Creating Anime In A Fantasy World

Chapter 238: The Filming of “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” Comes to an End!

The chill of winter was slowly fading away. In this world, the turning of the seasons lined up neatly with the calendar months, so with the arrival of a new year, warmth began to return across the Empire.

For most citizens, however, the new year held no special significance. Outside of the capital, the Empire didn’t bother with grand celebrations. And yet, without fanfare, something new was quietly spreading into the eastern and western territories: the cinema.

It didn’t take long for this strange novelty to capture everyone’s attention. Weeks before the first showing, rumors were already running wild.

“Hey, did you hear? Something called a ‘cinema’ just opened here. They say it came from the south.”

“Cinema? What’s that supposed to be?”

“I’m not exactly sure. Some say it’s like a stage play where people act out a story.”

“Hah, sounds boring.”

“Not at all. People who’ve actually seen one swear it’s nothing like a stage play. The performances are completely different, and the stories are fascinating—you don’t feel bored at all.”

“Really? That good?”

“If that’s true, then I’ll be there when it opens.”

“Count me in.”

And so, fueled by endless chatter, the fame of cinema spread across the two border regions like wildfire, quickly becoming everyone’s favorite topic.

. . . .

Meanwhile, in the south, things were different. The people there had already been living with films for some time, and instead of curiosity, what filled their taverns was heated debate.

The reason was simple: the long-awaited next installment of The Garden of Sinners had been delayed.

The film had been promised as a monthly release, but midway through December, the schedule was suddenly pushed back. The disappointment was instant. Crowds gathered at taverns with magical televisions, demanding an explanation.

Unable to withstand the mounting pressure, Viscount Baniel finally revealed the truth—Director Durin was preparing to launch a brand-new film for the New Year.

The reaction was explosive.

Some were furious, declaring it was unacceptable to delay The Garden of Sinners just to make room for something new. Others argued that if the new movie was truly worth it, a short delay was a small price to pay. Still others scoffed at the whole debate, insisting that the Durin Film Production Company was already making mountains of money thanks to films, so surely they could release both works at once.

Of course, none of these voices ever reached Edward’s ears.

At that very moment, the director himself was crouched in a small southern town near the border, magic video recorder in hand, filming the final scenes of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 1.

When he had first drawn up the schedule, Edward had been confident they could finish before the year’s end. Reality, however, had other plans. Shooting was plagued with problems, the kind that kept him working until midnight almost every day.

If not for the fact that Fate/Zero and Steins;Gate had been completely handed over to Chase of the Snow Flower Troupe and Gebrun of the Imperial Mage Academy, leaving them fully in charge of production, Edward might very well have collapsed just like he had during his last project.

The one saving grace was that JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 1 was mercifully short. In total, the runtime came to barely three hours. Compared to the sprawling epics of Fate/Zero and Steins;Gate, even after heavy cuts, JoJo felt almost compact.

And so, despite the headaches and sleepless nights, the end was finally in sight.

Compared to those sprawling productions, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 1 was refreshingly simple. The costumes and props required little effort; everything they needed already existed in this world. Even the fight scenes weren’t all that troublesome—the only real effects work was focused on the Hamon techniques, which barely demanded any extra labor at all.

And so, Edward pressed forward with relentless energy, filming day and night without pause.

At last, just two days before the new year, the final scene was shot.

“Cut! That’s a wrap. Thank you, everyone, for your hard work.”

Edward carefully packed away the already-edited imaging crystals, letting out a long breath of relief.

Before him, the cast and crew—actors, stagehands, and all manner of staff—wore expressions of reluctant awe. They had just witnessed the complete filming of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and many were still lost in the emotions of the story.

They were certain: once released, the film would be a hit beyond imagination.

And yet, most of them also carried a quiet sadness in their hearts. The ending of Part 1 had shaken them. After investing so much of themselves into their roles, it was painful to see the tale conclude on such a tragic note.

Seeing their faces, Edward gave them a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry. This is only Part 1 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. There are still many more parts yet to come. As long as this first release is well received, the sequels will definitely move into production.”

“Really?!”

Their eyes lit up in astonishment. To think the story would continue after such a finale—everyone present looked at Edward with excitement and hope.

But the director wasn’t about to spoil anything. With his belongings packed, he instead sought out Captain Brando.

The man had played the villain throughout the film. Under the subtle influence of suggestion magic, he had embodied Dio Brando so perfectly it was chilling.

Edward smiled as he approached.

“This time, I owe you a great deal, Captain. Now I’ll be returning to the south to screen the film. Would you like me to send you a copy of the imaging crystal once it’s duplicated?”

Brando froze.

Since finishing his scenes, he had been drowning in self-doubt, half-tempted to destroy the imaging crystal entirely and erase this ‘dark history’ from existence. But the thought of countless audiences thrilled by his performance… in the end, he sighed and nodded.

“…Fine. Have Jocen pick it up when it’s ready.”

“Good. Then, until next time, Captain Brando. I look forward to our next meeting.”

Before Brando could even parse the meaning of those words, Edward was already gone.

Time flowed ever onward, and so the Empire’s New Year approached at last.