stjorthotic Chapter 63: The Vanished Village – I Saw Obik
Chapter 63: The Vanished Village – I Saw Obik
The timeline jumps to a few months ago, when Gu Nan led a team to find real-life filming locations.
Jinghai City, at the junction of the old city and the new CBD area.
This is an urban village that is about to be demolished.
The roar of bulldozers contrasted sharply with the dazzling lights of the distant skyscrapers.
Red circles were visible everywhere on the walls, with the word "demolish" written in large letters inside.
The air was filled with dust and an indescribable, stale smell.
Gu Nan, wearing a baseball cap and mud-covered sneakers, stood at the entrance of a dilapidated alley.
"Director Gu, isn't this place... a bit too run-down?"
The production manager in charge of external relations wiped the sweat from his brow. "Our Ultraman Tiga is currently a top trending topic online. With such a large budget for the second season, we could easily build a set anywhere. Why bother coming to this demolition site to collect dust?"
Gu Nan shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the mottled walls and overgrown weeds: "A set built like this has no soul."
He pointed to the dim streetlamp deep in the alley: "Look at that light, that suffocating dimness squeezed by modern neon lights, that's something special effects can't create. In the second episode of the second season, I'm not filming monsters, I'm filming 'nostalgia'."
Over the next few days, the entire film crew and all the special effects props were moved here in a series of Lalamove trucks.
Because the next episode to be filmed is one of Gu Nan's "god-tier episodes" in the original world—"Obik".
However, in the original version, Obik is a yokai (supernatural monster) from Japanese folklore.
Gu Nan could only make localization modifications when writing the script.
In this parallel world of Xia Kingdom, there is no legend of "Young Master Ayan," but every child who grew up in the countryside may have heard stories about "Grandpa Shadow" or "Village Guardian" in their childhood.
"Has Teacher Wei arrived yet?"
Gu Nan, holding the rolled-up script in his hand, turned around and asked.
"Here it comes! The nanny van has just entered the alley!"
A black Buick slowly came to a stop, the door opened, and an elderly man with gray hair stepped out.
This is the veteran actor, Uncle Wei, whom Gu Nan specially invited.
He has worked in the entertainment industry for forty years, playing supporting roles his whole life: farmers, doormen, scavengers... Even when he doesn't speak, every wrinkle on his face is full of stories.
"Director Gu."
Although Mr. Wei is a senior figure in the industry, he still maintains a high level of professionalism and respect when facing this young "father of tokusatsu".
He tightened his old cotton-padded coat—it was a personal outfit he had specially worn to get into the right mindset.
After exchanging greetings, Grandpa Wei began discussing the script.
I read the script three times.
Grandpa Wei's voice was a little hoarse and had a rustic feel to it.
"Grandpa Shadow... Heh, interesting. This old man isn't a demon, he's a spirit. He's the 'breath' that this land refuses to dissipate."
"Yes, it's just a feeling of resentment, a feeling of unwillingness to give up."
Gu Nan stepped forward and grasped Grandpa Wei's calloused hand. "Teacher Wei, this role doesn't require you to be aggressive or ferocious like the villains you've played before. You're portraying an old man abandoned by the times, who is both stubborn and pitiful. What he wants to hold onto isn't the darkness, but the old days when everyone would sit under the big tree to cool off and tell stories."
A glint of light flashed in Grandpa Wei's cloudy eyes—the excitement of having met his match: "I understand. He doesn't hate people, he hates oblivion. Is that 'pot' ready?"
"Ready? The special buckwheat noodle stall is right inside."
……
Night fell completely.
This demolition area doesn't need to be cleared out because it's already deserted. Only a few holdouts who refuse to move have their lights on, which ironically provides the most realistic background light for the scene.
The camera, track, and audio equipment have all been tested and adjusted.
The smoke machine cast a thin layer of smoke in the alley, making the halo of the streetlights appear even more hazy.
"Attention all departments!"
"Ultraman Tiga Season 2, Episode 2, Scene 1, 'Midnight Noodle Stand,' Action!"
As the clapperboard claps crisply, the camera slowly zooms in.
The scene shows a young man returning home late at night after working overtime. He is dressed in a suit but looks exhausted, dragging his heavy steps through the alley.
In this fast-paced era, darkness is no longer a haven of rest, but an abyss filled with unknown fears.
Ahead, under the dim yellow light, a small noodle stall appeared, steaming hot.
The stall owner was an old man wearing a tattered straw hat with the brim pulled low, obscuring his face.
That handcart looked quite old; the wood was all blackened.
"Young man, how about a bowl of noodles? Hot soba noodles."
Grandpa Wei's voice came from under the brim of his hat, carrying an alluring warmth.
The young man paused for a moment, but his rumbling stomach answered for him.
He sat down, picked up the bowl of steaming noodles, and wolfed them down.
"Is it tasty?"
"Delicious, grandpa, this tastes...just like the ones my grandma used to make when I was little."
The young man said vaguely.
"As long as it looks like it, as long as it looks like it..."
Grandpa Wei let out two low chuckles, his voice suddenly becoming ethereal. "Well then, how about we play a game?"
"What game?"
"Look at your shadow..."
The camera suddenly shifts, using a combination of live-action shooting and post-production compositing techniques, and the shadows on the ground suddenly become eerily elongated under the lights, as if they have come to life.
The kind-looking old man suddenly raised his head.
In that instant, Grandpa Wei's eyes changed.
The original turbidity vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling fervor and compassion.
Yes, it is compassion.
"Come back to the village with me!"
With a strange yet desolate laugh, the dark shadow on the ground suddenly stood up, like a gaping maw swallowing the young man.
"Okay! Cut!"
Filming is in full swing.
……
Time flies.
The airing date for this episode has arrived.
As usual, Friday night at 8 pm.
Bilibili, update date for Ultraman Tiga Season 2.
Today's "Ultraman Tiga" is no longer the little show that was ridiculed as a "college student graduation project".
It is a phenomenal work with over 100 million views across the internet, a light in the hearts of countless children, and a source of spiritual comfort for countless adults every Friday night.
Countless viewers, whose biological clocks had long been established, waited faithfully in front of their screens. After more than twenty episodes of build-up, viewers had become accustomed to Ultraman Tiga's art style.
But when the title of episode 2, "I Saw It, Obik," appeared accompanied by a distant and mournful flute melody, everyone still sensed something unusual.
After the opening theme, the scene shifts to Shanghai late at night.
The cinematography is extremely oppressive.
The story takes place in the suburbs of Shanghai, at the border of the city and the city center.
In the distance, towering CBD buildings stand like tombstones, their flashing neon lights like will-o'-the-wisps, while the camera pans down to reveal dark, damp alleyways slated for demolition.
The number of comments increased instantly:
Wow, was this scene filmed on the Huangpu River?!
Holy crap, this background looks like the alleyway downstairs from my house that's slated for demolition.
Judging from the style of this episode, will it deal with heavy themes?
[Director Gu knows how to choose locations; this desolate atmosphere is too strong, you can almost smell the musty odor coming from the screen.]
Why does this episode have a slightly eerie atmosphere? Has Ultraman turned into a horror movie?
That old man at the noodle stall in front of me scared me to death; his laughter gave me goosebumps.
The plot progresses.
The Victory team received multiple reports of missing persons.
Strangely, in every place where the missing persons were last seen, there was a mysterious mobile noodle stall.
Moreover, according to eyewitnesses, it was a monster from local legends.
It seems that the locals call it Grandpa Shadow.
"Not an alien invasion, but... the resurgence of the legend?"
The winning team analyzed the situation.
This so-called "monster" is most likely a local monster, and it has been given the code name "Obik".
However, during the discussion, Daigo noticed a problem.
Why were the victims only frightened, but not captured and eaten by monsters as the legends say?
So, is there something else going on here? Are there hidden secrets they don't know about?
……
Immediately afterwards, the group drove the Sherlock patrol car and patrolled the streets late at night.
as predicted.
They bumped into an old man pushing a buckwheat noodle cart.
During the chase, Daigo and Horii also encountered that noodle stall.
However, neither of them recognized that the old man was "Obik," the man they were hunting.
However, the noodle cart stopped.
In this scene, Su Zhe and Grandpa Wei put on a spectacular acting showdown.
"Shadow Grandpa" did not attack Daigo directly; he seemed to have seen through the fact that this young man also possessed the aura of "light."
He simply sat behind the noodle stall, wiping the huge black pot as he sighed softly.
"Before, there were no streetlights here. The moon shone brightly, illuminating everyone's hearts."
Grandpa Wei pointed to the night sky above, so dark from the city lights that the stars were invisible, and said, "Back then, everyone would sit at the village entrance. Even though it was pitch black, it was so lively!"
"Now there are more lights, but people's hearts have become dark. Everyone is busy rushing on their way, and the people of the past are nowhere to be seen!"
Daigo and Horii were puzzled.
However, I still kindly advised the elderly person that the area had been rather unsettled lately, and it would be best to go home as soon as possible.
This kind of foreshadowing allows the later plot to transition naturally from cheerful to somber, without feeling abrupt.
Although the original work is excellent, the transition from suspense and horror at the beginning, to a brief shift to lightheartedness in the middle, and then back to heaviness in the later part, is indeed somewhat abrupt in Gu Nan's opinion, within a plot of only about 20 minutes.
With Gu Nan's handling of the situation, this groundwork made the whole process much smoother.
The initial ease acts like a buried fuse, slowly drawing in the emotions. When the heaviness finally emerges, it feels like it grows naturally from the previous atmosphere, without feeling abrupt.
As soon as this line was uttered, coupled with Grandpa Wei's lonely figure, the laughter in the comments section instantly disappeared, replaced by a large silence and resonance.
That hurts, bro.
[This old man acted so well; his eyes gave me the creeps and made me want to cry at the same time.]
[Isn't this exactly what my grandfather always said when he didn't want to move to the city... He said the city was like a cage.]
I suddenly want to go back to my hometown, but there's no one there anymore.
However, Horii and Daigo's communicator rang very soon.
They realized that the old man was "Obik"!
However, when he turned around, Obik had already dragged the noodle stall far away!
On a sudden inspiration, Da Gu threw the detector into the pot on the car.
However, even with everyone surrounding and intercepting him, they could hardly stop this "monster" who knew the village inside and out...
……
The next day at dawn, the group arrived at the back mountain according to the location instructions.
Here, they met an old Taoist priest.
And what he was holding was the detector that Daigo had thrown away last night.
Then the old Taoist priest spoke frankly.
He found this last night after performing a religious ceremony at a benefactor's house, passing by here.
Next, the old Taoist told them a story about "Grandpa Shadow".
Legend has it that long, long ago...
There is a monster that can hide in people's shadows.
They've always lived in the dark corners of this area.
People call him Grandpa Shadow.
However, in recent years...
Grandpa Shadow's life is not peaceful.
It is said that this area was once a vast lotus pond and a comfortable and peaceful village.
At night, the entire village is plunged into darkness.
Grandpa Shadow plays in the village.
But things are different now.
High-rise buildings will soon be built on this mountain.
Construction will begin tomorrow.
It will be very lively at that time...
As the group bid farewell to the Taoist priest and left, no one noticed that a large, furry tail suddenly appeared on the old Taoist's rear end.
In fact, this monk was not human, but rather Obik's partner.
It is a raccoon that lives in the back mountains.
Actually, Obik wanted to use the tanuki to convey to the Victory Team the bitterness and helplessness of his home being invaded.
Tanuki's initiative in telling the Victory Team about Obik's past was actually a ploy to get the team members to persuade Obik to stop this pointless resistance.
At this time, the unscrupulous media in the city were hyping it up, portraying Obik as a bloodthirsty cannibalistic monster.
Seeing that the public was panicking and running around indiscriminately, the Victory Team had no choice but to step in and keep refuting the rumors.
Actually, the victim was completely unharmed.
It's true what they say: it takes only a mouth to spread rumors, but it takes a lot of legwork to refute them.
After finally managing to shoo away all the onlookers, Daigo seemed to have made a new discovery.
He understood Obik's true intention in letting the young man return.
Killing the young man directly might not necessarily turn everyone's anger towards Obik.
Only by letting him escape alive and spread his story will the rumors of Obik's cannibalism spread wildly among the residents.
Obik has clearly achieved his goal.
Although Zongfang and his group learned the truth, they did not choose to resolve the issue peacefully. Because of their duty, they continued their pursuit to prevent Obik from disrupting the normal lives of the people.
Obik also adopted a second plan, risking being evaporated by the sun by going out during the day to frighten the people.
The GUTS team members were forced to start playing "hide-and-seek" with this shadowy old man.
Haha, this monster is so mischievous!
[This is hilarious! Is Xincheng that afraid of the dark?]
[Shinjo kept pulling Horii along, hahaha]
So, this ghost just wants to create panic? It doesn't actually want to kill anyone.
[Ah! That old Taoist priest! Why does he have a tail?!]
Good heavens! This old Taoist priest is no ordinary person!
……
On the screen, the plot reached its climax.
We climbed the mountain at dusk.
Lost in endless melancholy, the evening breeze, carrying the afterglow of the sunset, flowed through Obik's heart.
He sat on the hillside with his "shadow," looking at the village in the distance.
"Only this sunset is exactly the same as before..."
He missed the children playing in the lotus pond in the summer...
I miss the old stories the villagers would tell together at night...
I miss the smell of fireworks that filled the air...
But tomorrow, bulldozers will roar up the mountain...
It will only completely shatter all the beauty in his heart.
"The village of the past... disappeared without us even realizing it..."
"The village's lookout tower used to be right there..."
"There's a small river over there..."
"There's a lotus pond on the other side of the river..."
Night quietly enveloped the earth.
Obik was determined to make a final stand...
the other side.
In order to lure out Obik, who is afraid of light, the GUTS team devised a battle plan called "Operation Light".
Since he is a shadow, use strong light to force him out.
They found Obik and fired flares into the well where Obik was hiding.
But this is undoubtedly the greatest cruelty to Obik.
Daigo stared at the dark figure that looked out of place in the city lights, and at the renovation notice board that used to be in the village, his eyes filled with struggle.
[With the background music, I was moved to tears.]
When you also have a hometown you can't return to in your heart, watching this episode will evoke a different kind of feeling.
What's past is past and can never be retrieved.
He's just a monster living in the past...
This old man's acting is so moving...
……
The Victory Team quickly arrived at Obik's hiding place and surrounded him.
This time, Obik did not run away.
He simply gazed into the distance, his eyes filled with longing...
"Look, that's what a village night used to be like!"
Obik didn't seem to think the Victory Team was trying to capture him; he just laughed and acted as if he were introducing his home to a friend.
Here, Grandpa Wei wasn't just playing Obik; he was completely immersed in the role.
"Our village is back."
"The old village is back!"
Seeing this, the Victory Team slowly lowered their weapons.
It was as if, through layers of night, I could see that long-vanished village...
"That's the village's lookout tower!"
"There's a clear little river there!"
"Across the river is a lotus pond..."
Obik pointed in those directions...
"The village is back... the village is back!!"
"They're back! They're back!"
"The old village is back..."
Obik is full of pure emotion at his core...
But Daigo, who is equally sentimental, can only cruelly shatter reality:
"The old village has disappeared!"
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent...
Obik stubbornly resisted this fact, and was even more unwilling to shatter the illusion in his heart...
"You're lying to me!"
Even though Daigo offered to settle Obik in a remote place.
But in Obik's mind, the village of yesteryear had long become an unshakable obsession.
This obsession has become almost insane.
It wanted nothing more than to destroy all the incongruous sights before it!
This longing for home, which could never be returned to, ultimately transformed into a torrent of grief and indignation…
Then it revealed its true form...
This plot is so heavy...
[Aren't the elderly who can't keep up with the times and adapt to modern life just like Obik?]
I used to watch Ultraman to see it fight monsters, now I watch it to learn about sociology.
This is the growing pain of urbanization...sigh...
I've never felt so sorry for a monster before; I even hoped he could win...
……
Daigo raised the Spark Lens, his fingers clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white.
But this time, he didn't transform immediately; instead, he hesitated.
The magic staff was in front of his chest, but he hesitated to raise it above his head.
Ultraman Tiga, if you are light, then light can illuminate the darkness and dispel the cold...
But can light illuminate memories that have already faded away? Can it warm a broken heart?