The next day, all major entertainment media and newspapers reported on this special IMAX screening event.
Almost all the media—regardless of their prior attitudes toward Shinji—described the groundbreaking screening technology with terms like "miracle" and "wonder."
Even magazines that were critical of Shinji couldn't help but use words like "amazing" and "breathtaking" to praise the glasses-free 3D technology.
Entertainment media understood that technological advancements would help drive the film industry forward.
This had nothing to do with any particular director's style but was beneficial for the industry as a whole.
Even if this technology was difficult to make mainstream, it was at least a step toward future advancements.
However, Shinji never intended to keep his technological achievements to himself; he invented these technologies to promote and share them.
Alongside the media coverage, Type-Moon also began its own promotional campaign. In mid-to-late October, clips from Super 8 began screening for free at IMAX theaters worldwide.
In more remote areas without IMAX screens, Type-Moon used standard glasses-free 3D screens as a substitute.
As the world's first glasses-free 3D blockbuster, the marketing for Super 8 was different from the traditional trailers and promotional activities.
Although Shinji and Type-Moon had already popularized 3D and IMAX technology, many moviegoers still knew little about it.
The large potential audience for 3D films wasn't familiar with the concept, and some might have been interested but were put off by the high ticket prices of traditional 3D movies.
By offering free screenings, more people were encouraged to experience glasses-free 3D technology, which was crucial to promoting Super 8.
Fortunately, in most countries, including Japan and the West, there was a 20-30 minute window before movie screenings reserved for previews and trailers.
This made promoting Super 8 easier than Shinji had initially imagined—he just needed to buy trailer time at the theaters.
So, over the next few weeks, more countries and regions began offering free screenings of Super 8's promotional footage.
On one particularly busy day, nearly 1,000 screens worldwide, including IMAX, showed the 3D trailer, allowing audiences to experience the 3D effects without needing special glasses.
Everyone who saw the footage could only describe their reactions as "overwhelmed."
Some viewers even bought tickets for movies they didn't like just to watch the Super 8 trailer again.
To help viewers better understand the glasses-free 3D technology, in addition to the three stunning action scenes, the trailer also included a short interview with Shinji, introducing the audience to the world of 3D.
"The advantage of Super 8's 3D technology goes beyond just eliminating the need for glasses; its three-dimensional effects far surpass anything seen in 3D films over the past few decades. It's truly a new frontier for 3D technology."
"From a technical standpoint, Super 8 represents the culmination of my ten years of exploring special effects in film."
"Ten years of honing a craft"—this had been Shinji's promotional slogan from the start.
After all, the primary goal of marketing is to catch people's attention; the truthfulness of the promotional content is secondary.
Movie marketing is rife with fabricated on-screen couples and drama, so exaggerations are hardly new.
Unfortunately, Shinji was still young, and Super 8 was an Ultraman series movie, which had little connection to him before his company acquired Tsuburaya Productions.
Otherwise, he could have followed James Cameron's example with Avatar and promoted the movie with the slogan, "Twenty years of hard work, all for this one film."
However, the buzz generated by Super 8 mostly affected casual viewers and the media. For Shinji's core fans, the release of Super 8 next year was far less important than the November release of the second volume of Heaven's Feel (HF).
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
Same time, same place, same lounge.
Shibamatsu was sitting in the same spot as last month, waiting to watch the second volume of Heaven's Feel with his friends.
He was incredibly relieved that he had lined up to buy the DVD last month, which meant he didn't have to endure the cold to buy a copy today.
"How lucky! The next few months are going to be freezing. In this weather, even a dog wouldn't go outside, let alone camp out overnight for a DVD."
Seeing the condition of the guy who had just returned from buying the DVD, Shibamatsu felt even more convinced that his decision was the right one.
"Phew... So cold!"
The guy who came in rubbed his red nose and complained loudly.
"Aren't you a magi? Can't you use magecraft to warm yourself up?" someone teased.
The guy with the red nose glared and replied, "No matter how much I warm myself, it won't beat the cold wind! I can't just cast a spell on my face, can I?"
After saying that, he handed the bag he was holding to Alice.
"Here you go, Kuonji-san. I'm going to take a bath to warm up. Don't you dare watch anything before I'm out!"
After giving that warning, the guy calmly stepped over something tied up in the corner and headed toward the bathroom.
"Mmph mmph!"
The thing in the corner wriggled and made muffled cries for help, but everyone in the room ignored it, preoccupied with their own tasks.
Shibamatsu, feeling a twinge of conscience, glanced at the red-haired woman whose mouth was taped shut and discreetly gestured to Alice, asking if they should remove the tape.
Alice gave Shibamatsu a cold stare and asked, "Shibamatsu, do you want someone to spoil the plot while you're watching?"
"Of course not," Shibamatsu immediately replied.
Alice smirked slightly. "Then it's better she stays quiet."
"Mmph mmph!"
Aoko furiously shook her red hair, seemingly protesting at Alice.
Unfortunately for her, Alice ignored her entirely and carefully unwrapped the second volume of Heaven's Feel (HF), placing the disc into the DVD player.
Of course, she wasn't going to play it before the red-nosed guy came out of the bathroom, but she could still set everything up, ready to press play once he was out.
Throughout the process, Aoko continued to squirm, trying to get Alice's attention, but Alice remained unmoved, not even sparing her a glance.
Just like last month with the first episode, Aoko's grandfather, Tohko Aozaki, had received the second volume of Heaven's Feel early.
Learning from last time, Aoko skillfully pried the details of the episode from her grandfather and had already watched it with him.
This made her the only one in the room who had already seen it, watching it for the second time.
Naturally, the reason someone who had already seen the episode was here to join those who hadn't yet seen it needed no explanation. Everyone knew that Aoko was here to spoil it for them.
Alice, who knew Aoko all too well, was well aware of her plan.
So, when Aoko proudly announced that she had already seen the episode, Alice, without a word, sneak-attacked her with a "magical knock-out blow," rendering Aoko unconscious.
Then she tied her up with rope and sealed her mouth with tape.
Even so, Alice felt this wasn't secure enough. She personally enchanted the rope and tape with magecraft to ensure Aoko couldn't escape.
"You'll have to wait until the episode finishes," Alice said, giving Aoko a cold glance. "You could choose to go sleep in the other room, of course, in your current state."
"Mmph mmph!"
Who the heck can sleep tied up like this?! Aoko grumbled through her gag, but she stopped struggling.
As frustrating as it was to be tied up and unable to do anything, at least staying here for her second viewing of the episode was less boring.
"He's taking forever..."
Shibamatsu yawned and glanced at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time.
When you're waiting for someone with nothing to do, time seems to crawl.
In reality, the red-nosed guy hadn't taken long—maybe ten minutes—but to everyone, it felt like an hour had passed.
"Finally! Took you long enough!" Shibamatsu teased the guy, whose nose was no longer red.
The red-nosed guy shrugged helplessly, "I was as fast as I could be."
"Quiet." Alice, sitting in the front row, cut them off. "I'm starting the disc."
The club members fell silent, waiting for Alice to start the episode.
Unlike the first time when they watched the first volume, the young magus, who had been startled once before, chose to leave the lights on this time.
So, even though it was already past midnight, the club room was brightly lit.
"It's starting."
Alice pressed the remote and informed the others.
The Type-Moon logo flashed on the screen, and the second volume of Heaven's Feel officially began.
As thick fog filled the TV screen, Shibamatsu, thinking it would pick up from the last episode's horror elements of Cursed Arm's attack on Ryuudou Temple, instinctively gripped the couch cushion.
However, if the audience could predict what would happen, it wouldn't be Shinji Matou's style.
When the fog cleared, what everyone saw was a classroom full of desks and chairs, with an utterly confused Shirou Emiya standing in the middle.
"Where is this...?"
Just as Shirou was looking around, a soft, feminine sigh came from in front of him.
"Ahhh~"
A woman, wearing a thin school uniform, drenched in sweat, her eyes filled with allure, was sitting on the teacher's desk, panting as she stared at Shirou.
Seeing this unfamiliar woman, Shirou was stunned. He swayed, looking utterly confused, yet uncontrollably walked toward her.
"Come here~"
Her half-lidded eyes, her faint breathing, and the overly pink background lighting gave away the scene's tone.
The magus weren't ten-year-olds; they quickly grasped the situation.
Is this really the kind of mature content I should be watching late at night?!
Shibamatsu's fists instantly clenched—not for any inappropriate reason, but in surprise.
Wait... isn't this exactly the kind of thing that's supposed to air late at night...?
Realizing this, Shibamatsu unclenched his fists and nodded, satisfied.
<+>
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