In the room, the employees had wheeled in a massive display screen, playing the footage from 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'.
Of course, it was only the first few episodes — time was tight, and the visual effects for the latter half were still being rushed. But based on the current schedule, everything would be ready before the broadcast.
Jing Yu watched the footage on screen with great anticipation.
To be honest, he hadn't felt this way even during the production of 'Fate/stay night'. That kind of fantasy-heavy story didn't carry the same visceral pull for him.
But 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'? That was a different story.
Stories about giant robots had a natural appeal for boys — the kind of thing that instantly lit a spark.
Jing Yu didn't believe that Masters and Servants could ever exist in the real world.
But giant robots?
Come on, what kid hadn't fantasized about that?
Truthfully, whether in his past life or here in Great Zhou, Jing Yu believed some countries probably could build such weapons. They just didn't — maybe because it wasn't practical.
But damn, they looked cool.
That alone made producing a show like this incredibly exciting for him.
For the more mundane, daily-life scenes, Jing Yu skipped ahead.
What he really wanted to see was Unit-01 fighting an Angel.
Inside the screening room, the rest of the team watched with growing enthusiasm.
"This is insane!"
"So this is how that scene turned out on screen?"
"Unit-01 looks so cool!"
"Holy crap, boss really is a genius. Giant robots — I didn't know they could look this epic!"
"Why has no one ever made a drama like this in Great Zhou before?! Giant robots are awesome!"
"It's not that no one wanted to. It's because the production cost is too high. Special Effect shows can't deliver the same impact as CG-heavy productions."
"True. Just the VFX budget for 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' alone was over 200 million yuan. The only reason we could afford this was that our boss is confident that his shows will get high ratings and generate enough return. Even the Big Three TV networks wouldn't dare greenlight something like this — not because they can't afford it, but because no one under them dares to take the risk. If it flops, their careers are over. That's why they stick to family dramas or cliché romances. The ratings might not be great, but at least they won't crash and burn."
"And that's why the Big Three are fading year by year. We know the truth, and so do they. But no one wants to change. Honestly, I've heard that even those networks still have some talented young screenwriters — but they never get a chance to shine."
"Because if you don't innovate, you don't risk failure. No risk, no downfall, right?"
The screening room buzzed with chatter.
The employees were clearly thrilled with the visuals — some even feeling proud to be part of the production.
Jing Yu, however, remained much calmer.
"What's wrong? Not satisfied?" Cheng Lie looked at him curiously.
"No, it's good. More than good," Jing Yu replied.
It was just…
Having seen so many visual spectacle films in his past life, it was hard for him to be wowed anymore.
Great Zhou's tech level still lagged.
But for TV standards here and now, this footage was undeniably top-tier.
Gradually, Jing Yu also became immersed in the scenes.
Unit-01 battling an Angel — its berserk state, its aggression.
Especially the scenes featuring Asuka, played by Yu Youqing, and Rei Ayanami, played by Xia Yining — he had used custom filters and props to enhance their screen presence.
The result? Strong anime vibes, yet clearly grounded in a live-action drama.
And it avoided the usual awkwardness often seen in manga adaptations.
Nothing in this world is perfect. But in Jing Yu's opinion, this show easily deserved a score of 90 out of 100.
"No issues here. Let the team handle the trailer edit. Make sure it goes out within the next few days. And let's kick off the full promo campaign," Jing Yu said as he handed out instructions.
An hour later, everyone left the screening room.
A new workday had begun at the company.
Soon, the operations team released an announcement.
It didn't take long for fans — especially those closely watching Jing Yu's social media — to pick up on the news:
"'Neon Genesis Evangelion' trailer drops tomorrow at 8 PM?!"
"Finally! I've been waiting for this one!"
"Promoting it a whole month in advance, huh?"
"Well, it's Jing Yu — not surprising at all."
"Ugh, I haven't even finished 'Fate/stay night' yet, and now his new drama is about to air?"
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"I heard there's a game for 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' in development, too. I'm just worried Jing Yu's pumping out too much. I won't have time to enjoy it all!"
"That's the most luxurious problem I've ever heard."
"Honestly, I barely have time to play games. Seeing you people finish 'Fate/stay night' in a week makes me so jealous. It's been a month, and I'm still stuck on Artoria's route."
"I just hope this show airs soon. This year's winter TV season is trash. If not for 'Fate/stay night's game storyline, I'd be so depressed."
"Same here. Winter dramas have been so disappointing. Thank god the 'Fate/stay night' game gave me something good to follow."
"Giant robot war drama? Say no more — this one's locked in as the spring season's most anticipated show."
"Do you even need to ask? Just look at the Big Six networks. The Big Three spent $110 million per drama this winter season. Next month's key dramas? Their average budget is only 72 million. That tells you everything. They're scared. They've given up. If they can't win the ratings race, why bother with expensive productions?"
"So… 8 PM tomorrow, huh?"
"Jing Yu-sensei reuniting with Yu Youqing and Xia Yining after years — say no more. I'm in for the nostalgia alone."
The teaser announcement from Jing Yu's company immediately sparked excitement among drama fans, all eagerly counting down to 'Neon Genesis Evangelion's preview.
But that wasn't the only bombshell dropped by Bluestar Media & Film at the start of December.
Soon after, they released another major announcement:
All three routes of 'Fate/stay night' would be adapted into live-action dramas.
What began as a frenzy among drama fans suddenly pulled in 'Fate/stay night' game players as well — especially those still mid-playthrough.
Now they couldn't sit still either.