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Friday 4 December 1995.
Today marks the official release date for Hot Wheels toys developed by HanDai, a subsidiary of ZAGE. Alongside the launch, ZAGE also unveiled a series of advertisents that highlight the unique features of the toys, demonstrating their exciting capabilities and the wide variety of track designs available. These ads quickly captured the attention of many, especially car enthusiasts. The designs are a mix of creative and captivating—so cars stand out with their wild and bizarre shapes, sparking curiosity, while others are designed with sleek lines and classic aesthetics that evoke a sense of nostalgia and admiration. The vibrant colors, intricate detailing, and overall quality have left a strong impression on those who have seen them, generating buzz not only among collectors but also among children and adults alike. This launch showcases ZAGE's commitnt to innovation in the toy industry and solidifies its reputation as a creator of imaginative and high-quality products that appeal across generations.
Many ZAGE fans quickly rushed to buy the first batch of Hot Wheels upon release, and they were thrilled with what they got. The toy cars were not only stylish and fun but also impressively detailed—even the undersides of the vehicles featured intricate designs, which fans found incredibly cool. Within just a few days of launch, the Hot Wheels toys had exploded in popularity. The buzz spread quickly through fan communities, collectors, and toy enthusiasts alike. As a result of this overwhelming demand, the entire first production batch manufactured by HanDai sold out, marking a major success for both ZAGE and HanDai.
Zaboru had clearly underestimated the strong reputation that ZAGE had built over ti. Every ti the company released sothing new, fans rushed to purchase it without hesitation, demonstrating a deep trust and loyalty to the brand. ZAGE also deliberately avoided setting ridiculous prices. Instead, they adopted a more accessible pricing strategy—keeping the products affordable—which significantly boosted demand and made the toys more appealing to a wider audience. By not overpricing the toys, he unintentionally created a surge in popularity, as more people were eager and able to buy them. Additionally, ZAGE's products consistently maintain a remarkably high standard of quality and rarely, if ever, disappoint their custors. This unwavering commitnt to excellence, combined with ZAGE's solid reputation and accessible pricing, played a crucial role in the overwhelming success of the launch, far surpassing Zaboru's initial expectations.
In the Japan office, Zaboru noticed that many of his employees had purchased the Hot Wheels toys, clearly excited by their release. Even his father, Zanichi Renkonan—who also serves as ZAGE's CTO—was grinning as he examined one of the toy cars. He genuinely seed to enjoy them, clearly impressed by the design and quality.
Saturday 5 December
Zaboru sat down for a eting with Mido Mitoma, the CEO of HanDai, to discuss ZAGE's plans for the next wave of toy developnt. He explained that ZAGE was preparing to publish two new lines: the Dress-Up Dolls series, starting with "Dress-Up Darling: MARIN," and a new line of toys based on the popular spinning top Ani, Beyblade. The Beyblade ani, created by YaDo, had ignited major excitent among fans, making it a perfect candidate for a toy adaptation. Mido Mitoma nodded in agreent, saying it sounded like a promising direction. He assured Zaboru that HanDai would take on the production of both toy lines and that they could have them ready for launch by mid-1996.
"Still, Zaboru-san, you're really on a roll with creating toys, huh? Not that I'm complaining—seems like HanDai's need for so serious expansion," Mido Mitoma joked, chuckling.
Zaboru grinned. "Yeah, and let tell you, Mido-san—it's just the beginning."
Mido's eyes glead with excitent as he licked his lips, clearly imagining the profits. "Hehehehe... I'm looking forward to it."
Although Mido Mitoma only held 10% of HanDai's shares, with the remaining 90% owned by ZAGE, his portion was entirely his to control. That ant he didn't have to worry about production costs or overhead—just the rewards. And he loved that arrangent.
anwhile In Zaboru's workshop, his girlfriend Ayumi giggled as she flipped through the design book for the Kitagawa Marin dolls. The pages were filled with sketches of Marin in various outfits, ranging from adorably cute to lavishly extravagant. Her cheeks flushed with color. "Hehehe… Zaboru really made a dress-up doll based on ," she murmured, flattered and amused.
When she had first seen Zaboru working on the Marin designs, she had asked what it was. Zaboru had chuckled and casually replied, "It's a dress-up doll, kind of like Barbie, but her na is Marin."
As Ayumi studied the doll's features, she couldn't help but notice how much Marin resembled her. From the hairstyle to the expressions, the similarities were hard to ignore. Blushing, she had asked him if the doll was based on her. Zaboru only responded with a mischievous grin, which left Ayumi flustered and jumping to conclusions.
Little did she know, Zaboru hadn't been consciously modeling the doll after her. Marin Kitagawa was a character from a story in his previous life, though he couldn't exactly explain that to Ayumi. That said, the resemblance—especially the matching hairstyle, aside from Marin's blonde color—was uncanny.
anwhile, Zaboru was in his office as well, watching Marin giggle while looking at the Kitagawa Marin designs. Amused, he chuckled softly and returned to his work. As he reviewed upcoming projects, he was already planning the next wave of toy releases to follow the launch of the Marin and Beyblade lines. His ambition showed no signs of slowing down.
Suddenly, Ayumi clapped her hands and declared with determination, "It's decided, Zabo! I'm going to dye my hair blonde!"
Zaboru raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Huh? Why? Because of Marin?" he asked, slightly puzzled but intrigued.
Ayumi turned bright red, her cheeks flushing deeply as she looked away shyly. "Hmm... well... so that maybe... you can dress up too, like her," she mumbled, twirling a strand of her hair nervously between her fingers.
Zaboru's eyes widened, then slowly a sly grin crept across his face. The idea, as outrageous as it seed, was actually pretty appealing. The thought of turning Ayumi into a real-life version of Marin Kitagawa sparked his imagination. "Hehehe... well, go on then," he said with a chuckle, leaning back in his chair, thoroughly amused and already picturing the possibilities. The idea itself is really appealing to him. Then Ayumi giggle and smack Zaboru in shoulder she clearly embarrassed
To be continue
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