Monday, 12 January 1995 – ZAGE Offices USA
After concluding etings with the entire ZAGE executive team on Friday last week, Zaboru departed Japan to address critical business matters in the United States. anwhile, he outlined a clear strategy for the Japanese branch. He directed the Tokyo team to prioritize the Tamagotchi-Digimon project, considering its massive potential and cross-generational appeal. At the sa ti, he assigned the Osaka team a separate task, distinct from their previous involvent with Pokémon Crystal, which had already completed developnt and testing earlier in the year. With preparations finalized, Zaboru scheduled its global release for the end of January and was determined to ensure the launch proceeded smoothly and on ti.
For the Osaka team, Zaboru finally assigned them a fresh and exciting new task slated for release the following month: an arcade ga titled Sunset Riders, a humorous and fast-paced 4-player cowboy-thed beat-'em-up adventure. The project was refreshingly straightforward in scope, requiring no additional resources beyond the standard arcade cabinet setup already available to the team. The gaplay concept was lively, colorful, and highly engaging—an experience designed to be both accessible and entertaining for players of all ages. Confident in the ga's comrcial appeal and potential for arcade success, Zaboru drafted a comprehensive proposal and handed it off to Shigeru Miyamoto at the ZAGE offices in Osaka. The assignnt thrilled Shigeru, who had long harbored a personal desire to experint with arcade ga developnt alongside his Osaka-based team.
As for the Tokyo team, although the majority of their manpower had shifted to the high-priority Tamagotchi project, Zaboru still saw potential in running a parallel developnt effort. He planned to allocate a compact but skilled subgroup to tackle an innovative new ga slated for February—none other than the much-anticipated Hideo Kojima and Yugo Kanai collaboration: ROBOT VS MONSTER. The concept had already been outlined by the visionary duo,. Zaboru trusted their creative instincts and pledged his full support, assigning dedicated programrs and artists to assist with developnt. He intended for the project to hit the market by late February, adding another feather in the Tokyo branch's cap and ensuring that innovation continued alongside comrcial pursuits.
As for ZAGE USA, Zaboru was now assisting the team in finalizing Duke Nukem for PC. He believed the ga could be ready for release in late January, launching simultaneously with Pokémon Crystal for ZGB. This ant that for this month, no new titles would debut for the ZEPS 2 platform.
Zaboru chuckled to himself when thinking about Duke Nukem. To him, the character embodied the exaggerated stereotype of what many Japanese imagined an Arican white male to be: blond, handso, muscular, cigar-chomping, and utterly enamored with guns and explosions. It was a character so over-the-top that it circled back around to being captivating.
Zaboru was confident that Duke Nukem would resonate well with the Arican market—just as it had in his previous life. He rembered how the old ga had achieved cult status before the sequel in his past life eventually damaged the franchise's legacy. This ti, however, Zaboru was determined to avoid the sa mistakes. With careful guidance and marketing, he believed Duke Nukem had the potential to beco a major hit once more.
For the USA team's next major task, Zaboru mapped out the developnt of a new PC strategy ga set for a March release—none other than the legendary Civilization. Drawing inspiration from Civilization II in his previous life, Zaboru envisioned a turn-based experience that balanced historical depth with accessible gaplay. The goal was to recreate the magic of Civ II . Coincidentally, Sid ier was already part of the ZAGE team, albeit as a junior developer. Despite his position, Sid's raw talent and strategic thinking had already impressed the senior staff. However, Zaboru made a deliberate choice: the ga would be released simply as Civilization, omitting "Sid ier's" na from the title. While this was a nod to his past life, Zaboru wanted to avoid confusion or unwarranted speculation about the developer's influence or role. His decision was rooted in ensuring the ga stood on its own rits within this new tiline.
Now, in his USA office, Zaboru continued refining the Civilization draft while also pouring his creative energy into an original comic book project he hoped Marvel would publish—a standalone series centered entirely on Venom. The character had already beco a fan favorite after several morable appearances in Marvel's Spider-Man comics, which had been reinvigorated following ZAGE's acquisition of Marvel and the subsequent reboot of its continuity into the MRU (Marvel Re-Universe). In these latest issues, Venom's presence had struck a chord with readers, earning praise for both his striking design and his morally ambiguous nature, making him an ideal candidate for a solo spotlight.
Despite Venom's rising popularity and powerful visual impact, the character's origin remained largely unexplored. This lingering mystery inspired Zaboru to develop a dedicated Venom comic book series that would delve deep into both Venom's personal backstory and the alien Symbiote's enigmatic origins. His goal was to create a compelling narrative that added emotional depth and mythological weight to the character. Naturally, Spider-Man would play an important supporting role in the storyline, serving as both a moral contrast and a pivotal figure in Venom's journey, ensuring continuity with the broader Marvel Re-Universe.
In addition to his work on the MRU, Zaboru envisioned establishing a Marvel subsidiary dedicated exclusively to comics that were not connected to the MRU. These stories would embrace a darker, more mature tone and function independently of any shared universe—much like Dark Horse Comics did in his previous world. Zaboru had already discussed the idea with Marvel executives and Stan Lee, both of whom were supportive. With their approval, Marvel began laying the groundwork for its very first subsidiary comic imprint. Zaboru aid to produce a variety of standalone titles under this new label, either by illustrating them himself or collaborating with other artists and writers. These comics would form a separate creative sphere, wholly distinct from the Marvel Re-Universe, offering greater freedom in storytelling and genre experintation.
Similarly, he planned to apply the sa expansion strategy for Hakushensha. At present, Hakushensha only published the Weekly and Monthly Shōnen Magazines, but Zaboru envisioned a broader future. He intended to diversify their publication line-up by venturing into the Seinen and Shōjo genres, catering to older teens and young adults, as well as female readership. In addition, Zaboru was also contemplating the creation of dedicated subsidiaries under Hakushensha that would specialize in light novels. He recognized the imnse potential of the light novel market based on his experience in his previous life.
Zaboru was imrsed in his work when an urgent knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Standing there was Jas Yoel, ZAGE USA Supervisor and a key figure at Erald Wings, his expression tense with urgency. "Boss! We've got an ergency!" he blurted out. Raising an eyebrow, Zaboru promptly stood and opened the door. "What is it, Jas?" he asked, his tone calm but curious.
Jas sighed deeply, his expression a mixture of disbelief and awe. "It's... Walt Disney, boss. He's actually here to see you."
Zaboru blinked, confused. "You an a Disney representative?"
Jas shook his head emphatically. "No, boss—it's Walt Disney himself. The legend in the flesh."
Zaboru's eyes widened in stunned disbelief. "Walt Disney is still alive!? Unbelievable! That ans the entire Disney tiline must have diverged drastically from the one I knew in my previous life. But why is he looking for ? What could he possibly want?"
Zaboru turned to Jas and asked, "Alright, Jas—where is Walt Disney now?"
"He's in the guest room, boss," Jas replied without missing a beat.
With a sharp nod Together, he and Jas walked briskly toward the guest room to et Walt Disney.
To be continue
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