The apartments rented by Gogyo Ruri and Yūki Chinatsu were both rather far from Yosuganosora Animation Studio. Taking the subway required at least an hour. Moreover, after Yūki Chinatsu got her own private office, she returned to the state she had been in back at Kyoni Animation Co., Ltd., moving all the portable daily necessities from her rented room into her office and treating it as another home.
Yosuganosora Animation Studio was fully furnished, with both restrooms and bathrooms available. Even without a kitchen, the lounge supplied takeout bento all day long, so supporting Yūki Chinatsu's shut-in lifestyle really was not difficult.
However, ever since eating Kamiyā Yuu's cooking and bento several times, Yūki Chinatsu had never been able to forget the taste. Compared to that, the takeout bento she had once found fairly delicious now tasted like wax. Taking advantage of Yosuganosora Animation Studio's current busy period, she pitifully begged Kamiyā Yuu to make an extra bento for her breakfast.
Making bento was troublesome, but Kamiyā Yuu already had to prepare his own and Kamiyā Sora's portions. Increasing the amount under those circumstances was not particularly difficult, so he agreed to her request.
That was why the previous scene had happened. For Yūki Chinatsu, who was used to sleeping late and waking late, being forced to get up at six made her morning temper especially severe.
As for Gogyo Ruri, because traveling back and forth between the company and her apartment was too inconvenient, she was staying over at Yūki Chinatsu's "home." In truth, she could also have chosen to stay in the high-end hotel with a better living environment.
After delivering the bento to the two girls, Kamiyā Yuu returned to his office. Quietly opening the wooden door, he saw Kamiyā Sora, dressed in a black women's uniform, having taken off her low-heeled shoes and curled up asleep on the sofa. On the table in front of the sofa sat the simple, nutritious breakfast Kamiyā Yuu had prepared.
Originally, Kamiyā Yuu had wanted her to sleep longer at home, but Kamiyā Sora insisted on going to work together with him. As a result, once she arrived at the company, she could not resist the heavy drowsiness brought on by low blood pressure and quietly fell asleep while resting on the sofa.
"Sleeping at home would obviously be much more comfortable. I could have picked you up after eight."
Kamiyā Yuu looked at her with helpless, doting eyes. Walking over, he tidied her scattered hair, then took off his jacket and draped it over her.
He wondered whether he should learn from Yūki Chinatsu and prepare a blanket and a change of clothes in his office as well.
It had already been several months since she officially joined Yosuganosora Animation Studio. She had basically not participated in formal anime production, instead learning company operations under Morishita Aoi. Just as Kamiyā Yuu had introduced her, she served as his assistant.
The animation production departments were busy, but the non-production departments had much more free time. Therefore, even if Kamiyā Sora came to the company during normal working hours, there would be no problem.
"Yesterday, in the consciousness space, we already finalized the last changes to the lines. The sound department should be working overtime through the night right now. Someone should answer if I call."
After thinking for a moment, Kamiyā Yuu left the office and took out his old flip phone to find Shindō Tsukasa's number.
This flip phone had never been replaced since he transmigrated. Japan's mobile phone management system was different from those of other countries. A phone was basically tied to a phone number, so phones in Japan could be surprisingly cheap, but the monthly bills were still a small expense for ordinary people.
"Beep beep~."
"Beep beep beep beep beep~."
"Beep beep beep beep beep beep~~."
"Hello?"
An impatient voice came from the other end of the line, sounding exactly like Yūki Chinatsu had earlier.
"Shindō?"
"Ah... ah, yes, it's me."
Hearing Kamiyā Yuu's voice, Shindō Tsukasa's tone became much more polite. In every sense, Kamiyā Yuu was his direct superior, so he had no choice but to be polite.
"Ah~~ That voice is Kamiyā, huh? What time do you think it is right now? Isn't it completely dark outside?"
Shindō Tsukasa's voice was weary and weak, and as he spoke, he let out a sleepy yawn.
Kamiyā Yuu looked at the time displayed on his flip phone and answered mercilessly:
"It's six-thirty in the morning. It's completely dark because you've closed the curtains in your office. Open them, and you'll see the morning sunlight."
"Kamiyā."
"What's the problem?"
"Rather than 'Almighty Director,' I think 'Demon Director' suits you better. A middle-aged man like me can't function without ten hours of sleep every day. Can't you spare me this once? Besides, I only fell asleep after three in the morning last night. I'm talking to you with my eyes closed right now."
"Director Yūki also said I was like an alarm clock this morning. Of course, you can keep sleeping, provided you don't want this month's overtime bonus. You chose to work overtime before for that bonus too, didn't you?"
During this emergency phase, Kamiyā Yuu showed no mercy.
"You win, Kamiyā."
Shindō Tsukasa replied through gritted teeth.
...
Kamiyā Yuu first called Shindō Tsukasa, the sound director of the sound department, to explain the line changes caused by the last episode's revised animation. He planned to have Morishita Aoi send over the unfinished animation that afternoon for voice recording, saving the time that would otherwise be needed for dubbing after the animation was complete.
By the time the call ended, it was already past seven in the morning. Most of Yosuganosora Animation Studio's employees had officially taken their positions, and Kamiyā Yuu's busy day as animation director had only just begun.
The animation director was absolutely one of the busiest jobs in anime production. Unlike key animators, who could complete drawings step by step, an animation director had far too many things to handle, and they were all scattered and complex, covering the entire production process.
For that reason, even with positions such as sound director, key animation director, photography director, art director, and so on established, they still could not completely relieve Kamiyā Yuu's pressure.
"Director, Assistant Director Yamashita from the photography department wants you to come over. It seems there are still disagreements over several special effects issues."
"Director, the production drafts for Episode 24, Cuts 102 to 231, are ready. Director Gogyo is already waiting in the screening room to watch the results with you."
"Yuu, there's a call from Director Shindō in the sound department."
"Director Kamiyā, the art department needs you to come over. It's about the background overlooking Earth."
Running back and forth between the various animation production departments, the entire day seemed to pass in the blink of an eye to Kamiyā Yuu.
Only when the fluorescent lights inside the company had turned on at some unknown point could he finally breathe a little easier. Only at night could he go to the restroom without timing himself. Only then could he sit in the lounge and slowly savor his cold bento. Of course, the dishes he prepared for bento were basically cold dishes to begin with, so cooling down did not affect the flavor much.
This rhythm of life made Kamiyā Yuu feel like a spring stretched to its limit, one that might suddenly snap at any moment. Thinking of the entire industry's environment, he could not help sighing.
"There really is a reason Japan's suicide rate stays so high. Aside from Japanese high school girls, ordinary office workers are monsters too!"
Kamiyā Yuu's workload, with an average of four hours of sleep per day, was normal at most Japanese companies. In the brutal animation industry, it was considered an entirely natural work attitude.
And Kamiyā Yuu's physical condition and spirit were both far beyond those of ordinary people. He truly did not know how normal office workers endured this year after year.
...
During the final week of late May, Yosuganosora Animation Studio finally returned from "emergency combat readiness" to normal operations.
Episode 24 of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' was officially completed.
All the company members seemed to have survived a long, bitter winter without any means of warmth. Bathed in the first ray of spring sunshine, they could not help but tear up, grateful that they had endured this winter.
In the screening room, before the completed Episode 24 was handed over to the television station, many employees chose to come and watch the crystallization of their half-month of hard work.
On the screen, a cute, unknown little white animal overlooked the bustling city nightscape and answered in a calm tone:
"Even so, that still proves nothing. If the rules of the universe truly were rewritten as you said, then we have no means to prove it now. Only you know about it. In that sense, it is no different from an ordinary person's dream or an unfounded conjecture."
"However, we still do not fully understand why soul gems that have not been completely purified disappear. In that regard, the 'witch' hypothesis you mentioned is extremely interesting. If there truly were such a convenient method for converting human emotions into energy, then our strategy as Incubators might become quite different as well."
The night wind blew through the black-haired girl's long hair. Her once-smooth black hair was tied with a red ribbon. A faint mocking smile appeared at the corner of the girl's lips.
"Yes. That's exactly what you creatures are."
...
"That's great! It's finally finished!"
A female key animator from the key animation department hugged the animator beside her and laughed as she cried.
She knew exactly which cuts in this episode she had been responsible for. Although the past half month had been exhausting, she also felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. The atmosphere within the company and the reactions from the outside world both gave her the feeling of rediscovering her original dream.
She was not simply completing work.
She was truly creating something.
"Black Cat, you're crying again. Honestly, what am I going to do with you..."
Gogyo Ruri from the animation department struggled to hold back her tears, yet for some reason, when she thought of everything she had devoted to this anime over the past half year, she could not calm her excitement no matter what.
The animation department employees beside Gogyo Ruri smiled and handed her tissues. They, too, had witnessed her growth.
When had Gogyo Ruri, who was small and looked no different from an ordinary high school girl, become so dependable?
Uehara Etsuki watched everyone's excitement and shook her head with a light smile.
"How lively. But it really is wonderful that everything ended smoothly."
"We're having a drinking party tonight! Nobody leaves until they're drunk! We have to drink the best alcohol!"
Yūki Chinatsu simply jumped up and shouted, her cute little face already flushed as though she were drunk.
"Ah, Chinatsu, what nonsense are you saying now? Didn't you learn enough from last time?"
Miyauchi Ema from the 3D department helplessly held her forehead and quickly tugged her director back. She looked just like a parent watching her own child embarrass herself.
Kamiyā Sora tugged at Kamiyā Yuu's sleeve and said with a faint smile:
"Yuu, so it's finished?"
"The final episode really does have a different kind of impact..."
Shindō Tsukasa rubbed the stubble on his chin and sighed.
The past half month of busyness had returned him to his former disheveled state. His heavy dark circles, paired with his chin stubble, made him look exactly like a melancholy middle-aged artist.
As Episode 24's ending theme began to play, everyone in the screening room cheered together.
This episode was the result of half a month of hard work from the entire Yosuganosora Animation Studio.
Kamiyā Yuu himself also felt the relief of setting down a heavy burden. From beginning to end, 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' had gone through countless variables. Looking back, every single one had been thrilling.
After the trial screening of Episode 24 ended, Kamiyā Yuu felt that his hands were still trembling. Wordless excitement burst from his chest, as though he could already see this anime setting off a frenzy in this world.
He was absolutely the person present who had poured the most effort into this anime.
Because of that, he cared more about 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' than anyone else.
Kamiyā Yuu reached out and stroked Kamiyā Sora's silver hair, smiling as he sighed.
"Yeah. It's finally finished."
'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' had been completed one month and seven days ahead of schedule.
The frenzy after the anime's conclusion would push him to the summit of Japan's animation industry.
...
In early June, 'Anime Newtype', the most popular anime magazine in Japan, began selling an issue excerpting content about Kamiyā Yuu, Yosuganosora Animation Studio, and 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'.
During this period, the magazine's editors occasionally contacted Kamiyā Yuu to revise the content. After learning that Kamiyā Yuu had already completed 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica', they worked overtime at the last minute to urgently change the content for the final episode preview.
'Anime Newtype's decision was extremely successful.
Since Episode 17, the popularity and buzz surrounding 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' had already pulled far ahead, leaving the orthodox shōnen series 'Adventure King' far behind.
When 'Anime Newtype's official site announced that it would collaborate with 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' for a final episode preview, all viewers who loved the anime were instantly stirred up.
The enthusiastic feedback received by the official site far exceeded the magazine editorial team's expectations. This even alarmed the company's headquarters, which urgently printed several times the original number of monthly 'Anime Newtype' copies.
Even so, every bookstore's copies of 'Anime Newtype' were sold out within half an hour.
Some devoted fans of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' were already waiting at bookstore entrances before the stores even opened. As for viewers who failed to buy a copy, some even took trains to remote small towns specifically to purchase one.
The plot of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' had entered its climax.
Ever since the earthquake caused by Episode 17's story, the following plot had continued moving toward an even higher peak. All clues began to converge, and one shocking development after another was revealed to the audience.
Kaname Madoka and Akemi Homura, the two protagonists, entered a phase of loving and fighting each other. Yet because of the earlier foreshadowing, these astonishing developments also seemed expected.
The intricate and confusing plot left viewers holding their breath.
For those fans, the one-week wait became especially long. Because of that, they urgently wanted the latest news, even the slightest clue about the anime's ending.
'Anime Newtype's collaborative final episode preview was exactly such a clue.
Some viewers who had originally been uninterested in physical anime magazines also rushed to buy it.
The final episode preview Kamiyā Yuu provided to 'Anime Newtype' was nothing but an original drawing of Kaname Madoka transforming into Madokami.
It was completely different from Kaname Madoka's previous hesitation about becoming a magical girl.
All the viewers began guessing: Was this what Kaname Madoka looked like after becoming a magical girl? Why did she seem to be on an entirely different level from the other magical girls? What kind of development would this original drawing lead to?
Those viewers who had disliked Kaname Madoka's hesitant attitude in the anime began to grow interested in this nominal heroine.
Because before 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' reached its conclusion, Kaname Madoka had indeed been the worst-performing character.
In addition, the magazine also contained content introducing Kamiyā Yuu and Yosuganosora Animation Studio.
Although the attention it received could not compare to the introduction related to 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica', it still brought a slight rise in popularity to 'Magical Girl Nanoha' and 'RWBY'.