Society fears that young people don’t want to be literary godfathers

With the violent death of the last TV drama, the Ultraman series collapsed. Tsuburaya Co., Ltd. was also acquired by the evil consortium B, and began to become an ATM machine that exploded gold coins for street lights. It has been producing electronic waste for many years. It is true that People sigh.

As a reboot of the Ultraman series, "Ultraman Tiga" is of great historical significance and also carries the hopes of many viewers and tokusatsu people.

Therefore, in the early days of the creation of the "Ultraman Tiga" crew, Eiji Tsuburaya's successor: Mr. Koichi Takano was also ordered to provide technical guidance, design and construction of scenes, and even be responsible for the casting and audition sessions. He can be said to be the true Emperor of Involution. .

"Please imagine that you used to be a staff member of the Transportation Department of the United Earth Peace Organization. You saved Director Sawai in an accident and were noticed by him. You were transferred to the Operations Command Room of the United Earth Peace Organization and became a member of the Victory Team. Team members.”

"Everything went very well, but by chance, you received a signal from ancient times. A mysterious woman told you that you wanted to become light. What was your reaction?"

"Please put yourself in my shoes and imagine that your plane has been shot down..."

During the audition, Mr. Koichi Takano made some rather bizarre requests in the eyes of the people who did not know the truth, which surprised most of the amateurs who went to the audition.

What is this...?

The teenagers who originally thought that Ultraman's human body only needed to be a wooden figure to show off, and had inexplicable misunderstandings about the tokusatsu series, fell into silence.

.....After all, the Ultraman series has been discontinued for decades. Even if it is occasionally replayed, what everyone remembers is only a few famous scenes and the fight scenes between Ultraman and monsters. The new generation How could an ordinary boy understand the profound meaning behind Ultra's human body?

Therefore, in this era of lack of imagination where the light has been extinguished, quite a few teenagers behave in a mess. They cannot imagine what their expressions should be when they suddenly learn that they will become the light, nor can they imagine the face of flying a fighter jet that is about to crash. How should we react to monsters——

Therefore, looking at amateurs with paralyzed faces one after another and a handful of new idols with exaggerated acting skills, Koichi Takano frowned slightly and his eyes were a little serious.

"...Okay, the audition is over, thank you for your hard work - please come back."

Takano Koichi was in a bad mood as he politely sent away the boy who auditioned.

Patting his head gently, this big shot in the field of special photography couldn't help but frown slightly, still unsure about the casting of "Ultraman Tega".

.....No, not at all.

It had been several days since the audition, and Koichi Takano sat there and looked at hundreds of handsome faces, but in the end he couldn't find the right candidate.

The good-looking faces are all the same, but the boy who shines in front of his eyes has not appeared... Thinking of this, Takano Koichi suddenly recalled the past when he worked as an oddball on the Ultra Brothers TV series during the Showa era, and recalled his past decades ago. The protagonists, who are enthusiastic and clumsy but still move forward with high spirits, feel a touch of sadness in their hearts.

Tokusatsu has come to an end, and the Ultraman series has also been suspended for decades. The time difference spanning a century has smoothed out too many things, and many beautiful qualities and bright spirits have gradually begun to disappear... Obviously It's been several days since I started auditioning, but I haven't found half a suitable candidate. It's really frustrating.

"...Mr. Takano, can't you be satisfied with the performance of these actors?"

Mr. Shingo Matsubara, the director of "Ultraman Tega" who had been sitting aside and was in charge of the audition, couldn't help but hand a glass of mineral water to Mr. Koichi Takano at this moment:

"If it really doesn't work, you should settle for the next best thing... If we really follow the old Showa Ultraman requirements and make modern actors work so hard, I'm afraid it will be really difficult to meet our requirements—— "

"No, if the protagonist's choice is casual, what's the point of restarting Ultraman?"

Waving his hand gently, Takano Hongichi unscrewed the mineral water in his hand and turned his head to look at the director beside him:

"There must be no compromise... This is the opportunity for the Ultraman series to appear on the big screen again after decades. To do it, you must do your best and leave no regrets - not to mention The recent newcomer actors are all so bad at acting. They don’t understand Dagu’s character at all, and they don’t have the courage to be the light. They just treat our protagonist as a handsome character. How can I be such an actor and idol? Dare you use it? Doesn’t this ruin Ultraman’s brand?”

".......All right."

Director Matsubara, who was somewhat worried that Mr. Takano Koichi would not be able to hold on, also took a thick cotton coat from the props team and put it on his senior:

"Thank you, senior, I have really troubled you these days."

"...No trouble, no trouble at all."

Shaking his head slightly, as if recalling many things that had been done, Koichi Takano's eyes flashed with mottled light, and his eyes showed considerable concern:

"To be honest, I haven't been in charge of the Ultraman crew for most of my life... Now that the Giant of Light finally got a chance to stand up again, I, an old man like me, should also work hard. Just try your best and try hard once..."

"...Come on."

Although the conditions of the audition were quite bad, and the newcomers who came to audition came to the studio with an overly utilitarian attitude, this group of middle-aged and elderly people who loved the Giant of Light in their hearts still enthusiastically encouraged each other:

"If you haven't found a suitable candidate, then keep going - auditions are always like this. If you don't meet the right performance and actor, you will keep looking for it... Don't worry, The right actor will come, I want to believe that."

".......Let's see."

After calming down and taking a sip of mineral water, Takano Koichi, who was already a little thirsty, picked up the resume of the audition actor and prepared to call in the next actor——

However, when he saw the resumes and the auditionees clearly, Mr. Takano's expression changed somewhat.

"...The next person doesn't seem to be very good, right? He is exactly 16 years old. Although he was born in February and is almost seventeen now, he is still too young - at least the person who just came for the audition is Nineteen twenty."

"Oh, Mr. Takano said this boy."

Hearing Koichi Takano's words, the director of the production department of "Ultraman Tega" immediately stepped forward with a very serious voice:

"To be honest, this boy is an actor who was enthusiastically recommended by an acquaintance of mine. It is said that he has a strong camera sense, good acting skills, and relatively strong plasticity. Although he is only 16 years old now, if he dresses up, he will look older. Some things can be done. Aren’t some of the recent special-shooting films that have become unpopular also cast boys of this age as the leading actors?”

".......All right."

After hearing this, and with the idea of ​​giving it a try, Takano Hiroshi nodded slightly in agreement.

then--

"Next, Mr. Mochizuki, please come inside for an audition."

The voice came slowly, and the young man who had been trying to stay calm and wrapped himself up like a sloth shuddered.

.....It's finally here.

With his heart tense, the young man patted his head, stretched his joints, and then immediately stood up, knocked on the door, and then pushed the door nervously and entered.

......

Walking into the small room, Mochizuki always felt that everything seemed to suddenly become clear at this moment.

The brightly lit room was filled with a warm feeling - but looking at the sharp eyes of the judges, the young man still had a terrifying feeling in his heart of being treated as a P agency war criminal and being sentenced to death in public.

numb.

A large amount of cold sweat rolled down his forehead. Although he knew that he was now in the land of his dreams, because he had no friends to accompany him, and because there were several middle-aged men looking at him with scrutinizing eyes, the young man still felt inexplicably nervous.

"Goo..."

Reluctantly adjusting his rapid breathing, the boy forced himself not to turn into a melted slime immediately. He forced himself to smile awkwardly (?) and sat down in his seat.

"....Hello, Mr. Mochizuki."

Looking at such a handsome, yet slightly childish young man, Takano Koichi felt somewhat unhappy.

Such a boy with a more feminine appearance did not really fit in with his image of Dagu - but after thinking about it, considering that this boy was a genius recommended by his director friend, out of curiosity, Takano Hiroshi found out throat, and then said this:

"This is our first meeting. You must be a high school student now, right?"

"...Yes, I am currently a sophomore in high school."

He gently rubbed his short curly hair and looked at the kind old man in front of him. For some reason, the young man felt less nervous:

"I went to school in Momoyama-en in Toyama Prefecture. Growing up, I loved watching the Showa series of Ultraman, and I was also very interested in the fights in them."

"Oh, really?"

Hearing that Mochizuki suddenly talked to him about Ultraman, Takano Koichi's expression changed slightly.

It may sound funny to say it, but Mochizuki Ri is indeed one of the rare actors who talks so seriously about Ultraman before the audition.

....... Is it a close match?

I always felt that the boy in front of me might just be an ordinary casual guy. He might be such a smooth-tongued master on weekdays. Koichi Takano, who had seen too many actors, also began to be suspicious of Mochizuki Ri's statement that he liked Ultraman.

After all, this great hero fantasy tokusatsu series has declined 30 years ago. The new generation of young people no longer know that much about this series. Even if the TV station did rebroadcast it in the early years, as of now, the decline of the Ultraman series There is no dispute that today's children have long stopped paying attention to these giants who have long since fallen behind the times... In such a general environment, if a teenage boy suddenly says that he knows Ultra very well... Man, even if there are so-called feelings, Mr. Koichi Takano will only think that he is just looking for something to talk about, and is deliberately making things uncomfortable.

"...You said you like Ultraman?"

Hearing Mochizuki's words, Takano Hiroshi gently held his chin and looked at the young man with a clear expression:

"It's very good. You are one of the few people from the crew who can express your feelings directly, saying that you like this huge hero series that was forced to be discontinued decades ago - are you curious, what do Mochizuki-san like about Ultraman?"

"I... I loved Ultraman's battles when I was little."

Mochizuki patted his head and his eyes turned slightly:

"When I was a kid, I always found Ultraman's battles quite exciting, with twists and turns that were impressive. This was even more true for Ultraman after his return. Many monsters that looked ordinary could fight with Ultraman. Once upon a time, I could never forget the thrilling scene. Jumping in the sky and slowing down the camera always made me forget to eat... Maybe it was because of this that when I was a child, I focused on Ultraman, who had played a long time ago. On top of the series that was discontinued decades ago. Thank you very much, Mr. Takano, for your past work on Ultraman’s battles.”

"........you know me?"

Takano Koichi's expression changed slightly. He didn't expect that the ordinary young man in front of him would suddenly recognize him, and his tone seemed to be a little more excited.

"Of course, you are the soul figure after Mr. Tsuburaya. You are the ultimate master of the entire plot rhythm and special photography technology. You have created many famous scenes: such as Ace the Black Pigeon, Taro Gabe, Severn's broken leg, etc. ...Although when I was a child, I was afraid of your fighting techniques, and I always felt that Ultraman's battles where you could be injured or even killed at any time were scary, but when you grow up and look back carefully, you can always find something. A special flavor.”

"...I didn't expect you to know something about Ultraman."

After hearing what the young man said, Mr. Takano was silent for a moment and nodded slowly:

"I have to say that there are still young people in the new generation who are interested in the tokusatsu series that has been suspended for decades and is no longer being replayed in full. It is indeed quite touching——"

"Very good. Although you haven't participated in the audition yet, I like you very much, Mr. Mochizuki."

"Thank you Grandpa Takano."

Bowing slightly, facing the hero behind Ultraman who cannot be ignored, the young man's eyes were filled with unprecedented seriousness:

"I will work hard."

".......come on."

I have to say that just now, when Mochizuki called himself "Grandpa Takano" without any hesitation, Koichi Takano's nose was actually slightly sour.

The Ultraman series has been suspended for decades, and Tsuburaya Co., Ltd., which used to be famous in the past, has also been acquired. Children have gradually forgotten the existence of giant heroes. It has been a long time since he, an old man, has been so enthusiastic about children. .

..... Could it be that he is the most suitable candidate?

After carefully looking at the childish boy in front of him, who looked quite superior in appearance, this old man who had not continued filming the Ultraman series for decades began to get very energetic.

If you look closely, you can't help but admire the young man's exquisite facial features...

After all, I have met many actors. Takano Hiroshi has a sharp look and can see through the ordinary young man's real surprise at a glance:

Although paired with slightly curly bangs, Mochizuki does look a bit childish - but with such majestic and stunning facial features, as long as she changes her appearance, she can definitely transcend her age and be qualified for the role of Dagu.

........If his acting skills are passable, this boy is indeed the best candidate so far.

Thoughts so far.

Koichi Takano, who has not filmed a fantasy tokusatsu drama for decades, said this:

"Congratulations, Mochizuki-san, your appearance and understanding of Ultraman have passed the test - but I still have to observe whether your acting skills meet the requirements. Are you ready?"

"Ready."

Looking at the old Mr. Takano in front of him, who was known as "Heisei Tsuburaya Eiji" in the previous world, Mochizuki looked serious, and the slight tension in his heart was completely swallowed up by determination——

He was finally taking the first step.

87.You are the real Tiga 9k

Auditions for the lead role in "Ultraman Tega" have begun.

Looking at Mochizuki, who was sitting upright in front of him with a somewhat nervous expression, Mr. Koichi Takano, who had not walked into the studio for a long time and continued to shoot fantasy special photos, also chuckled twice, took out an unopened bottle of mineral water, and handed it to him. The boy:

"Relax, drink some water...we'll start again when you're ready."

"...Thank you, thank you."

Mochizuki nodded slightly awkwardly and took the mineral water bottle. Mochizuki's expression also showed a hint of embarrassment - after a short silence, the young man reluctantly unscrewed the bottle cap and drank the sweetness.

"........"

Takano Hiroshi just held his chin and looked at the young man in front of him who recognized his identity at a glance and talked enthusiastically about Ultraman. He drank water with a calm expression on his face.

That's great. This slightly youthful appearance and serious expression, at least from the perspective of charm, are completely in line with the original Dagu of "Ultraman Tiga"——

.....Can this 16-year-old boy really be able to take on the important task of restarting Ultraman?Takano Hongichi didn't know.

But...looking at the young man in front of me who is obviously different from the others in spirit, and whose performance is actually not that steady, but a little clumsy, the old man who has given his all to Ultraman Studios in the past, I couldn't help but feel a warmth in my heart.

.........I hope he can meet the requirements perfectly.

Naturally, Koichi Takano couldn't help but feel some preference for the young man in front of him who loved Ultraman and wanted to become a Titan of Light.

"Okay, okay!"

After all, without the company of friends, Mochizuki was still a little nervous when he walked into a small room alone to receive an audition——

I saw him put down the mineral water bottle, and after taking a few deep breaths, he nodded quickly:

"I'm ready, Grandpa Takano please start."

".......OK."

Special photography master Koichi Takano, who put down his wrinkled hands that were supporting his chin and dressed like a sweeping monk, also nodded slightly at this moment and said:

"Please imagine that you used to be a staff member of the Transportation Department of the United Earth Peace Organization. You saved Director Sawai in an accident and were noticed by him. You were transferred to the Operations Command Room of the United Earth Peace Organization and became a member of the Victory Team. Team members.”