On the way back, Fujiwara Tora, who was driving, couldn't help but turn his head and ask, "Kamiyā, were you serious about what you said to Shindō?"
Of course, Kamiyā Yuu understood what surprised Fujiwara Tora. He was clearly a key animator—so how had he suddenly gotten involved in composing music? And at a pretty high level, too. Kamiyā Yuu really wasn't used to being stared at like a giant panda by a burly man built like a gorilla. Keeping a calm face, he looked out the window at the passing streets and said thoughtfully, "I'm a bit different from Uehara-sensei. My current goal isn't to become an outstanding key animator, but an animation director. If I want to become a director, I can't afford to understand a bit of everything."
Fujiwara Tora stroked his stubble and pondered. "That's true, but most animation directors only dabble in different areas. It's rare to see someone reach your level in music. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a need for a dedicated sound director."
"Haha, then I'll aim to become an all-around director," Kamiyā Yuu said jokingly.
"Ah, that's a great idea!" Fujiwara Tora's eyes lit up as he agreed with Kamiyā Yuu's offhand remark. Then, recalling something else, he complained, "Director Takagi loses his temper all the time because he can't properly unify the animation and BGM styles. If he were as capable as you, Kamiyā, none of that would be a problem. Sigh, too bad he doesn't even have that kind of ambition."
Director Takagi was the animation director in charge of 'Mr. Onigiri Man'. He was an overweight man, and since Kamiyā Yuu worked in the key animation department, he rarely had any chance to interact with him.
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The next evening, while Kamiyā Yuu was cooking at home, he heard his phone ring.
"Yuu, your phone," Kamiyā Sora said as she brought the flip phone from the living room into the kitchen. The phone Kamiyā Yuu used was still an old-fashioned flip phone. Not only was it outdated compared to his previous world, but it was practically an antique even in this one. However, since Kamiyā Yuu didn't use his phone much and tended to follow general Japanese trends, he hadn't bothered to replace it. Surprisingly, despite Japan being a technologically advanced country, a large number of people are still stuck with these outdated phones even in the age of smartphones.
Kamiyā Yuu set down his spatula. Seeing the unfamiliar number, he guessed it was from the music studio. After answering, a middle-aged man's hoarse voice came through the phone.
"Is this Mr. Kamiyā?"
"Yes."
"This is Shindō. I've already contacted a professional singer who can perform English songs. Their voice matches your requirements very well. As for the classical ensemble, there's also a team willing to take on the commission, though their price might be a bit higher than expected."
"Thank you, Mr. Shindō. As long as the quality is guaranteed, a higher price isn't a big issue. I'd like to know when it can be completed." Kamiyā Yuu handed the spatula to Kamiyā Sora while thinking it over. She naturally took it and continued stir-frying the broccoli with beef. After a pause, she frowned slightly and asked softly, "Yuu, should I add soy sauce?"
Kamiyā Yuu nodded.
"That will need to be confirmed after you come here tomorrow to sign the contract," Shindō replied.
"Based on your experience, Mr. Shindō?" Kamiyā Yuu pressed on. The completion time of the songs couldn't be taken lightly. In his plan, he had one week set aside for crowdfunding. If the two songs were finished too quickly, he might face the awkward situation of not having the funds ready.
"Hmm… about two weeks, I'd say. The classical ensemble alone will need around a week to rehearse and synchronize," Shindō Tsukasa answered after some thought.
"Thank you. I'll come by again tomorrow."
Shindō Tsukasa hesitated for a moment instead of hanging up, then asked, "Wait. Mr. Kamiyā, you're planning to use these two pieces as the theme song and BGM for your personal animation, right? In that case, could I take a look at the animation?"
Just as he was about to hang up, Kamiyā Yuu gestured apologetically to Kamiyā Sora and replied, "It's not impossible, but the animation isn't finished yet. At the end of the day, it's just a personal project."
"That does make things a bit difficult," Shindō Tsukasa said, frowning as he fell silent.
Kamiyā Yuu walked into the living room and sat on the sofa, scratching his head awkwardly. "The animation isn't finished, but I do have a PV-like excerpt completed. If I force them together, the pacing might feel a bit messy, but the style should be consistent."
"That will do. After all, to compose music like this, I need a solid understanding of the work itself. The more information I have, the more accurately I can grasp the musical style. After we sign the contract tomorrow, if you don't mind, please explain the details to me."
"Not at all—I'm the one troubling you, Mr. Shindō," Kamiyā Yuu replied politely.
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The next day, as soon as the lunch break began, Fujiwara Tora took the initiative to find Kamiyā Yuu and dragged him along to Shindō Tsukasa's music studio. This caused the members of the key animation department to look at them with strange expressions, unable to understand how a professional key animator and a production manager had gotten mixed up together.
After arriving at the studio, Kamiyā Yuu spent ten minutes reviewing the contract. Only after confirming it was legitimate and met his requirements did he sign his name with satisfaction. He explained his special situation, and thanks to Fujiwara Tora's connection, Shindō Tsukasa generously waived the deposit, allowing him to pay the full amount after the music was completed in two weeks.
Otherwise, if he had paid the deposit now, he and Kamiyā Sora would have been living on nothing but air for the rest of the month.
In the studio's small conference room, Kamiyā Yuu opened his laptop and connected it to the projector. Soon, he began playing a MAD similar to the PV for the 'Red' arc.
As he explained, he clicked open the video file. "This PV was originally prepared as material for crowdfunding review, so the music is just sampled from the internet."
"As long as the style is consistent, that's not a big issue." As the grand yet gentle classical music began to play, Shindō Tsukasa, who had been smoking, raised an eyebrow slightly. Beside him, Fujiwara Tora watched the white projection screen with interest, waiting for Kamiyā Yuu's work to unfold.
A full moon slowly appeared, its detailed 3D style causing Fujiwara Tora's pupils to contract as his expression turned serious and astonished.
A desolate, silent white rose garden. A gothic girl in a red cloak. Bloodthirsty monsters lurking in the shadows. Together, they launched into a frenzied feast of slaughter.
The music shifted from gentle to an overwhelming crescendo that left one breathless, and the waltz of killing danced along with it.
The grandeur of the classical composition, the thunderous blasts of Ruby Rose's massive scythe, the eerie sound of flesh being sliced—combined with the beautiful visuals—left both Fujiwara Tora and Shindō Tsukasa, veterans of the animation industry, speechless.
······
"Tch!" After the animation ended, Shindō Tsukasa's right hand suddenly jerked, and he flung away the cigarette butt he was holding. Only then did he realize it had burned down to the end and scorched his fingers.
Fujiwara Tora was at a loss for words. He stiffly turned his head to look at Kamiyā Yuu, then back at the projection screen that had just played the 'Red' PV, utterly dumbfounded. If this PV had been the work of some major 3D animation studio, he would have sincerely praised it. But for such a piece to come from the hands of a single key animator—was this some kind of joke from the heavens?
Kamiyā Yuu spoke up at the right moment to explain, "The final piece will be about ten minutes long. The theme song is for the first half we just watched, and the classical ensemble will serve as the background music for the latter half's battle scenes, which weren't shown."
"Wait! Wait!" Fujiwara Tora quickly stood up and waved his hands, interrupting Kamiyā Yuu's explanation. He pinched his own face to confirm he wasn't dreaming, then spoke urgently, "I'm a bit confused! That PV just now—is it really part of your work, Kamiyā? You're not joking with me, right?"