Sunday, October 12, 1992
After returning from his eventful trip to America, Zaboru wasted no time. The moment he touched down in Japan, he went straight home to greet his family. His mother, Keiko, hugged him tightly, relieved to see her son safe. His younger sister Sanika eagerly peppered him with questions about American snacks, toys, and what kind of gift he bought her. Ayumi also came to visit that afternoon, and the two spent a few peaceful hours catching up over tea and sweets in the Renkonan family living room together with Zaboru Family.
But Zaboru couldn't rest long. By the next morning, he was back at the ZAGE offices, already immersed in the whirlwind of tasks awaiting him for the October releases. There were new games to finalize, projects to oversee, and business deals that needed closing. As soon as he sat down, he called a meeting with the higher-ups, starting with Sayuri, ZAGE's sharp-eyed head of finance.
"Sayuri-san," Zaboru began, tapping his pen against a folder. "How are the sales looking for ZGB, ZEPS, and the cartridges in both Japan and the U.S.?"
Zaboru turned to Sayuri, knowing that her husband, Shinsuke, the head of ZAGE's Marketing Division was currently away on business in Kyoto, handling promotional operations and retail coordination. With him out of the office, Sayuri as the head of Finance was the best person to answer his pressing questions about the company's current financial trajectory.
Sayuri adjusted her glasses and gave him a confident smile. "Better than we projected. Extremely well, in fact. Every batch we receive from the manufacturers sells out within days. We've had to push our manufacturing partners into overtime to meet demand."
Zaboru raised his eyebrows. He had expected strong sales, but not to this degree. "So, does that mean we've accumulated a significant budget surplus?"
Sayuri nodded. "Yes, and I suggest we use this opportunity to execute the plan you mentioned last month—acquiring YaDo and Hakushensha. It would strengthen our internal animation and publishing capabilities."
Zaboru leaned back in his chair and considered her words. It was time. He turned to his assistant. "Yumi-san, please clear space in my schedule and arrange meetings with Yasu-san from YaDo and Tomi-san from Hakushensha. Today or tomorrow, whichever they prefer but i will contact them today"
"Understood, Boss. I'll make the calls right away," Yumi replied efficiently.
With the meeting wrapped up, Zaboru left his office to personally handle the negotiations. First on the list was Yasu, the CEO of YaDo Animation, the studio currently handling the Sailor Moon anime.
Zaboru calls Yasu then Yasu agree to meet , The meeting took place at YaDo's main office. Zaboru sat comfortably across from Yasu, sipping green tea.
"Yasu-san, how's production on Sailor Moon progressing?" he asked casually.
"On track. We're confident we'll meet the December broadcast date," Yasu said. "So, what brings you here in person, Zaboru?"
Zaboru smiled and got to the point. "I want to buy YaDo. But hear me out. You'll still be in charge of the studio. I don't want to overhaul the place or change its name. I want to invest in it, bring more resources, and let YaDo grow with us."
Yasu furrowed his brow. "You won't rename it?"
"No," Zaboru replied. "At most, we might say 'ZAGE Presents' in some materials for branding, but YaDo will remain YaDo." Zaboru understood the deep personal value YaDo held for Yasu Donmachi, which is why he approached the acquisition with such respect and sensitivity, ensuring Yasu would remain in control and the studio's legacy would be honored.
Yasu sighed, a mixture of relief and resignation in his expression. "I knew this day would come. You've done so much for the studio already. If I can keep my people and keep creating what we love, then... yes. I'm in." Yasu took a deep breath, his eyes intense with conviction. "But promise me, Zaboru. Promise me you'll take YaDo to even greater heights. I know you can do it. I'll collaborate with you fully and follow your lead—as long as you make that promise." He looked at Zaboru with eyes full of trust and hope. Zaboru met his gaze, smiling sincerely. "I promise, Yasu-san. I won't let you down."
They shook hands, and Zaboru promised to send over his legal team to finalize everything before the end of the week.
Next, Zaboru headed to the publishing house of Hakushensha. The meeting with Tomi, the company's owner, was even more straightforward.
"You want to buy Hakushensha?" Tomi asked casually.
"Yes," Zaboru said. "And for the record, I want you to stay in charge. I'm here to support your vision and give you the tools to take it even further. I deeply respect what you've created, while also visualizing what I want and I want to see Hakushensha grow not just a little, but exponentially, to reach heights we've never seen before."
Tomi grinned. "Just don't fire my staff or mess with the culture, and I'm all in."
"Agreed. Expect a visit from my legal team soon," Zaboru replied.
With both deals secured in principle, Zaboru returned to ZAGE headquarters that evening, tired but exhilarated. He now had control over his animation and publishing pipelines, setting ZAGE up for long-term success not just in gaming but across media.
Zaboru stood by the window of his office, watching the Tokyo skyline as the sun set.
Zaboru smiled softly to himself as he gazed out over the Tokyo skyline, his thoughts spinning with ambition. "There's so much I want to do with Hakushensha and YaDo. The stories we'll bring to life, the talent we'll nurture... I'm going to make sure these companies grow together with ZAGE"
To be continued.
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