Toshio Suzuki couldn't help but feel a little heartache as he watched Hayao Miyazaki about to explode with anger.
However, upon careful consideration, everything was for the future of Ghibli, so there was nothing to regret.
With that thought, Hayao Miyazaki's indignant expression became somewhat amusing.
"Miyazaki, actually, adopting new illustrations was not President Aoki's idea; it was I who proposed it to him," Toshio Suzuki said bluntly.
"Nani?!"
Hayao Miyazaki was completely shocked.
Good heavens, so you're not only a betrayer, but also the culprit.
I wrongly accused President Aoki just now; it turns out Suzuki P is the real villain.
Hayao Miyazaki looked at Toshio Suzuki with some disbelief upon hearing this news.
He wanted to get angry, but facing the Producer and President of Ghibli, and more importantly, a long-time comrade, he simply couldn't.
Toshio Suzuki asked, "Miyazaki, have you ever thought about why Pokeni ultimately used these particular drawings instead of yours?"
Hmm?
Hayao Miyazaki paused slightly, seemingly too angry just now to have carefully considered this question until now.
However…
He turned to the television.
The male protagonist was currently taking his daughter to an art exhibition.
The screen showed Nare's artwork.
Looking closely, it was actually quite well-drawn.
At least, it perfectly met the requirements of this game itself.
"The color coordination is good, and if you squint from certain angles, you can vaguely see a hint of the male protagonist's shadow."
Hayao Miyazaki said, "It's clear that the new original artist they found has considerable skill. What's even more commendable is that you can truly feel the love for a father in these colors."
"Just this point alone is very rare. It shows that the person who drew it put genuine emotion into it."
In Hayao Miyazaki's view, whether it was animation, pure static painting, or game, all required genuine emotion.
To move others, one must first move oneself.
This was the basic quality of every artist.
If this was not achieved, then it was something without a soul.
This set of principles had always been Penetration throughout all of Hayao Miyazaki's works.
No matter which animation, every character, even villains or characters with villainous traits, Hayao Miyazaki invested one hundred percent of his emotions into them.
Therefore, in such circumstances, Hayao Miyazaki's characters were both pure and not so pure, but without exception, they left a deep impression on the audience, allowing them to see vibrant individual lives.
Toshio Suzuki smiled with satisfaction after hearing Hayao Miyazaki's evaluation.
"To receive your affirmation means this original artist is very good, isn't he?"
"Well… not quite 'very' good."
Hayao Miyazaki frowned, "But, if I had to say, this original artist's drawings might be more suitable for this game than mine."
"Note, I said 'more suitable for this game,' which doesn't mean his drawings are better than mine, Suzuki P, you should have a judgment, shouldn't you?"
"Yes, yes." Toshio Suzuki chuckled. Mr. Miyazaki was really stubborn.
"So, Miyazaki, do you know who this original artist is?"
"Who is it?"
"Guess?"
"Who else could it be?" Hayao Miyazaki pondered, "I know all the original artists in Pokeni's LL project team. It's either Yokoyama or Murakami."
"Yokoyama previously drew the Quilt Man, which was somewhat surprising. He can master color coordination and create dreamlike game visuals, so his possibility is greater."
"Hmm, it should be Yokoyama."
"Besides Yokoyama, I can't think of anyone else."
Toshio Suzuki smiled slightly and slowly shook his head, "Neither is correct."
"Miyazaki, this game should be nearing its end now. Play through to the ending and look at the staff credits, and you'll understand."
Miyazaki slightly raised his face and glared fiercely at Toshio Suzuki.
"Playing coy."
This guy could have just told him directly, but he insisted on building suspense, how troublesome.
Hayao Miyazaki frowned and, at Toshio Suzuki's kind persuasion, sat back down in his chair to continue the game.
Less than two minutes passed.
[It turns out Nare really is my daughter]
When this sentence appeared, Hayao Miyazaki found it hard to bear.
Although he, as the Director of the game's artwork, already knew the plot, the actual experience far exceeded his expectations and tolerance.
The finished product, after all, was a complete entity combining art, text, music, and voice acting. It offered multi-dimensional immersion, allowing one to feel two hundred percent of the emotion.
…
However, with Toshio Suzuki right beside him, Hayao Miyazaki felt too embarrassed to cry and held it back with great effort.
In his heart, he was thinking—
Is Pokeni's game such a touching game work?
This kind of game is completely unsuitable for playing in front of others.
It's better to play it at home by myself later.
At the same time, subtitles began to appear on the television.
"Ah~ How could this be?!"
When he saw the words [Special Artwork: Goro Miyazaki], Hayao Miyazaki felt as if he had been shot by a bullet.
His soul trembled as well.
"Goro Miyazaki, was it Goro who drew it?"
Hayao Miyazaki had completely detached himself from the previous emotional moment, replaced by immense shock.
He had never dreamed that these illustrations were by Goro.
But Goro clearly stated he had no interest in making animation and wanted to pursue a career in landscape design…
…
"So, how do you feel, Miyazaki, after learning that Goro was the artist?" Toshio Suzuki smirked, taking in all of Hayao Miyazaki's reactions.
"Hmm…"
Hayao Miyazaki opened his mouth, only a hollow sound coming from his throat, yet he couldn't utter a single word.
After a long while, he forced himself to say, "No wonder I said these drawings were so immature, almost indistinguishable from a child's."
"Goro still has a long way to go."
"Miyazaki, you didn't say that before, you know," Toshio Suzuki retorted.
In fact, Toshio Suzuki understood Hayao Miyazaki's psychology very well.
It was a backhanded compliment.
Precisely because Goro had produced such an excellent work, Hayao Miyazaki was genuinely proud of him, but he couldn't praise his own son like that in front of others.
He could only cover it up with words like "Goro still has a long way to go."
However, if you observed carefully, you would notice that this guy Miyazaki was so happy that it reached his beard; every single whisker was smiling.
It had only been a few minutes, and after learning it was his own son's work, the old man had become tsundere.
"But isn't that precisely why Furuhara Tsubaki chose Goro's drawings?"
Toshio Suzuki laughed, "In the game, these drawings are all by 6-year-old Nare. If they were drawn too maturely, it would feel out of place.
But just as you said, Miyazaki, Goro was able to simplify the drawings, regress to childhood, and use a childlike brushstroke to create colorful and unique works.
That is even more precious."
Toshio Suzuki's flattery delighted Hayao Miyazaki to his core.
His facial expression gradually lost control, and the corners of his mouth couldn't stop turning upward.
Even though he was praising Goro, he seemed even happier than if he were praising Miyazaki himself.
Yes, that's right.
Hayao Miyazaki thought, he had already received enough praise. If Goro could also receive the same praise, it would truly make him a hundred times happier than receiving praise himself.
"But… why was I completely unaware of this?" Hayao Miyazaki was very upset.
"Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
Hayao Miyazaki said, "After all, I'm the Director of the game's artwork. No matter what, any drawings used in the game should have been reviewed by me."
Toshio Suzuki pouted, "If I had told you the truth beforehand, would you have allowed Goro to be the original artist, or rather, would you have the same feelings you do now?"
The feelings now…
Hayao Miyazaki froze for a moment.
Was it "shock"?
Or "joy"?
Or being deeply moved by these drawings without knowing the truth?
Perhaps a bit of all of them?
Although he was reluctant to admit it, Hayao Miyazaki understood that Toshio Suzuki's statement was a fact.
At least before seeing these drawings, Hayao Miyazaki would not have been able to approve of Goro Miyazaki.
In his opinion, Goro might have loved drawing as a child, but he ultimately didn't become an animator, which was equivalent to giving up his talent.
Landscape designer.
This was a choice made entirely to escape his father!
When Hayao Miyazaki thought of this, an unidentifiable anger simmered within him.
"Miyazaki, have you ever considered why Goro, despite having committed to landscape design, still took on this job? What was the reason?" Toshio Suzuki asked.
"Hmm? What other reason could there be? It shows that Goro himself likes to draw, right?" Hayao Miyazaki sighed, "After all, his father also makes animation."
"Hmm. That's only part of the reason."
Toshio Suzuki nodded and said, "Goro agreed to draw, and he made two requests."
"What are they?" Hayao Miyazaki looked suspiciously at Toshio Suzuki.
"First, the male protagonist must wear black-rimmed glasses and be portrayed as ordinary."
"Second, he hoped the male protagonist would have a tragic ending."
Toshio Suzuki asked earnestly, "Miyazaki, do you understand?"
"What…"
Ah~
Hayao Miyazaki's expression changed, becoming grim.
"Damn it, this unfilial son! So, after all this, the male protagonist was actually designed based on me?!"
This was probably the first time Hayao Miyazaki connected Miyazaki Natsuki with himself.
Thinking about it, it really was…
Hayao Miyazaki felt his scalp tingle, "When President Aoki asked for my opinion back then, I thought adding black-rimmed glasses was a good idea; it could more deeply convey the warm daily life of an ordinary person.
I never expected…"
Damn it, damn it…
After all this, it turns out the only person who didn't understand this game was myself?!
"Do you know what Goro said about you?" Toshio Suzuki asked.
"What did he say?"
"He said you were a zero-point father."
"Nani?!" Hayao Miyazaki puffed out his cheeks in anger.
"Zero points is actually a relatively good evaluation." Toshio Suzuki quickly restrained him and said, "It's neither a positive nor a negative score, because a father was absent in Goro's life.
When I talked to him, he said he hardly saw his father as he grew up.
So he gave you a zero-point evaluation."
"Ah, that scoundrel." Hayao Miyazaki's sore spot was hit, and he became somewhat mortified, "Who exactly am I working so hard for?"
"Don't get angry yet."
Toshio Suzuki comforted him, "There's a reason why we kept these things from you and asked Goro to do the artwork."
"Miyazaki, you've also discovered, haven't you, that during the game's production process, you also had your own shortcomings and weaknesses, because you usually showed too little care for Goro, and you also didn't like your own father.
So this contradiction led to you being unable to draw as a good father, and also unable to express a child's love for their father from a child's perspective.
Do you remember that period when you lost your inspiration?"
"There was no 'loss of inspiration'; it's just that from an experiential perspective, you weren't suitable."
This…
Hayao Miyazaki opened his mouth, but didn't know how to refute.
However, receiving such an evaluation as a father from his child was truly painful.
It felt like a failure.
Even though he was very successful in the animation field, as a father, Hayao Miyazaki deeply felt that he had failed.
"So, to get revenge on me, to tell me how much of a failure I am as a father, Goro accepted the artwork for this game and made such excessive demands?"
"It only seems that way." Toshio Suzuki smiled.
If Miyazaki could recognize his own inadequacy, it at least showed that he was indeed a thoughtful and very kind person.
"But, didn't you yourself say it?" Toshio Suzuki pointed at the drawings on the television, "Only someone who holds deep love for their father can draw original art that so perfectly aligns with the game's theme."
Ah~
Hayao Miyazaki's entire body trembled.
His fingers quivered slightly, almost imperceptibly.
So that's how it is…
When Hayao Miyazaki looked at the television again, he gained a new understanding of LL.
This game, for general players, was about the father-daughter bond between Miyazaki Natsuki and his daughter Nare.
However, beyond the game, the production process itself held extraordinary significance for Hayao Miyazaki and Goro Miyazaki.
…
As soon as he realized this, all of Hayao Miyazaki's previous dissatisfaction with Aoki Haruhi and Toshio Suzuki vanished into thin air.
If there were any lingering feelings, they were of gratitude.
"Suzuki, you did a very good job with this." Hayao Miyazaki scratched the white hair on the back of his head, saying somewhat shyly, "Thank you."
"Thank Goro instead," Toshio Suzuki smiled, "Or thank President Aoki."
At this point, Toshio Suzuki's four-birds-with-one-stone plan had achieved complete success.
"Hmm." Hayao Miyazaki found it a little hard to say, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, "Suzuki-san, if Goro wants to come to Ghibli to make animation, I won't object, you know."
Heh heh.
This old man was truly tsundere to the extreme.
Could he not even bring himself to say things like letting his son work at Studio Ghibli?
"I'll tell him if I get the chance," Toshio Suzuki said.
"If you have time, spend more time with Goro. He truly loves you and is a child who also hopes to receive his father's approval."
Hayao Miyazaki frowned deeply.
"Goro is already a 26-year-old adult now. I had children when I was his age, so why would he still need his father's company?"
"As for approval… it's just that this game happened to suit him. If he wants to truly enter the animation industry, he still has a long way to go!"
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