A Crazy Company’s Crazy Broadcast - 2
The 3D studio experience continued seamlessly.
"One, two, three. One, two!"
Berry danced in the white studio.
It was the choreography from the showcase, <Stage Error>. Since it had originally been built for a team, seeing her do it alone looked awkward.
But she wasn’t alone.
A voice was coaching her from the side.
"Ah, not a turn there."
"Huh? Oh? Really?"
"It’s one-two, then a pause, and then the turn. Berry unni comes after Aki, so you have to leave half a beat."
"L-l-like this?"
Berry tried to turn, all at once clumsy and hesitant. The more aware she became of what she was doing wrong, the more tangled her arms and legs grew. In the end, her feet crossed and she toppled over.
Thud!
"Ow—?! Owww...."
"Are you okay, unni?"
"Y-yeah... grab my hand for me."
"Yep."
Berry held out a hand into empty air, and then, as if caught by something, she was suddenly pulled to her feet. Because Aki never appeared on screen, it looked like a bizarre performance.
Like she was levitating by psychokinesis.
The jokers in chat never missed an opening like that.
-Oh, this is cooler than the dance
-This is the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, whoa
-lol, you said you prepared for a year, so why are you flailing around like that lol
-She was pretty decent during the showcase, though lol
"!"
Berry read the chat and said awkwardly,
"N-no... I mean. I’ve been getting lessons hard again lately, so it’s coming back to me. I’m just awkward today because I’m dancing alone...."
-Berryberry....
-lol excuse
-Berryri is cute!
-But does Aki-chan know Berry’s part too?
Aki, who was standing nearby, answered.
She still didn’t appear on screen.
"Yes! Aki remembers all the members’ parts!"
-Her memory is insane lol
-lol honestly, even during the showcase Aki-chan was the only one who looked believable
-The hip bounce had a totally different level of precision on her alone
-wow
Berry puffed out her lips.
"...."
She sulked.
Today’s the main event, though.
Hmph.
"...Then I’ll keep going."
Berry moved her arms and legs this way and that. She checked the tracking equipment, then focused on the choreography again. Aki helped quietly from the side.
On the surface, it looked like an ordinary practice session.
But this was part of the 3D studio experience. It was a chance for Berry to freely use the space, trying out all sorts of things with the other members’ help.
The first was a participatory game with Doda.
"Kiiyaa—!! Breath!! Dodgeeeee—!! Into the corner!!"
-Where? Where—?!
The second was question-reading with Clara.
"Let’s see.... 'Does Clara unni wear glasses?' Hm, that’s definitely bait for an age joke. Clara’s eighteen, so I’m not really sure. Do you know, Berry?"
-Um... I don’t really know either.... Berry is sixteen.
The last was dance practice with Aki.
It was a sampler platter of everything you could do in a 3D studio. Berry was the only one on screen, so it didn’t have much impact by itself, but the situation itself was fascinating.
'Small-timers get to use their own studio...?'
They had a stage of their own.
It wasn’t decorated yet, but....
It was the kind of space that would become content the moment it was dressed up.
That was why the viewers were excited.
Once this place was properly set up, what kind of content could possibly be born here? It didn’t force spending, and it was a company building its own ecosystem....
-lol is this really the broadcast quality of bottom-tier nobodies?
-I mean, maybe if they were just doing an off-collab
-lol yeah
-Even this is about on par with a major company special broadcast, lol
-It’s nothing huge, but it’s fun lol
-You can tell this is all thanks to Bigman....
-BM
-BM
-This seriously feels like watching terrestrial TV
-It tastes like small-time, but the plating is so carefully done lol
-I kind of get why they’d want to go viral lol
-BM
...
...
...
Even taking the collab into account, that was a lot.
The broadcast was buzzing with the various fandoms of each member, plus the onlookers drawn in by Berry’s clumsy attempt at going viral. And they’d come to watch a madman buy a 3D studio in a single day.
Of course, there were also intrusions from other VTuber fandoms.
-Holy shit, this is crazy. Is this what Bigman’s money looks like?
-This is insanely stupid
-Our girls are still only doing VR collabs....
-That’s some ridiculous money-spending
-I’m jealous....
-Boring
Intense interest, a faint sense of envy.
And a trace of inferiority, just barely showing through....
"!"
The ABCD fandoms straightened a little, shoulders lifting in quiet pride. The content their favorite VTubers had always been preparing was only now starting to receive attention.
-It’s not too late, join now Go, go!
-Board Bigman’s ship!
-BM
-Welcome aboard lol
-Yeah, newcomers can get lost, thanks
-Is this really a small-timer room? lol
Amid the crossing currents of emotion, the studio’s functions still weren’t done being tested.
Berry was suddenly hopping around in a plain-field graphic where rain fell from nowhere. Her pink hair stood out vividly against the blue sky.
"Ahaha! It’s raining! Singin’ in the rain~!"
She hummed under her breath
and tapped her shoes against the floor.
The savvy production team switched on the graphics effects.
Then raindrops shimmered around Berry.
Seeing her own image on screen, Berry cheered.
"Oh! Whoa! Look at the water droplets! They’re so sparkly. What is this? Huh? Ah! The basic effect? Wow! Don’t you have more? Turn them all on!"
Berry spun around laughing, and this time a wave of lighting effects and wind swept in, the sort of thing you’d normally expect in a music video. She looked like a princess who had reached a magic castle.
The viewers applauded and loved it.
-lol why is this so fun when there’s basically nothing here?
-For some reason, it’s satisfying....
-Is this the power of capital?
-What is Berry doing lol
-Feels like we came to an amusement park lol
-Berryri is cute
-Money tastes so good, seriously
-So you really can buy innocence too....
Berry ran around inside the graphics.
She laughed and enjoyed herself to the fullest.
The money had already been paid by someone else.
No one had the right to put a price on this happiness.
The viewers and Berry simply enjoyed the world for what it was.
*
Before long, the broadcast time was drawing to a close. To wrap things up, each member brought up their own illustration.
Berry was the first to speak.
"How was it? How was it? Was I cute today?"
Normally the chat was full of jokers, but the viewers, softened by the innocent mood, answered warmly.
-Berryri is the best
-Cute
-Berryriiirii
-Brlrl cute
-Good work
"Hehe.... Thank you."
Berry said with a goofy grin,
"So! Today’s broadcast was a very brief look at some of the things we can show in the 3D studio! Waaa—! Actually, the other members wanted to do it too, but the adjustments still aren’t finished, so we’ll do that from next time on!"
-Nice work
-Good job
-Looking forward to it
-Berryri did great
Aki and Doda each followed with their own goodbyes.
"Thank you for watchin’ us today! Have a good night!"
"You know who deserves all the credit for this, right? If you do, let’s pray."
Just as it seemed like everything was coming to an end, one viewer asked a question in chat.
-So are you going to do 3D special broadcasts from now on?
"!"
To that final question, Clara was the one who answered.
"Yes. From now on, we’ll be gathering at the studio once a week to do special planned broadcasts. The members have prepared a variety of concepts and events, so please look forward to them."
-?
-Once a week?
-??
The viewers were stunned.
-Every week???
-Is that even possible??
-I think I heard that wrong;
-Events?
-Say that again
-??
Clara calmly brought up the prepared announcement on the closing screen. Neat lettering appeared over her illustration.
ABCD Weekly Big Plan Special Broadcast!
First! Free Merch Giveaway Quiz Show☆
"Starting this Friday, we’ll be doing a special weekly broadcast once a week, featuring a variety of plans from the members. First up will be the 'Free Merch Giveaway Quiz Show,' planned by me, Clara."
-Whoa, weekly broadcasts, whoa
-What did they even plan lol
-Really?
-Free giveaway??
-Free?
-Merch??
-Free??
-Look at these people loving free stuff, geez
-Holy shit lol
-This is insane
Free?
Merch?
This I can’t resist.
The viewers, now focused on the fact that it was a giveaway event.
Weekly planning.
Merch giveaways.
These were all words you rarely heard from a small-time broadcast. So they swallowed hard and started paying close attention.
Clara spoke in a solemn voice.
"As our first viewer-participation broadcast, we’ll be making active use of the platform’s voting function and lottery function. Based on the questions asked by each member, viewers who answer correctly will receive a small prize."
-lol what, keychains?
-Photo cards?
-Maybe acrylic stands....
-Can badges would be nice
Very modest guesses.
"...."
Without answering, Clara clicked.
A photo of the merch sample set to be given as a prize appeared on the screen. And the viewers lost the ability to speak the moment they saw it.
"?"
It was....
way too fancy.
-?
-What is that? A box?
-Is that a set?
-They’re giving all of that away???
A box stamped with the official ABCD mark.
Inside were T-shirts and towels folded to match each member’s theme color. Between them were can badges, photo cards, keychains, and a cheering baton.
It was a lineup that could stand toe-to-toe with the merch set of a mainstream idol group.
-What?
-No way....
-Seriously lol
-No way, lol, they’re just going to hand out individual pieces, right?
-Wow, Clara’s box color is pretty
-But why is everything packed inside one box?
-Maybe they just photographed them together
-There are ABCD boxes for each member too?
-Don’t expect too much from a small-time group
-Hehe, I want Berry’s box
Clara answered with quiet pride.
"Yes. The current official name is the 'All-Star Box' set. For each member’s theme, it includes a T-shirt, cheering towel, can badge, photo card, keychain, and cheering baton, and the box itself is not a separate product but part of the set."
-...?
-They’re really giving all of that away?
-That’s merch?
"Yes. In this quiz show, if you answer correctly for the member you support, we’ll be sending viewers one All-Star Box each! Please participate a lot!"
The prize was a set.
Everything in that box would be handed out.
They were asking people to get involved as hard as they could.
"?!"
The viewers went wild.
The content was packed tight,
and the prize lineup was absurdly luxurious.
-lol
-No, this is insane lol
-Why are these bastards so generous lol
-What kind of overflowing pile is that lol
-I thought they’d just send one or two small things lol
-They’re really giving all that away???
-Ah, unni, I’m dizzy....
-lololol
-Is this the power of the Big Plan corporation...?
-Shut up about worshipping it already!!
-Whoa, is this the power of capital?
-This is ridiculous lol
-lol
-Is this really a small-time event?
-lololol
...
...
...
*
CASE NO:He said this was decided as part of the Big Plan planning meeting and that 100 million won would be allocated to the plan.
VICTIM:The goods were to be produced in a total run of 2,000 units, he said.
"...."
I thought about it for a moment.
Then I called Attorney Kim.
"Yes, it’s me. Pardon? No.... I’m not opposing it. I have no intention at all of objecting to the decision made in the planning meeting."
In fact, I wanted to make it bigger.
"It sounds like a good plan, and if anything, I think it’s better to go big. I’ll send 1 billion won to the corporate account, so please put it into the budget right away."
If we were going to hand out 20,000 items,
we needed to spread the word everywhere, didn’t we?
"I’ll send the budget over immediately. Please go ahead without worrying about material costs or storage fees. Increase the initial production volume too. Let’s make it as flashy as possible."
And the Big Plan line got moving right away.