The industry had high expectations for Jing Yu's new work from the very beginning.
After all, whenever he releases something new, everyone already knows it's almost certainly going to be the most popular show of the season.
So viewers naturally scrutinize his shows—plot, quality, music, everything—through a very critical lens.
Even so, fans couldn't find any major flaws in the trailer for 'Gundam SEED'.
Of course, no show is truly flawless. There will always be viewers who dislike a certain actor, disagree with the protagonist's decisions, or think some plotlines are dumb.
But as long as a work satisfies the majority of its audience, that's enough.
And the 'Gundam SEED' trailer did just that.
The space battles, the attractive cast, the vast worldbuilding—everything was on point.
Compared to the desperate struggle inside the walled cities of 'Attack on Titan', the 'Gundam' series tackles humanity's fate, galactic warfare, and far grander themes.
Once the trailer aired, views quickly passed the 10 million mark, and 80–90% of Jing Yu's fans were absolutely hyped.
"I thought it'd be like 'Evangelion'—just monster-fighting. But it's actually a full-on human war epic!"
"The man's a genius. He keeps pushing the robot/monster genre and somehow makes it even better. I'll never get tired of this."
"Only regret? He's not acting in it himself. Feels weird when he's not in his own shows."
"His business partner said in an interview: he's over 30 now, still playing high schoolers is a bit much—he wanted to give others a chance."
"But he didn't feel out of place in 'Your Name'!"
"Maybe he just got tired of it. Being an adult constantly playing kids—it might've worn him down."
"Still, no one does it like him. He's better-looking and a better actor than anyone he casts."
"True, but ever since he stepped back from acting, he's been way more productive as a creator. I'm fine with it."
"We probably won't see him again until next year's 'Spirited Away'."
"And don't forget all those games his company's releasing—most are adaptations of his earlier works. The characters even use his face model, like Kenshin. That's gonna be so fun to play!"
"Four consecutive big robot/monster shows? He's clearly addicted to this genre. Honestly, though, I prefer his bittersweet romance dramas."
"C'mon. One 'Ultraman' project generated more revenue than all the dramas he filmed for Yunteng TV in two years. He's a genius writer, sure—but he's also CEO of a company with over a thousand employees. Gotta think about ROI."
"If he is doing a romance series again, it'll only be for the love of the art. The real money's in action and battle series. Even if ratings aren't sky-high, the merch sales are wild."
"Sigh… only one week left of 'Ultraman Tiga'. I already feel empty. Hope 'Gundam SEED' can match up."
"That day… the Old Thief became light!"
"Don't say it, as he died! Long life to him—we don't want a drama drought!"
The 'Gundam SEED' trailer really did stir up the industry—for a few days, at least. But with the actual broadcast still 20 days away, fans turned their attention back to this season's two mega-hits: 'Attack on Titan' and 'Ultraman Tiga'.
Of course, 'Ultraman Tiga' was actually ending.
The story had reached the climax—ancient monster Zoigar had appeared, and Tiga was in his darkest moment.
The final episode would depict children from all over the world turning into light and fighting alongside Tiga in a climactic battle.
But before that, 'Attack on Titan' aired its season finale first on Saturday.
Episode 13 of Season 1 was one long fight.
After Annie's identity was revealed, she battled Eren in his Attack Titan form while being pursued by Levi and the fiercely protective Mikasa. Her defeat was almost inevitable.
The action-packed episode thrilled viewers.
Still, many were disappointed she didn't die. Instead, she encased herself in crystal, escaping final judgment.
And just like that, 'Attack on Titan's first season came to a temporary close. The story wasn't finished—it would resume in the winter slot, two or three weeks later. The pause was to align with Yunteng TV's schedule.
But the next day, during the final broadcast of 'Ultraman Tiga', things got even crazier than the 'Attack on Titan' finale.
Across Great Zhou, kids who loved 'Ultraman Tiga' refused to do homework or go to cram school that evening. They clung to the TV, watching their hero be resurrected, and in a surge of light from children across the world, defeat the final monster.
While 'Attack on Titan' roared with raw energy, 'Ultraman Tiga' touched quietly, like rain soaking the earth.
Jing Yu understood—when 'Attack on Titan' ended, its fans would likely move on after a few years. But 'Ultraman Tiga'? Its fans would remember it for 10, 20 years—and keep buying.
That's why 'Attack on Titan' wasn't as commercially valuable.
Even so, 'Ultraman Tiga' couldn't match its rival's ratings. It barely cleared 12%, while 'Attack on Titan' had reached over 14%. The gap was obvious.
But when 'Ultraman Tiga' ended that night, both Jing Yu and Yunteng TV breathed a massive sigh of relief.
This was their best season yet.
Two shows breaking 10% average viewership—and 'Attack on Titan' potentially becoming the most-watched drama in Great Zhou history.
Yunteng TV wasn't about to let the hype die. Right after 'Ultraman Tiga' ended, they ran three days of variety specials on the show.
Basically, they aired behind-the-scenes clips from Jing Yu's studio and invited the actor who played Tiga—now insanely popular among kids and a rising idol for girls—for casual interviews. These low-effort programs still hit 9%+ in ratings for three straight days, infuriating the other six major stations.
Their top dramas barely hit 7.99%.
Soon after came Yunteng TV's end-of-year celebration.
It wasn't Lunar New Year, but it was the end of the calendar year in Great Zhou's system.
The party was grand. Jing Yu was the guest of honor. Tons of media were invited, and of course, it was a perfect chance to promote next season's 'Gundam SEED'.
Jing Yu cooperated fully.
And just like that, it was late December.
Snow fell in the capital, and Jing Yu hit traffic on his way to work.
"What crappy weather," he muttered.
He looked at the falling snow and sighed.
"Another year gone…"
This winter marked Jing Yu's ninth full year in this world.
Back in his previous life, eight or nine years felt like an eternity. But here in Great Zhou, it flew by.
"It's your favorite season again," someone said beside him.
"Nonsense. Who says I love spring?" Jing Yu shot back at Yu Youqing, who was wearing a white down jacket in the passenger seat.
"Well, your fans compiled a list of your habits. If your story starts in spring, with cherry blossoms in the first few scenes—it's a romance. If it starts in summer, with lots of characters introduced quickly, it's definitely a supernatural show."
"Really?" Jing Yu thought about it.
"Yes! Think about it."
"Then how are my sweet fans supposed to guess what 'Gundam SEED' is about next season?" Jing Yu deflected.
"Most of it takes place in space. No cherry blossoms or autumn leaves."
"I think you should lay low once the early episodes of 'Gundam SEED' start airing. Otherwise, your fans are gonna roast you alive again."
Yu Youqing kept her eyes on the road to keep Jing Yu from getting distracted, though he seemed perfectly composed.
He knew what she meant.
The early part of 'Gundam SEED' is… emotionally tough.
Not physically—main character Kira doesn't get hurt—but mentally, he's manipulated by one of the heroines, Flay. Basically, Flay has him emotionally trapped in a textbook case of PUA, while also stirring drama between him and his best friend.
For average viewers, it'll feel uncomfortable. For viewers with strong emotional investment, it could feel downright depressing.
But the emotional pressure in the romance arc is balanced by thrilling combat.
Kira's Gundam battles are breathtaking, with dazzling effects and stunning choreography.
Flay's character may only be accepted by viewers much later, but early on...
Jing Yu is going to get flamed.
"That's a few weeks away," he smiled. "Let's finish this busy season, take our vacation, and deal with it then."
Back at the office, Jing Yu dove into work. With year-end holidays approaching, he had things to settle early.
The company was buzzing with activity. By evening, after a full day of meetings, everything was more or less set.
And then came the official announcements from Bluestar Media & Film.
📢 'Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal' sequel game
📢 'Initial D' game
📢 Fate Series new game
📢 'Steins;Gate' sequel game
Alongside these well-known adaptations came two unfamiliar titles:
📢 Pokémon
📢 Yu-Gi-Oh!
Jing Yu even drew a few illustrations by hand for these.
Sleek Blue-Eyes White Dragon, brooding Dark Magician, cute Pikachu, and the iconic Team Rocket.
These card game icons had defined Jing Yu's childhood in his past life. Now, they were about to debut in the Great Zhou.
Of course, most of his fans didn't recognize them yet.
To them, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! were probably just training projects by lesser employees trying to ride on Jing Yu's fame. But real fans? They weren't fooled.
The announcements were posted one by one over the course of an hour, and fans went wild.
"This isn't a rumor? He's actually turning those into games?!"
"Why not dramas? Why games?"
"Because he starred in all those earlier shows. He's stepped back from acting, so the only option now is games."
"Old Thief! Money isn't everything! Make more dramas, please!"
"I'm okay with the rest, but 'Rurouni Kenshin'… It's been four or five years! I still haven't recovered from Yukishiro Tomoe!"
"If the sequel game gives us Kenshin's rage arc and brings Tomoe back, I don't care if the plot makes sense—I'll buy ten copies."
"But what even are Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!? Just filler titles?"
"They've never had shows. Going straight to games is risky. Doesn't feel like Jing Yu."
"Feels like a mistake. Without an existing fanbase, these games will be crushed by the major studios."
"Too early to say. Let's wait until we see actual gameplay."
"Actually… I think they're special. Jing Yu only did custom art for these two. That says something."
"He always saves the best for last… maybe Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! are his real secret weapons?"