Visiting Sunrise
Several days after having dinner with Director Takahashi and Yu Suzuki, Takuya appeared downstairs at Bandai's office building.
His stated purpose for this trip was to inspect the development progress of the game project that Sega and Bandai were collaborating on.
The project meeting was, as always, long and tedious. The technical staff from both sides argued back and forth over a few trivial details. Takuya simply sat in the head seat with a smile, not offering much of his opinion.
The meeting ended, and everyone dispersed.
Takuya called out to Yokoi Koji Bandai in charge of the project.
"Yokoi-san, thank you for your hard work."
"No, you are the one, Special Commissioner Nakayama."
Yokoi Koji was very respectful; the young man's achievements were no secret in the industry.
The two walked side by side toward the elevator, Takuya casually started chatting.
"To be honest, I've always been a big fan of Sunrise, especially of Director Tomino's works."
"From the original Mobile Suit Gundam to the recent Char's Counterattack, I haven't missed a single one."
His tone carried a pure enthusiasm, revealing no trace of commercial motive.
Yokoi Koji was somewhat surprised, but still smiled and agreed, "Really? Director Tomino's works are indeed a man's romance."
"So," Takuya's eyes revealed a perfectly measured longing, "I've always hoped to have the opportunity to visit Sunrise's company, as a kind of 'pilgrimage' for a fan."
"Mr. Yokoi, could you please introduce me to Mr. Masatoshi Ito, the president of Sunrise, and convey my small wish?"
Yokoi Koji was very efficient; in just two days, Sunrise responded positively.
President Masatoshi Ito warmly welcomed Takuya's visit.
A few days later, Takuya arrived at the Sunrise Animation headquarters in Suginami Ward as promised.
President Masatoshi Ito personally led several senior executives to greet them at the entrance; the level of hospitality was undeniably high.
"President Ito, this is far too much of a bother."
Takuya quickly stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"Not at all, it's an honor for Sunrise that Executive Director Nakayama could come."
Masatoshi Ito smiled warmly as he carefully examined the rising young man before him.
After both parties sat down in the conference room, Takuya did not rush to get to the point, but instead adopted a humble attitude.
"To be honest, I'm here today primarily as an ordinary fan, making a 'pilgrimage' to this sacred place in my heart."
"Secondly, as a game developer, I hope to have the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn from the teachers at Sunrise."
This humble yet enthusiastic opening instantly relaxed the somewhat formal business atmosphere in the meeting room.
Masatoshi Ito's smile became more genuine, and the expressions of the other Sunrise executives also softened.
This young man, unlike the suited professionals in other companies, didn't immediately start talking about business.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, President Ito personally led Takuya on a tour of the company's production department.
The walls of the corridor are covered with posters of classic works, from "Invincible Super Man Zambot 3" to "Mashin Hero Wataru," each exuding the rich flavor of time.
President Ito stopped in front of a somewhat cluttered office.
"Director Tomino happens to be here. His ' Char's Counterattack ' movie was a huge success, so he's been a bit less busy lately."
Through the glass window in the door, you can see a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses and with slightly thinning hair, engrossed in a pile of drawings and scripts.
It's Yoshiyuki Tomino, who is bald, though he's not bald yet.
Seeing the president arrive with guests, Director Tomino put down his work and stood up to greet them.
President Ito introduced both parties.
"Director Tomino, I've long admired your name." Takuya's tone was filled with genuine respect. "Executive Director Nakayama, you're young and promising." Director Tomino's reply was somewhat formulaic and polite.
At President Ito's suggestion, Director Tomino took over and led Takuya on a tour of the production site.
Walking through the cubicles where animators were engrossed in their work, listening to the scratching of pencils on paper, Takuya seemed to casually bring up a question that only fans would care about.
"Director Tomino, I've always had a question."
In Char's Counterattack, why wasn't Amuro's final girlfriend Beltorchika, whom everyone is familiar with from Zeta Gundam, but instead a new character named Chan?
Upon hearing this, Director Tomino frowned almost imperceptibly.
He paused, his gaze drifting into the distance, as if lost in some unpleasant memory.
It's a long story.
Finally, he only uttered these four words vaguely, which clearly involved a lot of helplessness and compromise outside of creative work.
Takuya immediately noticed the subtle change in his emotions, demonstrating a very high level of emotional intelligence.
He didn't press further, but immediately smiled and changed the subject, pointing to a picture of <Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket> next to him.
The initial concept art.
"I heard that you're not directing this new OVA yourself, which is a bit of a shame. But judging from the premise, the encounter between Bernie and Chris seems like it's going to be a very sad and cruel story."
Director Tomino's expression darkened slightly, and he looked at this young man with newfound respect.
During the tour, Takuya seemed to have something to say, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, but loud enough for Director Tomino beside him to hear clearly. Director Tomino occasionally responded, and the atmosphere didn't become awkward.
"Speaking of which, it's really a headache when business owners interfere with creative work."
He gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Like the Pokémon Electronic Pet I led the development of before, some of the designs that I thought were the core fun were almost cut because some of the company's senior management didn't understand them."
"Fortunately, I have 'powerful connections,' and I was able to argue my case and save them."
He turned his head and looked intently at Director Tomino.
"I believe the ideal collaboration model between operators and creators is to jointly determine the overall direction of the creation and the profit framework before the project begins."
"Then, we should fully trust the creators and let them unleash their potential."
"Showing off your work halfway through a project could not only ruin a good piece of work, but if the project fails, the blame will most likely still fall on the creative department."
"This is so unfair to creators."
These words struck like a heavy hammer, each one hitting the softest and most painful spot in Director Tomino's heart.
The way he looked at Takuya completely changed.
It was no longer about looking at a well-dressed Fangdai, but about examining and recognizing one's own kind.
This young man is knowledgeable, and even more so, he understands the heart of a creator.
After the tour, Takuya returned to the president's office.
Masatoshi Ito personally served him a cup of Shizuoka from Shizuoka.
Amidst the fragrant aroma of tea, President Ito stopped beating around the bush and took the initiative to ask the question.
"Professor Nakayama, your visit today must not be just for a 'pilgrimage,' right?"
Seeing that the time was right, Takuya put down his teacup and leaned forward slightly.
"To be honest, President Ito, I'm here today on behalf of Sega, hoping to have the opportunity to symbolically acquire a portion of Sunrise's shares."
He got straight to the point, but his tone was extremely sincere.
The air in the office seemed to freeze for a moment.
Masatoshi Ito's hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air, a hint of undisguised surprise flashing in his eyes.
Takuya ignored the pressure and continued speaking.
"Of course, our move is by no means intended to interfere with Sunrise's independent operations, nor will it interfere with the creative freedom of any of our teachers; therefore, we do not need a large number of shares."
"It's simply to make future collaborations more direct and smoother."
He looked into Masatoshi Ito's eyes and explained, word by word.
"Sega is a large corporation. If every future collaboration with your IP requires going through Bandai as an intermediary for multiple layers of approval and coordination, it would not only be inefficient but also make us appear disrespectful to Sunrise's standing in the industry. Moreover, it would be too much of a loss of prestige for Sega."
He paused, then uttered a statement that carried immense weight.
"Once or twice is acceptable, but if this continues for a long time, what kind of order will it be?"
This is a very skillful way of putting it. It not only points out the awkwardness of the current situation, but also subtly elevates Sunrise's status, placing Sega in a position of equal dialogue with Sunrise, rather than a condescending one.
"Sega establishing a direct equity relationship with Sunrise not only removes these obstacles but also provides Sunrise's excellent IPs with a more powerful and diversified monetization channel."
"Especially in the gaming industry, Sega's development capabilities can maximize the value of Sunrise's IP in games. I think the president understands this better than I do."
President Masatoshi Ito remained silent.
He picked up the teacup, but didn't drink it. Instead, he ran his fingers along the warm cup, carefully digesting Takuya's bold idea.
He fully agreed with Takuya's analysis of the prospects for cooperation.
Sega's formidable strength in game development and global distribution is something Bandai Namco can only dream of.
After a long while, Masatoshi Ito finally put down his teacup and looked at Takuya solemnly.
"I personally agree with Nakayama's proposal. However, changes in shareholding are a significant matter, and I need to discuss it with other shareholders. I cannot give you an answer on the spot."
I understand.
Takuya smiled and nodded; the main purpose of this trip had been achieved.
"Then I'll await good news."