Cherry Blossoms Waiting to Bloom

"Just keep the outsourcing in mind. Don't sacrifice quality to meet deadlines; that's killing the goose that lays the golden eggs." Nakayama Takuya put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "What about the voice acting? That's the crucial part, the one that breathes life into the characters."

Upon hearing this, Hiroi Ouji, who had been sprawled on the sofa, instantly sprang to his feet, his excitement even greater than before, his eyes practically shining.

"Executive Director, the Chisa Yokoyama you chose against all odds is simply amazing! She was born for Sakura Shinguji!"

Hiroi Ouji pulled a cassette tape from his bag. Although he couldn't play it live, his expression said it all. "The dubbing for the first two episodes of the anime had just started when this girl opened her mouth, and all the old guys in the recording studio fell silent. She captured the naivety of a country girl entering the big city for the first time, and the tenacity she showed when drawing her sword perfectly."

Takuya nodded slightly, his expression calm.

In her previous life, Chisa Yokoyama was the soul of Sakura Shinguji, so naturally, she won't be any different in this life.

"What surprised me most was her explosive power." Hiroi Ouji gestured wildly as he spoke. "During the audition, I had her try out a line with intense emotions. I thought her sweet voice wouldn't be able to handle it, but guess what? When she lowered her voice, that mature woman's authority actually came through! Although she's still a little inexperienced, her versatility is incredible; she doesn't seem like a newcomer at all."

Takuya chuckled inwardly. Chisa Yokoyama's voice had immense potential; she could handle all sorts of mature, older-sister roles in the future, and she certainly had the foundation.

"Now that Sakura Shinguji is in the bag, what about the others?"

"They were all chosen according to your standards, and every single one of them is excellent." Hiroi Ouji counted on his fingers, "Michie Tomizawa, who will be paired with Sumire Kanzaki, has such an air of a young lady that I want to kneel down and call her Queen; and Mayumi Tanaka, who will be paired with Kanna Kirishima, has such a powerful voice that she could lift the roof off the stage with one shout. With this lineup, it's practically a sure thing."

At this point, Hiroi Ouji's expression softened slightly; he scratched his head with a hint of regret, and his tone became a little weaker.

"However, regarding that live-action stage play project—so far only Chisa Yokoyama has signed a letter of intent."

"Oh? Others have concerns?" Takuya wasn't surprised; in fact, he had expected it.

"Yeah. After all, most voice actors are still a bit reserved about performing on stage and wearing those... well, rather chuunibyou-esque battle costumes. Plus, their agencies are worried about damaging their image, so they're all watching and waiting." Hiroi Ouji sighed. "Especially for veterans like Tomizawa and Tanaka, expecting them to sing and dance on stage like idols is really asking too much. They think it's just a gimmick and might not really take off."

"It's alright, no rush." Takuya waved his hand, his tone relaxed. "Chisa Yokoyama willing to be the first to try something new, that's enough. How did she perform at the audition?"

"Perfect!" Hiroi Ouji gave a thumbs up. "As soon as she puts on that red and white kimono and stands there, she is Sakura Shinguji. That feeling of breaking down the fourth wall gives me goosebumps just by looking at her. Her sense of conviction on stage is stronger than many professional actors."

"That's good. When the Flower Division restarts preparations for the stage play, let's establish the Sakura Shinguji brand first." Takuya stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the bustling traffic below. "As for the others, when the game is released, when the anime airs, and when the name ' Sakura Wars ' becomes a cultural phenomenon, suitable actors will be willing to join."

He turned to look at Hiroi Ouji: "Let's take our time polishing the script for the stage play. Apart from Yokoyama, there's no need to rush to cast the other supporting actors. We're aiming for big fish, so we need to use plenty of bait and have enough patience. Forcing people to join us now would only make us seem insecure."

Looking at the much younger executive director before him, Hiroi Ouji nodded vigorously. "Understood! Then I'll have Yokoyama practice his movements and singing more, to 'sharpen' this knife."

"Now that the progress bar is maxed out, we don't need to hold back anymore." Takuya circled April on the calendar. "The anime is scheduled for the April season, going straight to prime time on TV Tokyo."

Hiroi Ouji paused for a moment, then grinned broadly. "Executive Director, you've gone all out with this back door. What about TV Tokyo— "

"It's our own resources, might as well use them." Takuya waved his hand, his tone matter-of-fact. "I'll mention it to my father-in-law later, and ask him to reserve the best time slot for us. The game's release date will coincide with the anime's peak, and I'm going to make all the otaku in Japan— "

"Ahem, players, you see Sakura Shinguji on TV, and you still see Sakura Shinguji inside the store."

"This is a saturation bombardment!" Hiroi rubbed his hands, clearly pleased with this deep-pocketed approach. "What about the merchandise? Relying solely on games and anime won't recoup the costs in a short time."

"That depends on our old friend Bandai."

1

Takuya pulled a fax from the drawer and tossed it onto the table.

"This is the model design supervision draft that Bandai just sent."

Hiroi Ouji leaned closer to take a look, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

The drawings clearly show the disassembly diagram of the "Light Warrior" mecha, which is round and has a steampunk aesthetic. Even the "Flying Whale Maru" serving as the mother ship and the "Thunderclap" high-speed transport ship have detailed mold-making plans.

"That's way too fast! How long has it been since our mecha designs were finalized?" Hiroi exclaimed in astonishment. "Don't those people at Bandai get any sleep?"

"That's the foundation of Bandai. As long as you give them the blueprints, they can produce the drawings very quickly." Takuya pointed to the details on the blueprints. "I've already told Bandai that the cockpit of the Light Warrior must be able to open, and it must be able to hold a life-size figure of the character. I want players to buy it not just to display it, but to be able to play with it."

"This process requires a high level of skill, and the cost is—"

"The cost is ultimately borne by the consumer; just make it more refined and sell it at a higher price. These days, who cares about a few thousand Japanese yen when it comes to love?"

Takuya spoke casually, and Hiroi Ouji nodded repeatedly in agreement.

This is what big business looks like: not only selling the game, but also emptying the players' wallets, and finally making them say, "It's so good!"

"Alright, since Bandai is being so cooperative, we can't let them down on our end." Hiroi Ouji put away the documents on the table and carefully tucked the model supervision draft into a folder. "I'll also urge Madhouse to speed things up. By the way, Executive Director, the first two episodes should be ready by the beginning of next month. Mr. Maruyama specifically asked me to invite you over to see the finished product."

"That's easy to say." Takuya stood up and straightened the hem of his suit jacket. "I also want to see what kind of result we've gotten from all that money we've poured in. If the quality isn't up to par, I'll be slamming my fist on the table right here."

"You can rest assured!" Hiroi Ouji patted his chest, brimming with confidence. "The scene will absolutely make you feel like every penny was well spent. Don't forget to bring tissues."

Why bring tissues?

"Wipe away your tears of emotion!" Hiroi Ouji laughed loudly, grabbed his briefcase, and rushed out of the office.

Looking at the door that had been slammed shut, Takuya smiled and shook his head.

That old guy, he's always full of energy.

However, if the animation quality is truly as good as he boasted, then the "Sakura Wars" nuclear bomb will probably explode several years earlier than in his previous life.