Nakayama Takuya offered a suggestion. "Wait for the next generation of consoles. Wait until polygon counts and storage media climb another level, and maybe you can make it into an interactive movie-style game with a fully 3D perspective. By then, you won't have to make any compromises."
Kojima Hideo stared at the storyboards on the table, his brows twisted into a knot.
Once a creator's urge to express himself was hooked, it was very hard to press it back down.
"Or take another path." Nakayama Takuya changed tack, his gaze shifting to Mamoru Oshii, who was smoking beside them. "If all you want is to finish telling this story, and you're not that fixated on the interactivity of players operating it with their own hands, then simply make it into an animation."
Kojima Hideo snapped his head up.
"Sega funds it and sets up an independent animation project team." Nakayama Takuya tossed out the bait. "Release it as an OVA."
"You'll be the director."
"I've never directed animation before." Kojima Hideo rubbed his hands together, his tone betraying an eagerness he couldn't hide.
"Isn't there a ready-made teacher sitting right here?" Nakayama Takuya lifted his chin toward Mamoru Oshii. "The two of you were even discussing storyboards together just now. Pulling together a production team won't be hard. Director Oshii can serve as producer and keep things in check for you, and he'll solve the technical problems. You just focus on stuffing in your Hollywood-style storyboards and script."
Mamoru Oshii blew out a smoke ring. "My rates aren't low."
"Sega can afford it." Nakayama Takuya took the cue, then turned to Kojima Hideo. "But there's one prerequisite. Budget control has to be written into the contract. You can't do what you do in games, making the entire team butt heads