บท 226: Winning the Award
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"Of course, this is rigged!"
"I've never even heard of these anime and authors that won!"
"To be fair, these creators are pretty famous abroad. It's just that the domestic and international markets are different, so it's normal not to know them here."
"I just checked them out—the art style is terrible! The artwork isn't as good as the Porter's, and the stories aren't as compelling. How did they win these awards?"
"Enough already. Our domestic awards are lackluster compared to something like the Oscars, which is world-renowned. We're just playing in our own little sandbox here."
"I feel like the Oscars are biased too. The Porter's 'Fullmetal Alchemist' is incredibly popular overseas!"
When Ren's "Fullmetal Alchemist" missed out on two important awards, many viewers watching at home were outraged.
The chat was filled with comments accusing the Oscars of being rigged.
Even Ren's mom, watching the ceremony, turned to Jada. "Jada, what's going on? How come Ren hasn't won anything? Is it really rigged?"
She didn't know much about these things.
She just knew from the news that her son was amazing, having been nominated for awards that many Chinese manga creators only dream of.
She thought he was going there to collect awards, but it seemed like he might have gone all that way for nothing.
"It's kind of rigged, but more like tradition," Jada nodded, then shook her head. "It's just that we're Chinese, with yellow skin. Of course, they'll give the awards to their own people."
"That's terrible!" Ren's mom was furious and even considered calling her son to tell him to come back right away.
But Ren's dad and Jada stopped her.
"What are you doing?" Ren's mom asked them. "Why sit there if he's not going to win anything?"
"Mom, there's still one nomination left. He might win that one," Jada said helplessly.
"Really?"
Hearing this, Ren's mom stopped talking and continued watching, though she kept muttering under her breath about the Oscars judges.
...
Meanwhile, it was finally time to announce the Best Foreign Language Animated Film award.
The host took the stage and introduced the nominees: *Fullmetal Alchemist*, *Yokohama Love Story*, *Battlefield Mage*, and *Flowers and Eels*.
When Ren heard his work being mentioned, he suddenly felt a wave of nervousness.
As the host spoke, clips from the nominated films appeared on the big screen.
For *Fullmetal Alchemist*, the chosen scene was when Edward faced the Truth Gate and saw his brother Alphonse's body.
"Alphonse, I swear I'll come back for you… Just wait for me! Wait!"
As the gate slowly closed, Edward struggled, reaching out with his metal arm, shouting to his brother.
After the clip played, the host opened the envelope, pretending to be surprised as he smiled.
Then he said, "This anime tells a grand and sorrowful story, filled with compassion for humanity and the human spirit. All the major characters, especially the protagonist, embody a strong will to rise above challenges. The exploration of war and peace, and the reflections on human nature, make it a work that offers deep insights into our modern society. It's a story that makes us think..."
The host paused, and the theater fell silent. After a moment, he leaned into the microphone and announced loudly:
"And the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Animated Film goes to... *Fullmetal Alchemist* from China!"
Suddenly, most of the cameras in the venue focused on Ren. Even without looking, he could feel the attention on him.
He knew that countless eyes were watching him through the cameras.
But now...
"Whew!"
Ren let out a long breath, feeling completely relaxed.
He straightened his collar, stood up, and nodded to those around him. Amid the applause and the cameras, he confidently walked onto the stage.
"Thank you."
Ren smiled as he took the Oscar statuette from the host, holding it high above his head.
...
At that moment, all the animators watching *Fullmetal Alchemist* win the Best Foreign Language Animated Film award had mixed emotions.
For five years, they had all been chasing this goal, and now the Porter had achieved it. They couldn't help but feel a bit empty inside.
However, no matter what others thought, the Oscars live broadcast on countless screens across China was flooded with celebratory comments.
"The Porter is amazing!"
"He got the Oscar!"
"Checking in, let's take a group photo!"
"Taking a screenshot for memory. It was worth watching the live stream for an hour."
"Commemorative screenshot. I have to say, the Porter looked pretty handsome holding that statuette."
"Wait, isn't he supposed to take a bite out of it to see if it's real gold?"
...
Back at the Daibi Theater, Ren, smiling broadly, held the statuette for the cameras for a few seconds before lowering it to chest level to deliver his acceptance speech.
"Thank you, everyone. I want to thank the production team and my manga assistants, who worked tirelessly with me to create *Fullmetal Alchemist*. I'm also grateful to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for recognizing this anime..."
As usual, Ren expressed his gratitude. Then, looking at the camera and knowing that many of his fellow countrymen were watching, he continued in Chinese: "It's just past noon in China, so you're probably all having lunch. Thank you for your support. This statuette belongs to all of you. May you always have a smile on your face and a hearty appetite!"
"You too!"
"Enjoy your meal!"
"The Porter is awesome!"
Even though they knew Ren couldn't see their comments, viewers continued flooding the screen with messages.
Meanwhile, back at Ren's home, his mother was hugging her husband and cheering.
After all, this was an award that many Chinese manga creators had never won.
As parents, seeing their child achieve such success brought them immense joy.
Jada didn't cheer, but her face softened into a gentle smile. As she watched Ren walk off the stage, she couldn't help but think he looked incredibly handsome at that moment!
But...
"I can't let you leave me behind!"
She decided that once her postpartum confinement was over, she would work even harder to push the company forward!
"Mom, Mom!" Yueyue tugged on Jada's sleeve. "Daddy looked so cool!"
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