UBW Premieres!

In everyone's eyes, if it weren't for this guy, Tsuburaya Productions would never have been acquired.

Even the usually good-tempered Takano Koichi let out a heavy snort.

As the last disciple of Tsuburaya Eiji, Takano Koichi had absolutely no liking for this guy who wanted to usurp power.

Next, Ophelia read out several changes in middle management.

All of Tsuneuyuki Morishima's henchmen were dismissed. Several guys who embezzled on set were not only kicked out but also given a pair of silver handcuffs. Even the leaders of Plan N were demoted and punished.

Although Shinji personally loves Ultraman Nexus, as the company boss, he must punish those who cause losses to the company.

It took Ophelia a full 15 minutes to finish reading the entire personnel change report.

After hearing Shinji's first words as the new official, everyone felt uneasy.

It's not that no one wants to object.

However, they lacked the crucial tool to save Tsuburaya Productions from its crisis—money.

You should know that since last month, the company hasn't even had the money to pay its employees' salaries.

Shinji slowly stood up, his eyes scanning the people in the conference room. His heart was filled with restless anticipation, and he seemed to hear a very catchy background music playing in his ears.

Should I choose the version from the President, the Jiajing Emperor, or the Kangxi Emperor for this speech?

Shinji made his decision in less than a second.

He slammed a pen onto the table.

"You bunch of scum!!"

Shinji roared angrily, pointing at those who had been punished, his emotions reaching their breaking point.

"Look at these people... aren't they all pillars of the company, the cream of the crop for Tsuburaya... but they're rotten! Utterly rotten!"

Shinji said with deep sorrow, "Tsuburaya Eiji entrusted the company to you, and you've made such a mess of it! I'm heartbroken! I've let down my grandfather, I've let down Grandpa Eiji! I wish I could fire myself!"

Everyone at Tsuburaya Productions looked at Shinji was performing there, with a strange expression.

Is there really such a good thing?

Ophelia stared intently at Shinji; it was the first time she had ever seen Shinji exude such domineering charisma.

"And you too!"

Shinji's gaze swept over the crew members on set.

Takano Koichi, Jissoji Akio, Ota Ai...

If they were fans, Shinji be very friendly to them and might even ask for their autographs.

However, Shinji's identity as the company owner made these people dislike him no matter what.

Shinji knew very well that none of the people involved in Tsuburaya Productions' collapse were clean.

Shinji especially hated those screenwriters.

Actually, when Nexus was canceled, Tsuburaya Productions had a chance to recover.

But these screenwriters, for the sake of their own expression, selfishly stepped on the gas pedal of the uphill road.

Shinji doesn't deny the excellence of * Ultraman Max *, * Ultraman Mebius *, and * Ultraseven X *, but does a debt-ridden Tsuburaya Productions really need excellent stories?!

What Tsuburaya Productions needs is a story that can sell like the Heisei Ultraman Trilogy!

Ultraman Max and <Ultraman Mebius> are understandable, but Shinji simply cannot understand why these people would choose to release <Ultraseven X> when Tsuburaya's finances are at their most critical point.

Shinji doesn't believe that these experts in the tokusatsu field can't see the commercial weaknesses of <Ultraseven X>.

He could only interpret it as these old guys knowing that Tsuburaya Productions was going to go bankrupt, so they hoped to take this last opportunity to pass on their ideas.

These people believe their ideas are invaluable and deserve everyone's respect and recognition, yet they show not even the slightest respect for their own company!

Thinking of this, Shinji flew into a rage, roaring, "No snowflake is innocent in an avalanche! You people are equally responsible for the company's predicament!"

"Some people are even more harmful to the company than those I fired!!"

"Let me give you a piece of advice: think carefully about what you've done and see if you've ever considered the company's interests! Do you really think that when the sky falls, there will always be tall people to hold it up?!"

At the end of his tirade, Shinji slammed his fist on the table, so hard that even the thermos next to him jumped.

If it weren't for wanting to save face for Tsuburaya Eiji, Shinji would have really wanted to drag that old crooked tree out and show it to these guys.

The room fell silent; the only sound in the conference room was Shinji's heavy breathing.

Some people felt ashamed, feeling that the company was in trouble and they were powerless to save it.

Some people disagreed, feeling they hadn't done anything wrong, especially the screenwriters, who clearly didn't think much of Shinji as a "businessman."

Shinji could more or less guess what these people were thinking, but he didn't intend to continue dealing with them.

Those who need to be cleared out should leave immediately; if the remaining people are also driven away, Tsuburaya Productions will end up like it did in "history."

Shinji has a specific way of dealing with those who disagree with him.

Now that the stick has been used to strike, it's time to offer some sweet treats.

"I know that rice is expensive in Tokyo, and it's not easy to live there long-term."

Shinji tapped his fingers and said, "So I've decided that starting this month, everyone's salaries will be adjusted. Employees at all levels will receive a raise based on their work, title, position, and seniority. The minimum increase will Issei."

If the minimum Issei, then what's the maximum?

Everyone present who remained at Tsuburaya Productions was invigorated; no one could refuse such a windfall.

Because of poor performance in recent years, everyone hasn't received a raise in a long time.

Although we desperately want to rebel against Shinji Matou, this tyrant, he has given us far too much.

We're all adults; it's impossible for us to resist Fukuzawa Yukichi's temptations.

Even the screenwriters who didn't think much of Shinji had smiles on their faces.

Bowing down for commercial gain is vulgar, but the other party offering to raise the salary is...

It can only be said that everyone has a flexible moral bottom line.

However, before everyone could finish sharing their joy at the pay raise, Shinji's next words stunned them all.

"Next year, I will be making a special Ultraman movie, and I hope you will all cooperate."

"All profits from the film will be transferred to the company's account to become the company's future operating funds."

Chapter 100 of UBW premieres!

When Shinji said he would personally direct an Ultraman movie, the expressions on everyone's faces in the conference room changed once again.

Who is Shinji Matou? He's the highest-earning Director in all of Japan!

Despite having only two films, those two films have grossed more at the global box office than any other Director!

If this Director were to helm an Ultraman movie, it would be a guaranteed box office hit!

Kazuo Tsuburaya's gaze toward Shinji held a newfound eagerness.

He disliked this opportunistic brat, but if the other party could truly bring the Ultraman IP back to its former glory, that would be a different story.

However, the eyes of the other veteran Tsuburaya executives were filled with conflict.

Those in the industry must be well aware of Shinji's directing style.

The thought that Ultraman would become a money-making tool for these kinds of businessmen evokes mixed feelings in everyone.

For them, Ultraman is not just their own creation, but also a medium for conveying their ideas.

And now, the haven of my soul is about to be tainted by the ugliness of capitalism.

Shinji didn't bother arguing with these people; he simply told everyone present his next plan.

"My schedule is already full for this year, so even if I were to start preparing for a movie, I wouldn't be able to start until next year. Coincidentally, the year after next is the 40th anniversary of the Ultraman series, and I will personally plan this 40th anniversary commemorative work."

The original content of <Ultraman Mebius> was excellent; as a nostalgic work, it can be considered a classic among classics.

However, this Ultraman also had its share of problems. It's worth noting that Ultraman Mebius Nexus.

Therefore, Shinji decided to personally oversee and direct this work, striving to make it a success in both critical acclaim and financial reward.

"What you need to do right now is to come up with a project as soon as possible to fill the gap left by the cancellation of Nexus."

Although he says he'll let Tsuburaya Productions decide for themselves, Shinji estimates they'll eventually produce an Ultraman Max movie.

Although Shinji isn't a big fan of Viktor Aquinas, he does like the work quite a bit, so he doesn't plan to interfere.

Of course, another reason why Shinji did not choose to interfere was that many of the business operation problems exposed in the Ultraman Mebius project were a continuation of the problems in the Ultraman Max project.

Later, when he took charge of the Ultraman Mebius project, he could use Ultraman Max as a negative example.

"Shinji, are you serious?" Kazuo Tsuburaya asked Shinji to confirm. "I'm asking about your Ultraman movie project."

"Of course it's true." Shinji smiled slightly. "That theatrical version will be a crucial part of the commemorative project."

The theatrical version Shinji was referring to was undoubtedly "Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers," the most influential Ultraman film Shanghai Film history.

Having already bought out Tsuburaya Productions, if he didn't personally direct this theatrical film, a culmination of the Showa and Heisei eras, wouldn't his Second Master be a fool?

"Really?" Kazuo Tsuburaya was still somewhat skeptical. "After all, the box office performance of Ultraman movies in recent years..."

Kazuo Tsuburaya doesn't believe Shinji, a highly sought-after commercial Director, has the guts to take on a film project destined to flop.

Even if Kazuo Tsuburaya didn't say it, Shinji knew the commercial performance of the Ultraman movies.

In the original history, Super 8 was the highest-grossing theatrical film in the entire Ultraman series, but it only grossed 840 million yen, which is less than a fraction of FSN's box office.

"I'm also a fan of the Ultraman series, brother Kazuo." Shinji deliberately changed his form of address to shorten the distance between them. "My passion and love for this IP is no less than yours. Being able to make an Ultraman movie has always been my dream. Don't worry, I will only take a symbolic 1 yen as Director's fee for this movie."

"Really? That's wonderful."

Kazuo Tsuburaya smiled from the bottom of his heart.

Director of Shinji's caliber would normally be impossible for Tsuburaya Productions to hire, but now he's willing to make a movie for free, which shows he truly loves Ultraman.

Kazuo Tsuburaya was unaware that Shinji's decision to direct "Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers" stemmed not only from a desire to pay off his childhood debts but also from a desire to test his new technology.

Touko and Medea's technological research has ended, but Shinji still needs to verify how much of the technology they developed can be used in actual filming.

Because it involves many technologies that even Shinji had never seen before, it's hard to know whether it works or not without using it yourself.

Some technologies may seem good, but they may not be suitable for movie projection.

Even with technologies that can be used in practice, Shinji still needs practical experience.

In the era before the Second Master's time travel, James Cameron also made a purely technical film, Alien in the Deep, before making Avatar, to familiarize himself with the production process of 3D movies.

Using a sentimental film to explore new avenues for technological advancement is, in Second Master's opinion, a win-win situation.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, that's all for today. Meeting adjourned."

After arranging everything, Shinji ended the meeting and prepared to leave Tsuburaya with Ophelia as soon as possible.

The post-production of the TV Series FSN has reached a critical stage, and he doesn't have time to linger in Tokyo for too long.

"Brothers Shinji."

As soon as Shinji stepped out of the conference room, Kazuo Tsuburaya caught up with him.

"Is there anything else?"

"Um... I'm a little curious, brother," Kazuo Tsuburaya said awkwardly, "How exactly did you get company shares from TYO?"

Upon hearing this, Shinji slightly curled the corners of his lips and smiled mysteriously, "Guess."

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

How did Shinji acquire shares in Tsuburaya Productions? Of course, through the simplest and most direct method: financial power.

TYO wants to acquire Tsuburaya Productions, but it doesn't necessarily need Tsuburaya.

In the past two years, TYO has been aggressively acquiring other companies, mainly for their technology, talent, and market share in the related entertainment fields.

Tsuburaya Productions, a poorly managed but technologically advanced company, is TYO's best option, but definitely not its only one.

When Shinji approached TYO and bluntly told them that he wanted to buy Tsuburaya Productions and asked them for a price, TYO readily gave up on Tsuburaya.

TYO's executives aren't fools. Given the choice between a company on the verge of bankruptcy and a tycoon with global entertainment industry resources, the decision is obvious.

Furthermore, Shinji offered a substantial sum of money, which allowed TYO to gain both face and substance, leaving them with no reason not to let go.