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Chapter 67. Actors in Position, Filming Begins!
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After Pucci had dealt with Kars on his end, at Green Dolphin Studio...
Due to Cujoh Jolyne's intention to press her advantage and not miss the current wave of "Phantom Blood"'s success, she wanted to use the completely different "Battle Tendency" to shatter the audience's expectations.
Not long after the completion of "Phantom Blood", and after the staff had a few days of rest, they were quickly back to work on "Battle Tendency". The staff, now motivated by a salary that was tripled and enhanced by the success of "Phantom Blood", worked with a mix of pain and pleasure.
However...
"Is this really going to be okay?"
Looking at the staff who, having been motivated by what essentially amounted to six times their usual salary, were now bursting with enthusiasm and treating the company as their own.
Their high efficiency did not bring him joy.
Instead, Shinbo Akiyuki, who was worried about the situation, nervously said, "The situation online is like this. After all, we still have to keep in mind the life of JOJO's son."
Although Shinbo enjoyed filming the scenes of JOJO's death, he couldn't help but enter a state of anxiety afterward.
Especially when seeing that almost all the viewers online had bought into Pucci's alternative narrative and were looking forward to "Battle Tendency", the second part of "JOJO's Bizarre Adventure".
Shinbo felt as if the audience who couldn't accept this plot twist were ready to figuratively strangle him at any moment.
"Shinbo, do you think making JOJO's son an old rogue would be more acceptable to the audience? Or making JOJO's grandson an old rogue?"
"... The grandson, I guess."
After some thought, Shinbo replied.
"That's settled then," Pucci said with determination. "Since even you think so, the audience should understand our difficulties."
Still, Pucci had no idea what kind of mood or pressure Araki-sensei was under when writing such a plot.
But judging by Araki-sensei's past as the ageless and perfect being, this plot twist and its innovation in the industry should be fine.
Otherwise, how could Araki-sensei have survived to the 21st century?
So, all is well.
In an effort to build confidence, Pucci secretly copied Shinbo's Wikipedia entry from the Green Dolphin Studio's website, emphasizing his impressive credentials and experience compared to the empty resume of the newcomer director.
In contrast to Shinbo, who was portrayed as a seasoned professional, Pucci, who was merely a rookie director, looked like an inexperienced newcomer.
Satisfied with these preparations, Pucci murmured, "These sacrifices are necessary."
He was so kind-hearted.
Seeing Shinbo's apparent lack of confidence, he immediately added another note to his resume, aiming to restore his confidence in the industry!
No, this was definitely not him backing down!
"What?"
Shinbo, feeling something, looked over and asked, "Did you say something, Pucci?"
"What? Did I say something? ...You must be too nervous and heard something strange," Pucci said confidently. "Instead of worrying about such small matters, Shinbo, why don't you focus on training Nobuo Tobita?"
"Although he has great potential, if that potential is not realized, it's just potential."
"So you know about that too, Pucci?"
Shinbo, who was also troubled by Major Tobita, had his attention successfully diverted. "In that case, why did you choose Nobuo Tobita?"
"Even if President Cujoh doesn't understand, there's no way you don't, right?"
"And looking at Tobita's physique, the German military would be crazy to let him pass the physical and promote him to major~~"
At 160 cm tall and weighing about the same, Nobuo Tobita didn't match the physical standards.
Moreover, achieving the rank of major, especially in the German army which discarded the best bulletproof helmets due to appearance issues, was extremely difficult.
He seemed more suited for a role in the home security team, which also required "real guns and bullets."
"But on the other hand, if we make people believe that Nobuo Tobita is a German major, then he becomes an alternative secret weapon, doesn't he?"
"... Ah, indeed."
If even someone like Nobuo Tobita, who clearly doesn't look like a major, can be accepted by the audience for various reasons, then there should be nothing the audience can't accept.
So Pucci, seizing the opportunity, said, "Now it's up to you, Shinbo. There's probably only one more episode before Tobita's major appearance."
"In this episode, train Tobita well so that he can integrate with our set template and become a qualified soldier."
"... Huh!?!"
…
"1938, New York"
What was America like during this era?
It was a mix of economic crisis and racial tension, creating a vibrant and tumultuous atmosphere.
After World War I, America had profited greatly.
But unlike World War II, where Europe's population was decimated, America did not face such a situation.
Scientists, politicians, capitalists, and ordinary people came to America to escape war, seek political asylum, or avoid becoming war criminals, bringing advanced technology, workers, and a large population, turning America from a provincial upstart into a new empire that surpassed Britain and France post-WWII!
Of course, that's a story for later.
For America at this time.
Although the country managed to shift the economic crisis by profiting from war, racial tensions intensified.
At this time, African Americans did not have the backing of the Black Panther Party or Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" to fight for equal rights.
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation only changed their roles from comfortable agricultural workers to cheap laborers who worked tirelessly without rest.
Even the money earned during the economic crisis was claimed by the higher-ups as being taken by blacks, fueling white discontent and being exploited by the KKK.
But this is just background information.
JOJO is a hero, but if the people don't rise up, one or two heroes alone cannot change much.
Thus, Smokey Brown, forced into a life of petty crime to survive, met the second-generation JOJO—Joseph Joestar—in this harsh environment.