The audition room was essentially a more spacious version of an interrogation room, divided into two sections by a large transparent glass window. On the music supervision side, Kamiyā Yuu, Fujiwara Tora, and Shindō Tsukasa sat together, waiting for the classical orchestra's performance. Two professionals were adjusting the sound equipment, while on the other side of the glass, dozens of orchestra members tested their instruments amid an array of recording gear, preparing to play.
"Kamiyā, I'm sorry, but I probably won't be able to help you with this." Ever since Kamiyā Yuu invited him to join his planned animation studio, Fujiwara Tora had been thinking about it all the way from the van ride until now. Finally, he spoke with firm resolve.
After a pause, Fujiwara Tora asked in a nostalgic tone, "You know the anime 'Delinquent Hero,' right?"
Kamiyā Yuu thought for a moment before replying uncertainly, "That half–tokusatsu anime from over twenty years ago?" Back then, it had been a phenomenon-level shōnen anime in Japan, so he still had a faint impression of it.
"Yes, that's the one. It was produced by Sunrise, and it was also my favorite when I was young." Fujiwara Tora's eyes lit up. "Back then, I was just a simple idiot. That anime changed a lot about me."
Beside them, Shindō Tsukasa smirked mischievously and teased, "Idiot? You can add 'the delinquent everyone in Anzhi County feared' to that. But yeah, he's right. He was obsessed with that anime back then. It even changed his behavior as the leader of a delinquent gang. Right after graduation, he went alone to Sunrise's Tokyo headquarters for an interview. After waiting several months without a reply, he slunk back to our hometown and stayed depressed for quite a while. If I hadn't dragged him back to Tokyo, he'd probably have ended up as an even more useless NEET than those delinquents."
"Hey, didn't we agree not to bring that up?!" Fujiwara Tora glared fiercely at Shindō Tsukasa. Over the past few days, Kamiyā Yuu had learned that the two were childhood friends—they attended the same school and came from the same rural hometown. The only difference was that Shindō Tsukasa had attended Tokyo College of Music.
"Alright, alright, I get it. I won't say anything else," Shindō Tsukasa said, raising his hands in surrender.
—Damn, the more I hear this, the more it feels like Fujiwara is wearing the protagonist template. All that's missing is a voice actress heroine he promised his life to.
—Also… I really hope I'm just imagining things.
Maintaining his smile, Kamiyā Yuu subtly shifted his seat a little farther away. He couldn't shake the feeling that there might be some "questionable" dealings between these two.
"To be honest, I'm really looking forward to the animation studio you're planning to start. Your 3D PV 'Red—Crescent Rose' clearly shows your outstanding ability. If it weren't for Sunrise, I would definitely choose to join your studio instead," Fujiwara Tora said apologetically as he turned to Kamiyā Yuu.
Kamiyā Yuu shook his head. "You've already helped me more than enough. Saying sorry just makes things awkward for me instead. Don't worry—I may be disappointed that you won't be joining, but I've already made the necessary preparations to start my own studio."
As a veteran production manager, Fujiwara Tora's connections and experience would have been immensely valuable to Kamiyā Yuu's studio. With him on board, success would have been almost guaranteed. However, Kamiyā Yuu had no intention of forcing anyone. Even without such talent, he was confident he could carve out a place in the animation industry through the strength of his works.
Fujiwara Tora's eyes flickered with lingering guilt. After thinking for a moment, he said uncertainly, "If you're looking for someone in a production role like mine, I might have someone to recommend."
Kamiyā Yuu was taken aback and joked, "Don't tell me it's that guy Kimura."
Fujiwara Tora shook his head. "Kimura's coming with me to Sunrise. The person I'm talking about is someone you should know."
—Someone I know?
Kamiyā Yuu was surprised. After going through the staff he knew at Kyoni Animation in his mind, he hesitated before asking, "Uehara-sensei?" Whenever he thought of Uehara Etsuki, he always felt she was capable of anything. But Fujiwara Tora's tone didn't seem to refer to her.
"Ah, Director Uehara could certainly replace me, but that's not who I mean. I'm talking about Miss Morishita. She hasn't heard about the company's impending dissolution yet, so she probably doesn't have anywhere lined up."
Kamiyā Yuu frowned slightly. "But isn't Morishita-senpai the assistant key animation director?"
Fujiwara Tora spoke with a hint of admiration, "That's true, but as the assistant to the key animation director, Miss Morishita handles a wide range of responsibilities. That includes coordinating between the key animation department and other departments, as well as animation direction and key animation direction—areas even I don't get involved in."
Kamiyā Yuu nodded in understanding. "But that's still different from the duties handled by production management."
Fujiwara Tora shook his head seriously. "Miss Morishita is extremely capable. Before you joined the company, I had to take half a month off due to health issues. During that time, she filled in for my position. Even while juggling multiple roles, she handled every responsibility flawlessly. If she's willing to join your studio, her overall contribution during the startup phase would be far greater than mine as a half-baked production manager."
After hearing Fujiwara Tora's detailed explanation of Morishita Aoi's abilities, Kamiyā Yuu fell into deep thought. Meanwhile, Shindō Tsukasa—who had been practically invisible up to this point—waved his hand at them, his gaze focused on the orchestra behind the glass.
"While you two are discussing something that sounds important, the performance is about to begin. So please keep it down."
Kamiyā Yuu nodded apologetically. "Sorry." Then he turned to Fujiwara Tora and gave him a grateful smile.
The orchestra began its performance. Starting with a violin prelude, more and more instruments joined in, blending into a powerful harmony. The music transitioned from sorrowful to heroic, like the clash of weapons on a battlefield, stirring the blood and sending tingling sensations across Kamiyā Yuu's skin. Goosebumps rose all over his body.
The performance lasted over three minutes. By the time the final note faded, the musicians were already drenched in sweat.
"Okay, you can go back and rest. We'll handle the rest," Shindō Tsukasa instructed through the microphone. Then he turned to Kamiyā Yuu and explained, "The original track recording is complete. Next, we'll fine-tune the sound. It should be ready and delivered to you within two days. The other track is still in the mixing stage—it's more complex, so it'll probably take an extra day."
"That's already much earlier than what the contract specified. Thank you for your hard work." Kamiyā Yuu stood up and nodded solemnly.
Shindō Tsukasa stroked his stubbled chin thoughtfully. "If you do establish your animation studio, my place will always welcome your projects. I have a bit of confidence in my studio's capabilities—and I also have connections with quite a few well-known voice acting agencies." A newcomer with great potential in the industry could have a huge impact on a sound studio. Even if the chances were slim, Shindō Tsukasa didn't want to miss this opportunity.
Kamiyā Yuu smiled. "Alright, I'll be counting on your studio when that time comes."