After the popularity accumulated by 'Red—Crescent Rose,' coupled with the announcement Kamiyā Yuu had posted earlier, 'Yellow—Ashen Paradise' caused an unprecedented sensation in the animation section of "Fakebook" immediately upon release. When Kamiyā Yuu returned to the [Yosuganosora] animation studio the next day to check the comments, the view count for 'Yellow—Ashen Paradise' had skyrocketed to over three million in less than a single day! It had also reached third place on the weekly popularity rankings in the animation section.
The video page already had 160,000 comments and 310,000 likes from viewers. Achieving this level of attention within one day had previously only been possible for large-scale productions from major companies, and even then, only when screened in theaters. For a short web-based 3D animation, this result was practically impossible, with no precedent in history.
Driven by the success of 'Yellow—Ashen Paradise,' the dynamic CG artwork 'Ashen Paradise' itself had climbed from fifth place into the top three of the monthly original artwork rankings, and with its popularity still increasing rapidly, it was steadily approaching second place. Judging from the speed of its rise, it would surpass the number-one-ranked artwork within just a few days.
There was no doubt that 'Yellow—Ashen Paradise' was a success. The cinematic camera effects production method Kamiyā Yuu had adopted allowed this short 3D animation to achieve unprecedented results.
...
Comments section for 'Yellow—Ashen Paradise.'
["This animation is absolutely insane!"]
["I can't believe my eyes after watching this. Is this really just a 3D animation? The seamless long-take shot during the fight sequence was perfect, elevating the entire battle choreography to another level. Stunning fight scenes combined with the expressive power of long-shot cinematography—this is practically the art of camera effects! — Masters Shit."]
["So exhilarating! I still can't calm down after watching it. I feel like I need to unleash all the energy inside my body. I know this animation has ignited my blood! — White Seagull."]
["Unbelievable. I honestly can't understand why this level of cinematography and action choreography would appear in a short 3D animation. Shouldn't this belong in some Hollywood action blockbuster instead!? I swear this one sequence alone could raise the quality and reviews of any action movie by an entire level! — Bubble Fish."]
["So it really was a second character promotional animation. Thank you, Yosuganosora, for bringing us such wonderful memories! — Farmer's Daughter."]
["Everything about this was unexpected. In my heart, this Christmas gift ranks second only to the time my father gave me a PS2 as a Christmas present back in high school. — Black Knight Carter."]
["An amazing work. The style is completely different from the first animation, 'Red—Crescent Rose.' Normally, works like these aren't really comparable, but I still want to say I like the style of the second one even more! Wild girls are always so charming. — Praise the Sun."]
The comments were almost overwhelmingly positive. There were no longer any unreasonable, slanderous remarks to be seen. Anyone with common sense understood that posting outrageous criticism at a time like this would result in being crushed by public opinion, and carelessness might even bring trouble upon oneself.
Among these comments, several special reviews attracted tremendous attention and likes, rising to the featured section at the top of the comments. One of them came from the famous Hollywood Chinese action director Long Liu. The elderly Chinese director was already over seventy years old and had sparked a wave of Eastern martial arts enthusiasm in Hollywood during the 1970s. Compared to the famous martial arts superstar Bruce Lee from Kamiyā Yuu's previous world, his influence was no less significant.
["An interesting work. Whether in kung fu or combat, the essence lies in body control and the application of force techniques. Judging from the action choreography in this animation, the creator must possess abundant combat knowledge or experience. The combat style presented in the work is also very innovative, greatly expanding the limitations of traditional fighting while delivering an extremely entertaining viewing experience. Purely from the perspective of action design, this short animation may be one of the finest works in animation history."]
This highly praised review demonstrated the Hollywood action director's recognition of 'Yellow—Ashen Paradise,' drawing many martial arts and action film fans to curiously watch the animation for themselves.
["It really is, Mr. Long Liu! I loved your movie 'Furious Dragon Strike.' Jacky Cheung's kung fu was unbelievably cool—that's what a real man looks like. — Fanatical Machine Gun Enthusiast."]
["There's a verified badge behind his name, so it can't be fake. I never expected this long-retired kung fu director to praise an animation so highly. But honestly, judging purely from the fight scenes, it's hard to find anything better. — Blue Moon."]
["My god~! Mr. Long Liu, my childhood idol."]
If 'Red—Crescent Rose' had been like tossing a small stone into a well, creating a modest stir only within the animation industry, then 'Yellow—Ashen Paradise' was like hurling a giant boulder into a lake. The ripples spread far beyond the animation field, and some giant predators hidden beneath the water had already caught the scent of business opportunities.
Among them was the famous game development company Compka, which sent a cooperation invitation to the [Yosuganosora] animation studio through the official "Fakebook" account, hoping to acquire the game adaptation rights for 'RWBY.'
...
Compared to the intense reactions outside, the members of the [Yosuganosora] animation studio suddenly found themselves unsure what to do after relaxing from the busy period leading up to Christmas.
Continue creating the next character promotional animation?
With the New Year approaching, Japan's official holiday season will arrive soon. There were only a few days left, nowhere near enough time to plan a new animation properly. They might as well simply enjoy the fruits of their hard work over the past period.
When Kamiyā Yuu arrived at the company that morning, Yūki Chinatsu was still asleep due to being drunk from the Christmas party the previous night, while Morishita Aoi had gone out to handle the remaining issues related to the production of 'Yellow—Ashen Paradise,' such as settling payments with the music studio and other troublesome tasks.
"Please."
Uehara Etsuki poured a cup of tea and placed it before Kamiyā Yuu before sitting opposite him, smiling as she watched him.
Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, Kamiyā Yuu touched his face awkwardly.
"Sensei, is there something on my face?"
"No. I just wanted to see how many more surprising sides you still have left to show." Uehara Etsuki withdrew her gaze and lightly sipped from her teacup with a soft smile.
Kamiyā Yuu shook his head.
"But Sensei participated in the animation production too, so why are you still surprised..."
"The outside world's reaction is the best evaluation a work can receive."
Uehara Etsuki rested her chin on her hands atop the table and smiled slightly.
"Kamiyā-kun, congratulations."
"Does this count as Sensei officially agreeing to join us?" Feeling increasingly uncomfortable from the praise, Kamiyā Yuu picked up the teacup and took a sip, speaking jokingly.
"No. A promise is still a promise. I can't let Kamiyā-kun relax just yet."
Uehara Etsuki lightly shook her head. Behind her elegant and refined smile lay a seriousness that permitted no doubt.