After the interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, Zaboru sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. The mont felt right to pause and reflect on just how far ZAGE had co. In under two years, what began as a humble, almost experintal project had beco one of the most rapidly rising companies in the industry.
"It started with just , Yugo, Yuna, then Shinsuke, Sayuri, and Kudou... and now look at ZAGE," he murmured, a proud smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "We've built sothing incredible. And still, we haven't opened a second branch—not because we can't afford it, but because I haven't decided to do it yet."
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling in quiet thought. "If I really think about it, I must be a little crazy—running a company this size at just 18 years old." He chuckled to himself. "In a few more days, I'll turn 19. That's unreal." Zaboru then grinned. "Well, it's probably because, in truth, I'm over 50 years old—at least from my previous life. With my reincarnator perks like Deep mory Dive, Enlightennt, Aura of Influence, and the Ga Scanning Eye, I've co a long way. But to those who don't know the truth, I must seem pretty terrifying."
He turned his attention to the company's most recent reports. The ZEPS console had beco a phenonon. In 1992 Over 3 million units were sold in Japan alone. anwhile, the ZAGE Ga Boy (ZGB), which had only launched in September 1992, had already moved more than 400,000 units dostically.
International numbers were just as thrilling. Since forming a partnership with Erald Wings earlier that year, ZAGE had shipped over 2.5 million ZEPS units and 350,000 ZGBs to the U.S. market. Every month, shipnts increased. Erald Wings almost couldn't keep up with demand.
Revenue flowed from more than just hardware. Ga cartridges, licensing fees from third-party developers, royalties from rchandise, and revenue from ZAGE POWER magazine added to the mix. The SpongeBob ani, originally created by YaDo and now produced by YaDo Animation—a studio acquired by ZAGE—was airing successfully on TV Tokyo. Its popularity not only brought additional exposure to the ZAGE brand but also generated significant revenue, further solidifying ZAGE's presence in both the gaming and entertainnt industries.
Zaboru opened a separate folder on his desk, filled with building expansion plans and employee records. The main ZAGE office had transford dramatically. What had once been a single rented building from Akechi was now an integrated building of multiple connected buildings. Each section had been redesigned to maximize collaboration and comfort.
Every employee had their own workspace, complete with a dedicated computer, graphics tablet (for creative teams), and many things. eting rooms were updated with interactive whiteboards and comfortable spaces.
The highlight of the building was the newly built recreation center—a space for employees to unwind, brainstorm, or just enjoy the gas they worked on. Outfitted with ZEPS, ZGBs, NEW ZAS, and even a Mugen Ga Box from Sonaya, it was part lounge, part testing ground. Employees often held informal tournants there after hours.
From a staffing standpoint, growth had been strong but controlled. In January, ZAGE had 50 employees. Now, they have grown to over 100. Over the course of the year, they had 120 people in total, ZAGE did not recruit much overall, they just hired 5-7 people a month. Zaboru preferred a selective hiring process. He didn't believe in hiring aggressively just to fill numbers. Instead, every hire had to make sense for the team.
He opened his notebook and reviewed the departnt breakdown:
Executive Leadership:
CEO & Founder: Zaboru Renkonan
CTO: Zanichi Renkonan
Marketing: Shinsuke 19 employees (Total: 20)
Finance: Sayuri 13 employees (Total: 14)
Legal: Kudou 15 employees (Total: 16)
Ga Developnt: Yuna 19 employees (Total: 20)
Quality Control: Yugo 19 employees (Total: 20)
Human Resources: Ichidai Kenzaki 9 employees (Total: 10)
Administration: Rika Kishimori 11 employees (Total: 12)
Receptionists: 5 employees
Secretary: Yumi Ichijou
Custor support tasks were split between HR and Administration, ensuring that user concerns, bug reports, and feedback were efficiently processed.
Looking ahead to 1993, Zaboru had already made up his mind: hiring would slow down. The current infrastructure was designed to support 150 employees, and unless the ZAGE Tower construction finished ahead of schedule or a second office was opened elsewhere, they were approaching capacity. Until then, the focus would be on optimizing internal workflows and ensuring every team mber was empowered to do their best work.
Zaboru strolled through the office, quietly observing as employees worked at their stations, engaged in lively conversations, or huddled together brainstorming ideas. Every ti he passed by a team, they greeted him with a mix of warmth and professionalism—not out of obligation or fear, but from genuine respect. It wasn't just about his title; it was the way he treated them—with fairness and encouragent. Zaboru had never been the kind of leader to bark orders or seek praise. He listened, guided, and trusted his team, led by Example and they responded with loyalty and admiration.
Content with what he saw, he eventually returned to his personal workshop, the quiet sanctuary where ideas took shape and dreams beca real.
He leaned back again, smiling to himself. "Hehehe, I can't believe I've co this far," he whispered. "I promise I'll keep pushing forward—keep creating, keep dreaming. I'll make ZAGE one of the greatest companies in the world. No shortcuts. No compromise." (AN: This is a ssage I'll tell myself as a reminder to keep writing and continue this novel with passion and consistency :))
He tapped his pen on the desk, eyes sharp with focus.
And with that, he returned to his work, heart filled with purpose.
To be continued
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