System

Even though that period of dark history has passed, Kenji still occasionally airs "The Tale of a Model Student," reopening old wounds and revisiting painful memories.

This animation could be considered the bane of his existence. Despite facing widespread criticism on the internet, most people would likely bury such an experience in their past. But Kenji was different. He was resilient, shamelessly continuing his career at the TV station before eventually resigning and founding his own animation studio called "Ascent."

Starting anew, Kenji meticulously analyzed the failures of his past animation, studied successful works, and familiarized himself with every aspect of animation production and audience preferences before seeking investment.

With Kenji's hard work and Yukio's assistance, two new animations were finally brought to life.

One was a children's cartoon titled "Pig Hero," featuring a martial arts-savvy pig fighting against villains. The storyline wasn't much better, with a rating of just 3.5 on the animation website.

The other animation, "The Tale of Yangcun," was Yukio's brainchild, featuring classic characters like Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf. Despite receiving good ratings and popularity among children, it still faced criticism from parents.

Yukio couldn't help but feel uneasy whenever his sister, Mayu, looked at him with resentful eyes.

After all, there were reasons behind these failures, especially in "The Tale of a Model Student," where Yukio had designed the protagonist himself. He even boasted about how domestic animations could lead the way, but perhaps that was the reason behind its failure.

Yukio couldn't believe how poorly the animation turned out. If only the production quality had matched the plot, maybe "The Tale of a Model Student" could have been a hit like "The Bright Moon in the Qin Dynasty."

Indeed, the character he designed for the protagonist was still quite endearing.

As for why "Pig Hero" and "The Tale of Yangcun" faced criticism, Yukio found it hard to understand. While these animations had their own plot designs, Yukio believed that their failure was mainly due to insufficient funding. With enough resources, "The Tale of Yangcun" could have surpassed "One Piece."

Yukio had seen the finished products. Like other domestic animations, they often felt underfunded. Even children's cartoons like Pleasant Goat seemed rougher compared to his previous life. "Pig Hero" was even worse, but that seemed to be the average standard for domestic animation in this world.

Why were they all like this?

Yukio still remembered a popular children's animation from his previous life, where even the mouth movements were depicted with just three pictures.

"Dad, let me write the script for the next animation. I won't let you down this time, I promise!" Yukio couldn't bear to watch "The Tale of a Model Student" any longer. He stood up and declared his intentions.

There was a sudden thud as Yukio slammed his hand on the table, causing Mayu beside him to tremble in surprise.

Indeed, Yukio was responsible for the previous failures. Merely providing suggestions and general direction wasn't enough. He needed to take charge of the entire project and write the script himself. If he supervised it directly, even with limited funds, it might still succeed.

Mayu seemed lost in thought after hearing Yukio's words. Her mouth twitched, and she turned away.

Kenji glanced at Yukio with a complicated expression, trembling as he reached for his cigarettes before retracting his hand.

"Forget it. Your main focus now should be on studying."

"Give me another chance. I'll prove myself this time. I won't fail a fourth time. I'm serious!" Yukio pleaded.

"Brother, please spare dad," Mayu's eyes welled up with tears. Recalling Yukio's earlier enthusiasm and advice to their father sent a chill down her spine.

"Your dad has had enough setbacks because of you. Let him succeed for once," Mayu said, her voice trembling.

Yukio: "???"

Did she just imply that it's his fault his father's animation became popular?

"By the way, Yukio, how have your recent test scores been? If you don't meet my expectations, your allowance will be deducted," Yukio's mother interjected, her smile gentle but her words chilling.

"Yes, brother, I heard you didn't do well on your last exam. Let me help you catch up on your studies," Mayu's eyes lit up, but there was a hint of coquettishness in her tone as she spoke, "I know how difficult it is to rank in the top 300 in your grade. Mayu doesn't want to see her brother without an allowance."

She's pretending again. Where did this girl learn to act so coy? Can't she speak properly? Why doesn't she use her name when she speaks? Isn't saying 'I' good enough?

"No, I said no. It's just one exam. Besides, Mayu, you're a freshman in high school trying to tutor me, a sophomore. Go back and get some rest before you try to teach me," Yukio retorted coldly.

"I'm so careless. You all think I can't do it anymore. I won't hide my abilities this time. I'll show them all. I'm a genius. Dad, trust me once more!" Yukio declared.

Upon hearing Yukio's words, Kenji reached for his cigarettes again with trembling hands.

"No need. Your primary focus now should be on studying and getting into a good university. Besides, my new animation is almost finished and will be airing in about two months."

"What new animation? Why wasn't I informed?" Yukio couldn't believe it. Did his father's animation company now have to hide projects from him?

This was a lack of faith in his abilities. Didn't his dad realize that without Yukio's characters from "The Tale of Yangcun" to turn things around, his struggling animation company would have gone under? And where did he get the funding? With a dark history like "The Tale of a Model Student," it would be hard to find investors.

"Dad, where did you get the funding? Didn't Grandpa say he wouldn't invest another penny? And what about 'The Tale of Yangcun'? I won't continue writing new chapters for it," Yukio asked, perplexed.

"Don't worry about those things. It's not your concern. Just focus on your studies now. The college entrance exams are approaching. Study hard," Kenji seemed unwilling to discuss work matters with his son, perhaps fearing being deceived.

"Well—"

Yukio sighed and slapped his thigh. "What a waste of investment. If only you provided enough funding, creating a masterpiece would be no problem. Although Japanese animation is popular now, I've noticed that after so many years, the decline in passionate comics has

[Ding! Achievement Obtained: Japanese Comic Slayer. ]

[Ding! Reward: Reputation system activated, and access granted to new features. ]

[Ding! Leveraging your exceptional talent, you have effectively halted the rise of Japanese comics. Perhaps you're a genius after all. ]

[Achievement reward: 10 Reputation point, an outstanding accomplishment. ] 

[Your consecutive strikes against animation production have caused Kenji to relinquish his hopes for you. However, with fresh investment, Kenji seems to have stumbled upon a promising concept. Perhaps his new animation holds potential for success. As a national comic slayer, you shouldn't be overlooked. ]

Yukio was left speechless upon hearing the system's voice in his head. He had been aware of the system's existence for some time, but what in the world was this achievement?