Animation Producer in a Fantasy World

After hearing the news of a protest from Serika and Kaya, the emotion I felt was “bewilderment.”

I mean, come on.

To be honest, isn’t a protest a kind of show that people put on against the government or corporations, like a staged WWE match?

Although it might look like they’re causing a commotion by throwing tear gas or Molotov cocktails on the surface, I knew that if you look closely, there are rules and etiquette inside, like a turn-based RPG.

So when I suddenly heard that a protest had broken out because of the first episode of “Machine God Chronicles,” that is, because of me, I couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

I was making anime to be cut off from the imperial family as soon as possible, not to unite those who have complaints against the empire and the imperial family.

‘Shit, I hope this doesn’t lead to CIA-like guys coming to our house?’

I rushed to the capital because I definitely wanted to avoid a development where I wake up one day to find myself making eye contact with a ninja stuck to our ceiling.

And then.

“Wake up, animation producer, wake up!”

“Quickly release episode 2 of ‘Machine God Chronicles’, release it! Guarantee the human rights of viewers! Guarantee them!”

“Viewers of all countries, unite!”

“Waaah! Wooaah!”

“…What the hell are those bastards doing?”

I couldn’t help but feel bewildered when I saw the identity of the ‘protesters’ Serika and Kaya had mentioned.

I had thought that unidentified people were protesting under the pretext of “Machine God Chronicles” in the square in front of the imperial palace, imagining workers tired of bourgeois tyranny raising a revolution with bamboo spears.

But in reality, there were no workers with bamboo spears, just drunk people and empty beer bottles rolling around next to them.

Of course, there were too many of them to be just a gathering of drunks, but if you ask if they felt threatening, the answer was absolutely not.

“What… You made such a fuss because of guys like that?”

“Well, because this has never happened before in the history of the empire.”

Step.

But then, an ice-cold voice was heard from behind me.

And I knew all too well who the owner of that voice was.

How could I possibly forget?

It was a person who always looked at me as if they were dying to eat me up every time they saw my face.

“Father!”

“It’s been a while, Serika. About a month, I guess? And Your Highness is here too. It’s been a while.”

“Yes, it’s been a long time, Duke.”

That person was none other than Duke Grinewald.

The Duke greeted Serika and Kaya warmly, but when it came to me, he opened his mouth with a very displeased expression.

“As you can see, those gathered in front of the square are actually a group of drunkards soaked in alcohol. That’s why His Majesty laughed loudly when he heard the report and said to leave them alone. Responding to every outcry from such people would only damage the dignity of the empire.”

“…Then why was I called here?”

“I told you. This has never happened before in the history of the empire.”

Saying this, Duke Grinewald looked at me with a very serious expression, unlike before.

“There have been countless times in the history of the empire when citizens have protested. And the reasons were incredibly diverse. But I can say with certainty that there has never been anyone who protested for such an absurd reason until now.”

“…..”

“Of course, your situation was special in many ways, but even considering that, it’s undeniable that the animation you made has caused an unreasonable change in this society. And that’s just one day after it aired.”

Saying this, Duke Grinewald suddenly sighed.

“Of course, the bigger reason is that some madman suddenly instigated people.”

Duke Grinewald pointed to a young man with a mustache under his nose at the very front of the protesters.

“…Huh?”

At that moment, I tilted my head.

Because that face was one that I had seen so many times on the internet that it now felt more familiar than my mom and dad’s faces.

“According to the investigation, that guy is the main culprit who instigated people in a tavern after failing the entrance exam for the Imperial Art Academy. He’s a real headache.”

“Hmm.”

Of all places, a guy who failed the art school entrance exam instigated people in a beer hall.
That could be seen as the beginning of a great catastrophe in the future, couldn’t it?

“What’s that guy’s name?”

“Hm? I think… his name was Hikardo. But why are you asking?”

“No, well… I just think it’s fortunate.”

It was really fortunate that even though they share the same surname, their names were different.

Come to think of it now, there’s no way he could have reincarnated into another world.

Because as far as I know, he was very busy preparing to invade America with the reptilians after fleeing to Antarctica following his defeat in the war.

‘Indeed, whether on Earth or in a fantasy world, big things are always done by people with the surname Hi.’

After roughly understanding this in my head, I opened my mouth towards the Duke.

“So, how do you plan to deal with those guys?”

“I told you. As much as I’d like to throw them all in jail, I’m thinking of just leaving them alone. Messing with such drunkards would only make the imperial family a laughingstock.”

“But isn’t it a problem in itself to leave those guys in the square?”

“…..”

At my words, the Duke just frowned without giving any particular rebuttal.
Then Serika, who was next to me, said with a worried look on her face.
“Then should I go and try to persuade those people?”
“What are you going to say to them?”
“Well… that the animation broadcast dates are already set and even the production team can’t arbitrarily change them?”
But I shook my head at Serika’s words and replied.
“No, you don’t need to do that.”
“But-”

“I’m planning to persuade those people myself.”

“…What?”

“I have a good idea that can disperse those guys right away.”

Saying this, I shrugged my shoulders and strode towards the front of the square where the drunkards… no, the protesters were gathered.

“…Hm?”

“Who’s that?”

Realizing that the attention of all the people protesting was focused on me, I bowed my head to them and opened my mouth.

“Hello. I am one of the staff members belonging to the ‘Machine God Chronicles’ animation production team. I came here to have a conversation with you all regarding the broadcast issue of ‘Machine God Chronicles’.”

“Oh, ooh! Has a staff member from the ‘Machine God Chronicles’ production team finally come here?”

“It seems the united voice of the viewers has finally reached the ears of the animation producer!”

While most of the drunkards couldn’t hide their excitement just from the fact that a staff member from the ‘Machine God Chronicles’ production team had come here.

Hikardo, the mastermind behind this protest, started to look at me with an incredibly cold face instead of getting excited like the others.

“…Is that so. Then it seems that even the production team of ‘Machine God Chronicles’ has grasped the seriousness of this situation.”

“Seriousness? What seriousness are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about episode 1 of ‘Machine God Chronicles’ that aired yesterday!”

Saying this, Hikardo clenched his fists.

“No, in this world, is it reasonable to cut off an animation like that? Giving viewers all sorts of expectations, but then irresponsibly pushing off the crucial scene to next week! That’s nothing short of a crime!”

“Th-That’s right! I want to watch the animation every day, how can they expect us to wait until next week!”
“I’m going crazy with curiosity about the next episode!”
Following Hikardo’s words, the drunkards around him started to shout in unison.
If I had been an amateur, I might have been intimidated by their intense reactions.
Unfortunately, I was already immune to all kinds of insults and trash talk through Korea’s spicy AOS game, so I didn’t feel any particular emotion.
“I understand well. How you all must have felt when the animation ended like that yesterday evening.”
“…What did you say?”
“Because we too were very sad that we couldn’t provide enough anime to our viewers.”
Saying this, I put on a very gloomy expression.
“The director of the production team, whom I respect the most, used to say this. The reason he makes anime is to make many people happy. To make people smile with duels… no, with anime. That’s all he wants… he said.”
“…..”
“…..”
I felt the stares from behind me looking at me incredulously, but I continued speaking firmly.
“That’s why I can empathize so well with how you all must be feeling standing here. And I think the director of the production team felt the same way. Because when he sent me here, he asked me to convey these words to you all.”
“…What did he say?”
“It was… that from next week, we will accept your opinions and broadcast ‘Machine God Chronicles’ twice a week from now on!”
“Wh-What?”
“…They’ll broadcast two episodes a week?”
“Oh my god, is this a dream?”
At my words, the protesters including Hikardo couldn’t hide their surprise.
Because even though they came out to protest like this, they probably didn’t expect their demands to be accepted so easily.
But that was only for a moment.
“I-I can’t believe it. To think that an anime producer who listens to viewers’ opinions like this existed in the world…”
“The producer of ‘Machine God Chronicles’, is he a god?”
“I believe, I have believed in him from the beginning!”
As I was watching the protesters writhing in ecstasy due to joy.
“…Hey, Ragna.”
“Huh, what?”
Serika whispered to me in a very small voice.
“Um… as far as I know, wasn’t ‘Machine God Chronicles’ originally scheduled to air twice a week from next week? The reason it only aired once this week was because of the schedule set by the imperial family.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“…Then aren’t you deceiving those people? We’re not listening to their demands, we’re just proceeding according to the original schedule…”
I tilted my head at Serika’s naive words.
“But those people don’t know that.”
“…What?”
“In the end, isn’t it good for us because we solved the problem, and good for those people because their demands were accepted? Isn’t that a happy ending for everyone?”
“…..”
“…..”
“…Whatever else, we definitely shouldn’t let that bastard do politics.”

Next to Serika, who was at a loss for words, the Duke was muttering that towards me.
I couldn’t understand at all why the Duke was saying such a thing.