Chapter 218: Kumamon’s Short Film! Collection Of Silly Moments! Hiroshi Nohara’s Clever Ideas!
The cement ground of the Kumamoto Prefectural Office parking lot was still damp with morning dew, and the air carried the unique incense aroma from a nearby shrine, mixed with the scent of freshly baked taiyaki from a convenience store, creating a somewhat earthly atmosphere.
As Hiroshi Nohara parked Yoshiharu Oyama’s old Toyota, he saw a familiar figure standing under the camphor tree not far away before he could even pull out the key. Isshin Fujiwara, dressed in a perfectly pressed dark blue suit with a meticulously tied tie, clutched a black briefcase in his hand. Seeing him get out of the car, he quickly walked over to meet him.
“Mr. Nohara!” Isshin Fujiwara’s voice sounded even more urgent than on the phone. He quickly walked up to Hiroshi, bowed slightly, and instinctively touched the clasp of his briefcase with his right hand. “I arranged to meet you at nine via pager yesterday, I didn’t expect you to be so early. I thought I’d have to wait ten minutes.”
Hiroshi closed the car door casually, his fingertips brushing against the slightly peeling paint on the door handle. He nodded with a smile, “It’s close from Uncle Yoshiharu’s place anyway, it’s better to be early than to make you wait. Besides, being late when discussing matters with people from the prefectural office doesn’t look good.”
His gaze swept over the faint bluish circles under Isshin Fujiwara’s eyes. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Fujiwara, looking at your state, you must have stayed up late last night, right? Have you refined the Kumamon plan again?”
Hearing this, Isshin Fujiwara’s ear tips turned slightly red. He scratched his head sheepishly. “Indeed, I revised it until the early hours of the morning. I felt I hadn’t fully understood everything you mentioned last time, so I kept pondering over the drafts you drew, and also checked the data for recent cartoon characters in Tokyo. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much depth there was to it.”
As he spoke, he moved aside to reveal the path behind him and gestured, “By the way, Mr. Nohara, Minister Ichiro Yamada of the Prefectural Office’s Publicity Department is waiting for you in his office. He specifically adjusted the time of his morning meeting to have a detailed discussion with you.”
“Oh? Minister Yamada is quite attentive.” Hiroshi raised an eyebrow and, without stopping, followed Isshin Fujiwara towards the prefectural office building.
Along the way, they saw several civil servants in uniform hurrying past, each carrying thick files. A map of Kumamoto Prefecture hung on the corridor wall, with several key areas circled in red, the marker for Mount Aso being particularly conspicuous.
The two arrived at a door on the third floor with a sign that read “Minister of Publicity’s Office.” Isshin Fujiwara knocked first, and a slightly hoarse voice immediately responded from inside, “Please come in.”
The moment the door was pushed open, Hiroshi noticed the office’s arrangement. A large rosewood desk was placed by the window, with several stacks of documents on it. On top of them sat an enamel cup printed with the words “Souvenir from Kumamoto Prefectural Office.”
Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man with graying hair, wearing a dark gray suit and reading glasses, who was none other than Ichiro Yamada.
On the sofas on either side of the desk sat two young women in their early twenties, both holding pencils and thick notebooks. Seeing them enter, they immediately stood up and bowed, their attitudes exceptionally respectful.
“Mr. Nohara! We’ve finally been waiting for you!” Ichiro Yamada almost jumped out of his chair, quickly walked around the desk, and grasped Hiroshi’s hand. His palm was rough but firm. “I am Ichiro Yamada, Minister of Publicity for the Kumamoto Prefectural Office. I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time, but I’ve always been tied up with trivial matters. This time, thanks to Isshin, I’ve finally had my wish!”
Hiroshi smiled and shook his hand back, his tone gentle. “Minister Yamada, you are too kind. I am also here at Isshin’s request to discuss Kumamoto’s publicity strategy with you. It’s not as serious as ‘waiting’.”
“Why isn’t it serious!” Ichiro Yamada released his hand, pulled Hiroshi to sit by the sofa, and beckoned Isshin Fujiwara to sit down as well. “You are a busy man from Tokyo Television! You stirred up the stagnant waters of the animation industry with ‘An Shizhi’, ‘World of the Strange’ made ‘Urban Legends’ a trend, and ‘Seven Samurai’—I specifically went to the cinema to watch it last week, and I couldn’t sleep all night after watching it. That’s what a true samurai film is! Even my wife, who usually doesn’t like watching movies, has been talking about ‘Chiyo’s misfortune’ for days!”
As he spoke, he pointed to the two young women on the sofa. “These two are my secretaries, Zuo Na and Xiao Ling, who are specifically responsible for taking meeting minutes. Today’s discussion with you is important, so I specifically asked them to take verbatim notes. Please don’t mind.”
The secretaries, named Zuo Na and Xiao Ling, bowed again and said in unison, “Hello, Mr. Nohara. Excuse us for intruding.”
Hiroshi nodded, his gaze falling on the notebooks in their hands. The cover was printed with “Kumamoto Prefectural Office Exclusive,” and the open pages already had simple tables drawn, clearly indicating they were well-prepared.
“You see, for today’s meeting, our minister specifically asked us to organize all your work materials yesterday.” Isshin Fujiwara added with a smile, taking out a stack of documents from his briefcase and handing them to Hiroshi. “Even the ‘The Tale of Hachiko’ you planned for Governor Ryuichi Koike and the ‘Information Cocoon’ campaign plan for President Yoshihiro Shimazu are clearly marked.”
Hiroshi took the documents and flipped through a couple of pages. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. The documents not only recorded the broadcast time, ratings, and awards for each of his works, but even his words from interviews such as “Cultural symbols need warmth” and “Publicity should be a subtle connection” were circled in red with brief annotations beside them.
“Minister Yamada, your preparation is more meticulous than Tokyo TV’s planning team.” Hiroshi closed the documents, his tone carrying genuine admiration. “You even know about ‘Information Cocoon,’ an idea that wasn’t publicly disclosed?”
Ichiro Yamada chuckled twice at this and pointed to the words “Information Cocoon” on the document. “I have an old friend working at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. We were chatting on the phone last time, and he mentioned that President Shimazu’s campaign strategy this time was particularly innovative, allowing voters to only see the positives. Later, I found out it was your idea. I thought to myself then that someone who can understand ‘human hearts’ so well could surely devise a good plan for Kumamoto!”
He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming solemn. “To be honest, Mr. Nohara, Kumamoto has been struggling these past few years. After Mount Aso erupted, tourists were too scared to come. Our local specialties rely on horse meat and citrus fruits, which can’t compare to Akita’s rice or Hokkaido’s crab. Young people are all moving to Tokyo, and three primary schools in the prefecture have closed. As the Minister of Publicity, I look at the visitor numbers dropping every day and can’t sleep at night.”
“Isshin mentioned the idea of ‘Kumamon’ to me before, and I thought the concept was fresh, but something always felt missing.”
Ichiro Yamada said, pointing to his temples. “It wasn’t until I saw your materials yesterday that I realized—what I was missing was your ability to ‘perfect the small things’! So, I asked you here today because I want you to tell us in detail how to really make this ‘Kumamon’ work. Please explain thoroughly and don’t mind our questions!”
Sato and Suzuki next to him immediately picked up their pencils, their tips hovering over their notebooks, their eyes full of anticipation.
Seeing their serious expressions, Hiroshi felt a sense of emotion.
He picked up the tea on the desk, took a sip, cleared his throat, and then slowly began, “Minister Yamada, the ‘Kumamon’ you just mentioned, I prefer to categorize it as a kind of ‘cute pet concept’.”
“‘Cute pet concept?'” At these words, Ichiro Yamada and Isshin Fujiwara were both stunned.
The pen in Isshin Fujiwara’s hand fell onto his notebook with a “snap.” He quickly picked it up, his voice filled with surprise. “Mr. Nohara, you mean… Kumamon is not just a simple city mascot, but a ‘concept’? This is completely different from what we thought!”
Ichiro Yamada pushed his reading glasses up his nose and leaned forward. “Mr. Nohara, please explain, what exactly does this ‘cute pet concept’ mean? And what is the difference between it and what we previously thought of as ‘Kumamon’?”
Hiroshi put down his teacup and drew a circle on the desktop with his finger. “Simply put, ‘Kumamon’ is the ‘technique,’ and ‘cute pet concept’ is the ‘way.’ What you thought before was probably to create a cute bear image, print it on posters, make it into plush toys, and let people know ‘Kumamoto has Kumamon.’ But the ‘cute pet concept’ aims to create a conditioned reflex where ‘seeing a cute pet makes you think of Kumamoto, and thinking of Kumamoto makes you associate it with cute pets’—this is not about promoting a single image, but about branding the entire city with a label of ‘cute and warm.'”
He paused, picked up a pen from the desk, and drew a simple flowchart on a blank sheet of paper:
“You see, when people mention Kumamoto now, the first reaction is ‘volcano’ or ‘samurai.’ These labels are either dangerous or old-fashioned, and young people don’t like them. But if we infuse the ‘cute pet concept,’ the situation changes—for example, seeing a video of Kumamon wrestling, people will think ‘so cute’; seeing Kumamon helping fruit farmers pick citrus, they’ll think ‘people in Kumamoto are so friendly’; even seeing a citrus gift box with Kumamon printed on it, they’ll think ‘this gift box is so interesting, I want to buy it for a friend.'”
“Over time, impressions like ‘cute,’ ‘friendly,’ and ‘interesting’ will become associated with Kumamoto. The next time someone says ‘I want to travel to a relaxed and cute place,’ the first place they might think of is Kumamoto—this is the effect of the ‘cute pet concept.’ It’s not about forcefully promoting an image, but about implanting the city’s ‘soft power’ into people’s hearts through the image.”
Isshin Fujiwara looked at the flowchart on the paper, his eyes widening, and his pen scribbled rapidly, making a rustling sound on the paper. “I understand! I always felt that as long as Kumamon was cute enough, people would like Kumamoto. Now I realize we don’t want ‘liking Kumamon,’ but ‘liking Kumamoto because we like Kumamon’! This is deeply binding the image to the city!”
“Exactly.”
Hiroshi nodded and continued, “Just like Akita’s ‘Hachiko,’ people remember not just a dog, but that ‘Akita is a place with warmth’; Mickey Mouse from Disney, people don’t just like a cartoon character, but ‘Disney represents happiness.’ Kumamon should do the same—become Kumamoto’s ‘symbol of happiness’ and ‘symbol of warmth.'”
Ichiro Yamada nodded repeatedly as he listened, tapping his fingers on the desk. His voice was filled with excitement. “That’s so true! Mr. Nohara, your words strike a chord with me! I always thought publicity was about ‘letting others know,’ but now I realize publicity is about ‘letting others like’! Your ‘soft power’ means this, right?”
“That’s the idea.”
Hiroshi smiled and added, “Moreover, the ‘cute pet concept’ has another advantage: it’s replicable and extensible. For example, if Kumamoto launches a new specialty product in the future, there’s no need for new promotion; just print the Kumamon image on it, and people will be willing to try it because they ‘like Kumamon.’ We can even cooperate with other prefectures. For instance, let Kumamon interact with the octopus-dumpling character in Osaka, which can both bring them closer and promote each other through their popularity. This is much broader than promoting a single image.”
Sato and Suzuki on the side had already stopped writing. They exchanged glances, seeing shock in each other’s eyes.
Sato couldn’t help but say, “Mr. Nohara, your thinking… it’s too revolutionary! Our previous publicity plans were all about ‘how to let more people know about Kumamoto,’ and we never thought about ‘how to let more people like Kumamoto.’ Now, hearing you say this, I feel our previous approach was too narrow.”
Suzuki also nodded. “Yes! If we can make people feel that ‘Kumamoto is a cute place,’ perhaps young people will be willing to come, and parents will want to bring their children for tourism—after all, who doesn’t like cute things?”
Hiroshi looked at Ichiro Yamada and found the old minister staring at his flowchart, his eyes full of thought.
After a few seconds, Ichiro Yamada suddenly slapped his thigh, his voice tinged with excitement. “I understand! Mr. Nohara, you are trying to ‘change the soul’ of Kumamoto! Before, Kumamoto’s soul was ‘old-fashioned and serious,’ but now you want to change it to ‘young and cute’! If this succeeds, Kumamoto’s tourism will surely boom!”
“Minister Yamada understands quickly.” Hiroshi smiled, picked up his briefcase, and took out a stack of drawings, handing them to Ichiro Yamada and Isshin Fujiwara. “These are the Kumamon character designs I refined last night based on the ‘cute pet concept.’ Please take a look.”
Ichiro Yamada took the drawings and his eyes widened upon seeing them. The Kumamon in the drawings was rounder than what Isshin Fujiwara had drawn. Its black body was like a ball, the blush on its white cheeks was particularly prominent, its eyes were round black beans, and its mouth was slightly upturned. It looked silly, yet made people want to smile.
Most special was one drawing where Kumamon was wearing a red apron, holding a freshly picked citrus fruit, and stepping on a small stone, looking like it was about to fall. It was so cute that one wanted to reach out and help it.
“This… this is too cute!” Ichiro Yamada’s finger lightly brushed over the Kumamon on the drawing, his voice filled with disbelief. “It’s cuter than my granddaughter’s plush toys! If this image is printed on posters, many young people will definitely want to look at them!”
Isshin Fujiwara leaned in to look, his eyes filled with amazement. Although the Kumamon he drew before was also cute, its lines were more angular, making it more like a “samurai bear.” In contrast, Hiroshi’s Kumamon had softer lines and a naive expression, making it instantly approachable.
He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Mr. Nohara, your drawing is much better than my previous version! Especially the blush and the apron; they immediately give it a ‘Kumamoto characteristic’ without seeming deliberate.”
“This apron was specially designed.”
Hiroshi explained, “Red is both eye-catching and fits Kumamoto’s historical background as the ‘Land of Fire.’ The citrus pattern on the apron naturally integrates the local specialty without feeling like a forced advertisement. Also, this pose, about to fall, is designed to increase ‘contrast charm.’ A perfect image can create a sense of distance, but a slightly clumsy image is more relatable and easier to remember.”
He pointed to the details on the drawing. “For example, here, Kumamon’s paws are drawn roundly, without sharp claws, to weaken the ‘bear’s’ aggressiveness. The eyes are black beans, without complex expressions, so that people of all ages can accept it—elders find it amiable, young people find it cute, and children think it’s like a toy. This way, it can reach a wider audience.”
Ichiro Yamada became more excited as he looked, almost wrinkling the drawings in his hand. “Good! Excellent! Mr. Nohara, you’ve considered every detail so thoroughly! I am now completely confident that this Kumamon will be a hit!” He turned to Sato and Suzuki and said, “You two, write down every single word Mr. Nohara has said! Especially the ‘cute pet concept’ and the details of the design. By this afternoon, compile them into formal documents and submit them to the prefectural leadership!”
“Yes! Minister!” Sato and Suzuki immediately lowered their heads and quickly added to what they hadn’t finished writing, the sound of their pen tips scratching on the paper exceptionally clear.
Isshin Fujiwara looked at the Kumamon on the drawings and suddenly remembered something. He looked up and asked, “Mr. Nohara, once this image is finalized, what’s the next step? Should we make plush toys first, or shoot short animations?”
“First, ‘offline penetration.'” Hiroshi replied without hesitation. “First, print the Kumamon image on the prefectural office’s brochures, bus bodies, and station billboards to let the locals familiarize themselves with it first. For example, place a giant Kumamon plush toy at the entrance of the Mount Aso scenic spot; tourists will naturally spread it by taking photos and handing out flyers. Second, cooperate with local convenience stores and restaurants to launch ‘Limited Kumamon Set Meals.’ For instance, buy a bento box and get a Kumamon sticker, or eat ramen and get a Kumamon keychain, so people can encounter this image in their daily lives. Third, then consider shooting short animations and producing merchandise. First, let people ‘see it often,’ then let them ‘like it.’ This gradual approach yields better results.”
Ichiro Yamada nodded repeatedly as he listened and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Mr. Nohara, your thinking is so clear! If I had talked to you earlier, I wouldn’t have been worried for so long. Don’t worry, I will fully push forward with the next steps! If there’s any resistance from the prefectural office, I’ll bear it!”
Hiroshi smiled. “Minister Yamada, there’s no need to rush. The plan still needs refinement. For example, the content of the short animations should incorporate Kumamoto’s attractions and specialties. The pricing of the merchandise should consider the purchasing power of different demographics. Even Kumamon’s ‘character profile,’ such as what it likes to eat and what it fears, needs to be determined in advance. Only when these details are done well can Kumamon truly ‘come alive.'”
“Right! Character profile!” Isshin Fujiwara’s eyes lit up. “Mr. Nohara, what you said earlier about it being ‘a bit clumsy and often falling’ is the character profile, right? If we can establish a distinct character profile for Kumamon, people will definitely remember it more easily! For example, let it like horse meat sashimi, and every time it eats, it gets sauce on its face. This would be both cute and promote Kumamoto’s specialties!”
“That’s a good idea!” Ichiro Yamada immediately agreed. “We could also have it fear volcanic eruptions. Every time it hears a volcano warning, it hides. This would not only align with Kumamoto’s actual situation but also add to the fun!”
Seeing their excited looks, Hiroshi felt relieved. He knew that as long as the direction was right, the rest would be easy.
And perhaps the small image of Kumamon would truly take root and sprout like a seed in the land of Kumamoto, growing into a different future.
The sunlight in the office gradually shifted onto the drawings, illuminating Kumamon’s naive and cheerful smiling face.
Sato and Suzuki were still diligently taking notes, while Ichiro Yamada and Isshin Fujiwara were enthusiastically discussing the next steps with Hiroshi. Occasional laughter could be heard, making the quiet corridor feel exceptionally warm.
Looking at the scene before him, Hiroshi suddenly recalled the time he was producing “Super Change Change Change” at Tokyo TV. At that time, everyone was similarly gathered around a small creative idea, discussing it passionately, filled with the enthusiasm of “wanting to do a good job.”
And now, that same enthusiasm was re-emerging in the prefectural office in Kumamoto.
Hiroshi looked at the scene before him, took a sip of tea from the desk, moistening his slightly dry throat. Suddenly, an idea struck him. “Right, static images and offline infiltration alone aren’t enough. We still need to add some ‘dynamic material.’ How about shooting some fun short videos? Centered around Kumamon’s silly antics.”
“Kumamon’s silly antics short videos?”
Ichiro Yamada’s teacup, just lifted, froze mid-air. The steam fogged up his glasses. He quickly took them off and wiped them with his sleeve, his eyes full of confusion. “Mr. Nohara, are you talking about short clips like those in TV dramas? But Kumamon is just a cartoon character; how can we shoot short videos? It can’t actually move, can it?”
Isshin Fujiwara also frowned, unconsciously rubbing the clasp of his briefcase with his finger. “Yes, Mr. Nohara, if we shoot short videos, we’ll need actors, locations, and sets. That’s another considerable expense. Our prefectural office’s publicity budget is already tight. If we spend more on shooting short videos, there won’t be enough for subsequent merchandise production and advertising placements.”
He paused and added, “Also, there are very few film and television production teams in Kumamoto now. If we hire a team from Tokyo, the cost will be even higher. I learned that when you filmed ‘The Tale of Hachiko’ in Akita Prefecture, the production cost alone was several hundred million yen. We don’t have that kind of budget.”
Seeing their worried expressions, Hiroshi couldn’t help but smile. “You’re overthinking it. I’m not suggesting shooting live-action films, nor do we need to hire professional teams. We can shoot them using the ‘costumed mascot’ method. Find someone to wear the Kumamon mascot costume and film clips of it doing silly things on the streets, in scenic spots, or at convenience stores in Kumamoto. A simple edit will suffice.”
“Costumed mascot?” Ichiro Yamada’s eyes suddenly lit up. He leaned forward, his chair scraping against the floor with a “creak.” “You mean… have staff wear the mascot costume and play Kumamon? That’s a great idea! We won’t have to spend a lot of money hiring actors, we can bring Kumamon to life, and it can even promote our Kumamoto attractions!”
Isshin Fujiwara also realized the idea. His pen quickly scribbled on his notebook. “I understand! For example, let Kumamon be at the foot of Mount Aso and accidentally slip and fall on its bottom because it’s too engrossed in watching the scenery; or let it go to a convenience store to buy snacks and mistake citrus-flavored candy for an orange, almost eating the wrapper too—these short clips are both cute and fun, and they naturally incorporate Kumamoto’s elements!”
“Exactly, that’s the idea.” Hiroshi nodded, his tone firm. “These short videos don’t need to be long, about thirty seconds to a minute each. We can first air them during local Kumamoto TV dramas or variety shows, for instance, after the local news, or intersperse them in the prefectural station’s ‘Kumamoto Lifestyle Guide.’ This way, locals can first get familiar with this ‘slightly clumsy but very cute’ Kumamon.”
He paused and then dropped a more impactful piece of news. “If Kumamoto Prefecture is willing, I can even put these short videos in the variety shows I produce, or even ask Tokyo Television to have Kumamon interact on their prime-time programs. Think about it, the Tokyo Metropolis region accounts for nearly 40% of the viewers in Japan, making it an absolute trendsetter. As soon as audiences in Tokyo like Kumamon, it will become popular throughout Japan in no time.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Ichiro Yamada’s pen fell to the notebook with a “snap.” He quickly picked it up, his voice trembling slightly. “Mr. Nohara, are you… are you joking? It can be aired on Tokyo Television’s prime-time programs? That’s the highest ratings slot in all of Japan! Before, when we in Kumamoto wanted to air a ten-second tourism advertisement on Tokyo TV, we had to wait in line for half a year, and it cost millions of yen!”
Isshin Fujiwara also excitedly stood up, his chair legs screeching loudly on the floor. “If it can be aired on Tokyo TV’s programs, Kumamon will definitely be a hit! Mr. Nohara, your ‘Super Change Change Change’ is currently the hottest variety show in all of Japan, with last week’s ratings breaking forty! If Kumamon can make an appearance on the show and interact with the contestants, viewers all over the country will see it!”
The two stenographer secretaries also stopped writing. They exchanged glances, seeing disbelief and surprise in each other’s eyes.
They had previously conducted research on Tokyo TV’s programs and knew how difficult it was to get airtime during prime time. Now, Hiroshi Nohara was voluntarily offering to help, which was like a pie falling from the sky!
Hiroshi looked at their excited expressions, his tone remaining calm. “I’m not joking. ‘Super Change Change Change’ always needs fresh elements, and a cute and locally characteristic image like Kumamon fits the show’s tone very well. Moreover, I’ve already spoken with Director Sakata and Deputy Director Asumi of Tokyo TV. They are very supportive of ‘local cultural promotion’ and similar matters. As long as the content is good, there will be no problem getting on the show.”
He paused and added, “Besides, I’m also partly a Kumamoto person; I’m the son-in-law of Kumamoto Prefecture, so it’s my duty to help promote Kumamoto. As long as Kumamon becomes popular, drives tourism and specialty sales in Kumamoto, and improves people’s lives, this little favor is nothing.”
“Thank you so much! Mr. Nohara!” Ichiro Yamada suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Hiroshi, bending so low that his waist almost touched the desk. “You are truly a benefactor to Kumamoto! If Kumamon becomes popular, I will definitely present you with a banner on behalf of the people of Kumamoto! No, ten banners!”
Isshin Fujiwara also bowed, his voice filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Mr. Nohara. You not only helped us perfect the Kumamon plan but also are willing to use your resources to help us promote it. The Fujiwara family and Kumamoto Prefecture will never forget this kindness.”
The two stenographer secretaries also quickly stood up and bowed, saying in unison, “Thank you for your help, Mr. Nohara! We will record everything carefully and implement all your ideas!”
Hiroshi quickly helped Ichiro Yamada up and smiled, saying, “Minister Yamada, you are too kind. We are all working for the good of Kumamoto, so there’s no need to be so formal. The most pressing matter now is to finalize the costumed mascot issue. You asked earlier how to go about it, and I already have specific ideas.”
As he spoke, he took out a stack of drawings from his briefcase and quickly sketched, then handed them to Ichiro Yamada. “This is the Kumamon mascot costume design I drew. The size, material, and details are clearly marked. For example, the height of the mascot costume should be set at 1.8 meters, which is both eye-catching and not oppressive. The body should be filled with high-density sponge, making it soft to the touch and giving people an urge to hug it. The blush on the face should be made of detachable fabric for easy cleaning. The paws should be made into semicircles with a small pocket inside, which can be used to hold candies or small stickers to give to tourists during interactions.”
This was not difficult for Hiroshi Nohara.
He just needed to extract the information about Kumamon from his previous life’s knowledge and then plagiarize it in this world.
This included the data for Kumamon’s mascot model.
Ichiro Yamada took the design drawings and was more and more surprised. His fingers gently stroked the paper. “Mr. Nohara, you’ve thought of these details too? This design is too professional! It’s more detailed than the designs from those doll manufacturing companies in Tokyo!”
He pointed to one of the drawings, his voice full of admiration. “Look at the design of the neckline, using an invisible zipper instead of traditional buttons, which is both aesthetically pleasing and convenient for putting on and taking off. Also, the tail is made of elastic fabric and can sway with movement, making it look more lively. These are details we would never have thought of!”
Isshin Fujiwara leaned in to look, his eyes filled with admiration. “Mr. Nohara, you not only understand film and television production and manga creation, but you are also so professional in doll design. How many other skills are you hiding?”
Hiroshi smiled, picked up a pen, and drew a few simple scenes on a blank sheet of paper. “Besides the mascot costume, we can also shoot more funny skits. For example, let Kumamon attend a prefectural office meeting and get stuck in the conference room door because it’s too fat. Or let it help fruit farmers pick citrus, only to drop all the oranges into its own clothes, becoming an ‘orange bear.’ Or even let it learn traditional dances, but end up doing the dance steps like calisthenics—these skits are both funny and highlight Kumamoto’s characteristics, and people are sure to like them.”
He paused, touched his chin, a flash of inspiration in his eyes. “Speaking of which, I just thought of it. We can also film a ‘Silly Kumamon Daily’ unit drama based on the style of funny short videos from my previous life. Each episode will be five minutes long, centered around a theme, such as ‘Kumamon’s Part-time Job’ or ‘Kumamon’s Travel Diary,’ showcasing Kumamoto’s customs and culture in a lighthearted and humorous way. This way, not only can Kumamon’s image become more rounded, but Kumamoto can also be promoted in all aspects.”
“‘Unit drama?'” Ichiro Yamada’s eyes widened. He suddenly slapped his thigh, his voice filled with excitement. “This idea is great! Brilliant! Mr. Nohara, how on earth did your brain develop? How can you always come up with such great ideas!”
He turned to the two stenographer secretaries and said, “You two, quickly write down Mr. Nohara’s unit drama idea! Contact local film and television production companies this afternoon and ask them to produce a script outline based on Mr. Nohara’s concept! Money is not an issue; I will apply for a special budget from the prefectural office!”
“Yes! Minister!” The two stenographer secretaries immediately lowered their heads, their pen tips sliding rapidly across their notebooks, for fear of missing a single word.
Isshin Fujiwara also said excitedly, “If we can film this unit drama, we can also cooperate with Tokyo TV’s ‘World of the Strange’ and have Kumamon appear in one of the units! ‘World of the Strange’ is currently the hottest unit drama in all of Japan. If we can use this platform for promotion, Kumamon will surely become popular faster!”
“That’s a good idea.” Hiroshi nodded. “Section Chief Tsuyoshi Yamamoto of ‘World of the Strange’ is my former subordinate. I’ll have a word with him. We can film a ‘Kumamon’s Wonderful Day,’ where it encounters interesting people and events, which will both fit the program’s style and promote Kumamoto.”
Ichiro Yamada looked at Hiroshi, his eyes filled with gratitude and admiration. He took a deep breath and said solemnly, “Mr. Nohara, you have done so much for Kumamon, I really don’t know how to thank you. Please rest assured, from today onwards, all production and promotion work for Kumamon will be fully entrusted to you! We will do whatever you say, without any objections!”
He paused, took out a check from his briefcase, and placed it in front of Hiroshi. “This is ten million yen in flexible publicity funds that I applied for from the prefectural office. It’s not much, but it’s a token of our appreciation. I hope you won’t find it too little and will help us do a good job with Kumamon.”
Hiroshi looked at the check on the desk but did not accept it immediately. Instead, he smiled and said, “Minister Yamada, while ten million yen is not a small sum, it is enough to produce the mascot costume, shoot short videos, and create unit dramas. However, I have one condition: if I am to design Kumamon’s image and plan, then the ownership of Kumamon’s design drawings must belong to me, Hiroshi Nohara. I can offer them to Kumamoto Prefecture for free use, but any revenue outside the Kumamoto Prefecture region, such as revenue sharing from merchandise sales and broadcast copyright fees from other television stations, will be considered as fees for my assistance in production and promotion.”
Ichiro Yamada nodded without hesitation. “No problem! This is legal and reasonable! Mr. Nohara, allowing us to use the design drawings for free is already a tremendous favor. Any other revenue rightfully belongs to you!”
He was afraid Hiroshi would change his mind. He picked up a pen, signed the check, and handed it to Hiroshi. “Look, I’ve signed the check. You can cash it now. If you need anything further, please tell me anytime, and I’ll apply to the prefectural office again!”
Isshin Fujiwara also added, “Mr. Nohara, if other prefectures want to use Kumamon’s image, we will definitely inform you first and will never let your rights be compromised. Rest assured, we in the Fujiwara family have some connections in Kumamoto and will certainly help you keep an eye on this matter.”
Hiroshi looked at their sincere expressions, accepted the check, and smiled, “Then I will humbly accept. You can rest assured, I will do my best to make Kumamon a success and make it Kumamoto’s ‘living signboard.'”
Ichiro Yamada breathed a sigh of relief, a smile of gratification appearing on his face. “With Mr. Nohara’s words, I am reassured. From today onwards, you are the chief planner for our Kumamon project. Everyone will follow your command!”
He turned to the two stenographer secretaries and said, “You two, contact a mascot production company this afternoon according to Mr. Nohara’s design drawings and ask them to produce samples as soon as possible. At the same time, liaise with local film and television production companies and ask them to produce three short film scripts and a unit drama outline based on Mr. Nohara’s concept. Report any issues to Mr. Nohara at any time!”
“Yes! Minister!” The two stenographer secretaries responded in unison, their eyes full of motivation.
The atmosphere in the office became exceptionally enthusiastic. Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the smiles on everyone’s faces.
Looking at the scene before him, Hiroshi felt exceptionally reassured.
He knew that with everyone’s efforts, Kumamon would surely become popular, and Kumamoto, because of this small cartoon image, would welcome a different future.
…
Then [Truncated: Max tokens]
Of course, during the celebration, Ichiro Yamamoto did not forget his mission and kept consulting Hiroshi Nohara on corresponding publicity techniques.
And Hiroshi Nohara answered each one.
With the experience of his past life, Ichiro Yamamoto, the Minister of Publicity for the Kumamoto Prefectural Office, was utterly astonished. In the end, he looked at Hiroshi Nohara with immense emotion and said, his voice hushed, “No wonder you’ve gained such fame within the Tokyo Metropolis at such a young age. It’s truly admirable.”
“You flatter me, Minister Yamamoto,” Hiroshi Nohara said with his usual humility.
But Ichiro Yamamoto simply waved his hand.
Seeing Hiroshi Nohara’s humble appearance and his young, handsome face, and thinking of his own foolish appearance when he was young, he said no more, but raised his sake to toast and celebrate with everyone. In his heart, he had to admit he was impressed.
After all, he was almost sixty years old, while the young man in front of him was only twenty-four, four or five years younger than Isshin Fujiwara.
“The future really belongs to the young people,” Ichiro Yamamoto felt a mixture of emotions.
