Chapter 14: Factional Struggle
Meanwhile, in another spacious and bright office in the Tokyo Television Station Building, Masao Iwata hung up the telephone with a face full of smiles.
“I knew it, how could it not pass!?”
He excitedly slapped the desk, and the expensive solid wood desk issued a muffled sound. Several lackeys behind him immediately gathered around, with fawning congratulations coming one after another.
“Congratulations, Section Chief! 《Oni-bō Samurai》 will surely be a great success!”
“Yeah, a project personally looked after by Deputy Director Takada, how could it not pass!”
Masao Iwata leaned back smugly in his genuine leather boss chair, enjoying the praise from his subordinates.
He seemed to already see the scene after 《Oni-bō Samurai》 aired, with ratings exploding, himself promoted to Second-Class Director as a result, and calling the shots in the station.
He thought for a moment and gestured for these lackeys to leave.
Then he picked up the telephone and skillfully dialed a number.
“Hello? Deputy Director Takada, it’s me, Masao.” His voice instantly became humble and respectful, with just the right amount of gratitude: “I just received the notification that 《Oni-bō Samurai》 passed the review! Thank you so much for your support and care! Tonight, I’ll make arrangements over in Ginza, we must sit down and have a good talk!”
A steady middle-aged man’s voice came from the other end of the telephone, it was Toshihide Takada, Deputy Director of the Tokyo Television Production Bureau.
“Mm, good that it passed, it’s what you deserve.” No emotions could be heard in Toshihide Takada’s voice: “However, there’s one more thing, I need to tell you.”
“Please give me your instructions!” Masao Iwata immediately sat up straight.
“Kiyoto Suzuki’s 《An Shizhi》 also passed.”
“What?” Masao Iwata’s smile froze on his face, he almost thought he had misheard: “That piece of junk… also passed? Did that woman Aiai Takeshita go blind?”
“Watch your wording.” Toshihide Takada’s voice turned a bit colder, “However, I was also surprised. So, do you have confidence? Don’t get overshadowed by an obscure little production.”
“Hahaha, how is that possible!”
Masao Iwata laughed exaggeratedly as if he had heard the biggest joke: “Deputy Director, you don’t know, I’ve looked into it all! Suzuki and their animation can’t even be called animation! It’s just a few scraps of paper, like a slideshow flipping back and forth, I hear the coloring is all blurry and rough! For something like that to pass review, I think it’s a disgrace to the television station! Compared to my 《Oni-bō Samurai》 with two million invested per episode? Is he even worthy?”
Masao Iwata’s tone was full of contempt and disdain.
In his view, 《An Shizhi》 passing review was a miracle in itself, perhaps Aiai Takeshita wanted to do a favor for that old stubborn Suzuki, but in terms of true market competitiveness, that thing wasn’t even fit to carry 《Oni-bō Samurai》’s shoes.
However, Toshihide Takada on the other end of the telephone did not laugh.
He was silent for a moment, then said in a solemn tone: “Masao, don’t let your guard down, this matter might not be that simple.”
Masao Iwata’s laughter came to an abrupt stop, he put away that frivolous expression and listened carefully.
“I know Aiai Takeshita, she has a sharp eye and never does anything meaningless.” Toshihide Takada said slowly: “I just checked, she and the other Deputy Director Asumi are university classmates.”
“Deputy Director Asumi?” Masao Iwata’s brows furrowed.
Asumi, another powerful figure in the station, had always been in a different faction from Toshihide Takada, and the two had openly and covertly fought over many projects.
“Moreover, Kiyoto Suzuki, and that Asumi, they were all old-timers promoted from there when the station acquired Kanto Television Station.” Toshihide Takada’s voice grew deeper: “I suspect they want to team up and make a move on the cake of late-night horror proposals.”
Toshihide Takada’s words were like a bolt of lightning, clearing the fog in Masao Iwata’s mind.
He pursed his lips, feeling that he understood.
This was no longer just simple project competition, behind it was the power struggle of the station’s top factions. 《An Shizhi》 passing review was very likely a chess piece used by Asumi’s faction to check Deputy Director Takada!
“Your goal is to be promoted to Second-Class Director, then take that S-level live-action horror proposal project in the second half of the year.” There was a hint of warning in Toshihide Takada’s voice: “That’s the top priority, you can’t stumble over an insignificant stone at this critical juncture, understand?”
“Yes! I understand, Deputy Director!” A layer of cold sweat broke out on Masao Iwata’s back.
After hanging up the telephone, the smug look on Masao Iwata’s face was long gone, replaced by a gloomy expression.
Meanwhile, Toshihide Takada put down the telephone, his fingers rhythmically tapping the desktop.
Asumi and Kiyoto Suzuki…
He narrowed his eyes, a ruthless glint flashing in them.
Because if he remembered correctly, before Asumi came to the Tokyo Television Station headquarters Production Bureau as Deputy Director, he was the Production Bureau Deputy Director of that acquired Kanto Television Station.
Kiyoto Suzuki was also a Third-Class Director at Kanto Television Station, and one highly appreciated by Asumi, that Production Bureau Deputy Director.
It was also Asumi who single-handedly promoted him to the Tokyo Television Production Bureau.
“After lying low all these years, you finally couldn’t hold back?” Toshihide Takada’s eyes narrowed slightly, then he picked up another internal telephone on the desk and directly dialed Yamamoto in the Screening Department.
“Yamamoto? It’s Takada.”
“Hello, Deputy Director Takada!”
“The Audit Department just passed an animation called 《An Shizhi》, you know about it, right?”
“Yes, I just received the notification.”
“Good.” A cold smile tugged at Toshihide Takada’s lips, “If I remember correctly, the station will drop a late-night early-morning horror proposal next Monday, right? Clear a slot for me, schedule Kiyoto Suzuki’s program proposal on it!
Yamamoto on the other end was stunned: “Next Monday? But Deputy Director, this is so rushed…”
“It’s precisely because it’s rushed that it tests a program’s true quality.” Toshihide Takada’s tone brooked no argument: “Schedule it for Monday at 12:20 a.m.”
“But…” Yamamoto’s tone was trembling a bit.
But before he could say anything, Toshihide Takada directly interrupted: “No buts, remember, Yamamoto, last time I put in a good word for you in front of the Director, if not for me, do you think you’d still be Director of the Screening Department now?!”
“…Yes, Deputy Director Takada, I’ll always remember your kindness, I understand.” Yamamoto slowly agreed.
At this point, Toshihide Takada said nothing, just gave a light hum from his nose and hung up the telephone.
Then he leaned back in his genuine leather boss chair, a mocking smile on his lips.
He wanted to make Kiyoto Suzuki and his 《An Shizhi》 debut in the worst time slot, in the most embarrassing posture, then be nailed to the pillar of shame by ratings crushed into the dust!
And tell everyone.
Tokyo Television Station belongs to them, the people of the Tokyo Television Station headquarters, his station!
It has little to do with those defeated subordinates from Kanto Television Station who were taken in after the acquisition!
