"I've got an idea," Sora Kamakawa said, making sure his confidence showed.
Yume Animation's future was still anything but clear, and he knew Sumire needed something solid to hold on to. And, truthfully, he wasn't bluffing. If he wanted to, he could dive into the system space and draw a new project right then and there. But he was restraining himself. In two weeks, Voices of a Distant Star's merchandise would hit the market, and he wanted to harvest that final, powerful surge of emotion before committing to his next move.
Sumire seemed to steady herself. She didn't ask what his idea was, didn't press for details. If she'd chosen to stay at Yume Animation, it was because she was willing to trust him without conditions.
Even so…
"Sora… you need to find a way to secure funding for the next project. Soon," she said carefully, as if she didn't want to place too much weight on his shoulders.
Funding?
Sora blinked, then understood immediately.
The industry structure was much like any other major market: production committees were the norm. Usually, a project was proposed and shaped within a committee, backed by market research and planning, and then multiple parties- sometimes one, sometimes five, sometimes ten- contributed money until the budget was complete. After that, the studio was hired to produce the work. In most cases, the studio was labor: it received the production fee, while rights and the larger profits remained with those who shouldered the risk.
Only in rare cases did a studio finance an original entirely on its own- becoming the sole investor and taking full responsibility. And that was exactly what Hiroshi Kamakawa had done… twice. Two gambles that sank him, consuming a lifetime of savings and leaving Sora with a bitter inheritance: debts in the millions.
That was why committee credits were always packed with names. No one wanted to go under alone if a costly production failed.
"From what we're seeing, the Blu-ray and merchandise for Voices of a Distant Star should sell very well," Sumire continued, choosing her words with care. "At least here in Shikoku and in the areas that receive the station's signal. That much is almost certain."
Her tone lowered, more serious.
"But it's still a short. We can only release a single Blu-ray volume and one book. And because of our studio's size, we can't build a massive merchandise line or commission large-scale R&D and design the way the major producers can. On top of that, since it's a short, the overseas licensing revenue won't be particularly high either."
She drew a quiet breath before finishing.
"So, overall, the total profit from Voices of a Distant Star probably won't exceed the company's debt plus the cost of producing a full seasonal series. If you want to start a new anime, you'll need to think about how to bring investors to Yume Animation."
The words hit Sora square in the gut. Even the spicy ramen in front of him suddenly felt flavorless.
He knew Voices of a Distant Star would perform well- maybe even exceptionally well for a short- but it had a ceiling. It had aired on a regional station; its reach was limited. Even with out-of-region orders boosted by Natsuyume's nationwide buzz, it was unreasonable to imagine a twenty-something-minute short turning into an unlimited money machine.
The investment had been modest, and the product itself was small. You couldn't transform that overnight into a merchandise empire on the scale of historic franchises. Simply having mecha on-screen didn't guarantee figures would fly off shelves; if it did, the market would be overflowing with mecha blockbusters. The kind of world-spanning merchandise ecosystem Sumire was talking about was rare for a reason.
If Voices of a Distant Star earned enough to wipe out the entire debt Hiroshi had left behind, that alone would be a near-absurd return. And even if there was profit left after that… it was hard to imagine the surplus being enough to fund a full cour series outright.
Which meant: to make the next project, Sora would need backers.
He stirred the crimson broth with his chopsticks, his mood sinking. He'd only been in this world for three months. He was eighteen. Who, exactly, was he supposed to ask for money?
Sumire read the tension in his face and spoke even more softly, offering an exit before panic could take root.
"What if… we go see some of Hiroshi's old contacts? People he worked with before. Maybe someone would be willing to invest in Yume Animation."
Sora understood at once.
Before losing himself to those disastrous gambles, his father had spent years as a hired professional- taking adaptation projects from manga, novels, games, doing the work, collecting his fee. Along that path, he'd inevitably met investors, producers, executives- the kind of people who showed up at the studio, demanded progress reports, and offered their unsolicited opinions.
Sumire was suggesting they knock on those doors again. And with Voices of a Distant Star's performance this season being so striking, maybe someone would see potential in Sora.
"Hah…" He leaned back and let out a long sigh. Starting over really was hard mode.
Even if he paid off every last yen of debt, that would only bring him back to zero. The truly brutal part would still be ahead: building capital, crossing the line between survival and actual upward momentum. In any world, moving up a tier came with countless hurdles.
"You know my father's old investors?" Sora asked, looking at her.
"I do." Sumire nodded. "Hiroshi… my mentor… took me to meet some of them several times. We had dinners, talked, and during older productions they'd come to the studio to monitor progress, give orders, and suggest ideas that were… questionable."
She paused, listing them without haste.
"And there are people you've met too. Executives from regional broadcasting stations, presidents of record labels, owners of merchandise and distribution companies…"
Sora nodded. It wasn't unusual for broadcasters to invest in anime. If a title succeeded, they benefited twice- ratings and advertising on one side, profits and licensing on the other.
"That makes sense," he said, with a tight little smile. "We should've been thinking about it already."
He straightened, as if putting his thoughts back in order.
"Let's wait two weeks. Once the Blu-ray and the novel release, we'll have real sales numbers. With data in hand, talking to investors will be a lot easier. After that… I'll formalize the next project as quickly as I can."
He almost said he'd "draw" it, but swallowed the word before it escaped.
"And, Sumire… when it comes to fundraising, I'm completely out of my depth. I'll need you to teach me a lot."
Sumire's lips curved slightly- a small smile that only showed itself if you were paying close attention.
"I'm not an expert either. But I've seen how Hiroshi negotiated for investment plenty of times. So… when the time comes, I'll go with you. I'll help."
Sora fell silent for a few seconds, watching her calm- how she said it like it was nothing, even though it was a great deal.
A warm, unexpected gratitude rose in his chest.
She was an employee. She had no obligation to involve herself in any of this.
"Thank you."
"No need." Sumire replied without drama. "If I don't help and the company collapses, I'll be unemployed. That would be a real headache for me."
She let out a faint sigh, as if what came next were too simple to even say- but she said it anyway.
"And… Hiroshi did a lot for me. As long as Yume Animation still has even a chance, I'll do what I can to protect what he left behind."
…
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
By late April, the mood in Japan's anime market shifted abruptly. It was the period when winter-season titles began releasing in bulk, all at once, competing for the same wallets.
During broadcast, they fought over ratings and rankings. Once the shows ended, the real battle began- merchandise, Blu-rays, licenses, collaborations. That was where budgets were recouped… or where money was buried.
And it was precisely then that Voices of a Distant Star's merchandise began to arrive.
By this point, the fans who'd watched it on television- and those from other regions who hadn't even seen it yet, but had become obsessed with its reputation and Natsuyume score- were growing restless, excited, anxious.
Winter had ended.
But for Voices of a Distant Star… the true debut was only just beginning.
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