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Chapter 123: Collectible +1
The hottest drama of the season was undoubtedly Hanzawa Naoki, and there was a steady stream of people coming to greet Chihara and Murakami. It wasn’t until the Star Awards ceremony officially began that they finally got a brief reprieve.
The ceremony was hosted by two well-known entertainers, who were already warming up the crowd with jokes on stage. However, Chihara and Murakami paid little attention to their banter, exchanging quiet whispers while maintaining polite smiles.
If what Kurata Shin had said was true…
Murakami felt a chill run down her spine. If Doctor’s Heart had been moved to the same time slot as Hanzawa Naoki, judging from the current situation, Doctor’s Heart would have likely suffered a major blow—its ratings might have plummeted. But even Hanzawa Naoki wouldn’t have achieved such stellar results. Its ratings would have certainly been diluted by Doctor’s Heart, making it impossible to dominate its time slot completely or crush all competing programs as thoroughly as it did.
Chihara wasn’t particularly concerned, but he acknowledged their luck—those from the newspaper faction must have been upset about their defection. However, they probably didn’t think much of two small fry like them and hadn’t insisted on pursuing retribution or completely "cleaning house." This gave them ample time to grow and develop.
Now, having achieved such resounding success, their departure made the newspaper faction look exceptionally foolish. Perhaps those individuals were now consumed with shame and anger, fearing that repeated mentions of their earlier mistake would become a recurring point of attack.
So, Kurata Shin had come to warn them, preparing them for potential retaliation while stoking their resentment toward the newspaper faction, hoping they’d strike back at an opportune moment to help the local faction gain an edge in the production bureau’s programming committee.
After all, the enemy of one’s enemy is a friend.
It was plausible. The local faction had always resented the newspaper faction’s "parachuted" executives, viewing them as amateurs.
Chihara and Murakami quietly discussed the matter for a while, finding it both amusing and ironic—they had already left TEB, yet here they were still entangled in its internal factional struggles. Truly, there was nothing to say about it.
Once they clarified their thoughts, they didn’t dwell on it further. The newspaper faction had missed their best chance to cause trouble. Now that they had achieved success, Kanto United TV would surely protect them fiercely. Who would dare challenge them head-on in the same time slot? What producer would risk their career to serve the newspaper faction and take them on?
Of course, it was also possible that Kurata Shin had simply come to sow discord, thinking they were young and impulsive enough to be provoked into causing trouble for the newspaper faction.
But so what? They didn’t care if TEB tore itself apart—it would only make their lives easier.
They quickly set the matter aside, focusing instead on enjoying their first-ever awards ceremony. There was still plenty of time before their next project; they could deal with things as they came. Whatever challenges arose, they would face them head-on. There was nothing to fear.
---
This season’s Star Awards featured nine major categories: Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Work, Best Drama Song, and a Special Award.
It was widely acknowledged that Hanzawa Naoki would be the biggest winner, but the ceremony didn’t start with them.
First up was the "Supporting Actress Award." To maximize entertainment value, the awards alternated between smaller and larger categories to keep the audience engaged. The Supporting Actress Award was announced early to warm up the crowd.
This category had nothing to do with Hanzawa Naoki. While the show did have supporting actresses, their limited screen time due to plot constraints left them with little room to shine. Moreover, the Star Awards didn’t allow lead actresses to compete in supporting roles. The only standout female cast member, Hosokawa Sai, was nominated for Best Actress. Thus, the Supporting Actress Award went to a drama from Nippon Television.
A young actress in her twenties rose joyfully, hugged her fellow cast members, and quickly made her way to the stage. After some playful banter from the hosts, she delivered an emotional acceptance speech.
Chihara and the others clapped politely, as did the other nominees who had lost. Though disappointed, they maintained their composure under the watchful eyes of the cameras.
Next was one of the main events: the "Best Actor Award."
The host, visibly excited, lavished praise on the five male nominees. As each name was announced, their respective portraits appeared on the large screen at the center of the stage. Chihara found the screen oddly constructed—it was grid-like, as if patched together from multiple televisions. Such was the technological limitation of the 1990s.
Among the Best Actor nominees was Awata Isao. When his image, clad in a white lab coat, appeared on the screen, the venue erupted in applause, showing he had substantial support. However, when Sugano Makoto’s portrayal of "Hanzawa Naoki" appeared, the applause grew even louder, especially from the lucky audience members on the second floor, who clearly favored him.
The award presenter was none other than Ishida Kota, the previous season’s Best Actor winner and a veteran actor. Holding the white envelope, he glanced at the five nominees on the screen and joked, "Perhaps I should consider retiring. There are so many excellent young actors these days."
No one took his words seriously. Ishida Kota was still in his prime and remained active—he simply hadn’t starred in a drama this season, or he would have undoubtedly been nominated. After a few more jokes, he opened the envelope and smiled, announcing, "Sugano-san, congratulations!"
Awata Isao was visibly disappointed. He had a sizable fanbase and thought he stood a chance, but it seemed many of his fans had defected. Still, he quickly composed himself, clapping and smiling as if genuinely happy for Sugano Makoto, his junior (though, strictly speaking, Sugano’s debut was around the same time as his).
Sugano Makoto took a deep breath and stood, but instead of rushing to the stage, he bowed deeply to Chihara amid enthusiastic applause, softly saying, "Thank you, Chihara-sensei!"
Chihara patted his arm gently and smiled. "This is what you deserve. Go on!"
He didn’t feel he had done much. Even without his intervention, Sugano Makoto was destined to rise to fame sooner or later. At most, he had provided an early opportunity to catapult him to stardom. This was truly something Sugano deserved.
Sugano Makoto didn’t linger. Now wasn’t the time for lengthy exchanges. He turned and walked steadily to the stage. His expression was so calm and serious that even the usually lively hosts couldn’t crack a joke. After a brief comment, Ishida Kota handed him the award and sent him to the podium.
Sugano Makoto began his speech by thanking the audience, New Filmmakers Magazine, Chihara, Murakami, and the directors. Eventually, he couldn’t maintain his stoic demeanor any longer. When he mentioned thanking his girlfriend, Komori Hinako, his eyes welled up. After nearly seven years of struggle, he had finally made it—a journey filled with sleepless nights and thoughts of giving up, like a nightmare come true.
His heartfelt speech was highly entertaining, though it clearly exceeded the allotted time. Yet, no stage manager signaled him to wrap up. Instead, they let him speak freely.
After five or six minutes, Sugano Makoto stepped down amid thunderous applause, clutching a "plate"—a massive medal resembling a serving dish.
Back at the round table, Yoshizaki Shingo and others curiously examined the "plate." Sugano Makoto announced he would take it home to give to Komori Hinako. Though he was now famous, his seniority was still shallow, and he couldn’t bring his girlfriend to the ceremony to flaunt their relationship. Unable to publicly display affection, he settled for this gesture, which was a pity.
Next was the "Best Supporting Actor Award." Two members of the Hanzawa Naoki cast were nominated: veteran actor Kuno Teruyuki, who played the main antagonist Oowada, and Onuma Arata, who portrayed Hanzawa’s colleague Tomari Shinobu.
In the end, the "internal competition" was resolved in favor of the veteran. Kuno Teruyuki won the award, though he had received it so many times before that he accepted it with nonchalance. Naturally witty and humorous, he cracked jokes on stage, nearly leaving the hosts speechless. Unable to handle such a respected elder of the industry, they quickly handed him the award and sent him to the podium.
Kuno Teruyuki, with his seniority and sharp tongue, refused to leave the podium easily. He praised everyone in the cast, especially Onuma Arata, expressing high hopes for the young actor and jokingly asking if he could pass the award to him immediately…
Amidst laughter, he finally stepped down and handed the "plate" directly to Onuma Arata, encouraging him to work hard and win the award next time.
Onuma Arata had already resigned himself to being a runner-up, so this unexpected gesture of mentorship left him deeply grateful. He became even more respectful toward Kuno Teruyuki.
Chihara and Murakami exchanged glances, silently impressed. They had worried that the two actors might harbor ill feelings due to the competition, but now they saw that those who became great actors truly weren’t ordinary talents.
Next was the "Best Actress Award." Hosokawa Sai had been full of anticipation, given her status as the "actress viewers most want to marry." Unfortunately, she lost. While she likely received significant votes from the audience, the press, critics, and judges didn’t support her, citing her limited screen time and lack of breakthrough performances.
The award went to a TEB detective drama, where an actress playing a policewoman had made a stunning transformation from her usual gentle roles, delivering decisive and captivating performances. With solid audience support and professional backing, she decisively edged out Hosokawa Sai.
Hosokawa Sai was visibly disappointed but managed a smile, applauding the winner on stage.
Unsurprisingly, Chihara then claimed the "Best Screenplay Award," a result that was almost universally expected. Even the other nominees showed no signs of dissent—accepting it would have been controversial, and they would have faced backlash the next day.
Chihara didn’t find this surprising. Having broken the ratings record, not receiving this award would have implied deliberate suppression by New Filmmakers Magazine.
He thanked his collaborators’ support, then calmly ascended the stage to deliver a concise speech—thanking the audience, Kanto United TV, his peers, and colleagues—before stepping down without any grand gestures.
Low-key was the way to go. Having gained such a significant advantage, it was best not to stir up trouble.
Back at their table, he passed the "plate" around for everyone to admire, sharing the joy. Once it returned to him, he carefully examined his first-ever award.
Made of ceramic with a black rim, the center featured a gold-plated medallion embossed with the silhouette of a writer hunched over a desk. Below it were three lines of text: "23rd Star Awards, Best Screenplay, Chihara Rinto."
Collectible +1. Not bad!
Chihara was quite satisfied. As he admired it, a mischievous thought crossed his mind—when he collected more of these, he could use them as actual plates during dinner parties with friends. The effect would surely be striking.
Lost in his own musings, he barely noticed the passing of the "Best Drama Song" and "Best Director" awards.
They hadn’t been nominated for Best Drama Song since Hanzawa Naoki didn’t have a theme song. For Best Director, Chihara, Yoshizaki Shingo, and Miyawaki Haruhito had been nominated, but it seemed the audience, after watching Hanzawa Naoki, didn’t pay much attention to who directed it. Their focus was on the lead actors and the screenwriter, resulting in lukewarm voting enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the professionals deemed their directing team too inexperienced—all rookies who, despite doing a commendable job, needed to wait their turn behind seasoned directors. Balancing the awards fairly, the director’s prize eluded them.
But this wasn’t bad news. Historically, the Star Awards had never awarded a grand slam of Best Screenplay, Director, and Work. By not giving them Best Director, it was clear that Best Work was destined for Hanzawa Naoki.
Everyone seemed to understand this unspoken rule. No one was surprised that Hanzawa Naoki didn’t win Best Director, and when the final award—"Best Work of the Season"—was announced, the entire venue erupted in applause without a hint of dissent.
Truly, it was the outcome everyone expected!
Murakami was overjoyed. This award belonged to the entire team. She planned to place it in the production office’s trophy cabinet, polishing it daily. After clapping enthusiastically for a while, she realized Chihara hadn’t moved. She nudged him, gesturing for him to go onstage.
Chihara chuckled, handing her a prepared speech. "It’s your turn to go up. You’re the producer, after all."
Murakami was stunned, but before she could protest, Chihara had pulled her up and nudged her toward the stage.
It wasn’t about nobility—it was about sharing the benefits, which was the best way to sustain a team in the long run.
Those who hoarded all the glory never went far!
Moreover, Murakami had made immense contributions to the drama. Even if she wasn’t officially the producer, she functioned as one. Representing the team to accept the award was entirely appropriate. Besides, awards were merely icing on the cake—they weren’t his ultimate goal. Whether he basked in the spotlight or not didn’t matter.
He was already famous enough. Allowing his companions to share in the glory was essential.
With no choice but to step onto the stage amidst applause and curious gazes, Murakami braced herself as the hosts congratulated and teased her.
Chihara watched contentedly, gradually feeling as though he were detached from the ceremony hall, the surrounding sounds fading away.
Good. They had done well these past six months, securing everything they deserved.
They had established themselves in the industry, accumulated some wealth, and secured stable careers. Everything was progressing according to plan.
And then…
At this very moment, all of that became history.
Past achievements were no longer relevant—it was time to start anew.
What would the future hold?
Would they face targeted attacks? Achieve even greater success? Or would he eventually fade into mediocrity?
The future was unpredictable, terrifying, and yet…
So exciting!
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