Chapter 99

Shen Zhenghui decided to revise the script, tentatively titled *Fenglin High School*, to make the Korean film *Volcano High School* seem like a copycat.

This kind of comedic kung fu film needed an exaggerated theme. The Korean *Volcano High School* was about a hidden martial arts manual that could dominate the world, but *Fenglin High School* wouldn't be so simple. Shen Zhenghui combined elements from *Tian Shang Tian Xia* and *The King of Fighters*, setting up a scenario where the person who seizes the highest ruling power at Fenglin High School can inherit the legacy of a martial artist. This attracted the attention of martial artists from all over the world (limited to Japan), who sent their students and children to Fenglin High School, hoping to inherit the martial artist's legacy. In reality, Fenglin High School was a place for martial artists to hone their skills through constant battles, and the so-called legacy was just an excuse. The real progress of martial artists came from self-transcendence in battle.

This setup seemed a bit thin, so Shen Zhenghui incorporated elements from the Han-Tang film *Stormy Boys*. He revised the story to have the school principal spread rumors to attract martial artists, with the ultimate goal of finding the descendant of a legendary martial artist with a fighting spirit. Using the latest technology, the principal would absorb the power of various martial artists to become the dominant force in the martial arts world.

After all, as a popcorn movie, a complete and interesting story was enough, and it didn't need much logic. The film would rely on special effects and attractive actors. Shen Zhenghui would play an undercover detective investigating the disappearance of a martial artist's daughter, while Seiichi Aizawa would play a female transfer student who coincidentally enters the school at the same time. This was essentially the plot of *Stormy Boys*. Lu Yang reviewed the script and had no objections; he had seen much more outrageous scripts, so this one was fine. The key to the film was the martial arts choreography and post-production, and the story just needed to be passable.

Shen Zhenghui began the arduous preparation work. Previously, Miyamoto had helped with casting, crew preparation, and location scouting, but now that Miyamoto was gone, Shen Zhenghui had to handle everything himself. Fukuda Mitsuhide sent several secretaries to assist him, but with all the decisions resting on Shen Zhenghui, the detailed reports and trivial tasks were a headache. Fortunately, he remembered his determination and gritted his teeth to keep going.

Lu Yang's trip to Hong Kong went smoothly. The Yuen family, who had gained fame from *The Matrix* in 1999, were in high demand in Hollywood, and the top martial arts choreographers were swamped. Fortunately, Shen Zhenghui didn't need the top brass; Lu Yang brought the second-in-command, Yuen Xiangren, to Japan. Yuen Xiangren brought several apprentices to train the actors, and Shen Zhenghui planned to sign a martial arts choreographer from among them.

Shen Zhenghui wanted to cast as many female actors from the Queens agency as possible and use new male actors. He wasn't entirely confident in the film and planned to rely on the appeal of beautiful women and handsome men to boost box office sales while laying the groundwork for *The King of Fighters*. When Johnny's & Associates learned that Shen Zhenghui was producing a film with a 500 million yen budget, they proactively offered their actors.

Spring and Johnny's & Associates had a good working relationship, with continuous collaborations in films and TV series. Although Masahiro Nakagura's fame didn't significantly increase from *North High School's Cruel History*, his pay rate set a benchmark. In *My Sister's Boyfriend*, Tomohisa Yamashita's performance was noteworthy, leading Johnny's & Associates to decide to debut him early. The tangible benefits were real, so when they heard about the 500 million yen film, they naturally came knocking.

"Did you tell them it's an action film that requires a lot of preparation and training?" Shen Zhenghui asked Fukuda Mitsuhide. This was a challenge for action films; without proper preparation, injuries could disrupt filming, so a long preparation period was necessary. Even Jet Li had a long training period before shooting kung fu films.

The female actors from the Queens agency had no problem with this, considering it a weight loss benefit. Those who dared to refuse would find their contracts waiting for them. However, Shen Zhenghui couldn't treat Johnny's & Associates' male actors like cattle.

"Of course, but Johnny's & Associates is very enthusiastic. They even see us as a free training ground and want to insert more of their actors into the production," Fukuda Mitsuhide replied.

"Japanese!" Shen Zhenghui thought. "Alright," he said, "let them bring the actors' profiles for me to screen."

"I should mention, although we have a good relationship with Johnny's & Associates, it's best to keep a few key roles for ourselves," Fukuda Mitsuhide said. "We don't want them to think we can only work with them."

"Of course." Shen Zhenghui was already familiar with such matters.

"Also, the box office data for *Tokyo Fortress* and *Pukamai Fortress* in some regions is out. You should take a look. After seeing this data, Shunji Murahama has decided to focus all of Gonzo's resources on film animation. *Full Metal Panic 1* will be left to you and Liu Xin. Otherwise, it would have to wait until 2004, and that's only if *Battle Angel Alita* fails and Shunji Murahama has to return to TV animation."

"Don't say that in front of him."

"Of course, he's dreaming of becoming the next Ghibli. I won't dampen his spirits, but for me, whether his films make money or not, it's all good news."

"Thanks, that's good news for me too." Shen Zhenghui put down the phone and reviewed his work plan. Seeing that everything was on track, he breathed a sigh of relief. The next step was actor training, and Lu Yang was on his way. Ideally, the training would be completed and filming would start before the New Year, with the film released in the first half of 2000.

Next, Shen Zhenghui logged into his Japanese version of IMDb, called Eiga no Ie. The website reminded him of Facebook and Renren. He thought that if Eiga no Ie could partner with a social network like Renren, it would be beneficial for both website promotion and film promotion. However, he wasn't sure if the technology was ready yet. He felt that blogs, forums, and other creative ideas were like printing money, but without the right timing and promotion, they couldn't be turned into cash.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Shen Zhenghui logged into Eiga no Ie and checked the box office data for *Tokyo Fortress* and *Pukamai Fortress*. *Tokyo Fortress* had been in theaters for a month, with box office earnings exceeding 5 billion yen. At this rate, it could stay in theaters for another month. *Pukamai Fortress* had been in theaters for two weeks, with box office earnings exceeding 2 billion yen, a good start, and was expected to reach 3 billion yen in a month. Additionally, the films were scheduled for release in the United States and Europe, with varying release dates, and box office data not yet available.

Shen Zhenghui then logged into IMDb. Americans were criticizing *Tokyo Fortress*, but the film had cultivated a significant audience in the United States. With its unique theme, it performed well, earning $17 million in two weeks, equivalent to about 2 billion yen. *Pukamai Fortress* had a delayed release, with a planned release next week.

Shen Zhenghui then logged into the Chinese Time Network, one of his investments in Yuhang. *Pukamai Fortress* had been in theaters in China for a month, benefiting from group screenings and word-of-mouth from fans. It had earned 87 million RMB, and if it continued to screen, it might break the 100 million RMB mark. It had become the highest-grossing animated film in history and could even challenge the record for the highest-grossing domestic film.

Regardless, the 87 million RMB film had shocked the Chinese film industry, surpassing Feng Xiaogang's *Beijing Meets Seattle* and Zhang Yimou's *Not One Less* in 1999, which had earned 42 million and 30 million RMB, respectively. There were some unexpected factors, such as PLA-organized group screenings in schools, which kept the box office high for two weeks. In the future, when people discussed box office figures, the film was controversial. Some questioned whether it was truly a domestic film or a Japanese film, and there were disputes over the accuracy of the box office figures, with some alleging overreporting and others claiming underreporting. Despite the controversy, the 87 million RMB figure was a significant reference point for the film industry.

Shen Zhenghui calculated the box office figures. Ignoring international markets, *Tokyo Fortress* had already brought in 2.5 billion yen for Shunji Murahama. With European and American box office figures, plus VHS, VCD, and DVD sales, the total earnings were expected to exceed 10 billion yen. No wonder Fukuda Mitsuhide said Shunji Murahama was no longer interested in TV animation and was focused on making money from films.

As Shen Zhenghui was thinking, his phone rang. It was Liu Xin. "Gonzo has decided to hand over all TV animation production to us," she said, sounding a bit upset.

"That's a good thing," Shen Zhenghui replied. "It's good to build up some experience."

"It's *Full Metal Panic*," Liu Xin said. "I don't like the setting."

"Alright, the director's name won't be yours. Let Zhou Hua and Ma Zhen take the credit."

"No way! My name must be on it," Liu Xin said firmly.

"Alright, anything else?" Shen Zhenghui asked.

"Shunji Murahama said the TV animation can't have a Chinese company's name. It must be a Japanese production. If we don't want to use Gonzo's name, we can set up a separate company in Japan and collaborate with Gonzo."

*Pukamai Fortress* had made Shunji Murahama envious. After paying a cooperation fee, *Pukamai Fortress* was listed as a Chinese production and made a round trip from China to Japan, and Shunji Murahama was heartbroken by the box office figures. He was determined not to give up on the TV animation.

"Discuss it with Fukuda. I agree with this approach. You make the final decision," Shen Zhenghui said, feeling he didn't have the energy to focus on this.

"Also, if we set up a company, Shunji Murahama wants to hire more animators," Liu Xin hesitated.

"He wants to expand?"

"Yes, I heard he's already planning the next project after *Snow Wind*."

"He's not waiting for *Snow Wind* to perform?" After a moment's thought, Shen Zhenghui said, "It's fine. Try to hire more people. We have a lot of TV animation projects in the pipeline."

"Alright, I understand." Liu Xin's tone was hesitant. "I heard you're making another film?"

"Yes, another kung fu film."

"Are you not focusing on anime anymore?"

"Of course not. I still want to turn anime into live-action films in the future."

"Oh." Liu Xin hung up, and Shen Zhenghui shook his head, feeling that the person on the other end of the phone seemed a bit off. He shook his head again and refocused on the preparation for his kung fu film.

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