While Theo gathered the employees of the studio's HQ to watch the anime debut together, Amano Rio, the Studio's Branch Manager of Sakura City, also gathered the employees who participated in the Sword Art Online Anime Production.
This included normal employees, sound technicians, and, of course, the voice actors.
Among the dozen or so voice actors who participated in this project was a rookie named Ozawa Nana.
Thursday Night, 7:13 PM, April 1st.
Less than 3 hours before the anime debut.
The chipped paint on the apartment wall reflected the flickering gaslight, casting long shadows that danced with the dust motes swirling in the air. Nana Ozawa, a slight girl of sixteen with determined eyes, sat perched on the edge of a rickety chair, clutching a worn copy of the anime's script. Inside her, a tempest raged; a mixture of excitement and crippling anxiety threatened to overwhelm her. This premiere, this chance to see her voice brought to life on the big screen, felt both impossibly huge and intimately personal. She had poured her soul into this audition, this role.
"Come on, mom, dad!" Nana called as she anxiously looked at the clock, "We'll be late!"
It was no surprise to say that Nana was suffering from a multitude of emotions at that moment.
But if we could somehow describe a few of these emotions, it would be like this: She was feeling pleased to finally be able to realize her dream to watch her voice give life to an animated character, but she was also feeling insecure about her performance, she also wondered if people would find her voice weird, she was also feeling anxious to watch the work she had placed for various months, and she was feeling so proud to finally show her parents that she could take care of them with her job as a voice actress.
These were some of the few emotions we can describe that Nana was feeling, but she was feeling even more because in just a few hours, her career as a voice actress would finally debut on national television.
Even though she just worked as a voice actress to dub extra characters, Nana was extremely excited about everything.
Plus, Nana had already received the payment for the episodes she had already recorded, so she was finally able to sustain herself with her dream job. Although it wasn't the astronomical salary she would receive when she would start dubbing Naruto, the amount she received for each episode was almost the same as her parents received working at the factory.
When Nana showed her parents her earnings, they couldn't be prouder of their little girl.
Her parents, Ken and Akiko Ozawa, bustled around, their movements a whirlwind of activity in the cramped space. Akiko, her face etched with the weariness of years spent on the factory floor, carefully pinned a faded corsage onto her dress. Internally, she felt a profound swell of pride, a fierce protectiveness mingling with a bittersweet understanding of the sacrifices they had made for Nana's dream. This evening was the culmination of years of shared struggle and hope. Ken, his hands calloused and stained, checked his worn leather shoes, a nervous tremor running through his usually stoic demeanor. His mind raced, a silent prayer for his daughter's success resonating within him. Secretly, he carried a small, intricately carved wooden rabbit – a lucky charm – in his pocket. "Nana, are you ready?" Akiko called, her voice a little strained. "Yes, Mom" Nana replied, her voice calm despite the turmoil within. Ken, checking his watch for the tenth time, added, "We should leave now, or we'll miss the start. The train is crowded at this time." "Just a moment, Dad" Nana responded, carefully placing the script on a small table overflowing with family photos and a half-empty bowl of ramen. A subtle shimmer emanated from the script's pages – an otherworldly glow invisible to her parents. As they were leaving, a sudden, sharp crack echoed through the apartment. A small fissure appeared in the wall, widening at an alarming rate. From the fissure, a swirling vortex of iridescent energy erupted, briefly illuminating the cramped space in an ethereal light. Nana, caught in its radiant glow, felt a strange tingling sensation as if millions of tiny sparks were dancing across her skin. "What was that?" Ken exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise. Akiko gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. The vortex pulsed one last time before shrinking back into the wall, leaving behind only a faint, sweet scent of ozone and a sense of something profoundly…shifted. The crack vanished, as if it had never existed. The reality around them, however, felt undeniably altered. A subtle shimmer remained in the air, a silent testament to the unseen energies that had briefly intersected their lives. "Let's go," Ken said, his voice laced with a newfound, inexplicable sense of calm. He slipped his hand into his daughter's, the wooden rabbit strangely warm against his palm. Akiko, though still a little shaken, nodded and fell into step beside them. The three Ozawas left their small apartment, stepping out into the night, heading toward an uncertain but hopeful future. The two parents observed their daughter with a proud look that only a mom and a dad could give. "She had grown up," Akiko whispered, her voice barely audible above the rumble of the city. "She had," Ken replied, with a tone of voice that only a girl's dad could give. Nana, meanwhile, felt a new confidence surge through her. The strange event had left her with a sense of altered perception, a feeling as if the very fabric of reality had been subtly rearranged to align with her destiny. The script in her bag felt warmer, heavier, somehow infused with the energy of the vortex. Tonight, she wouldn't just be attending a premiere. Tonight, she would start her journey as a voice actress!
30 minutes later, the family of three arrived at the theater that Rio rented for them to watch the anime debut together.
The place was already filled with a crowd of people waiting for the anime.
Everyone involved with SAO Anime Production was present.
There was still one hour until the anime debut, and there was food and drinks for everyone to enjoy before the waited time.
Nana arrived with her parents and immediately started talking happily with the other voice actors.
Mr. and Mrs. Ozawa looked at their daughter happily talking with her coworkers and became even prouder if it was possible.
Just like that, everyone had their fun eating and drinking until the anime debut time finally neared.
The dimmed theater hummed with a low thrum of anticipation. Rows of seats, mostly occupied by voice actors, sound technicians, and a scattering of studio executives, filled the space. A hush fell as the lights completely extinguished, replaced only by the glow of the massive screen. Mr. and Mrs. Ozawa, Nana's parents, settled into their seats, their hands clasped tightly. Mr. Ozawa adjusted his glasses, a nervous tic he hadn't realized he possessed until this moment. His wife squeezed his hand reassuringly, her own heart thrumming with a mixture of pride and apprehension. Unbeknownst to them, a small, iridescent butterfly, seemingly born from the screen's light, fluttered around their heads, a silent witness to their emotional journey. The opening sequence of *Sword Art Online* blazed across the screen. The familiar title card appeared. Then, a subtle, almost imperceptible shimmer occurred around Nana's parents; a faint, golden aura enveloped them for a fraction of a second. This phenomenon, unnoticed by anyone else, was a ripple effect of the intense emotional energy surrounding the debut. The scene shifted, and a minor character, appeared. Nana's voice, clear and resonant, filled the theater. A single tear traced a path down Nana's cheek; she wasn't just hearing her voice; she was witnessing the birth of a character she had breathed life into. Across the room, Mr. and Mrs. Ozawa exchanged a look. A wide, beaming smile spread across Mrs. Ozawa's face, quickly followed by Mr. Ozawa's, his eyes welling up with unshed tears. He whispered, "That's our Nana!" "Incredible vocal performance," murmured Kenji, the lead sound engineer, to his colleague, Aiko. Aiko nodded, her eyes glued to the screen. Their conversation was punctuated by the unfolding narrative on screen: a fierce battle between Kirito and a grotesque, spider-like creature, whose segmented limbs shimmered with an unnatural, amethyst glow. The creature, a creation beyond conventional fantasy, possessed an uncanny ability to warp reality around it, creating miniature black holes that briefly distorted the scenery. "This battle sequence is breathtaking!" exclaimed Hana, a veteran voice actress. "The sound design is phenomenal," added another voice actor, Hiroki. The episode reached its climax. The battle concluded, and the tension released. A wave of applause and murmured appreciation filled the theater as the credits rolled. The iridescent butterfly, having completed its silent observation, vanished, leaving behind a lingering sensation of magic. "It was even better than I imagined!" Aiko declared. Kenji responded, "The blend of action, emotion, and the cutting-edge CGI… truly a masterpiece." Mr. and Mrs. Ozawa, still holding hands, beamed at each other, their hearts overflowing with joy. Tears streamed down Nana's face, a mixture of relief, pride, and overwhelming happiness. The experience transcended the simple screening of an anime; it was a shared moment of creation and magic, a testament to the collaborative power of artistry and technology. For a brief moment, the line between reality and the fantastical world on the screen blurred, a testament to the power of storytelling.