good at throwing jokes and controlling the stage as the gods, but as long as they stand on the stage, the audience will be excited, want to watch, and will buy in. Even if you make a mistake, others will regard it as a laugh point. They are invincible."

"Then where can we get this kind of halo?" Shimazaki Nobunaga asked with his hands on his hips.

"Oh, if I had understood this mysterious chemical reaction, I would have started my own company and sold celebrities wholesale." Hikasa Yoko said unhappily, "Little shrimps like you should stop dreaming about that level. First, you should find a firm foothold and find a suitable development path."

"I see. In other words, the realms of voice actors are the training center realm, the contracted active duty realm, the studio ranger realm, the backbone realm, and the supreme light environment. When you reach the ranger realm, you have to find your own 'Tao'. Otherwise, your cultivation will only increase, but you won't be able to break through the realm." Shimazaki Nobunaga suddenly realized, "Without a doubt, my 'Tao' is the bright meteor across the night sky, the spiritual sustenance of young girls, that is, the lover in my dreams!"

"Just you?" Hikasa Yoko gave her a concerned look as if she were looking at a problem child.

"Am I not capable of doing this?" Shimazaki Nobunaga asked, spreading his hands.

To be honest, Brother Dao has a well-proportioned figure, with broad shoulders, long legs and a thin waist. He is a typical clothes hanger, with a neighborly and friendly smile and soft and amiable facial features. He can be described as a sunny and handsome big boy who goes for the salty route. With a little bit of dressing up, he will have no problem singing, dancing and flirting on the stage.

...but it still depends on who you compare with.

"Even our IM rookie Takizawa didn't take the route of a popular idol, I'm afraid you won't be able to hold on." Hikasa Yoko said the truth.

"Him? He has only good looks but doesn't know how to make use of them. He is only addicted to evening variety shows and forwarding news about stupid people and stupid things. You are just a dead bone in a grave. Sooner or later, I will replace you." Shimazaki Nobunaga shook his head with disdain.

"That's quite risky. He has been doing very well recently. I heard several sound directors praise his professional ability." Hikasa Yoko shook her head.

"Takizawa's acting has always been good, and his basic skills are very solid." Matsuoka Yoshitsugu added cheerfully.

"No, it's not acting skills, it's professional ability," Hikasa Yoko emphasized.

"What's the difference?" Shimazaki Nobunaga was puzzled.

"Although many people in this industry like to read novels and watch anime, they definitely have different preferences. Some like suspense, some like relaxed daily life, and some love epic dramas. But what type of work you get is unpredictable. Occasionally, you will be involved in a project that you have been fond of for a long time. As an old fan, you will definitely empathize with various things and perform superhumanly. But in most cases, you will take on things you have never heard of or seen before, and your understanding of the role is completely blank. In this assembly line production process, you no longer have the leisure to read the original work, and you have to rely on yourself. In this case, the only reference that voice actors can rely on and find is the opinions given by the leading sound supervisor. In a way, as long as the sound supervisor nods, it basically passes and you can get paid."

Hikasa Yoko talked freely.

"But the sound supervisor is just an ordinary person, at most he is more experienced. There are also times when top voice actors give wonderful performances that exceed the expectations of the sound supervisor. So in order to avoid overly suppressing the performance of voice actors, the adjustment conditions they give are mostly ambiguous and vague. Whether they can read the requirements and give accurate and qualified feedback is also an important criterion for evaluating whether a voice actor is excellent or not."

"Senior, are you saying that the kind of divine voice contribution is the embodiment of pure acting skills, and being able to constantly change the performance according to demand and quickly meet production needs is professional ability?" Matsuoka Yoshitsugu, who has always been interested and sensitive to such topics, immediately understood.

"Yes, that's the truth. Anyway, this is a fast-paced era, and we are not stage actors who have plenty of time to learn the script and tour the country dozens of times. Often, for a fast-food role, you are required to provide voice materials within a few hours. In this case, a mediocre move may not be amazing, but at least it can be carried out steadily. And even if a master's move is superb, if it takes a long time to come up with it, it's all in vain." Hikasa Yoko said seriously, "It's like a supervisor drawing a storyboard, and the deadline is approaching, and a bunch of production staff are watching behind you. You insist on saying that you have no inspiration and can't draw it. Will that work? The investors will cut you into pieces, right?"

"From what you said, Takizawa is the fast food emperor?" Shimazaki Nobunaga sighed, "I know it, I know it. Is there any perfect person in this world? After all, he is just the embodiment of business, and can't be accepted by the upper class! He can't reach the realm of 'Voice of God'!"

"...But I've never seen you give a stunning performance." Matsuoka Yoshitsugu muttered.

"A good article is naturally created, and it is the result of a master's hand. I just haven't met a character with a 200% synchronization rate, so the seal is difficult to lift." Shimazaki Nobunaga waved his hand.

"The problem is, if things go on like this, Takizawa, who is obviously skilled in his job and favored by various companies, will find it easier to get the role. Who knows, your destined protagonist might be taken away by him, and then the seal will never be lifted for the rest of your life." Hikasa Yoko also complained.