The Next Time I See You, I Hope You're Already at the Top

May.

[project aurora]

Posters for Aurora Project were plastered all over the streets and alleys.

Everywhere you look, you see this name that's been repeated countless times in light-up signs and advertisements.

However, such a large-scale publicity campaign was not the work of Gamenova.

This is Sony's latest idol project.

Although it wasn't said outright, those well-informed people in the industry all know exactly what's going on.

War has broken out!

This is clearly an attempt to make Sony the pioneer of the idol project, ahead of Gamenova.

That's truly... delightful!

Japan has suffered under Gamenova's dominance for too long; it's time to wreak havoc on them.

... Inside the video store.

"No way... this lineup is terrifying."

Looking at the Close-Up of the person standing in the center of the poster, a group of people chattered incessantly.

Sony has really gone all out this time.

Shizuka Kudo...

A true national idol, a queen standing at the pinnacle of the idol world.

Just having her in the center position made everyone around her pale in comparison.

But upon closer inspection, there was no one in this team who was inferior.

Each and every one of them is a top-tier (T0) idol.

This one team alone is enough to easily dominate the top of the music charts.

"Look, Aurora Project includes several teams. Besides Shizuka Kudo's Aurora team, there's also Stella★ New Generation, which focuses on teenage idols..."

It's clear that Sony is going all out this time. The entire project consists of several idol groups, and they've even differentiated between first and second seasons.

This first phase alone boasts several top-tier galactic battleships.

This lineup alone is enough to gather all the otaku in Japan.

According to the poster, each team will have at least one independent single released, distributed nationwide through Sony Records's own distribution channels.

At the same time, several TV series and movies are also promoting themselves, announcing the signing of members as the female leads in their new works.

[project aurora]

[-Redefining Idols-]

Looking at the poster in his hand, Lin Lixin showed no concern whatsoever. Instead, a smile appeared on his lips as he gazed out the window.

Judging by the timing, Sony should be starting soon.

Tonight, the Nippon Budokan is Sony's venue.

However, he didn't have time to go and support Sony, as his own setup in Japan was basically complete.

The rest is up to time.

Nippon Budokan.

This pinnacle of Japan pop music has welcomed several top-tier groups that may soon dominate the idol world.

6:50 PM.

The museum was already full.

Inside the stadium, which housed tens of thousands of people, glow sticks of the same color were waving in unison.

"Shizuka! shizuka! shizuka!..."

The voices chanting Shizuka Kudo's name blended together, yet didn't sound chaotic; they were harmonious and unified.

One has to admit that Japan is far more professional than the United States when it comes to idol culture and otaku culture.

"Whoosh--"

7:00 AM sharp.

Suddenly, all the lights in the stadium went out. Only the glow sticks in the hands of the audience remained, as they waved them enthusiastically.

After a brief pause in the discussion, it erupted into a deafening scream.

"Click"

The spotlight came on and shone on the stage.

Amidst a white mist, the elevator slowly began to operate, and a blurry silhouette appeared within the white fog.

"Shizuka!!!!!!"

A burst of excited screams suddenly erupted.

The mere sight of that person was enough for everyone present to recognize him.

The world's number one idol, Shizuka Kudo.

"Boom--"

Several extra-large subwoofer speakers were turned on simultaneously, followed by a rapid transition of musical accompaniment and drumbeats.

The figure in the white mist slowly raised its hand, raising the Mike. "On the night I first saw you, your hair was wet..."

The super hit song "Koi Hitoyo" sold over 607,000 copies.

What time is it now?

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that 1990 was the peak of Shizuka Kudo's beauty.

Even if such a superstar idol doesn't sing, just standing there is enough to drive people crazy.

As her voice rang out, the surrounding white mist slowly dissipated, revealing her beautiful face.

Every movement, every glance, elicited wave after wave of screams from the Nippon Budokan.

The song ended.

She took a deep breath, smiled, and leaned slightly forward as if to greet everyone present.

Good evening, everyone! I'm so glad you could come to see Project Aurora's first public performance!

Naturally, another round of frenzied screaming ensued.

"Next, let's welcome the first team, which I am the captain of, with the warmest enthusiasm! Please welcome the members of Aur? ra to the stage!" That night, the whole world witnessed what the ultimate overlord of the entertainment industry truly is.

Pop, rock, electronic, R&B—all sorts of styles come in turn, with singing, dancing, and instrumental performances.

Although they haven't reached the complete girl group project model of later generations, they are already several top-notch girl groups.

Each team clearly has its own unique positioning, and everyone can find a team they like here, from young boys and girls on campus to elderly people in their seventies and eighties.

Collaboration edition Walkmans from various teams, exclusive records, photobooks, merchandise...

This project was built to the highest standards.

After watching tonight's performance, all the audience members present shared a common understanding.

The era of Sony has arrived!

The era of Project Aurora has arrived!

VIP seats.

Norio Ohga watched the performance on stage quietly, but his expression showed little relaxation.

He felt something was off. Gamenova was far too calm.

Given their style of doing things, if they're going to do something, they'll definitely go all out and push things to the limit.

They've made such a blatant move on their side, yet Lin Lixin hasn't made a single action?

It's as if he doesn't care at all what Sony is doing; it's a complete game of ignoring everything.

It was as if he simply couldn't be bothered with him.

Although Norio Ohga was somewhat annoyed, he was mostly worried.

Damn it, Lin Lixin isn't that magnanimous; that bastard is incredibly petty.

Anyone who provokes him, whether intentionally or unintentionally, will definitely not fare well.

He's not the type to take things so easily!

"Mr. Lin, our round is over. What are your plans now?"

Norio Ohga murmured to himself.

To say that Lin Lixin was stunned by this series of blows would be something he would never believe, even if you beat him to death. If he really believed that he was the one who was stunned, he wouldn't be the one.

at the same time.

"President... aren't you going to stay a few more days?"

Yui Asaka sat beside Lin Lixin, her eyes filled with reluctance.

For her, Gamenova's biggest drawback was that it wasn't Japan company.

I barely get a chance to meet the president a few times a year.

How lucky are children who are loved by their mothers!

She really envied those guys who stayed in California.

If you really want to see the president, you can just drive to the Bay Area.

It's no wonder she acted like a complaining woman; compared to the rest of the project team, she was already considered very reserved and able to keep a straight face.

Without the boss's protection, life won't always be as easy as it has been these past few days. Lin Lixin is undoubtedly the backbone of Gamenova.

As long as he's there, everyone feels at ease.

It's as if nothing in the world can stump them, and nothing can stop them.

Anyone who comes here, no matter how big shot or genius they are, will inevitably develop this kind of attachment after working with President Lin for a few days.

"What? The road's been paved, do I have to carry it just to take a step?"

Lin Lixin laughed heartily, but his tone was slightly serious.

"Work hard, you and everyone else too."

"I will!"

Yui Asaka quickly expressed her loyalty.

As the absolute core of the project, she had just as much knowledge about it as the other developers.

In fact, Lin Lixin has already paved the way for them to get to this point.

If I can't even do this well, then I really have no face to follow Lin Lixin. "Yeah, I believe in you guys. When I come back next time, I hope to see you become the national idol I aspire to be."

"It's Shiori Fujisaki who has become a national idol!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Lixin was taken aback, then smiled even more broadly and nodded in satisfaction.

"Yes, it's Shiori Fujisaki, but Yui Asaka also needs to work hard."

After saying that, Lin Lixin waved his hand and called out to Satoshi, who was waiting not far away.

"Satoshi, prepare the car."

Just as Sony's Project Aurora was practically dominating the entertainment industry, Gamenova, which had been quietly following its own pace, finally made its move.

But this seemingly simple move baffled everyone.

"Click, click..."

The reporters' cameras and Flash flashed incessantly.

This is the venue for the press conference. But the seats are empty; Lin Lixin is not here, and the rest of the project team has not shown up either.

It was as if the reporters who were present had been deliberately left hanging here.

Several uniquely styled anime posters were pasted on the back, with a large title hanging there.

Tokimeki Memorial

Nobody knows what Gamenova is planning to do this time.

True to Gamenova's usual style, they will definitely go to the Nippon Budokan, or even a larger venue, to reclaim their territory.

But instead, they held a press conference here.

Just as everyone present was getting impatient, a group of staff members walked in through a side door, each carrying several standees, and placed them behind the Table.

The leading character has reddish-pink hair, ruby-like pupils, a headband on her head, and her otherworldly aura. The whole character seems to have stepped out of a dream.

Thanks to Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's dedicated character design and extremely avant-garde art style, the moment the character standees appeared, they attracted everyone's attention.

They simply couldn't understand what this was all about. Where were the actors? Where were the idols?

What's with all this big stuff that Roppongi Agency has been working on for so long?

Why just put a few standees in front of the Table?

Shouldn't the idols be sitting there, talking to fans and reporters?