Tuesday, May 5, 1992.
While Zaboru was in the United States, an intense and unexpected debate ignited across Japan, pitting baseball purists against passionate video ga fans. The controversy centered on ZAGE's latest ga, Base Wars, a futuristic, over-the-top take on baseball where robots clashed on the field with high-powered weapons. What began as a niche discussion quickly escalated into a national debate, fueled by the dia and public opinion, growing louder with each passing day.
The spark that set off the controversy ca from a TV interview on Sunday, the very day Zaboru had departed for Arica. Hikaru Kurata, Sonaya CEO and major shareholder, had asked Ouki Sadaharu — one of Japan's most revered baseball legends — to voice his thoughts on Base Wars. Ouki, who owed Kurata a favor, delivered a scathing critique on national television, calling Base Wars a blasphemy to the sacred sport of baseball. He accused the ga of mocking the honor and tradition of the sport, urging Japanese citizens to avoid it entirely. Instead, he recomnded playing Sonaya's J-Yagyu!, a more traditional baseball ga featuring real Japanese team nas and a respectful portrayal of the sport.
The backlash was imdiate. Non-gars and traditionalists took to the streets and airwaves, demanding the ga be taken down. They echoed Ouki's sentints, arguing that Base Wars ridiculed the spirit of baseball. On the other side, ZAGE fans and video ga enthusiasts defended the ga, asserting that it was just a form of entertainnt. They argued that creativity and fun should not be constrained by traditional values. They called the baseball purists narrow-minded and accused them of clinging to outdated ideals, unwilling to embrace innovation.
The debate spread rapidly across big cities and small towns alike. Heated argunts erupted in arcades, cafes, and even on public transit. Friends clashed over the issue, with so passionately defending the sanctity of baseball while others championed the importance of fun and creative expression. The dia seized the opportunity, covering the clash extensively.
Hikaru Kurata, leveraging Sonaya's vast resources, bought out a major newspaper to push his narrative. The headlines painted ZAGE as a company mocking baseball, calling them clowns who parodied the sport, while portraying Sonaya as the defenders of baseball's purity. However, Kurata couldn't control the entire dia landscape. Several outlets sided with ZAGE, praising Base Wars for its creativity and unique take on the sport, arguing that gas should not be bound by reality.
At Bakudan Arcade, the tension reached a boiling point. Sakaki, a part-ti employee at Bakudan Arcade and a player known for his fierce loyalty to ZAGE gas, was deep into a heated match of Base Wars when a group of baseball purists confronted him.
"Stop playing that ga, you bastard! You're dishonoring Japan's sacred sport!" one of them shouted, pointing aggressively at the screen.
Sakaki snorted, barely pausing the ga. "This is just a ga, dumbass. It's none of your business. Go play your sacred sport with your narrow-minded friends!"
The arcade fell silent as the confrontation escalated. Fists clenched, jaws tightened, and the air buzzed with tension. It wasn't just about the ga anymore — it was about pride, culture, and identity. A fight seed inevitable until cooler heads pulled both sides apart before things turned violent. Yet the divide was clear. This wasn't just a debate; it was a cultural battle between tradition and modernity.
anwhile, Hikaru Kurata sat in his lavish Sonaya office that evening, swirling a glass of wine with a smug grin on his face. "Heh, it's really fortunate Zaboru went to the US. By the ti he cos back, Sonaya will have gained the public's favor," he mused, chuckling to himself. He relished the thought of Zaboru returning to a storm he couldn't control.
With the controversy dominating headlines, TV Tokyo saw an opportunity for ratings. They invited Ouki Sadaharu, Hikaru Kurata, and Zaboru Renkonan to debate the issue on live television. In fact this is Hikaru Kurata's work too. The timing seed intentional — they knew Zaboru was out of the country, giving the other side a potential advantage. The promo teasers hyped the debate as a clash between the old and the new, tradition versus innovation. It was set to be the most-watched broadcast of the month.
Yumi, Zaboru's secretary, imdiately contacted him to inform him of the situation. Zaboru sighed upon hearing the news. "Alright, Yumi-san. Let them know I'm ready to debate... but I'll need to wear my helt during the interview."
Yumi nodded. TV Tokyo was already aware of Zaboru's preference to keep his identity concealed. They had no issue with it; in fact, it only added to the show's mystique. Viewers were already speculating about who this mysterious figure was, and ratings were expected to soar.
By the ti Zaboru finished filming the Doom ads in the US, he was more than ready to return to Japan. As he boarded the flight back, he reflected on the absurdity of the situation. "I can't believe this is happening. I bet this is Hikaru Kurata's sche to promote Sonaya's J-Yagyu," he chuckled quietly. "Clever move... but if I play this right, I can turn the tables and boost Base Wars' popularity. And if I lose... well, it's not the end of the world. People in this era tend to be narrow-minded, but I respect their passion."
As the plane soared over the Pacific, Zaboru stared out the window, lost in thought. He thrived under pressure. Whether the debate ended in victory or defeat, he was ready to face it head-on. In his mind, Base Wars was more than just a ga, it was a symbol of creativity, freedom, and the courage to challenge convention. Win or lose, he would stand by it.
To be continued.
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