Life in Tokyo starting as a child star

Chapter 401: Japan's No. 1 Kotobuki! Well deserved! (4000 words)

The promotional video for "The Reason I'm Here" was a huge success.

The theme song of the movie "Fireworks" even appeared on the "Japan Music Weekly" with Kita Sumire's name.

After all, although it was only a one-minute audition, Kita Sumire's identity as a 10-year-old genius Kotobuki and the perfect combination of music master Masaru Hisaishi successfully attracted a lot of attention.

Kita Sumire's ethereal and clear voice and Masaru Hisaishi's clear and distant background music made people seem to have returned to Japan's bubble economy period that bloomed like fireworks.

Some music news and weekly magazines even conducted a special survey.

Among them, 87% of the audience said that they would go to the cinema to buy tickets to watch this movie even for the full version of "Fireworks".

The popularity of "Fireworks" and "The Reason I'm Here" continued to rise under such circumstances.

The number of reproductions exceeded 240,000 on the second day, becoming a real topic of the moment.

The overall situation can be said to be very good.

Even Kita Sumire breathed a sigh of relief.

At least there was no problem with the first round of publicity for "The Reason I'm Here", which completely caught the audience's attention.

Following this trend, the effect of the second round of publicity should not be too bad.

However, compared with the money-making publicity offensive of several commercial films in the same period, "The Reason I'm Here", which only relied on word of mouth to gain attention from the audience, is still a little weak.

But there is nothing to be done about it.

After all, publicity work is simply a job of competing for more money.

Rich producers directly put large-screen advertisements on major landmark buildings in Tokyo Metro, Shibuya District, and Shinjuku District, and major video websites also put advertisements, bombarding continuously for 24 hours.

Under such intensive money "bombing", the publicity effect is certainly not bad.

It is already quite good that Kita Sumire and his team can compete with others with a big bomb with a small hand.

Therefore, Kita Sumire is already quite satisfied.

When the insiders of the male role industry saw that this male role seemed to have settled down, the tension that had been taut finally relaxed.

After all, it is really difficult to infer the male role of Kita Sumimi according to common sense.

"The Reason I'm Here" which has no promotional means can be made into a hot spot by his song "Fireworks".

God knows if he is still hiding something?

But what they didn't expect was that.

Kita Sumimi did settle down.

But the actor Mikawa Takeo, who also belonged to "The Reason I'm Here", seemed to be afraid that the fire of "Fireworks" was not burning strong enough, and added another fire - Mikawa Takeo issued a retirement declaration in an interview, announcing that "The Reason I'm Here" would be his last work after retiring.

This time, it's not just the male role industry that is paying attention.

The entire industry is boiling under the impact of this news.

Who is Mikawa Takeo?

He is an actor who has been acting since the Showa era. He is a real living fossil in the industry and has appeared in various classic film and television works.

Many viewers grew up watching him play movie roles.

Even the shooting styles of many directors in the industry have been influenced by the works he starred in.

It is not an exaggeration to say that such a person is a symbol of Japanese movies.

His retirement is definitely a world-shaking event for the industry.

Even "Fireworks" and "The Reason I'm Here" have a sense of being eclipsed by this major news.

The reason is that Takeo Mikawa represents an era of Japanese movies.

Although there have been several rumors of "retirement" and "retirement" from Takeo Mikawa over the years - he is indeed too old, and it is really sad that the former strong "Showa Samurai" has fallen to this point.

But Takeo Mikawa has never responded to these rumors directly.

But the movies and TV series produced one after another, as well as his excellent performance in them, have broken these doubts again and again.

It has attracted many audiences who love him to cheer.

But this time seems to be different.

The old man seems to be really not doing well.

Looking at Takeo Mikawa coughing from time to time during the interview, with a head full of white hair.

All the older movie lovers were silent at this moment.

This last samurai of the Showa period, who is 76 years old this year, did not lose to the poor shooting conditions of the year, nor did he lose to the iterative film shooting mode, but he lost to time.

Even Kita Sumire, who received the invitation to the retirement press conference of Takeo Mikawa, was full of surprise, and even a little puzzled.

As Takeo Mikawa's "friend regardless of age", he certainly knew the specific plan of the old man.

According to Takeo Mikawa's original plan, the other party should want to announce his retirement to the audience after the release of "The Reason Why I'm Here".

After all, announcing this news before the release of "The Reason Why I'm Here" will be suspected of building momentum for the movie, which will inevitably cast a shadow on the old man's retirement.

But Kita Sumire soon understood.

Mr. Mikawa Takeo is building momentum for "The Reason Why I'm Here", and more importantly, for his road to becoming a top-tier actor.

This is not Kita Sumire's self-indulgent.

You should know that Kitano Fumi is already a famous director with countless classic works under his hands.

One more is not too much, one less is not too little.

But Beichengshi is different.

Although he has appeared in many works, there is only one classic work missing.

After figuring this out, Kita Sumimi was deeply moved.

But no matter how moved he was, time was moving backwards.

Soon, the night of Mikawa Takeo's retirement press conference came.

On this day, most of the big names in the industry were present at the venue.

Even those who were unable to attend due to some matters specially found close and prestigious industry insiders to attend instead.

Various famous actors, directors, and producers in the industry emerged in an endless stream.

Even the directors of several major TV stations came to the scene to show up.

There were several TV stations reporting on the scene.

Many viewers put down the TV dramas and animations they usually like to watch, and watched the live broadcast of Mikawa Takeo's official retirement with bated breath.

To be honest, even the preview of the high-cost movie "Kengouden" which cost 2 billion yen to produce did not have such a big scene.

This also shows the influence of Mikawa Takeo in the industry.

"Kitamura boy, how are you? Are you ready to go on stage?"

Looking at Kitamura in front of him, Takeo Mikawa, who was already dressed neatly, narrowed his eyes.

"Mr. Mikawa, why don't you just forget about it today?"

Kitamura frowned and persuaded again.

This is actually the fifth time he has persuaded Takeo Mikawa recently.

When he got the news before, Kitamura had already persuaded him to give up holding this retirement press conference.

After all, he and Takeo Mikawa have a good relationship.

Naturally, he hopes that Takeo Mikawa can come to this industry with a clean record and leave this industry with a clean record.

I don't want Mr. Mikawa's retirement ceremony to be tarnished with a stain of "building momentum for the movie" because of him.

But what Kitamura didn't expect was that Takeo Mikawa shook his head.

His movements were firm and without any hesitation, and he even joked:

"Kitacumi boy, you are not a fool. It's already such a big event. How can you cancel it just like that?"

Yes, the guests outside were already full.

Everyone came here to see him give his final instructions to the industry.

How could he cancel it at the last minute?

When he said this, his voice paused.

"And I actually always wanted to say thank you to you."

"But I didn't do anything worthy of your thanks, Mr. Mikawa."

Kitacumi looked up.

Although he did help Nao Mikawa overcome the problem of emotional expression skills.

But if I have to say it, it has always been Takeo Mikawa who has helped him more in the industry.

Whether it was the previous prank show or the establishment of the 'Kitacumi Group', or several appearances on the platform, Takeo Mikawa really treated him as a family member and loved him.

Now he is even using the retirement press conference to build momentum for him

He has received so much care from the other party.

Rather, he should have thanked Mikawa Takeo.

But Mikawa Takeo smiled and waved his hand, denying Kitasumi's statement: "It may be true in your opinion, Kitasumi boy, but in fact, you have helped me a lot."

Yes.

As early as the "Little Canteen" period two years ago, he was in poor health at the time and actually thought about giving up.

At that time, Kitasumi said, "Really? I think Mr. Mikawa is still quite young, obviously so strong and so good at acting. '

This sentence may have been just a consolation to an old man who was about to die for Kitasumi at that time.

But in the ears of the confused Mikawa Takeo, this sentence was like salvation.

Because this is an actor's recognition of another actor's acting skills.

And this is also an important reason why he can persist until now.

So——

"Thank you so much for all this time, Kitasumi boy."

Reaching out his hand, he gently stroked Kitasumi's head, looking at his handsome face and the concerned look in his eyes.

Mikawa Takeo knows.

This is his last time to face Kitasumi Minoru as an actor.

Oh. I really want to act for a while longer.

I really want to meet another excellent, young actor like Kitasumi Minoru.

But there is no movie in the world that has no ending.

His movie has now ended.

But Kitasumi Minoru's journey has just begun.

Therefore——

"Let's go, Kitasumi boy."

The old hand stretched out.

". Yeah."

Mikawa Takeo has made a decision, and Kitasumi Minoru did not continue to persuade him.

He just took a step forward.

The white hand grasped.

The old and the young walked onto the stage in the witness of all the industry professionals below the stage.

Seeing Kitasumi Minoru next to Mikawa Takeo.

Many people present were in an uproar.

Because they never expected that Kitasumi Minoru, a child actor, would appear at Mikawa Takeo's retirement press conference.

And he was the center next to the old man!

The industry professionals present were certainly not fools.

Looking at Mikawa Takeo and Kita Sumire, they immediately realized that Mr. Mikawa had put so much effort into promoting a minor actor.

Such a big show with so many people. It was too extravagant, wasn't it?

And that was Mikawa Takeo!

With his fame, he could easily promote any third-tier actor to a first-tier actor at his retirement press conference.

Damn it! Why did it have to be this minor actor?

Why is this servant so lucky?

What good things happened to him?

Even Takeo Mikawa didn't hesitate to use his retirement press conference to build momentum for him? !

Many of the less famous actors were brought here and gritted their teeth, with jealousy written all over their faces.

But Takeo Mikawa didn't care about this.

Under everyone's gaze, Takeo Mikawa took the microphone and began to speak.

In fact, these words are nothing more than words for the occasion.

Probably just to introduce my life and the film I shot, and also to thank all the guests invited here today.

The people in the industry below are also very considerate.

Basically, if Takeo Mikawa pauses, they will give him warm applause.

Wait until these scenes are finished.

Takeo Mikawa held the microphone and continued to speak.

"To be honest, I personally don't really like to say the words in the scene just now, nor do I like to stand on the stage and say some words to introduce my 'great achievements'."

"As you can see, I am old and a dying old man. Honor means nothing to me, because no matter how hard I try, I can't stop the various conditions that my body gradually develops."

When he said this, Takeo Mikawa coughed twice violently.

"Many people say that I am the representative symbol of Japanese film. So, does my retirement really mean the end of the Japanese film industry, as they say?"

The voice became impassioned.

"The answer is no, Mikawa Takeo's movie is indeed over."

but--

"The next movies belong to the new era of actors who continue to appear and are better than me."

The old palm was raised.

The white palm of Beicheng Minoru next to him was also raised immediately.

His attitude was very obvious.

The raised arms said it all.

And that's this moment.

Industry insiders in the venue burst into applause.

Not even just inside the venue.

The fans of Takeo Mikawa who gathered outside the venue all unanimously sent their warmest blessings to this old man who represents the symbol of the times at this moment!

Warm applause.

Cheers from the sidelines.

Focused light.

In addition, Takeo Mikawa is like the hand that hands the baton to Kitazomi.

Kitami Minori's name will definitely be spread throughout Japan this night!

Japan's No. 1 son-in-law! Well deserved at this moment!

At the same time, he looked at the small figure of Kitumi Minori standing next to Takeo Mikawa.

While people in the industry applauded, everyone fell into silence.

Because they realized something.

That is.

It seems that they really have no way to prevent Kitumi Minoru from embarking on the long step of becoming a god.

Even if "The Reason I'm Here" ends up with mediocre results, even if it dies violently.

Everyone, go to bed early——!