Creating Anime In A Fantasy World

Chapter 240: The Premiere of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure! (Part 2)

Compared to the audiences in the East and West, who had never even seen a movie before and therefore leaned toward Song of the Vampire, the theaters of the South were another story entirely—tickets for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure were gone in the blink of an eye.

Most of the audience didn’t even know what this so-called JoJo was about. But the moment they saw the name “Edward Durin” on the poster, they bought tickets without hesitation.

After all, while the South’s film industry was only just beginning to find its footing, Edward’s reputation had already spread to the ears of every movie lover.

And it wasn’t just that he was known as the pioneer of cinema. As a director, every single one of his works to date had been nothing short of brilliant—there wasn’t a single flop to his name. With that kind of track record, audiences had complete faith that his newest film would surpass all expectations.

Of course, not everyone chose JoJo. Some were drawn instead to Song of the Vampire, produced under the banner of the Southern nobility. The allure of vampires was undeniable, and with its script adapted from a famous imperial stage play, the film had its own share of attention.

But the moment most Southerners saw the ticket price—five silver coins—they lost interest entirely, refusing to even spare it a second glance.

After all, Edward’s films had always been priced at a mere five copper coins. The people of the South had long since accepted that as the standard. Unless you were one of those rich folk with more money than sense, most chose to follow instinct and stick with the affordable tradition: Edward’s movies.

The nobles, of course, were aware of this. But to them, the South wasn’t the real battlefield. Their eyes were fixed on the East and West—vast markets where cinema had yet to properly take root.

In their minds, once people experienced their movie, they’d be enthralled. Word of mouth would spread like wildfire, drawing in ever greater crowds to Song of the Vampire. At that point, tickets at five silver coins apiece, multiplied by tens of thousands—hundreds of thousands, even—would mean astronomical profits. Even splitting revenue with theaters, the sum would still be staggering.

Blinded by the golden dream of cinema’s future, the nobles of the South could hardly wait for their film to take the world by storm.

. . . .

The Imperial Mage Academy.

Even though it was the first day of the new year, most mages had no intention of going home.

As had been said before, the moment you set foot in the Academy, you found yourself surrounded by people who shared your passions, your ideals, your goals. For most, once immersed in such an environment, the thought of returning to their old lives became unthinkable. It wasn’t rare at all to find mages who spent their entire lives within the Academy’s walls.

Of course, there were exceptions. Some students whose families were mired in poverty had no choice but to return home, while noble heirs departed to attend the countless banquets and gatherings their families demanded during the new year season.

But the overwhelming majority chose to remain. Their days were filled either with joint research alongside fellow mages, or long, solitary hours devoted to honing their own spellcraft.

As for the professors and senior lecturers, there was no need to even mention them.

After all, the vast majority of those qualified to join the Mage Tower were veteran researchers, people who had already glimpsed the endless mysteries of sorcery. No true mage would ever turn their back on such wonders just to chase after the basest desires of ordinary humans.

The pursuit of magic’s ultimate truth—that was the final goal etched into every mage’s soul.

And yet—

When the familiar silver screen began to rise over the plaza, the students and instructors of the Academy forgot all such lofty ideals in an instant. From lecture halls and tower laboratories alike, they came streaming out in droves, rushing to claim the best seats for the show.

The allure of cinema swept them away without resistance.

While waiting for the movie to begin, conversations sprang up everywhere.

“Hey, what’s this one supposed to be about?”

“No idea. Maybe it’s a sequel to Fate/Zero or Steins;Gate?”

“Didn’t they say those were coming out in the spring?”

“Wait, did they get released early?”

“No, no. I heard from a classmate who went home to the South—Director Durin dropped The Garden of Sinners and filmed something new instead.”

“What?! A new movie?”

“So that’s why there hasn’t been an update to Garden of Sinners all month… He actually ditched us?!”

“This is cruel! My Shiki, my beloved—it's been a whole month since I last saw her!”

“Give me a break. Weren’t you the one sneaking off to the Alchemy Tower every day just to rewatch the TV broadcast? You’ve practically memorized the first five episodes by now.”

“…Not quite. But I have nearly memorized the entire plot of Konosuba.”

“Good lord, that’s even worse!”

The chatter was endless, filling the plaza with a strange energy. Though some students were disappointed that tonight’s film wasn’t what they expected, that disappointment quickly gave way to excitement.

After all, every film Edward had ever directed had been spectacular. None of them doubted that this new one would be just as dazzling.

. . . 

The Southern Territory Grand Duke’s estate.

The moment Constantine received the imaging crystal Edward had sent, he immediately summoned Roy to help set up the screening.

Roy, for his part, had no objections to being used in such a trivial task. With his usual calm, he simply gave a small nod and went to work.

At the same time, Daphne and her guards, having heard the news, arrived from afar. Originally, had Edward not sent the crystal, they had planned to watch the film at the theater.

After all, due to a certain Captain Brando’s rather delicate sense of shame, Daphne hadn’t been allowed on set during filming. In truth, she had no idea what the movie’s content was supposed to be.

Now, as the screen was unfurled in the grand hall of the ducal mansion, every guest present wore an expression of eager anticipation.

“Is this the new movie?”

A voice suddenly drifted in, soft yet commanding. A golden-haired figure materialized at the corner of the hall, appearing so suddenly that anyone else might have been startled. But the assembled household took it in stride, as if her presence were perfectly natural.

“That’s right. It’s a gift from Edward,” Constantine replied with a nod, personally offering her the seat of honor.

“How delightful. That is something worth looking forward to.”

The speaker—Arcueid—spoke with a serene smile. Her face, pale and flawless to the point of seeming almost devoid of human warmth, softened ever so slightly, a trace of expectation blooming upon her features.