"Sir , how about you rephrase that? I'll cut this part out in post-production and we'll start over!"
The cameraman said urgently, trying to salvage the "out of control" situation.
In the control room, the director also noticed the commotion on Kenji's side, his eyes glued to the screen for fear of missing any detail.
"Don't! Keep that line, keep that line!"
The director was incredibly excited, his hands clenching unconsciously, his eyes flashing with excitement.
"When this is broadcast, won't he be torn apart by the public?"
A staff member said with a worried face; after all, such an answer was truly too bold.
"This line will definitely be a viral hit!"
The director spoke decisively. He knew that in today's cookie-cutter entertainment industry, such a unique answer would surely cause a stir.
Because the other contestants gave standard answers like making good music, bringing joy to everyone through music, or gaining the favor of fans.
Yet here was Kenji, bluntly saying he wanted to become the Godfather of Entertainment?
Looking across the entire entertainment industry, who would dare say such a thing lightly?
Not to mention he was foreigner, claiming he would dominate the entire Japanese entertainment industry?
The key was that Kenji said it with a straight face while holding a chicken skewer in one hand.
It felt as if becoming Japan's Godfather of Entertainment was a trivial matter, something easily within his reach.
Even Saito was stunned, staring blankly at Kenji with his mouth slightly open, unable to react for a long time.
He hurriedly reached out to cover Kenji's mouth and said urgently, "The Esteemed President, you can't just say what's on your mind like that!"
This was an interview! It might be broadcast, and the consequences would be unimaginable.
Kenji dodged backward, easily avoiding Saito's hand, and said nonchalantly, "It's fine, I'm just telling the truth."
Having said that, he picked up another skewer and continued eating, looking thoroughly satisfied.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the recording process was already halfway through.
The four guest singer mentors sat in their seats, their expressions not looking very good at the moment.
Some contestants were indeed decent, showing a certain level of skill and potential, but most were truly subpar, making frequent mistakes and giving unsatisfactory performances.
The four mentors could only follow the script, suppressing their dissatisfaction while giving standard evaluations and suggestions.
During the break, the four mentors discussed privately, shaking their heads and sighing in frustration over some of the contestants' performances.
"I heard Kogen Miyano is here. He's a rising star with a lot of momentum recently. This young man is probably the only one who can bring us some surprises; otherwise, this show is going to get really dull."
One mentor leaned back in his chair and said, gently shaking his head.
"Sigh, who knows. The contestants' levels are all over the place. Let's keep watching."
Another mentor sighed helplessly. Afterward, the four mentors touched up their makeup, adjusted their posture, and threw themselves back into the recording with renewed energy.
"Next up, let's welcome Yoshino Gou. Good luck!"
After the host gave a passionate introduction, the highly anticipated Yoshino Gou stepped onto the stage with confident strides.
Yoshino Gou calmly took the microphone and walked steadily onto the stage, his eyes revealing determination and confidence.
The four veteran singers also sat up slightly, looking at him with a hint of expectation. After all, the previous contestants' performances had mostly been disappointing, and they were eager to see a talented newcomer.
Then, the music slowly began to play!
Yoshino Gou took a deep breath and began to sing.
His voice was mellow and infectious, full of confidence. His singing technique was solid, and the song he chose perfectly suited his style, with a beautiful melody and moderate difficulty.
After he had sung a few lines, two of the mentors couldn't hold back anymore. They were Totsuka Miyu, known as the 'Sweet Voice Starlet,' and Sakanaka Taisei, known as the 'Rap Master.' Following the script, they hit their buzzers without hesitation.
However, the 'Prince of Love Songs' Funagami Hiroto and the 'Music King' Nakagawa Ryota remained seated, not turning for him, seemingly waiting for an even more brilliant performance.
This caused a trace of irrepressible regret to rise in Yoshino Gou's heart.
After all, Nakagawa Ryota was a superstar at the peak of his career in the current Japanese music industry, holding a transcendent status.
Yoshino Gou had actually been secretly hoping to gain Nakagawa Ryota's favor. If he could receive the personal guidance of this King, his future development in the music industry would be limitless.
Regardless, establishing a good relationship with the King meant access to more high-quality resources and a broader network, allowing him to stand out among many newcomers and gain a massive advantage.
Therefore, many people at the scene felt the same as Yoshino Gou, desperately trying to earn Nakagawa Ryota's recognition.
Unfortunately, Nakagawa Ryota was known for being strict, and his requirements for students were almost harsh.
Once the song ended, the host held the microphone and said with a beaming face, "Come, tell us your dream!"
Yoshino Gou was very well-behaved, articulating his pursuit of music and his aspirations for the future one by one.
Next was the standard segment where mentors vied for contestants.
In truth, Yoshino Gou's strength was indeed not to be underestimated; his singing was solid, and his stage presence was commendable.
Both mentors Totsuka Miyu and Sakanaka Taisei showed great interest in Yoshino Gou and even competed with each other for him.
Ultimately, Yoshino Gou became Totsuka Miyu's student.
Of course, this recruitment segment was mostly for show, intended to enhance the program's entertainment value and add interest.
"How about we don't fight for the next one and leave them for Ryota? Otherwise, by the time Ryota's blind auditions are over, you'll only have two people, which won't look good!" Totsuka Miyu turned her head and said with a smile to Nakagawa Ryota.
"I'll wait and see. Besides, even if I don't have enough students, the production team promised me they wouldn't interfere with any of my choices. I have to stick to my principles."
Nakagawa Ryota responded calmly, his eyes reflecting an unquestionable resolve.
The production team had actually made many compromises to invite Nakagawa Ryota.
This included not putting on a show and selecting students with the most authentic attitude.
Thus, even as the blind auditions were nearing their end, Nakagawa Ryota only had two students, while the other mentors' rosters were basically full.
"Nakagawa Ryota is too strict. Those two were only pushed onto his team after the production team spent ages negotiating," someone whispered below the stage.
Next up was Kogen Miyano. He had participated in several talent shows and was experienced and quite capable.
However, after he finished singing, Nakagawa Ryota still frowned slightly in dissatisfaction and didn't turn around.
At this moment, everyone began to whisper.
Because aside from the first episode where he gave the production team some face and reluctantly chose two students, Nakagawa Ryota had hardly hit his buzzer since then.
Actually, they had a list in their hands and knew of some contestants with good potential.
But when the four mentors saw the last name, Kenji, they were clearly unfamiliar with it. They were stunned for a moment, then planned to just go through the motions and finish recording for the day.
So, even though Kenji was the closing act, any sense of anticipation had long been worn away.
The audience had little patience left; after all, they had been recording for seven or eight hours, and everyone was exhausted.
Meanwhile, outside the building, Kenji and the cameraman were just rushing toward the recording site.
"He's only arriving now?"
The director hadn't been paying much attention, but noticing Kenji now, he was momentarily stunned, wondering to himself: Is he really that careless?
Or is this an expression of ultimate confidence?
Kenji ran to the backstage entrance of the recording site and looked at the host.
The host was also a bit embarrassed. Why was this contestant so unreliable?
But he still bit the bullet and began the introduction.
The audience really couldn't sit still anymore; everyone had long since become impatient.
During the introduction, there was some noise and commotion in the venue.
After all, the two most promising ones, Yoshino Gou and Kogen Miyano, had already performed.
Most people hadn't heard of this final closing act,, there was really nothing to look forward to.
If it weren't for the recording, they probably would have prepared to leave long ago.
"Now, everyone, perk up!"
The director suddenly shouted into the staff channel, his voice booming, which immediately snapped many staff members awake.
"Next, our final contestant will perform an original song for us!"
Kenji walked slowly onto the stage, but the applause from below was sparse and lifeless, lacking any enthusiasm.
The audience was truly exhausted, and in their eyes, Yoshino Gou, Kogen Miyano, and a few previous contestants had already performed quite well.
Therefore, whether it was the mentors or the audience, no one had any expectations for Kenji; they just wanted to get it over with.
However, Kogen Miyano, Yoshino Gou, and the other selected and unselected contestants were watching Kenji on stage.
They all sneered, especially Kogen Miyano and Yoshino Gou, who wanted to see exactly who could snatch the closing spot from them.
But hearing the sparse, fragmented applause from the audience, they knew this contestant was likely a flop.
At this moment, even the sound engineer yawned, and the band members were also feeling a bit tired.
But when the sheet music was brought up, the music director quietly slipped into the band and personally took up the baton.
The lights in the venue dimmed, and the surroundings fell silent.
Then, the intro began to play.
The moment the intro started, the band members themselves were startled. What kind of song was this? The intro was actually quite good!
The band hadn't rehearsed this song beforehand, so it was their first time playing it.
Not long after the intro started.
Kenji picked up the microphone and brought it to his lips.
"Nee, mou sukoshi dake... Hey, just a little more!"
Hmm? This voice!
The sound engineer's previously glazed eyes instantly focused. He keenly sensed that the exhaustion and impatience shown by the audience vanished the moment that first line drifted out, replaced by an indescribable sense of anticipation and excitement.
*Thud!*
Nakagawa Ryota's finger pressed down like lightning, without the slightest hesitation, hitting the buzzer immediately.
The audience was startled by the sudden sound, and a low murmur broke out: "He pressed it on the very first line?"
"Yeah, the strictest Nakagawa Ryota actually made a choice on the first line?"
"Mou sukoshi dake kiite ite hoshii... I want you to listen just a little more!"
"Nee, mou sukoshi dake... Hey, just a little more!"
"Mou sukoshi dake wagamama ii desu ka? Can I be a little more selfish?"
"Te ni ireta totan ni kiete shimaisou... The moment I have you, you seem like you'll disappear!"
What Kenji was performing with all his heart was the classic track "Aishiteru" (I Love You) from Natsume's Book of Friends.
With its ethereal and soft, dreamlike melody, this piece perfectly complemented the warm and healing style of the anime, long becoming one of the brilliant representatives of the series' music.
Through delicate, conversational lyrics, the song strikes deep into the heart, conveying the most sincere emotional core.
The repeated sigh of "Aishiteru" (I Love You) not only depicts the deep longing for eternity in love but also implies a faint fear of loss; the intertwining of these dual psychological states is truly moving.
The clever use of natural imagery, such as the "changing seasons" as a metaphor for the ruthless passage of time, constructs a subtle and profound philosophical intertwining between the ephemeral and the eternal.
With the piano as the main melody supported by the gentle accompaniment of strings, the contrast between the daily scenes described in the verses and the prayer-like phrases of the chorus creates intense emotional tension, presenting an overall warm yet slightly sorrowful lyrical tone.
Thus, when Kenji sang with such deep feeling, the shock at the scene was imaginable!
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
*Thud!* Three more sounds in quick succession. The three judges, Sakanaka Taisei, Totsuka Miyu, and Funagami Hiroto, all hit their selectis without hesitation after Kenji had sung only two lines, their eyes full of admiration.
However, Kenji seemed to be in another world, not even glancing at the judges' actions, fully immersed in his own singing.
"He's amazing!"
...
Read advance chapters on p@treon
[email protected]/guilt_free_daoist
Join disc0rd link in synopsis.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.