Otaku Translation: Absolute Number One C84

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Chapter 84: The Wild Genius Screenwriter

With ’s help, ’s writing pace skyrocketed. He was now on track to complete the first draft by mid-May. While fine-tuning episode details and dialogue would still take time—and multiple revisions were inevitable—progress felt tangible. There was even room for future adjustments based on audience feedback.

The office transformed from a solitary writer’s lair into a hive of collaborative productivity. Both men buried themselves in their tasks, oblivious to the passage of time. Their work proceeded smoothly, almost serenely. Meanwhile, outside their bubble, the among raged fiercely.

continued its dominance, excelling in both drama and variety shows. It held commanding leads across all key metrics: total viewership, prime-time slots, and late-night programming. and followed closely, locked in fierce competition, refusing to cede ground easily. , typically content with its perennial fifth-place finish, found itself rising inexplicably to fourth place—not because it had improved but because stumbled badly this season.

TEB’s flagship show, , plummeted dramatically in Episode 3, losing 2.2% of its average viewership, dropping to 21.99%. This abrupt decline knocked it out of the top five most-watched programs—a devastating blow to TEB’s prestige. Though embarrassing, such fluctuations weren’t unheard of in television. However, what truly exacerbated the situation was the relentless mockery from rival media outlets. Newspapers unrelated to TEB seized the opportunity to ridicule the network, accusing its executives of incompetence and squandering a golden opportunity.

, ever eager to break scoops, initially planned to uncover insider details himself. But when a seasoned colleague beat him to the punch, he seethed with frustration. Rather than dwell on his missed chance, Kameda doubled down, leveraging connections through his girlfriend-in-waiting, Adachi-san, to extract fresh gossip directly from TEB employees—including someone within the Tales of the Unusual production team. Armed with juicy tidbits, he waited until Episode 3’s dismal performance confirmed his suspicions before unleashing a torrent of exposés.

Unlike previous critiques that attacked TEB outright, Kameda adopted a more nuanced approach. Framing his narrative as an inspiring yet tragic tale, he highlighted Murakami Iori’s brilliance as a producer who discovered Chihara Rinto—a "wild genius" screenwriter plucked from obscurity—and nurtured him into creating Tales of the Unusual. Their partnership symbolized youthful idealism crushed by corporate greed. By contrasting Seasons 1 and 2, Kameda praised Chihara’s unparalleled talent, emphasizing how one man could outshine an entire writing team. His glowing assessment resonated widely, especially given the stark disparity between the two seasons’ performances.

Had Kameda made similar claims about Chihara a month earlier, skeptics might have dismissed them as hyperbole. But the data spoke volumes: Season 2’s collapse underscored Chihara’s irreplaceable role. Suddenly, industry insiders began acknowledging him not merely as a promising newcomer but as a genuine creative force. Dubbing him a “grassroots genius” seemed entirely justified.

Kameda’s exposé ignited widespread interest in Chihara’s whereabouts. Seizing the moment, Nikkei, a publication affiliated with , revealed that the prodigy now worked under their banner, promoting . The revelation sparked mixed reactions. Many lamented Chihara’s relegation to a lowbrow variety show, decrying the waste of his potential. Critics lambasted Kanto United TV for mismanaging such a gifted writer, accusing them of squandering creativity in pursuit of mediocrity.

Amidst the backlash, some curious critics tuned in to Human Observation. To their surprise, they found the show surprisingly enjoyable. By Episode 3, it boasted a respectable 13.2% viewership. Though undeniably populist, its cleverly designed segments and refreshing format stood out. Strikingly, despite being new, the program exuded polish, resembling a long-running hit in its prime. Clearly, Chihara’s genius extended beyond scripted dramas; even in variety entertainment, he excelled.

This realization prompted another round of criticism aimed at Kanto United TV. How could they misuse such a visionary? Tasking him with crafting a variety show explained why they remained perpetually stuck outside the elite tier of broadcasters.

Meanwhile, TEB faced renewed scrutiny as Tales of the Unusual suffered another catastrophic drop in Episode 4, shedding 2.9% of its viewership and falling below the critical 20% threshold. At 19.09%, the series hemorrhaged viewers, eroding nearly all goodwill accumulated during Season 1. Audiences, inherently impatient, grew disillusioned after four consecutive disappointments. Learning of the behind-the-scenes machinations only deepened their disdain. Only neutral viewers and habitual channel surfers remained, and even their loyalty appeared tenuous.

As public discourse shifted back to mocking TEB, Human Observation quietly gained another 2.1% in viewership, reaching 15.3%. With its strongest competitor faltering, the show capitalized on weak opposition, steadily climbing toward a 30% share. Such rapid growth defied natural progression; clearly, Chihara’s strategic maneuvering paid off handsomely. Leveraging Tales of the Unusual’s downfall, Human Observation stealthily entered the rankings, anchoring itself near the bottom of the coveted top-tier list.

By early May, Chihara and Shiraki remained ensconced in their office, oblivious to the swirling controversies. Public derision of TEB waned as attention spans naturally drifted elsewhere. After all, sustaining focus on a single issue for weeks was remarkable enough. Another week passed before Chihara completed a rough draft of , just in time for Human Observation’s Episode 5 broadcast.

When the latest ratings arrived, , director of Kanto United TV’s production bureau, reacted with astonishment. “What exactly are they doing? I thought this season was supposed to be about training the team, with serious efforts reserved for summer! Why didn’t anyone tell me their ‘training exercise’ would achieve blockbuster success?”

He sighed theatrically. “If I’d known they had these ambitions, I’d have allocated more funding! Wasting such a brilliant program on practice is criminal!”

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