บท 140: Dubbing anime
(3rd Person POV)
Vivienne noticed the dynamic between Arthur and Firfel. She felt something she couldn't quite understand, but it was clearly... jealousy.
Vivienne sat beside Firfel and chatted with her until Arthur returned with her tea.
"So, what's this venture you're talking about?" Vivienne asked Arthur.
Arthur sighed. He'd initially planned to invite only Firfel to join his "anime venture" - believing she'd make a good voice actor for testing their completed anime clips.
But since Vivienne was here, he might as well invite her too.
"Well, it's about the 'anime studio.' If you're interested, you can come along," Arthur said to Vivienne.
"Anime Studio?" Firfel and Vivienne exchanged confused looks.
Arthur smiled. "Yes, it's animation. Like the cartoons in Empirica."
"Like Mr. Mouse?" Vivienne asked, sharing another glance with Firfel.
"Something like that," Arthur said wryly. "The Anime Studio is still in its preparation stage. Two weeks ago, I hired dozens of artists to work on anime clips - some are already completed."
"Really? Let's see!" Vivienne exclaimed.
Arthur drove them in his car to a small rented building - his humble anime studio.
When they entered, Firfel and Vivienne were surprised to find artists busy at work.
What caught their attention most were the TVs and peculiar typewriters on each desk.
Arthur smiled at their bewildered expressions.
"Hey, aren't those the things you showed us months ago?" Firfel recalled.
Arthur nodded. He was less secretive now - computers were patented, and already revealed at the electronics expo.
Besides, copying "Hellfire OS 1" would prove extremely difficult.
"Those are computers," Arthur explained. "They help the artists create animation."
The "Hellfire OS 1" came equipped with animation programs.
All artists had signed NDAs through contract scrolls, magically preventing them from discussing their work with outsiders.
"Demon lord!"
The manager spotted Arthur mid-conversation. "We weren't expecting you!"
The artists looked up from their work.
"Just checking on everyone's progress," Arthur smiled.
The manager and artists shared knowing chuckles.
"This is Firfel and Vivienne," Arthur introduced. "They're here to see our completed anime clips."
The manager grinned at the two girls. "Wow, demon lord, you have two beautiful girlfriends."
Firfel and Vivienne both blushed at the comment.
Arthur flicked the manager's forehead, making him yelp, "That hurt!"
Steve, the manager, felt the power behind that casual flick. Though it seemed gentle, the pain was surprisingly intense.
"You deserved it," Arthur smiled. "These women are actresses from my agency. Show them proper respect."
"Understood, demon lord!" Steve saluted.
"Now, take us to the private room to view the anime clips," Arthur said.
"Right away, demon lord!" Steve quickly obeyed.
As they followed the manager, Firfel leaned close to Arthur. "Why does he call you 'demon lord'?"
Vivienne, overhearing, perked up with curiosity.
"Well..." Arthur chuckled, unsure how to explain properly.
But he gave them the brief version:
Two weeks ago, while searching for artists, Arthur encountered Steve.
Back then, Steve had been a gang boss, running illegal operations.
His gang employed artists to create counterfeit money. When Arthur started hiring artists with good pay, some of Steve's artists secretly applied.
This caught Steve's attention, leading to a confrontation where Arthur defeated Steve and his gang. Now they worked at Hellfire's anime studio.
As Arthur told the story, Steve nearby blushed with embarrassment. "I really thought demon lord was an easy target back then. Didn't expect him to beat me and my boys like that!"
Firfel and Vivienne stared at Arthur in amazement.
They reached the private room, where Steve used the projector to show their completed animation clips.
The soundless clips of "Dragon Ball" and "Naruto" still impressed Firfel and Vivienne - the colored animations looked far more spectacular than famous cartoons like "Mr. Mouse".
"What do you think? Impressive, huh?" Arthur smiled. The computers had made such animation possible.
"It's incredible..." Firfel nodded in amazement.
"So this is why you're taking a break from directing? You're focused on these animations?" Vivienne asked.
"Yes," Arthur confirmed. "I believe animation has incredible potential."
He continued, "And when televisions start selling throughout the Horn Kingdom, my channel 6.9 'Hellfire' will get high ratings thanks to these anime programs."
Firfel, Vivienne, and even Steve exchanged confused looks.
Arthur realized people in this world weren't familiar with concepts like "TV ratings" and "channel programs."
He patiently explained in simpler terms.
"So you're going through all this effort just to show these animations on television?" Vivienne asked skeptically.
Firfel nodded. "Yeah... Isn't television a risky business decision? The media says TV is just a waste of effort and money. They say many shows in Empirica went bankrupt because running them costs too much, with no profit coming in."
Arthur understood their doubts. It was true - channels in Empirica had closed due to financial losses.
But that was because they hadn't done things right, like securing advertisers and sponsors. Rather than explain the complexities, he simply said, "Don't worry, I won't rely solely on TV. We'll sell copies of the anime episodes too, so we'll still earn money."
After discussing the technical aspects, Arthur led Firfel and Vivienne to the recording studio. "Here, you can voice characters for the anime."
The soundproof studio featured anime clips projected onto a white wall.
"Pick which character you'd like to voice," Arthur gestured at the playing animation.
"I'll voice that blue-haired girl," Firfel pointed at Bulma.
"That's Bulma," Arthur confirmed. "You can read her lines from the script on the stand while matching the character's mouth movements."
Firfel nodded.
Vivienne took her turn next, choosing Sakura from the Naruto test clips.
Firfel went first, attempting a thirty-second scene.
She tried her best, but struggled to synchronize her voice with the character's mouth movements.
Through the recording booth's glass, Arthur observed Firfel's performance.
"Did everything follow the guidelines for lip sync timing and dialogue pacing?" Arthur asked Steve.
"Absolutely, demon lord!" Steve assured him. "I followed your instructions precisely!"
Arthur nodded, then helped guide Firfel through the process. Gradually, she found her rhythm and voiced Bulma more naturally.
"Excellent work!" Arthur praised.
"Thanks," Firfel beamed.
"My turn!" Vivienne rushed into the recording booth.
They watched as Vivienne voiced Sakura. Though she also struggled initially, she seemed to have a natural talent for voice acting, adapting more quickly than Firfel had.
Arthur nodded approvingly, wondering if Vivienne's success came from sharing personality traits with Sakura - both being passionate yet reserved, though he couldn't be certain.
"Let's watch the clips with your voices added," Arthur suggested. He signaled the sound staff with a thumbs up, and they began processing the audio.
Soon they viewed the Dragon Ball and Naruto scenes featuring Firfel and Vivienne's voices.
Watching their performances, Arthur thought, "They have great potential..."
Firfel and Vivienne felt a unique satisfaction watching the anime clips with their voices.
The feeling was similar to watching their movie performances, yet distinctly different.
They turned to Arthur. "When will you complete the animations?" Firfel asked first.
"Why? You seem excited," Arthur chuckled.
Firfel nodded eagerly. "I really want to voice Bulma when the animation is complete! Can I?"
"Of course," Arthur agreed. He'd already planned to cast her as Bulma, but Firfel had beaten him to suggesting it.
"Me too!" Vivienne chimed in. "I had so much fun voicing Sakura!"
"Alright, alright..." Arthur smiled. Though he hadn't originally planned for Vivienne to voice Sakura, he now believed she'd be perfect for the role.
"It'll take a while before several episodes are complete," Arthur cautioned. "Plus, this anime studio isn't registered as a company yet. We're waiting for local government approval before hiring more artists."
Firfel and Vivienne nodded in understanding.
บท 141: Proposition to two giant companies
(3rd Person POV)
The next day, Arthur visited to inspect the computer team's color TV project.
Just a week ago, Arthur had reverse-engineered the color TV himself, providing the blueprints and design specifications to the computer group for recreation.
They'd completed it today. Arthur examined the color television carefully.
The computer team felt a mix of pride and humility. After all, Arthur was the mastermind behind the color TV - they'd simply brought his vision to life.
"What do you think, boss?" Drake asked. "Does it meet your expectations?"
"It exceeds them," Arthur nodded with a smile. "This TV will impress my partners."
Arthur planned to present the color TV to HOLLOW, a dwarf-owned company. They would handle the mass production that Arthur's operation couldn't manage alone.
With the color TV already patented, he had no concerns about the presentation.
***
The next day, Arthur prepared to meet with HOLLOW and Waves Corporation executives in a private room at Fantasia Plaza's finest restaurant.
A dwarf in his thirties and a human representative were already waiting.
Moments later, Arthur arrived and shook hands with the dwarf.
The dwarf introduced himself as Dulo, HOLLOW's representative, while the human was Harry from Waves Corporation.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you both. This is an honor," Arthur greeted them warmly.
Both men responded humbly, with Dulo saying, "No, the honor is ours."
"Indeed," Harry agreed, adding, "Your name echoes throughout the entertainment industry. Your films are truly iconic masterpieces."
"Thank you," Arthur accepted their praise graciously as he took his seat.
Once settled in their seats, Arthur addressed them. "As you know, I'm interested in establishing my own channel here in Horn Kingdom. I already have programs planned for the channel lineup."
Dulo and Harry nodded attentively.
"We've reviewed the documents and your detailed proposition," Harry said. "It's quite ambitious, though risky."
Arthur chuckled. "Oh, is Waves Corporation getting cold feet?"
"Not at all," Harry laughed. "In fact, we find everything you propose spectacular! The 'commercial' concept - advertisements during show programs - and your other ideas for recovering channel operating costs and generating profit are fascinating."
Arthur smiled, continuing his discussion with Harry for several minutes before turning to Dulo Fort.
"Mr. Fort, you might be wondering why I invited you to this meeting," Arthur said with a knowing smile. "I actually have a product I'd like to show you back at my office."
Dulo smiled. "I was starting to think I was just a third wheel here, listening to your conversation with Harry."
Arthur laughed heartily, joined by Harry's chuckles.
"So, what kind of product did you want to show me?" Dulo asked.
"I'll show you at my office. I guarantee you'll be surprised," Arthur replied.
"Now you've made me curious," Dulo chuckled.
"Can I join?" Harry asked.
Arthur turned to him. "Why not?"
After enjoying their meal in the private room, Arthur led Harry and Dulo to his company headquarters and into his office.
As his guests wondered about the mystery product, Arthur approached a box-shaped object covered by a cloth.
"Here it is," Arthur announced, lifting the white cloth to reveal a television.
Looking at the television, Dulo and Harry exchanged confused glances.
"Is this the product you wanted to show us?" Dulo asked. "It's just a TV."
"Yeah..." Harry nodded, hesitating. "Unless we're missing something? Does it just look like a television?"
Arthur smiled. "No, you're both correct. It is indeed a television."
This confirmation only deepened their confusion.
"This..." Dulo said, disappointment creeping into his expression, "I don't see anything special about it, Mr. Morningstar. It's just an ordinary television."
"I have to agree. Nothing seems new about it," Harry added.
Arthur could tell they were silently questioning if this meeting had been a waste of time.
"Well, it is a television," Arthur said, "but one quite different from what you know."
As Dulo and Harry exchanged puzzled looks, Arthur reached for the power switch.
The screen flickered to life with static, before displaying a vibrant test pattern of rainbow stripes with "No Signal" overlaid.
Though it was just a simple test screen, both Dulo and Harry jumped from their seats.
"It's in color!" they exclaimed in unison.
Their shock was understandable. Until now, televisions had only displayed images in black and white. Major companies had tried and failed to develop color TV technology.
Arthur nodded, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. "That's right. This is my company's latest invention - the color television."
"Can it play color films?" Harry asked, still amazed.
"Even if it shows color, there's no way to play film strips on television," Dulo explained. "The format for TV doesn't exist yet."
Arthur's smile widened. "Actually, it can play films."
"It can read film strips?" Dulo asked, shocked.
"Not exactly," Arthur said. "Wait here."
He left the office, retrieving a VHS tape and player from his system storage. Both were recreated by his computer team, with the tape containing "The Demonfather."
When he returned, he found Dulo and Harry leaning close to the color TV, examining it with fascination. "I'm back."
They turned to see Arthur carrying mysterious equipment.
"What's that?" Dulo asked.
"Just watch," Arthur replied. Under their curious observation, he connected the VHS player to the TV.
After inserting a magic core into the VHS player, Arthur slid in the tape.
Dulo and Harry watched in bewilderment as the TV flickered to life, beginning to play "The Demonfather" in full color and sound.
They stood speechless for several minutes, stunned by the demonstration.
Finally regaining his composure, Dulo asked, "Mr. Morningstar... Is that film-playing device also your company's invention?"
"That's right," Arthur nodded. "This is called a VHS player," he explained, then pointed to the cassette. "And this is a VHS tape."
Harry and Dulo exchanged meaningful glances before diving into business discussions about the color TV, VHS player, and tapes.
Arthur smiled at their enthusiasm.
"The VHS player and tapes are incredible inventions! Waves Corporation would be eager to mass produce and distribute them worldwide!" Harry exclaimed.
Noticing Arthur's calculated silence, Dulo asked, "Since you've shown us these inventions, I assume you have a business proposition?"
"Indeed," Arthur confirmed. "While I'm open to negotiating rights for these inventions, I have certain conditions. If met, I'll only request minimal royalty fees and a reasonable upfront payment."
"What are your terms?" Dulo asked eagerly.
"I want to acquire specific patent rights from HOLLOW regarding television technology," Arthur said, then turned to Harry. "And purchase certain frequency and signal patents from Waves Corporation."
Arthur's strategy was clear. He needed HOLLOW's TV rights to sell computers without paying monitor royalties - while HOLLOW hadn't invented television, they owned most rights after purchasing them from Empirica.
He also sought the wireless communication and transmission patents, ensuring his future internet development wouldn't conflict with existing technologies, even though these patents weren't core to internet functionality.
Harry and Dulo exchanged meaningful glances at Arthur's request.
"That could complicate matters, Mr. Morningstar," Dulo said carefully.
Harry nodded. "May I ask why you're interested in these specific patents?"
"I'm planning to establish my own electronics company," Arthur replied with a measured smile.
Dulo and Harry nodded in understanding. "I'll need to consult with the higher-ups about this," Dulo said, rising from his chair. "I hope we can reach an agreement, Mr. Morningstar."
"As do I," Arthur agreed.
"I'll also need to discuss this with management. Such decisions are beyond my authority," Harry added.
Arthur nodded his understanding before escorting his potential business partners out.
With everything set in motion, Arthur simply needed to wait for events to unfold. Soon, his color televisions would spread throughout the Horn Kingdom, and his Hellfire channel would broadcast into homes across the nation.
He felt no concern about HOLLOW and Waves Corporation refusing his terms. After all, he only sought minor technology patents in exchange for groundbreaking innovations. The color television, VHS player, and VHS tapes were too valuable an opportunity for any business to pass up.
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