NCCnovel Chapter 105 Reaching the Top of the Big UP List, Recognition from the State Administration of Radio
Chapter 105 Reaching the Top of the Big UP List, Recognition from the State Administration of Radio
Time flies like an arrow.
It has been a month since the global sensation of the "Honoring the Brilliant Ones" segment of the Ultraman Tiga finale aired.
However, the online buzz did not subside; instead, it reached a new climax as Bilibili's annual "Top 100 UP Masters Awards Ceremony" approached.
Shanghai, Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Tonight, the Bund is ablaze with lights, a dazzling spectacle.
As the largest online community for young people's culture in China, Bilibili's Top 100 Awards Ceremony is undoubtedly the focus of attention across the entire internet.
This year's event, due to a special "attendee," saw a few leaked external tickets being resold at exorbitant prices on the scalper market.
Not a top-tier celebrity, not a popular idol.
Instead, it's the production team we're both familiar with and unfamiliar with, called "Light Chaser Animation".
"Brother Nan! This is quite a spectacle! Wow, it's a million times bigger than that exhibition we had in the school auditorium at the end of the first season of Ultraman Tiga!"
"It's even better than the Feitian Award ceremony...!"
At the end of the red carpet, Chen Bo stood in a sharp black suit. Although his hair was neatly combed, his restless eyes betrayed his inner excitement.
As he walked, he lowered his voice and spoke to Gu Nan beside him.
Gu Nan walked at the very front of the group.
He was wearing a dark blue custom-made suit without a tie, and the collar was slightly open, making him look both formal and casual.
Behind him were the core members of the "Ultraman Tiga" crew: Su Zhe, Xia Youwei, Zhang Zhao, Wang Kai, as well as the art director, martial arts director, and operations director in charge of suits and special effects.
"Calm down, it's not like we haven't participated before."
Gu Nan smiled faintly, his eyes fixed straight ahead, "We're a brand with 100 million viewers worldwide now, don't act like a country bumpkin visiting the Grand View Garden."
"Actually, in terms of influence, we should rank first or second among the top 100!"
"No, Brother Nan, look over there!"
Su Zhe quietly pointed to the area outside the arena.
On both sides of the red carpet, fans should have been holding up light boards to support their favorite content creators...
But today, the style has changed drastically.
Looking around, almost half of the area was covered by a golden sea.
Those were glow sticks spontaneously raised by countless fans…
Some people were even wearing Victory Team jerseys and holding up huge banners:
Believe in the light! Believe in Gu Nan!
Ultraman Tiga, the eternal god!
[Old Gu, even though your magic wand is broken, we still love you!]
The moment Gu Nan and Su Zhe appeared at the starting point of the red carpet.
"Whoosh—!!!"
The scene instantly erupted in cheers, the roar almost lifting the dome of the grand theater.
"TIGA! TIGA! TIGA!"
"Dagu!!!"
"Our light!"
It's unclear who started it, but the originally noisy screams instantly merged into this unified shout.
This is hardly a red carpet walk.
This is practically a presidential military parade!
The content creators who hosted the red carpet were stunned.
They've hosted so many editions of the Top 100 Awards, and they've seen crazy fans, but they've never seen this kind of fanaticism imbued with a sense of faith.
"This is incredible..."
"Is this the power of light?"
Gu Nan stopped and, instead of posing for photos for ten minutes like other celebrities, turned around and gave a victory salute to the golden sea of flowers.
It's just a single action.
The screams from the audience rose another eight octaves!
……
at the same time.
Jinghai, a quiet and solemn office compound.
In a small, bookish conference room at the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the aroma of tea wafted through the air.
Two elderly people with gray hair but vigorous spirits were sitting on the sofa.
The large screen in front of them wasn't playing any news broadcast; instead, it was showing a paused image.
That was the moment in the last episode of "Ultraman Tiga" when the children turned into points of light and merged into Tiga's body.
On the table, there was also a thick public opinion analysis report and a detailed document about the background of the "Chasing Light Pictures" team.
"Old Zhang, what do you think of this film?"
The speaker was an elderly man wearing reading glasses, holding a purple clay teapot in his hands. He was Li, the deputy director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television in charge of content review. He had been in this position for more than ten years and had seen all kinds of films and television dramas.
The one referred to as "Old Zhang" is the top leader of the bureau, Director Zhang.
Director Zhang took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, and spoke with a hint of undisguised emotion:
"To be honest, when they first submitted this film to apply for the 'Outstanding Domestic Film and Television Drama' special support program, I wanted to reject it."
"The reason? You know it too. Tokusatsu shows, giants, monster battles. In our preconceived notions, this is just a farce for three-year-olds, what artistic value could it possibly have?"
Deputy Director Li smiled and took a sip of tea: "Yes, that's what I thought at the time too. I thought young people these days are always doing all this fancy stuff. But..."
He pointed to the screen.
"Since the finale aired last week, our bureau's phones have been ringing off the hook. Not with complaints, but with letters of praise! Even the editor-in-chief of the People's Daily of Xia Country called me specifically to ask if I could give the show the green light and do a special report on it."
"I got curious, so I looked up and watched all fifty-odd episodes."
Deputy Director Li put down his teacup, his expression turning serious.
"Old Zhang, you won't believe what you'll find until you see it!"
"The core of this drama is indeed excellent."
Director Zhang nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.
He picked up the file about Gu Nan from the table and tapped the paper lightly with his fingers.
"This young man named Gu Nan is no ordinary person."
"I've seen his resume. A year and a half ago, he was just a junior at the Communication University of Shanghai. Back then, he and his team didn't even have a decent camera; they filmed their first episode in an abandoned warehouse on campus."
"In just a year and a half, they've grown from a student club into a mature team capable of exporting their culture to dozens of countries overseas. It's simply a miracle."
Deputy Director Li sighed, "Yes. We keep talking about innovation, cultural export, and telling the story of the Xia Kingdom well. But what's the result? Those big-name directors who have hundreds of millions of dollars invested either produce films that are out of touch with reality or simply imitate the old Western formula."
"On the contrary, these young people used the most unassuming 'tokusatsu' format to tell the most hardcore truths."
"The idea of 'having light in your heart' is now being shouted out even by the little grandson in our compound. This kind of influence is stronger than any number of dry documents."
Their eyes met again, and they both saw a resolute determination in each other's eyes.
Director Zhang stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night view of the capital city outside.
"Old Li, I think we need to change our previous mindset."
"Art should not be divided into high and low, noble and base, nor should it be bound by form. Just because it is special effects or animation does not mean that it is a joke or childish."
"On the contrary, the best art is often the kind of work that is most accessible to the masses in form, but has a profound meaning at its core."
"This Gu Nan has taught us a lesson."
Deputy Director Li also stood up, smiling as he asked, "So what do you mean?"
Director Zhang turned around, his gaze sharp and piercing, and made his final decision:
"Pass it on."
"First, for all of Light Chaser Animation's upcoming projects, as long as the content is on the right track, the approval process will be expedited and handled with special consideration!"
"Second, include 'Ultraman Tiga' in this year's list of 'National Key Cultural Export Projects' and provide it with the highest level of policy subsidies."
"third……"
Director Zhang paused, a hint of appreciation appearing on his face.
"Give a heads-up to Shanghai. Since young people like tonight's Top 100 Awards ceremony, our official stance should be made. We can't let those who are truly doing the work be discouraged."
"We want all creators to know that as long as you are truly dedicated to creating, the country will be your strongest support!"
……
Back in Shanghai, inside the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
The awards ceremony has entered its second half.
As each award was announced, the atmosphere at the event grew increasingly enthusiastic.
Finally, the main event of the evening has arrived.
The stage lights suddenly went out.
A line of text appeared on the big screen:
[Highest Influence Award of the Year - Special Project Award]
Suddenly, stirring music began to play—none other than the song that makes the DNA of countless people tremble: "Miracle Again"!
"Like sunlight piercing through the darkness—!!"
As the background music exploded, a montage of the highlights of Ultraman Tiga over the past year began to appear on the big screen.
From the pyramid where Tiga was revived, to the sunset when he first defeated the monster; from Daigo's repeated plane crashes, to the glorious moment when all of humanity turned into light.
Every frame was accompanied by thunderous cheers from the audience.
The lights suddenly blazed on!
The host's excited voice resounded throughout the venue:
"He illuminated the spring, summer, autumn and winter of this year with a beam of light."
"He turned the niche term 'tokusatsu' into a mass phenomenon."
"From just a few people at the beginning to billions of children of light today."
"Let's give a round of applause to—the Top 100 UP Masters of the Year, the winner of the Most Influential Person of the Year—Chasing Light Pictures, Gu Nan's Team!!!"
boom--!!!
The entire audience stood up.
Everyone, from the guests in the front row to the audience in the back, and even the staff in the second-floor stands, stood up at that moment.
The applause was thunderous and lasted for a long time.
Gu Nan, along with Su Zhe and the team members, walked onto the stage that symbolized glory amidst the attention of the crowd.
As Su Zhe accepted the heavy little television trophy, his hands trembled and his eyes reddened.
Although Gu Nan appeared calm on the surface, he was actually quite excited inside.
He walked up to the microphone.
The scene fell silent instantly, everyone holding their breath, waiting for the "God of Tokusatsu" to speak.
Gu Nan adjusted the microphone height and glanced at the young and enthusiastic faces below the stage.
"Thanks."
Just two words, yet they brought tears to the eyes of many sentimental fans in the audience.
"Actually, standing here, I feel a little dazed."
Gu Nan smiled, his tone as relaxed as if he were chatting with an old friend.
"A year and a half ago, Su Zhe, Chen Bo, Xia Youwei, Zhang Zhao, and I were just a group of college students who had just graduated or hadn't even graduated yet."
"Back then, nobody was optimistic about tokusatsu (special effects)."
When we looked for investors, they said it was for children, and the TV stations said it had no market.
"When we were at our poorest, we even had to pool our living expenses to buy materials for leather cases."
A collective sigh rippled through the audience. Many only saw Tiga's current glory, unaware of the hardships behind it.
"but."
Gu Nan changed the subject, his eyes becoming firm.
"We persevered. Not because we're so great, but because of—you guys."
He pointed to the audience and to the camera.
"It's because of every one of you who sent comments in front of the screen, every one of you who waited for the update late at night, and every one of you who raised your hands to lend us light during the finale."
"It is your recognition that has allowed us to grow from a makeshift team into the decent film and television production team we are today."
"This trophy does not belong to Light Chaser Animation Studios; it belongs to everyone who believes in the light."
The applause erupted once again.
The screen was flooded with comments:
[I'm so touched! Don't cry, Brother Nan!]
We should be thanking you!
This is what it means to go both ways!
After the applause subsided slightly, Gu Nan continued:
"Recently, many people have been asking me: Tiga is over, the Spark Lens is broken, and Daigo is back to being an ordinary person. What's Light Chaser Animation going to do next? Are they going to take a long break? Or are they going to rely on their past successes and release a Tiga movie?"
The audience immediately perked up their ears.
This is firsthand intelligence!
Su Zhe was also taken aback. This scene wasn't in the script.
What is Brother Nan going to do?
Gu Nan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a mysterious and unpredictable smile.
That was the smile that belonged exclusively to "Old Thief Gu".
"A holiday? That's not going to happen. For Light Chaser Animation, the end of Ultraman Tiga is just a new beginning."
"The story of light will never end."
He took a deep breath, his voice suddenly becoming deep and powerful, carrying a chilling and mysterious quality:
"Since everyone is so concerned, I'll reveal some information in advance."
The entire place was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
"Tiga represents the hope of 'light' and 'humanity'."
"But behind the light, in the far reaches of the universe, there are even deeper, more brutal stories."
Gu Nan held up one finger.
"Light Chaser Animation's next special project has officially begun."
"It's not a sequel to Ultraman Tiga, it's not even a new world! It's a worldview that once shone brightly. It will explore the boundaries of justice, explore those who are not of our kind, explore... what true life is."
"Title: The Origin Series of Ultraseven!"
That is, Seven OV from the original world.
However, in the original world, "Seven OV" specifically refers to the Ultraman Seven sequels produced and released in 1998, 1999, and 2002, and does not have an official name.
"OV" does not mean a sequel.
"OV" is an abbreviation for "Original Video," which refers to films that are released directly on videotape, DVD, or other similar formats, without being broadcast on television or in theaters.
However, in this world, Gu Nan will continue with Ultraman Tiga's playback method, continuing to use streaming media instead of videotapes or other similar methods.
Therefore, it cannot be called Seven OV.
As Gu Nan finished speaking.
On the big screen, a concept poster appeared in perfect coordination.
That was something Gu Nan had prepared long ago.
The scene was completely black, except for a pair of sharp, angular hexagonal eyes that emitted a faint red glow in the darkness.
Within that red light, a sharp ice axe gleamed coldly, as if it were about to slice through all the hypocrisy in the world.
Unlike Ultraman Tiga's gentleness and divinity, this new image exudes a sense of iron-bloodedness, coldness, and even a somewhat "brutal" oppressive feeling.
[Holy crap! What is this?!]
A red giant? Those eyes are so sharp!
Does that mean... the content will be more explicit? The plot will be more complex?
[Exploring the boundaries of justice? Is that old scoundrel Gu about to unleash his daggers again?]
【Seven? I've heard of him! Isn't that Ultraman, the boss from Japan?!】
[I'm getting goosebumps! Am I going to fall into another pit right after just getting out?]
Gu Nan nodded in satisfaction as he looked at the shocked reaction from the audience.
He knew that in this parallel world, although Tiga had opened up the market, for tokusatsu to truly gain a foothold, there had to be more profound works to take over.
The OV series of Ultraman Seven, especially those masterpieces that explore profound topics such as "Nonmart" and "Earth's natives," are the best sword to pierce the prejudice that "tokusatsu is for children"!
"Everyone."
Gu Nan gripped the trophy tightly, his voice echoing throughout the Grand Theater.
"Tiga turned everyone into light."
"Next, I'm going to take you to see the cruel and cold real world under the interplay of light and shadow."
"Stay tuned!"