Ueguchi gumi had worked as a voice actress for over ten years.
While she had never landed a leading role in a major production nor achieved mainstream fa like Kana Hanazawa or Sumire Uesaka, the fact that she had managed to survive in the fiercely competitive and brutal voice acting industry without starving already spoke volus about her abilities.
It's true that Japanese voice actors are beloved by the public, but the reality is far from glamorous.
As a freelance, low-paying profession, beneath the shiny surface lies the struggle of barely getting by.
Voice acting doesn't pay well. According to the actor's association's tiered pay structure, in the first three years, a voice actor earns no more than 15,000 yen per episode.
And that's not even considering the agency's cut.
If a TV ani has a standard 12-episode season, even voicing the entire series would only earn about 180,000 yen.
In Japan—especially in Tokyo—that's not enough to live on.
Ueguchi had seen far too many aspiring drears enter this industry, only to leave because they simply couldn't afford to stay.
She had been one of the lucky ones. After graduating smoothly from the Katsuta Voice Actor Academy, she joined Arts Vision, an agency under the Matsuda Group umbrella.
Thanks to a voice that might not have stood out for main roles but fit supporting roles perfectly, she made many appearances in popular shows and wasn't eliminated from the cutthroat world of voice acting.
And step by step, she got to where she is today.
Having experienced the hardships of the journey and knowing all the unspoken rules of the industry, when she got the director's call late at night saying her role was being replaced, she was stunned—like a total rookie.
"Director Dōmoto, why?" It took Ueguchi a good seven or eight seconds to react. Her voice was urgent.
"Did I do sothing wrong?"
"Haven't we always worked well together? Why are you replacing all of a sudden?"
Could it be because she had rejected his dinner invitation?
Was that pervert holding a grudge and using this as an excuse to ss with her?
Ueguchi knew all too well how the industry worked.
There were always directors who liked to abuse their power to make inappropriate demands of voice actresses.
She'd experienced it herself.
Because she had a pretty face—which was rare in the voice acting world—she was often harassed by lecherous directors.
"Miss Ueguchi, it's precisely because we've worked well together that I'm calling you myself." Director Dōmoto's voice was heavy.
"Did you offend soone?"
Offend soone?
Ueguchi began to recall potential enemies.
Due to fierce competition, she had certainly done her share of things that might have made others resent her.
For example, using her shady relationships with certain producers and directors to snatch roles, isolating others at her agency, collaborating with the dia to sar competitors… all sorts of things.
She had offended so many people that she didn't even think of Aoyama Nanami at first.
After all, that girl was too insignificant.
As insignificant as a grain of sand in a desert—totally unremarkable.
"Director Dōmoto, can you give a hint?" Ueguchi tried probing for a clue.
"Well, this is kind of tricky," Director Dōmoto started posturing, his voice suddenly sounding evasive.
"It's a bit complicated. How about this—you co over to my place and we'll talk face-to-face."
Upon hearing that, Ueguchi imdiately knew what he was really thinking and politely declined, "If it's complicated, then please don't trouble yourself. I'll try to look into it myself."
She hung up before he could say anything else.
"Bullshit!"
"Fat pig!"
"Bald bastard!"
...
After hanging up, Ueguchi began ranting loudly in her room.
She wasn't a virgin. She had sold herself before for her career, stepping into a director's or producer's room.
But even so, not just any man could touch her.
She'd give herself to the rich—but not to the poor.
Especially not so middle-aged fat slob in his 50s or 60s, still paying off house and car loans, with nothing to show for his life.
Beep beep beep—!
As Ueguchi cursed in frustration, her phone buzzed nonstop with incoming texts.
She heard them, but didn't want to look.
After venting, she finally opened the ssages.
The more she read, the paler her face beca, her expression filled with fear.
[Miss Ueguchi, after discussions with the director, we regret to inform you that you were not selected. We look forward to working with you in the future.] Read complete version only at Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
[Ueguchi, I'm sorry. The role originally assigned to you has been reassigned.]
[gumi, did you offend soone? The client suddenly called and canceled any project involving you.]
...
Each ssage was different—so were formal notices clearly distancing themselves from her, others were private warnings or questions.
But they all carried the sa ominous ssage: she had offended soone powerful and was likely about to be blacklisted.
Ueguchi couldn't understand. Who could she have offended so badly that she was being instantly blackballed across the board?
She was part of Arts Vision, a top agency under the Matsuda Group.
The Matsuda Group might sound like a yakuza gang, but it was actually an industry titan founded by mogul Matsuda Sakumi, wielding enormous resources in the voice acting world.
It was the hidden overlord of the industry.
Her agency, Arts Vision, stood shoulder to shoulder with Aoni Production, both known as top-tier agencies for voice actors working on Gundam.
From Zeta Gundam's Kamille Bidan (Toru Furuya) to Kira Yamato (Soichiro Hoshi) and Shin Asuka (Kenichi Suzumura)—they all ca from Arts Vision.
In the gaming world, too, Arts Vision played a pioneering role in the rise of idol voice actresses, producing legends like gumi Hayashibara and Kotono Mitsuishi.
Any production team, director, or producer would have to think twice before firing soone from Matsuda's empire.
The fact they dared to do it anyway ant she had offended soone incredibly powerful.
So powerful that even the Matsuda Group couldn't protect her.
Piecing it all together, Ueguchi was certain—it couldn't be soone she had crossed in the past.
If they were that powerful, they wouldn't have waited this long.
It must have been soone she offended recently—maybe even just today—who triggered this imdiate retaliation.
Ueguchi was smart. She wouldn't have survived this long otherwise.
'That little girl from Kansai!'
She quickly dismissed her earlier guesses and pinpointed the real source of the trouble.
She had just hit that girl today—and now, by nightfall, she was being blacklisted.
There was no way that was a coincidence.
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