Chapter 266: Idol Group (✘) / The Round Table Trio of Fools (✔)
Inside the Type-Moon company office, Shinji sat at his desk, skimming through the latest emails on his computer. One message from the Distribution Department caught his eye—it was fresh, just sent.
The contents were straightforward: Spy Among Spies had pulled in $5.67 million from its Thursday night previews in North America.
It wasn't a record-breaking number by any means. In fact, it didn't even measure up to last month's Super 8. But Shinji knew better than to judge success on raw numbers alone.
After all, Spy Among Spies wasn't a sequel. It was a brand-new standalone title.
Not only that, but there were major differences in format—Super 8 had been a 3D release, whereas Spy Among Spies was a 2D film. And when it came to budget and marketing, the gap was even wider. Spy Among Spies had been made on just a third of Super 8's budget, with less than half its promotional spend.
Lower investment naturally meant lower pressure to break even.
More importantly, once the movie officially opened on Friday, its seat occupancy rate had already doubled that of competing films released the same weekend.
If this trend held, Shinji figured it would only take a week for Spy Among Spies to recoup its costs—and even turn a modest profit.
Everything after that? Pure gain for Type-Moon.
"Well, this kind of box office performance is definitely a good sign," Shinji murmured with a sly grin, propping his chin on one hand. "With results like this, I'll have more leverage in the upcoming negotiations."
At that moment, a gruff, elderly voice broke through the office.
"Shinji Matou, that attitude of yours just won't do."
The door creaked open as the elderly Johnny Kitagawa stepped inside.
"Well, well. If it isn't Kitagawa-san himself," Shinji chuckled, quickly standing up. "What an honor! Your visit brings light to this humble little office of mine."
His fox-like smile didn't falter as he guided the old man to the sofa.
"You're still as slippery as ever," Johnny Kitagawa said, shaking his head with a smirk. "I came here with genuine sincerity, and you're already trying to flex your box office numbers on me."
"How could you say that, Kitagawa-san? I have nothing but the utmost respect for you," Shinji replied, his tone full of mock sincerity.
Johnny Kitagawa snorted in amusement. He wasn't buying it.
But Shinji just kept smiling. "I'm still young and unproven. Without some solid numbers to back me up, I wouldn't even be qualified to sit across from you."
Johnny Kitagawa knew Shinji was subtly trying to assert dominance. And honestly, he couldn't deny the truth of his words.
This meeting wasn't like the ones they'd had in the past. This time, Johnny Kitagawa had come with a genuine willingness to negotiate.
Of course, that sincerity was largely driven by the impressive box office performances of both Super 8 and Spy Among Spies.
"Congratulations, Matou-san," Johnny Kitagawa said after sipping the tea Shinji had served. "With the success of Spy Among Spies, it looks like Type-Moon finally has a solid foothold among Japan's film production companies."
"Oh, we've still got a long way to go compared to the Big Four," Shinji replied modestly. "Our output volume is nowhere near theirs."
It was a humble statement, but the implication was clear—if Type-Moon could continue producing films with Spy Among Spies-level results, and match the production pace of Toei or Shochiku, they'd easily dominate the Japanese market.
Johnny Kitagawa seemed to be in good spirits today. He didn't push back against Shinji's subtle flexing. Instead, he offered a congratulatory nod.
"Your new spy flick's doing well too. Looks like you're taking the box office crown again this week."
Shinji settled into the seat across from Johnny Kitagawa and replied without a hint of modesty.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves—it's Diarmuid's movie, not mine."
"Secondly," Shinji added, leaning back with a casual smile, "being the weekly box office champion doesn't excite me anymore. What I am hoping for is that Spy Among Spies hits at least half the total gross of Super 8."
Johnny Kitagawa let out a hearty laugh. "You're pretty confident, Shinji Matou."
Shinji simply shrugged. "I'm the film's producer and the company's president. If I didn't at least have this much confidence, then the whole project would've been doomed from the start."
"Tell me, Kitagawa-san—back when you were pushing your idol groups, didn't you have that same kind of confidence?"
"Heh, fair enough," Johnny Kitagawa said with a chuckle as he set down his teacup. Then, his gaze sharpened as he looked Shinji directly in the eye. "Alright, then. You already know why I came today. So—what's your answer?"
Shinji let out a soft sigh, already anticipating this question. "I'm not against the idea of collaborating with Johnny & Associates to create an idol group. However..."
"However?"
"Spy Among Spies was too successful. Diarmuid's completely out of the running now. With his skyrocketing appearance fees and salary, using him as a male idol just isn't cost-effective anymore."
Johnny Kitagawa nodded slowly, clearly understanding where Shinji was coming from.
It was true—Super 8 and Spy Among Spies had both been box office hits, but the outcomes for their lead actors were very different.
Spy Among Spies had practically been carried on Diarmuid's back alone. In contrast, Super 8 had an ensemble cast, and while the actors had contributed, none of them were absolutely irreplaceable.
To the average moviegoer—especially those who weren't hardcore Ultraman fans—it wouldn't have mattered much if actors like Nagano Hiroshi hadn't been in Super 8. But Spy Among Spies? That was Diarmuid's movie.
Thanks to its success, his value had soared.
From the company's perspective, it was a good thing to see their in-house actors gain prestige. But when it came to forming an idol group, that created serious problems.
With Diarmuid's new rates, he became a luxury—too expensive for most variety shows, hard to manage in team settings, and nearly impossible to balance with other group members.
An idol group was supposed to be a group. Even if there was a "center" position and a few background dancers, there still needed to be some semblance of equality.
Throwing Diarmuid into a rookie idol group would be like asking a protoceratops to backdance for a T-Rex—who the hell would even notice the others?
Johnny Kitagawa tilted his head slightly, curiosity in his eyes. "I've heard rumors that you're already prepping Spy Among Spies 2. Mind telling me what kind of offer you're giving Diarmuid?"
Then, with a sheepish smile, he added, "Only if it's not too inconvenient to share, of course."
Shinji, ever blunt, didn't hesitate. "No problem. I'm planning to offer him $5 million in salary, plus a share of the film's profits. Starting from the sequel, Diarmuid's also coming on as a co-producer."
Johnny Kitagawa nodded appreciatively. "With his star power, that seems fair."
What Johnny Kitagawa didn't know was that Shinji could've just pulled rank as Diarmuid's Master and slashed his rate to that of a total rookie. But that wasn't Shinji's style.
Shinji wasn't here to disrupt the entertainment industry—he was here to build it.
If he dragged down fees for a top-tier actor like Diarmuid, what kind of precedent would that set? What would happen to all the other actors, the ones with families and livelihoods who did care about money, unlike the spirit-summoned Heroic Spirits?
Even when working on his own projects, Shinji always made sure to pay his actors fair and reasonable rates based on current industry standards.
He wasn't opposed to paying for talent—he was only against actors who tried to charge absurd fees they hadn't earned.
Over the past few years, Arturia's market value had steadily risen. Aside from her regular appearance in the long-running food show "A Taste of Fuyuki City", she now commanded top-tier fees for films, TV dramas, and promotional events—right on par with Japan's leading actresses.
Granted, her pay was slightly lower than some other A-listers, and she couldn't leave Fuyuki City due to certain... metaphysical constraints. But producers weren't fools—they hired Arturia because she had undeniable star power.
Johnny Kitagawa sipped his tea thoughtfully before continuing, "Diarmuid's case is rather unique. I believe it's best to handle him as a separate entity."
"Oh?" Shinji raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly do you have in mind, Kitagawa-san?"
"Diarmuid's popularity is... well, exceptional. I propose treating him as a solo idol unit—an idol group of one, so to speak. Johnny & Associates won't interfere with your existing plans for him. We'll just provide experienced personnel to assist with operations."
The old man offered a knowing smile. "After all, no matter how talented your staff are, they probably still lack some of the experience, right?"
"..."
Shinji tapped his fingers lightly on the arm of the sofa.
It was true—experience was still the biggest weak point of the newly-established Type-Moon Entertainment. And having Johnny & Associates professionals fill in those gaps sounded tempting.
But this was Johnny Kitagawa they were talking about. That wily old fox never gave without expecting something in return.
'If he's singling out Diarmuid like this, then his real aim must be to form a brand-new idol group... and if that's the case, then my little trump card might actually come in handy.'
Shinji's lips curled into a subtle smile.
"I'm flattered by your generous offer, Kitagawa-san," he said politely. "I'm sure Diarmuid will be delighted. As for the idol group...?"
"I've been considering using some of your less popular male actors—your second-stringers, if you will. Emiya Shirou, Cu Chulainn, maybe even Gilgamesh..."
"They already have their own career plans," Shinji said tactfully, declining. "Besides, I think it's better to work with a blank canvas rather than repaint a finished one."
Johnny Kitagawa squinted slightly.
He knew Shinji was just trying to avoid letting Johnny & Associates poach any of his established talent, but he also had to admit—the logic made sense.
"Fair enough," he nodded slowly. "But good seedlings are hard to come by. Not everyone's as lucky as you were with Diarmuid."
"Don't worry," Shinji said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I've got three candidates who, from an idol market perspective, might be even more suitable than Shirou and the rest."
"More suitable?" Johnny Kitagawa raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Shinji didn't elaborate. Instead, he picked up the desk phone and made a quick call.
"You three, come in."
The door opened a moment later.
"Pardon the intrusion, Master!" ×3
Three handsome young men in fitted suits marched in with synchronized steps, standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the center of the room. With theatrical flair, they struck a pose straight out of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, fists angled toward the floor and chins tilted dramatically.
"In the name of the Knights of the Round Table—Lancelot! Gawain! Tristan! We greet the President of Johnny & Associates!" ×3
"..."
Johnny Kitagawa nearly choked on his tea. His eyes bulged in stunned disbelief as he coughed violently.
'What in the actual hell?! Are these three lunatics for real?!'
Meanwhile, Shinji was already pinching the bridge of his nose, expression caught between frustration and resignation.
"I apologize for the dramatic entrance," he muttered. "Kitagawa-san, these three clowns—ahem, these three gentlemen are my chosen candidates for the new idol group. What do you think?"
<+>
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