National Tide 1980.

Although Suho Ikuo, the "tyrant" of the entertainment industry, used the power of the Burning System to complete the "ban sanctions" on the Mist Studio.

He even successfully instigated Yasuko Sawaguchi to rebel, snatched a peach from Toho Entertainment, and took this popular new star into his own pocket.

Afterwards, not only did they easily make profits from her by using her fame and popularity, but they could also use her to continue to set the tone, criticize her in the media, and use public opinion to attack Mist Studios, which gave them all the advantages and benefits.

But he doesn't understand that everything has two sides.

His brutal pressure on Mist Studios also helped the opponent he wanted to defeat.

As the saying goes, too much is as bad as too little. Once something goes too far, people will hate it.

The old-line giants of the Japanese entertainment industry, known as the "Big Five" based in the film market, have actually long been dissatisfied with the new entertainment agencies that have taken advantage of television resources.

This time, seeing Suho Ikuo using artists to suppress and coerce Kirito Studio in such a despicable way, I felt a mixture of dissatisfaction, which was mixed with offense and provocation.

Everyone knew that if this guy could bully Fog Studios like this today, he might treat them the same way tomorrow.

Therefore, out of a common hatred of the enemy and a sense of crisis, almost every studio was willing to help Kiri Studio on the issue of actors, just like Shochiku Films.

To put it bluntly, the "Big Five" of the past are now in decline simply because they dare not invest in the face of the increasingly sluggish film market. They do not have the courage to gamble.

But as long as Fog Studios is willing to spend money to be the "sucker", they are still willing to lend a hand, join in the fun, and boost his momentum.

As a result, Fog Studios was given the greatest convenience in re-casting.

Although big-name stars’ pay is high, it is still not far from the market price.

Especially because the "Big Five" were pushing it from behind, no one refused just because the roles were villainous supporting roles.

According to what we say in our country, this matter may have become a "political task."

So in the end, except for one or two characters who really could not be coordinated due to each other's health or objective difficulties in time arrangement, most of the other main roles were able to be implemented accordingly according to the results of their meeting.

Even Setsuko Ogawa, the "No. 1 Japanese-style beauty in Nikkatsu" who had married and had children and "retired from the world" for several years, was "dug out" again by Keiko Matsumoto.

Considering the pay of 1.5 million yen per episode and the face of her former employer Nikkatsu, this actress with unique charm and beauty had no choice but to agree to appear on TV screen again.

Just like that, the list of re-signed leading actors "personally selected" by Matsumoto Seicho and the news that the crew of "Black Leather Notebook" was about to restart were soon announced through TBS TV station and the entertainment section of "Daily News".

As expected, the news immediately caused a strong response.

Almost the whole of Japan was in an uproar, and almost all Japanese people who knew about this were shocked.

You know, the original cast list included the heroine played by Keiko Matsumoto, the hero played by Tomokazu Miura, and the main supporting roles played by Ken Utsui, Yoshiko Ishida and Yasuko Sawaguchi, which was already a luxurious lineup for a big production.

But who would have thought that this time the "Black Leather Notebook" crew's re-casting would be several times more glamorous than the original list.

Mikuni Rentaro, Sugawara Bunta, Kato Tsuyoshi, Atsumi Kiyoshi, Tomiji Junko, Baisho Chieko...

Almost every one of these actors added to the list is a well-known figure in the film industry and a big star that is well-known to the Japanese.

In terms of career achievements, they have won at least one Best Actor award in Japan's four major film awards, and none of them does not have a classic screen image that is enough to be recorded in Japanese film history.

In comparison, the male lead, Tomokazu Miura, seems to have less experience, because he has always been defined as an artistic youth idol and has only won the Best Newcomer and Best Supporting Actor awards, and is still one step away from the Best Lead Actor awards.

As for the two younger actresses Setsuko Ogawa and Kumiko Akiyoshi, it doesn't matter even if they haven't won any major awards yet.

Because their specialty is to be as beautiful as flowers, and their main role is to bring visual pleasure to the audience.

As long as they are well-known to all Japanese and beautiful enough to attract the attention of male audiences, that is enough.

Any one of them, in terms of fame and popularity, is comparable to Yasuko Sawaguchi who left the crew, not to mention those other less famous actors.

So how can this be called an ordinary TV drama?

It is basically a gathering of Japan's "Big Five" famous actors from all generations. Even shooting a real movie would not be so luxurious.

Even if you don't watch the plot, just looking at the list of actors and actresses is enough to excite Japanese audiences.

Of course, some people expressed doubts about this matter.

Even though the news was announced on TV and in newspapers, many newspapers had previously reported that the filming of "The Black Leather Notebook" was suspended due to insufficient funds and harsh treatment of the actors.

There were also media reports that the crew of "The Black Leather Notebook" was recruiting actors again, but no one came to audition.

So to suddenly have this cast was incredible.

For this reason, some viewers or reporters even went to Mist Studio and Matsumoto Office to inquire, just to verify the authenticity of the news.

Needless to say, what happened next is true. What is true is true, and what is false is false.

All the slanderous rumors were refuted the moment the wealthy Mist Studio presented the signed contract.

This incident was then reported by many reporters, who claimed in the reports that they estimated that the salaries of the main actors of "Black Leather Notebook" alone would cost no less than 400 million yen, and that the location for the exterior scenes would be Ginza, the most expensive area.

The estimated total cost is at least 80 million yen per episode, which is comparable to NHK's most expensive Taiga drama.

Once it is filmed, it will definitely be the most expensive urban-themed TV series in Japan's history.

He also said that the fact that Mist Studio invited so many famous actors to participate in the show not only created a history in Japanese TV dramas, but also made the public look forward to how wonderful it would be for these famous actors to interpret the same story at the same time. The public also praised Mist Studio for "really taking it seriously" this time, which was worth everyone's long-awaited expectations.

Especially when some viewers who are also fans of the novel learned from media reports that most of these characters were selected according to the wishes of the original author Matsumoto Seicho himself, they were even more excited.

It turns out that this is the casting result that is closest to what the master himself had in mind, so the quality of the filming must be guaranteed.

Many people try to match these famous actors with the characters in the novels based on their imagination, and they never get tired of it.

If for no other reason, it is because it is a novel thing in itself that stars like Utsui Ken and Baisho Chieko, who have always only played positive roles, actually come to participate in the filming of this story full of villains.

  Which role are they going to play?

Which character does Matsumoto Seicho think their images are consistent with?

This question alone is enough to make the audience who are fans of the original novel make some guesses.

Just like that, it was not a direct war of public opinion at all. Mist Studios simply announced the progress of the crew re-recruiting roles and preparing to start filming, and the direction of public opinion quickly changed accordingly.

As for the bad words slandering Mist Studios and the crew by the sports tabloids and those actors who had previously followed the wind, how could anyone believe them now?

To put it bluntly, with Matsumoto Seicho standing in front and shouting to the media every day, "Mist Studio has respected the original author to the greatest extent. Their rigorous creative attitude can be seen from the selection of actors. I am looking forward to the results of their re-creation of my work", who can still say that Mist Studio can only make a makeshift drama with no guarantee of quality.

As for Tomokazu Miura, as new members of Kiri Studio, Ken Utsui naturally faced the media to speak up for Kiri Studio and told the whole truth about the plot against the crew.

In addition, those famous actors also said in interviews with reporters that Mist Studio invited them with sincerity, and they had done sufficient preparations for the shooting. They did not even ask everyone to rush. Instead, they provided ample time for everyone to digest the script. They also planned to hold a seminar on the roles and plot before shooting, and strive to make a work that meets the needs of the times and the spirit of the original work.

It has established an image for the Fog Studio that it strives for excellence, is willing to invest, and is responsible to the public.

This is the power of "harmony among people".

As the news spread, people's views immediately changed. Now most people began to believe that these actors gave up because they could not meet the strict requirements of the crew.

People who believe in conspiracy theories can easily imagine that those people are puppets controlled by the people behind the scenes, and that they only slander and spread rumors because they bear a grudge against the crew.

So when it comes to public opinion warfare, preemptive strikes and constant brainwashing are indeed very important.

But what matters most is who said those words.

The strength of credibility is the ultimate factor that determines the direction of public opinion.

In a situation like the current one, because the status of the speakers on both sides is too different, the more happily those burning-type trumpeters in front dance, the more they look like clowns now.

For those who stand on the side of Fog Studio, it is not the quantity of their speeches that matters but the quality of their speeches.

Because of their noble status, what they say is just like the title of a work by a Henan writer that Ning Weimin has read - "One Sentence is Worth Ten Thousand Sentences".

As the saying goes, the layman looks at the excitement and the insider looks at the doorway.

Japanese entertainment agencies are generally the most sensitive to media trends.

Especially after seeing the list of main actors of "Black Leather Notebook" and the social response it caused, many entertainment agencies have begun to secretly regret that they had ignored the casting invitation from Mist Studio and missed it.

Now many people have begun to realize that Fog Studios has a lot of connections, as they can get the "Big Five" to support them so much.

Moreover, they have the financial strength. Even if they are short of actors, they don't need to hire the "Big Five" famous actors for every role. It is obvious that they are wealthy and powerful and are declaring their strength to the outside world.

So they don't seem like the type that can't afford to lose. Even if they don't achieve any results and accidentally make a loss, they shouldn't go bankrupt or liquidate.

In short, the female star Keiko Matsumoto seems to be quite powerful.

When it comes to running a studio, he doesn't act like a rookie who just happened to make a hit movie. He is completely worthy of attention and respect.

Moreover, the style of this TV series is now extraordinary. Just based on this list of actors, its social attention is enough to instantly surpass the dramas produced by major TV stations with their own money, and steal all the limelight.

Anyone who can join in now will have a good opportunity to increase their fame.

Even if they are small roles with no name or status, they are still a good opportunity for new actors and idols from various entertainment agencies to perform abroad, which can at least increase their popularity by one or two levels.

If this drama becomes really popular, even if you are a newcomer, you can stand up straight in this circle with this resume.

  Yes, it would be really hard not to get some credit for such a popular drama!

As a result, a rare spectacle appeared in the Japanese entertainment industry for a while. Countless agents from entertainment agencies brought their actors and actresses to the Mist Studio to recommend themselves to the crew of "Black Leather Notebook" in order to improve their qualifications.

Almost overnight, both the Wu Studio and the Matsumoto Office became places with a constant stream of visitors and phone calls. Even minor roles and extras became rare and popular commodities and were fought over.

Now, even the studio gatekeeper, the cleaner, and the office's front desk receptionist noticed it.

Privately, everyone exclaimed with great joy, "Oh, that's great, we are finally thriving again!"

That’s not all. At the same time, Fog Studios also officially launched practical measures to seek compensation from the actors who breached the contract, and started lawsuits against the sports tabloids that spread rumors and slander.

The efforts of the Ministry of Justice have made those who stabbed Fog Studios in the back begin to feel real pain.

At this point, Mist Studio no longer had any reputational concerns. Instead, the actors who had quit the show and the tabloid reporters who were talking nonsense began to panic. They had never expected that they would actually be punished by Mist Studio.

That’s not what my boss said at the beginning. He said that Fog Studio would definitely compromise and even double the benefits.

Now, I’m in such trouble.

  Why are you pigs silent? What kind of stupid order did you give?

The pain of the minor characters might go unnoticed, but the entertainment agencies and those tabloids that were responsible for ridiculing them in the early stages could no longer swallow the bitter fruit alone, and all of them told Suho Ikuo about their difficulties.

So just like when Zhou Fang Yuxiong imposed orders from the top down, these pressures also rushed back from the bottom up like a blocked sewage well suddenly erupting. (End of this chapter)