Another world Game Developers in Japan`s 1991

Tuesday, 4 December 1994

Following yesterday's intense discussion with Keisuke Adachihara, Zaboru now leads ZAGE's monthly executive meeting, with special attention on the Japan division. Joining the table today is none other than Shigeru Miyamoto, the head of the Osaka branch, whose presence underscores the meeting's importance and scope.

Zaboru cleared his throat and stood at the head of the table. "Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here. Today, I'd like to go over the latest updates on ZAGE's progress for December — let's keep things sharp and focused so we can wrap efficiently."

"First off, Shin-san — what's the current state of the ZAGE player market? Are our ad campaigns hitting their targets? And how are things going with our third-party retail partners?" Zaboru asked, turning his attention to Shinsuke Yamaguchi, Head of ZAGE Marketing in Japan.

Shinsuke grins and replies, "So far, so good, boss. The growth rate of ZAGE players in Japan continues to rise steadily, driven by the consistent strength of our high-quality products and effective promotional strategies. Consumer engagement remains strong, especially among younger demographics."

Zaboru nodded thoughtfully. "And how are PC game sales in Japan? Have we seen a significant spike?"

Shinsuke nodded with enthusiasm. "Absolutely, boss. Ever since Diablo dropped on Windows 94, the surge in demand has been unmistakable. Our PC game portfolio is moving faster than we projected — it's opened up a whole new segment of eager players."

Zaboru offered an approving smile. "Excellent work, Shin-san. I really appreciate your consistent efforts."

Shinsuke beamed and responded with a confident thumbs-up, clearly proud of the results.

Next, Zaboru leaned forward slightly and asked, "Sayuri-san, could you give us a brief overview of ZAGE's financial condition? Just a summary, please — we'll dive into the details in a separate finance meeting."

Sayuri Yamaguchi, Shinsuke's wife and ZAGE's meticulous Head of Finance, oversees all financial operations across Japan and the United States. Known for her unwavering insistence on transparency and precise accounting, she commands Zaboru's respect with her discipline and foresight. Adjusting her glasses with a practiced motion, Sayuri responded calmly, "Overall, our finances remain healthy, boss. However, compared to last year, we've experienced a noticeable uptick in what I'd categorize as 'sudden investments' — largely initiated by you. So, while our financial position is still strong, it's not quite as robust as it was twelve months ago."

Zaboru coughed awkwardly, fully aware of what she meant. Throughout the year, he had made a string of bold, unannounced investments and acquisitions — often on instinct — despite Sayuri's repeated cautions to proceed carefully. Each time, he had dismissed her warnings with his usual self-assurance, convinced he was making visionary moves for ZAGE's future. Now, her subtle reproach hit just enough to stir a flicker of guilt beneath his confident exterior.

"Hehehe, don't worry, Sayuri-san. Those investments are all part of the grand plan for our future expansion," he said with a playful grin.

Sayuri gave a small nod, adjusting her glasses again. "Yes, boss, I understand. Just please — if you decide to make any surprise investments, even after the fact, let me know as soon as possible so I can properly categorize them under 'investments.' That way, I won't have a heart attack when a billion yen suddenly vanishes from our company account."

Zaboru scratches his head. "I will, Sayuri-san. Hahaha."

Zaboru then turns to a new executive — Shun Midorikawa, the new Head of HR after Ichidai Kenzaki transferred to ZAGE USA. "Shun-san, how's the HR status at ZAGE Japan? Any major issues?"

Shun smiled and gave a modest shake of his head. "Everything's running smoothly so far, boss. As you mentioned earlier, we're tightening the recruitment process to focus more on quality than quantity. For the time being, both the Tokyo and Osaka branches are well-staffed, and there's no pressing need to bring in additional personnel."

Zaboru nodded thoughtfully. "Right, until the ZAGE Tower is finished, we should avoid expanding the team too quickly." He shifted in his seat, then added, "Speaking of the ZAGE Tower, Shin-san — what's the latest in construction?"

Shinsuke, overseeing the project's progress, offered a confident smile. "At this point, the ZAGE Tower is approximately 50% complete. If things stay on track, we're looking at a full launch by early 1997."

Zaboru smiles. "Good. We need to ensure the quality of the tower — no rushing."

Zaboru then turned to Shigeru Miyamoto. "Shigeru-san, how is the Osaka Development team doing? Is there anything you'd like to bring up or any concerns to address?"

Shigeru Miyamoto nodded. "Not much to report, boss — things are going well. However, our team in Osaka is really eager to try our hand at developing arcade games, similar to what the Tokyo branch has been doing. If possible, could we be considered for an arcade project in the future?"

Zaboru nodded in agreement. "Definitely, but the timing needs to be right for that."

Shigeru gave another nod, satisfied.

He then turns to another executive. "Rika-san, how's administration? Anything I need to know?"

Rika Kishimori, Head of ZAGE Admin, responds, "So far, there's no major trouble, boss. But we do have something interesting. As you asked, we've been compiling player feedback from ZAGE POWER magazine each month. Lately, a huge number of players keep asking the same thing: 'When is the Z-Man sequel coming?' They really want it, boss."

Zaboru sighed, rubbing his temples. "I see… It's a bit messy. TOEI is being extremely difficult at the moment. Our original agreement only covered Z-Man 1, and now, if ZAGE wants to move forward with a sequel, they're demanding a ludicrous 50% cut of all revenue. Honestly, it's outrageous — especially considering they're just offering the rights and not contributing anything to development."

Kurugiya Dousuke — or Kudou ZAGE Head of Legal Department— leaned forward with a scoff. "Is that Onigai again, boss? That guy's nothing but trouble — arrogant, stubborn, and impossible to work with completely asshole"

Zanichi Renkonan, Zaboru's father and ZAGE CTO, raises an eyebrow. "What's going on, Kudou? Boss, who is this Onigai guy?"

Zaboru explained to his father, "He's the new Head of Tokusatsu at TOEI, taking over after Kyotaro Shinomori was replaced. And honestly, he's a real piece of work. The man has no interest in collaborating fairly — he flat-out told us that if ZAGE wants to use Sentai properties again, we'd have to hand over 50% of the revenue. And that's just for the licensing rights — no creative input, no production support. Nothing. Just pure greed."

Zanichi nodded with a smirk. "Asshole indeed. But Boss, you're forgetting who you are. You've got power, you've got vision — and most importantly, you've got money. Why not go bold and buy the Super Sentai rights outright? I know you've been cooking up all kinds of ideas for them, haven't you?"

Zaboru raised an eyebrow. "But… they hold onto those rights tightly, don't they? I heard TOEI is famous for keeping Sentai 100% under their control."

Zanichi grinned. "Well, they've never received a 10 billion yen offer, have they?" He leaned back confidently, the corner of his mouth curling upward. Sayuri frowned, adjusting her glasses. "Zanichi-san, yes, we might technically have access to that kind of capital, but is it truly wise to risk that much on acquiring the Super Sentai rights? We have to consider long-term liquidity, not just ambition. Boss, please — think this through carefully."

Zanichi smiled and said to Sayuri, "Sayu, I know you care deeply about our financial integrity — and that's exactly why we trust you. But if we let a company like TOEI intimidate us, we'll never grow into the global powerhouse we're meant to be. This isn't just about one deal — it's about setting a precedent. Nobody, not even TOEI, gets to squeeze ZAGE and walk away unscathed. Even Microsoft respects our boss — and that says everything. But Onigai? That man's just trying to bleed us dry. Wrong move. So, Boss — be honest with yourself. Are the Super Sentai rights worth 10 billion yen or more? Because with your creative mind behind them, I bet you could spin those rights into something so big, 10 billion would look like pocket change."

Zaboru paused, deep in thought. What his father said made perfect sense. Super Sentai held massive untapped potential — and that was without even factoring in the juggernaut that was Power Rangers, which hadn't yet materialized in this timeline. In his previous life, Power Rangers had exploded into a global franchise, airing in dozens of countries and spawning countless merchandise lines, spin-offs, and films. It had generated an insane amount of revenue — and Super Sentai was the original wellspring behind it all. The thought of getting ahead of that wave made Zaboru's mind race with possibility not to mention the potential he could do with those Sentai Games.

Then Kudou said, "From what I know, TOEI keeps a pretty tight grip on the Sentai rights. Could be a real problem if they refuse to sell." Zanichi grinned. "Simple, Kudou — just buy TOEI itself, no?" Shinsuke gave a nervous laugh, sweatdropping. "Zanichi-san, why are you so… fired up today?"

Zanichi shook his head. "Shinsuke, we are ZAGE — a company my son built from scratch into a billion-dollar powerhouse in just three years or more. We need to carry ourselves like it. If TOEI thinks they can toy with us, then anyone will try. And you know Hikaru Kurata from Sonaya — if he catches wind of this, he'd absolutely buy the Sentai rights just to make some petty, mocking game that takes a jab at us. I know exactly how that man thinks."

Zaboru nodded. "What you said is true. And if I manage to secure those Sentai rights, I genuinely believe they'll be worth far more than 10 billion yen in the long run — not just in revenue, but in global influence, brand expansion, and legacy. Hmm…"

He turned to his assistant. "Yumi-san, please reach out to TOEI's representatives and arrange a meeting with their CEO, Shigeru Okada — as soon as possible." Yumi Ichijou, Zaboru's composed and efficient secretary, gave a quick nod and jotted the task down in her planner without hesitation.

Sayuri sighed and nodded while smiling. "Okay boss. But if the acquisition goes through, could you please give me a detailed report for the finance sectors of it?."

Zaboru gave a firm nod. "Sure thing Sayuri-san."

Sayuri smiled slightly and nodded again, satisfied.

The meeting continued for some time before finally coming to an end.

To be continue 

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