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 vete...
2025-11-01 09:05:03 +0000 UTC View PostJanuary 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 dimm...
2025-11-01 09:03:05 +0000 UTC View PostKonami 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 Japan...
2025-11-01 09:00:36 +0000 UTC View PostOn 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.
The first play...
2025-10-31 10:37:59 +0000 UTC View PostNintendo 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 technology being used. Even Yu Suzuk...
2025-10-31 10:30:51 +0000 UTC View PostAfter 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 certainly worthy of being ...
2025-10-31 10:29:17 +0000 UTC View PostAfter 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 cheers.
The handhel...
2025-10-30 10:39:19 +0000 UTC View PostAfter 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 relaxed.
“The ...
2025-10-30 10:37:21 +0000 UTC View PostWhile 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.
The location was a high-end sushi res...
2025-10-30 10:26:52 +0000 UTC View PostThe 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 conducting tests around the...
2025-10-29 09:07:08 +0000 UTC View PostIn 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 TV.
2025-10-29 09:05:17 +0000 UTC View Post
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-production blockbuster *Du...
2025-10-29 09:03:21 +0000 UTC View Post*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 phenomenon’s daily box office finall...
2025-10-28 09:37:03 +0000 UTC View PostOn 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—those lines weren’t paid plants,...
2025-10-28 09:35:21 +0000 UTC View PostTwo 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 transformed into dense walls of Pokémon ...
2025-10-28 09:33:56 +0000 UTC View PostEarly 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 reasons for interest: *My Neighbor Totoro*’s April ...
2025-10-27 09:03:36 +0000 UTC View PostWith *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 and Gallop. *Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back*, th...
2025-10-27 09:01:26 +0000 UTC View PostTakuya 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 someone to breathe life into it.
He reca...
2025-10-27 08:59:09 +0000 UTC View PostThe 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 practically jogged to the elevator.
Bac...
2025-10-26 09:38:25 +0000 UTC View PostThe 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, tasked with leading and reviewing story creation a...
2025-10-26 09:36:25 +0000 UTC View PostAfter 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 inspirations onto paper. The draft avoided compl...
2025-10-26 09:34:31 +0000 UTC View PostWith 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. Leaning back, he twirled a pen, his gaz...
2025-10-25 10:09:19 +0000 UTC View PostWhile 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 victory.
A flood of third-party i...
2025-10-25 10:06:06 +0000 UTC View PostAmid 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. Compared to PC Engine’s vibrant, fast-paced ...
2025-10-25 10:04:03 +0000 UTC View PostThe 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 reality.
As he sat, his assistant slid ...
2025-10-24 10:04:28 +0000 UTC View Post“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 throat, setting th...
2025-10-24 10:02:44 +0000 UTC View PostEarly 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? Have they forgotten who backed ...
2025-10-24 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostLate 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 desk was buried under market rep...
2025-10-23 09:57:40 +0000 UTC View PostEarly 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: Fratelli’s Last Stand*, stood empty, as if it ...
2025-10-23 09:55:05 +0000 UTC View PostLeaving 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 star in animation destined for legend.
2025-10-23 09:53:01 +0000 UTC View Post