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Chapter 189 – Naming It “GAME POCKET”
Mid-March in Tokyo — the chill was finally fading.In the top-floor conference room of Sega’s headquarters, the presentation for the handheld console’s launch lineup was underway.On both sides of the long conference table sat the board members and heads of each core department.Most of them were...
Chapter 188 – The Undercurrent Beneath “Self-Restraint”
January 7, 1989.A piece of heavy news spread across every corner of Japan through television and radio.The Emperor had passed away.It was as if the entire nation had its sound turned off, sinking into a long period of mourning known as “self-restraint.”The neon lights of Kabukichō dimmed. Varie...
Chapter 187: A Third-Party Christmas
Konami Corporation, President’s Office.Kamizuki Masamasa held a freshly brewed cup of coffee and stood by the tall floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing down at the winter streets of Osaka.His mood was as clear and bright as the sky outside.On his desk lay several reports — year-end summaries of the ...
Chapter 186: The PC Engine’s CD-ROM Expansion Kit
On December 4th, posters announcing the release of the PC Engine CD-ROM expansion kit appeared across Tokyo’s Akihabara electronics district.A number of hardcore gamers lined up eagerly, ready to welcome the dawn of a new gaming era.However, that enthusiasm began to fade within just a few hours.Th...
Chapter 185: The Undercurrents of the SFC
Nintendo Hardware Development Division.“Kamitani-san, Takeda-san,” Ken Kutaragi leaned slightly forward, fingers interlocked on the table as his gaze shifted between the two men. “NEC’s PC Engine has already launched a CD-ROM add-on, and it’s getting massive coverage. That’s Sony’s tec...
Chapter 184 – Planning for the Christmas and New Year Season
After the development team meeting, Takuya Nakayama sat alone in his office, his fingertips gliding over the open release schedule for upcoming MD (Mega Drive) games.On the table, there was only one title circled in red—“Shining Force: Legacy of the Gods.”As a well-crafted SRPG, it was certain...
Chapter 183 – The Handheld’s Launch Lineup
After a month of intense development, the handheld console’s development tools were finally ready for final testing.The lead programmer ran the final set of data through the tool. When the generated code came out flawless under everyone’s watchful eyes, the entire team burst into long-suppressed...
Chapter 182 – Yu Suzuki’s Troubles
After arranging the development schedule for Pokémon Red/Green, Takuya Nakayama called out to the leader of Team Three, who was about to leave.“Shimizu-san, how’s the arcade feedback on the Art of Fighting game your team just finished?”Shimizu stopped and turned around, looking noticeably rel...
Chapter 181: The Vigilant Bandai and Preparing the Handheld's Launch Title
While programmers were working hard to develop tools for the new handheld console, Takuya's office phone rang.It was Chuta Mitsui of Bandai, calling to arrange a meeting that evening."Of course, Mitsui-san," Takuya readily agreed, though he knew this dinner would be anything but relaxing...
Chapter 180: Handheld Prototype
The first Friday of October, Sega Hardware Development Department.Takuya Nakayama and Yu Suzuki stood outside a testing room surrounded by various instruments and cables, watching the busy engineers inside through the glass."Any issues?" Yu Suzuki asked quietly, his eyes fixed on the people ...
Chapter 179: The Olympics Come to a Close
In the president's office, the ashtray was already overflowing.The young planner pressed the stop button on the VCR.The faint click from the videotape was the only sound in the room.The president's chubby fingers stubbed out the cigarette butt, but his gaze never left the somewhat old Sharp ...
Chapter 178: Olympic Sponsors
Time has come to late August.*Mewtwo Strikes Back* slowly came to an end amid exclamations of amazement, with its final box office settling at a figure that everyone had to look up to—8.53 billion yen.This achievement not only trampled the 8.2 billion yen box office of the Sino-Japanese co-product...
Chapter 177: Aftershocks
*Mewtwo Strikes Back*’s summer viewing storm showed spare seats only on day five. Theater managers eyed sky-high occupancy with mixed joy—bonuses secured—and worry: staff had rotated nonstop for a week, pitching in on lobby order, sales, cleaning, hauling.By August’s first weekend, the pheno...
Chapter 176: Release
On premiere day, managers at every Toho theater obsessively eyed schedules, hunting films to cut for more *Mewtwo Strikes Back* slots. Pre-sales were exhausted; even non-prime seats for the next two days sold out.In Shochiku’s boardroom, ashtrays overflowed. “I should’ve seen it yesterday—th...
Chapter 175: Pre-Sales
Two weeks before *Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back*’s release, Pokémon Centers halted invitation distribution, disappointing latecomers while inflating recipients’ pride. The final promotional wave struck without warning one morning the week prior.Overnight, massive posters around Centers transfor...
Chapter 174: The Window Before the Summer Blockbuster Season
Early July. In Sega’s top-floor office, the air conditioner hummed, sealing out Tokyo’s humid clamor. Takuya Nakayama reviewed a Dentsu report on *Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back*’s first two promotional phases. Media exposure and public buzz were sky-high. Survey respondents cited varied reason...
Chapter 173: *Mewtwo Strikes Back* Promotion Begins
With *Golden Sun*’s development underway, Takuya Nakayama felt a weight lift. The renewed fire in Yuji Naka and Rieko Kodama’s eyes bolstered his confidence in Sega’s RPG future. As he turned to refine *My Neighbor Totoro*’s game details, his assistant knocked, delivering a letter from Toho ...
Chapter 172: A New RPG
Takuya Nakayama’s fingers traced the edge of a stack of sales reports. *Phantasy Star*’s lackluster sales curve stung like a thorn. Technical triumphs and market damage control couldn’t hide the core flaw: an RPG without a compelling story was a robust skeleton without a soul. He needed someon...
Chapter 171: Shortcomings
The board meeting adjourned, and Director Hattori, clutching the gold-embossed authorization papers, beamed with excitement. He clapped Takuya Nakayama’s shoulder, voice brimming with ambition. “Executive Nakayama, I’m off to Sunrise to hammer out the acquisition price and details!” He pract...
Chapter 170: Star Ring Child
The boardroom buzzed with approval and ease, directors awaiting Hayao Nakayama’s call to adjourn. But Takuya Nakayama’s calm, clear voice cut through, drawing all eyes back. “Regarding ‘Sega Galaxy,’ I have one more proposal. I suggest forming a dedicated ‘Creative Team’ within it, tas...
Chapter 169: Investing in Sunrise
After a week-long rural retreat, Takuya Nakayama drove back to Tokyo, revitalized. The weary Sega executive was gone, replaced by a game developer brimming with confidence and creative passion. At Sega’s headquarters, he brushed off greetings, locked himself in his office, and poured his Ibaraki i...
Chapter 168: Inspiration
With the third-party war settled, Sega secured a lineup rivaling Nintendo’s. Coupled with MD’s performance edge, the outlook was bright. Now, the battle hinged on game libraries, particularly first-party exclusives.Back at game development, Takuya Nakayama wasn’t as relaxed as expected. Leanin...
Chapter 167: Nintendo Bows
While Hideo Kojima hustled for the *Metal Gear* artbook, sales reports for Konami’s *Contra* (7万 units first week) and Koei’s *Nobunaga’s Ambition: National Edition* (5万 units first week) on MD landed on Takuya Nakayama’s desk. These figures quickly reached other third parties, signaling...
Chapter 166: *Metal Gear* Artbook and Soundtrack
Amid the whirlwind of work, May arrived. Two weeks after *Metal Gear*’s release, a detailed sales and feedback report landed on Takuya Nakayama’s desk. The numbers were solid, profitable, but lacked the explosive growth some in marketing had hoped for, falling short of a market-dominating storm....
Chapter 165: *Metal Gear* Development Completed
The day after *My Neighbor Totoro*’s premiere, Takuya Nakayama returned to his battlefield of phone lines, fax paper, and caffeine. Rubbing his temples, he pushed aside thoughts of Mamoru Oshii’s stoic face and Hideaki Anno’s eager eyes. Metaphysical discussions on art gave way to urgent reali...
Chapter 164: *My Neighbor Totoro* Premiere
“Snap.”A soft sound broke the silence. Hayao Nakayama gently placed his pen on the desk, his gaze on his son brimming with pride and admiration before turning to the directors. “Any further comments? If not, let’s vote.”Director Yoshikawa, responsible for third-party relations, cleared his...
Chapter 163: Third-Party Blitzkrieg
Early April in Tokyo, inside Sega’s executive operations office, a warm, freshly printed fax landed on Takuya Nakayama’s desk, rushed in by a subordinate. Department heads gathered, their faces grave, voices hushed and urgent.“Is Konami insane?” one muttered. “Giving *Gradius* to PC Engine...
Chapter 162: When the Wall Falls, All Push
Late March arrived. Sega MD’s buying frenzy, after its initial surge, settled to a steady hum. Nintendo’s FC shelves, stripped of heavyweight third-party Konami, looked desolate. This brief lull was brewing a storm beyond anyone’s imagination.At Hudson’s headquarters, President Yuji Kudo’s...
Chapter 161: The State of Affairs
Early March in Tokyo carried the lingering chill of late winter. In Akihabara’s electronics stores, Sega MD shelves buzzed with crowds, their popularity unwavering. In stark contrast, Nintendo’s FC section was lackluster. The prime March spot for Konami’s games, reserved for *The Goonies II: F...
Chapter 160: The Whimsy of *My Neighbor Totoro*
Leaving the hardware department, Takuya Nakayama returned to his office and checked his schedule. His watch showed perfect timing. A car awaited downstairs, gliding toward Suginami. The city’s cold commercial towers gave way to lively residential streets. His destination: Studio Ghibli, a rising s...
