Creating Anime In A Fantasy World

“So, you’re compressing the technology to convert magic signals into video and sound into a smaller Magitech, and then using your previous magic signal transmission method to synchronize the broadcast of films?”

After listening to Edward’s explanation, the Arch Mage Rosa, who immediately grasped the concept of television, said with interest, “So, Mr. Edward, you’ve already created this technology and intend to use it to broadcast this story, Kara no Kyoukai, on television?”

Edward, marveling at how convenient it was to talk to smart people, nodded slowly and said, “Yes. Though, I wasn’t the main one who developed it—it was Ska. He’ll probably apply for a patent with the administrator later.”

“That’s truly exciting. But while television sounds promising, from a business perspective, it doesn’t seem as profitable as movies. Are you sure you want to go through with this, Mr. Edward?”

“This is a necessary step in the evolution of an era. As I’ve said before, Magitech will change the world and usher in a new age. Every beginning is difficult, so it falls on me to take the first step. Honestly, if I don’t, it might be decades or even centuries before someone else decides to do it. Of course, it’s not like I won’t make any money—I plan to sell imaging crystals after the public broadcasts as a form of special edition merchandise. After all, I have to recoup my costs somehow.”

“Uh, I think if this story is perfectly adapted, the demand for original imaging crystals will be enormous…”

Hearing Rosa’s observation, Edward smiled subtly. In fact, whether it was Konosuba, Goblin Slayer, or the newly released Fate/Zero, a significant portion of the audience wanted replica imaging crystals. Several merchants had already approached Baniel to expand the business in this area.

Unfortunately, to prevent piracy, imaging crystals as movie products were nearly impossible to leak. The one that ended up in the Mage Tower with Major Roy was likely the only leaked crystal.

Under such circumstances, Edward had always considered this idea—or rather, he had planned from the start to build an industry combining television broadcasting with Blu-ray (BD) sales. Previously, the lack of television technology had forced him to rely on traditional cinema. But now that television technology was emerging, he naturally revisited this plan. After all, his ultimate goal was to immerse this world’s audience in the addictive torment of following a weekly anime series!

While movies could also be released in parts, the long gaps between releases often dampened the audience’s enthusiasm. By the time a new movie was released, many had already forgotten the previous one. In contrast, weekly anime episodes could sustain this excitement while introducing viewers to the unique anguish of waiting for the next episode to air!

“Ahem—”

Realizing that his thoughts had wandered off, Edward refocused his attention and addressed Rosa and Streige, who were still deep in thought. “So, what do you think of this script? Of course, you’ve only seen the first three chapters. There are four more chapters and an epilogue.”

“…”

Hearing that the story consisted of seven chapters plus an epilogue, Rosa and Streige, now even more intrigued, took a moment to organize their thoughts. Rosa was the first to speak.

“It’s an excellent and… truly unique story. But I do want to know: was the story’s sequence originally meant to be this fragmented?”

“Yes, I’ve indicated the chapters clearly. Chapter One is Overlooking View, and Chapter Two is Murder Speculation (Part 1). But in terms of the timeline, Murder Speculation (Part 1) is actually the beginning of the story.”

Hearing this, Rosa appeared slightly puzzled but chose not to dwell on it. After a pause, she said, “This script is fantastic and incredibly valuable for our studies on spirit and soul. Honestly, if I could, I’d push you to write the entire story right now and discuss it with you. However…”

“But what? this isn’t really a big deal…”

“Uh, Mr. Edward, what do you mean?”

“First, one of the main reasons I want to promote television using this script is because I’m deeply interested in your studies on spirit and soul. Second, this is more of a transaction.”

“A transaction? What do you mean?”

“I hope that Arch Mage Rosa, together with Mr. Streige, can participate in the production of Kara no Kyoukai. Moreover, if possible, I’d like the Mental and Spiritual Studies Branch to assist me in researching a certain technology. If you agree, I can complete the entire script for Kara no Kyoukai in one day and share it with you. You’d be free to ask me about anything you find unclear at any time.”

After saying this, Edward simply smiled at the astonished—or perhaps shocked—Rosa and Streige and added, “So, what do you think? Not a bad proposal, right?”

<+>

Edward Tavern

“A new film production?”

Hearing Edward’s unexpected announcement after his return from the Mage Tower, Chase blinked in surprise before quickly asking, “Wait, Director Durin! What about the continuation of Fate/Zero?”

Clearly, as the troupe manager, Chase was more invested in the follow-up to Fate/Zero, which had been pivotal in the revival of the Snow Flower Troupe.

As if anticipating this concern, Edward calmly replied, “Of course, the continuation will be filmed as well. But the schedule needs to be arranged separately. According to my plan, Kara no Kyoukai should be completed by mid-summer, just in time for the first television broadcast. The second chapter of Fate/Zero will air in the winter—though no specific date has been set yet. So even if we start filming it after Kara no Kyoukai is completed, there’s plenty of time. That said, Chase, if you think it’s an issue, I can always hand over the script for you to start filming with the troupe.”

“Uh… there’s no need for that. But while I don’t have any objections, the other actors might…”

Chase trailed off helplessly, adding, “After all, Director Durin, you should know the intense workload from filming Fate/Zero was already overwhelming for everyone in the troupe. If we do that again so soon…”

Edward chuckled and reassured him, “Ah, you’re worried about that? Relax. I’m not a heartless boss! As long as they’re willing to work overtime, I’ll make sure the overtime pay is generous! I believe that with the right monetary incentives, 996—or even 007—won’t be an issue!”

“That’s not the point!”

Ignoring Chase’s exasperated remark, Edward continued, “Anyway, I still have an impression of the actors from your troupe who auditioned last time. I already have some ideas in mind. Just bring them all over, and I’ll conduct the auditions myself.”

“Well, whatever you say…”

Although Chase found Edward’s sudden ideas exasperating, he didn’t feel resentful. To him, the Snow Flower Troupe’s newfound attention—and even fame far exceeding its previous levels—was all thanks to the opportunity Edward gave them to participate in the filming of Fate/Zero.

Edwardg this time, Chase had been going to the cinema almost daily to rewatch Fate/Zero, marveling repeatedly at the film’s unique charm. He often thought that his decision not to shy away from the wave of change but to ride it head-on and seize this precious opportunity was the wisest choice he’d ever made.

Looking back on those lonely nights filled with doubt and regret, Chase sometimes wondered if all these achievements were merely a dream. He feared that once he woke, he would return to those desolate nights, staring at the moon and pondering the uncertainty of life.

Yes, Chase was not merely a simple troupe manager. In the past, he had been a renowned stage actor, celebrated for his masterful performances. Yet, instead of becoming a legendary actor in his original troupe, he chose to step down at the height of his career and founded the Snow Flower Troupe on his own.

The name “Snow Flower Troupe” was not chosen casually. It originated from the day Chase first met his current wife. On a snowy clearing, the beautiful silver-haired woman showed a smile as radiant as the most beautiful flower in the world. In that moment, he knew she was an angel sent by the heavens to save him.

No matter what, he vowed to protect this silver flower from being tainted by the dust of the mundane world. This was also why he left his original troupe. At the time, the troupe’s manager sought to exploit the troupe’s most beautiful “flower” to attract attention, even considering offering her to the heir of a noble house to gain access to high society. Upon learning of this, Chase, at the cost of abandoning his own future as an actor, took her away from the troupe. He then used the connections he had built over his long career in theater to establish the troupe now known as Snow Flower Troupe.

Because of this decision, Chase lost all his former accolades and was ostracized by the nobility. The Snow Flower Troupe survived solely due to Chase’s personal efforts and determination.

Over time, Chase came to understand the harsh reality of the world he once revered. The stage he once took pride in was, in essence, merely a plaything for the nobility. No matter how glorious the actors might appear, in the end, they were nothing more than pawns for the whims of the elite.

After founding his new troupe, Chase decisively abandoned his identity as an actor and took on the role of manager. He fought against the dark and chaotic world to preserve what he believed to be genuine art. He poured his prime years into creating the most perfect stage plays and writing the finest scripts that could captivate all audiences.

However, in the end, such a thing didn’t exist. The nature of stage performances limited their audience. Even at its peak popularity among commoners, the Snow Flower Troupe could only draw a three-digit audience per performance. Such a scale was far from the vision Chase had dreamed of—a future he had poured his life into, yet one that seemed hopelessly out of reach.

It was in this despairing state that cinema and Fate/Zero appeared, breathing life back into the Snow Flower Troupe, which had been struggling with finances due to the rise of films. At the same time, it revived the humble yet grand dream of this man.

Thus, when faced with Edward’s request, Chase offered no objections. He understood that everything the Snow Flower Troupe had now was thanks to this seemingly ordinary young man. Moreover, Edward’s request for them to create a new film, Kara no Kyoukai, in a short time was less of a burden and more of an opportunity—an opportunity to learn the art of filmmaking.

From the moment he first saw a movie, Chase had been deeply curious about the process of filmmaking. Although Edward was open about his methods during the production of Fate/Zero, the experience had still left Chase somewhat confused. The difference between movie production and stage performance was like night and day.

Now, with Edward offering more chances to be involved in filmmaking, Chase saw this as an invaluable learning opportunity. Grateful for the chance, he could hardly complain.

With Chase agreeing to hold auditions for the cast of Kara no Kyoukai, Edward breathed a small sigh of relief. After all, he had just completely ignored his prior agreement with Ska to discuss the new television technology and instead had gone to arrange the production of the new film. The situation at the Mage Tower was still unresolved—or rather, until the advent of this new television medium, Edward would remain quite busy.

Fortunately, as the Head of the Alchemy Branch, Edward wasn’t burdened with teaching responsibilities. Most of the workload was managed by Ska. This allowed him to focus on making televisions and shooting films. However, neither task was simple or easy.

Creating a television was more than just building a machine capable of playing movies. To truly recreate the television experience from another world, Edward needed a fully-fledged team to support it. In other words, he needed a television station.

While technical talent could be found at the Mage Tower, performers were far scarcer. After all, even Edward himself wasn’t sure what kind of “shows” the people of this world would enjoy. As for using movies for every program, that was clearly impractical.

In any case, Edward wasn’t thinking that far ahead for now. This first television project was merely a trial run, with its reach limited to the Imperial Mage Academy and Nosrick City. As for the first broadcast program, it would undoubtedly be Kara no Kyoukai, the very film he was about to shoot.