Chapter 247. Making Money Starts with Photos
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On Cujoh Jolyne's side, excitement was in the air as she embarked on her new journey as a director.
For "Diamond is Unbreakable", a series she was determined to oversee, her actual knowledge was next to none. Instead, she relied on her prior experience as a director under Akiyuki Shinbo's team, taking her place at the helm.
The rest was left to the crew, selected from Pucci's or Shinbo's teams, to handle the actual production.
Meanwhile, Pucci's team was wrapping up filming for "Stardust Crusaders". But before they could finish...
"Photoshoot?"
Returning from Jolyne's set, where he had begrudgingly fulfilled her request, Kujo Jotaro found himself confronted by Pucci's so-called "important matter," which turned out to involve a camera.
Already looking exhausted, Jotaro's expression darkened further.
"Exactly! Photoshoot!" Pucci affirmed enthusiastically. "But this isn't just ordinary photoshoots. Think of it as something akin to souvenir."
"After all, we can't keep using those 'ORA ORA' effect pieces as the sole bonus gifts for "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" merchandise.
"While surveys indicate fans enjoy them, the appeal is limited. Unless someone's a collector, most people only need one."
Pucci found this to be a significant challenge. From "Phantom Blood" to "Stardust Crusaders", all were part of the "JoJo" series, meaning their unique characteristics inevitably overlapped.
Naturally, bonuses like 'ORA ORA' and 'MUDA MUDA' effects—designed to pair with "JoJo" figurines—were developed early on. By now, many fans owned them, and they'd become staples for showcasing figurines online.
Photos of Jotaro with 'MUDA MUDA' and DIO with 'ORA ORA' effects had even gone viral.
This success had recently boosted Blu-ray sales for "Phantom Blood" and "Battle Tendency". However, with the market saturated, continuing to use the same bonuses would lose appeal.
Switching to typical merchandise bonuses like keychains or wallpapers, as other series often did, would severely reduce audience interest.
As a reincarnator with memories from a past life, Pucci understood how a single captivating bonus item could significantly drive Blu-ray sales.
He recalled the success of "Uma Musume Season 2", which, through its Blu-ray bonuses tied to its mobile game, shattered records to become second in all-time Blu-ray sales, trailing only "Evangelion".
Yet "Uma Musume's" first-week sales even surpassed "Evangelion's". Pucci envied its success but knew replicating it wasn't simple; otherwise, more works in his previous life would've achieved similar miracles.
Imagining a "JoJo" mobile game with monetization potential, Pucci briefly fantasized about creating a blockbuster title. However, he reluctantly dismissed the idea, knowing it wasn't feasible—at least, not yet.
"Maybe I should just bring the "Fate/Grand Order" concept over," he mused. "That might actually work..."
Just as Pucci was about to give up, a thought struck him—he was a reincarnator with insider knowledge!
As someone who had watched "JoJo" in his past life, he deeply understood the mindset of fellow fans.
"But, Director Pucci," Polnareff interjected, "what does any of this have to do with us dressing up and taking these photos? And…"
He gestured at his fake prosthetic legs and then pointed to Avdol, whose arms were fitted with prosthetics. "I get why Avdol's like this, but why am I wearing prosthetics on both legs? I only lost part of my foot to [Cream]! Why am I fully kitted out with prosthetics and even a costume change?"
Indeed, everyone's outfits had undergone tweaks. Joseph appeared much older with makeup, while Jotaro wore an eyepatch and sported a scar on his forehead.
This doesn't make sense!
So, Polnareff protested. "Director Pucci, I think you can at least make me look more handsome in the photos."
"..."
Pucci cleared his throat. "This isn't a bug—it's a feature. If these photos are released as bonus gifts, our fans might live in spoiler territory for years!"
Pucci grinned.
This idea was inspired by JoJo's iconic spoiler-filled opening sequences. Back when "Phantom Blood" aired with its groundbreaking opening, it had shocked the industry and audiences alike, pushing Blu-ray sales to unprecedented heights.
What if spoiler-filled photos had a similar effect?
Moreover, why stop at just one type of photo? The possibilities were endless with spoiler-themed Egypt Battle Group photos: Araki's Version of Egypt Battle Group photos, Magical Girl Edition Egypt Battle Group photos, and many more.
These could all be mixed into bonus packages as special gifts.
Thinking of it, Pucci reviewed the latest photos, a surge of inspiration struck. He couldn't resist snapping more shots to complete his own collection.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
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