Recaps

Sega’s Sakura Wars trailer captivated viewers, while Tanaka recruited Nine-Tattoo Dragon to smuggle and rent Mega Drive consoles and games in mainland China. The chapter ended as the anime premiered in Tokyo and the smuggling venture set out across the sea.

• A television trailer for Sakura Wars showcased its opera performers, mecha battles, and theme song, stirring anticipation for its April release.
• Tanaka secured compensation from Nine-Tattoo Dragon and pitched Takuya’s plan to distribute localized games and rent consoles in mainland China.
• Nine-Tattoo Dragon accepted the venture and promised Sega safe passage along his freight routes.
• Sega’s Hong Kong assembly plant loaded consoles and cartridges onto a truck labeled as promotional gifts, and Nine-Tattoo Dragon’s men shipped them across the sea.
• In Tokyo, viewers gathered for Sakura Wars’s television premiere as its opening theme sounded.

The first episode of Sakura's arrival in the imperial capital left viewers upset as she was humiliated by Sumire Kanzaki and ended alone in Ueno Park. TV Tokyo's operators directed worried viewers to the Sakura Wars game, and many bought Sega-CD systems to continue Sakura's story and comfort her themselves.

• Sakura Shinguji arrived in Ginza, struggled to adjust to the city, and accidentally damaged the Grand Imperial Theater's stage set.
• Sumire Kanzaki berated Sakura, who apologized and gathered her scattered belongings before walking alone through the city.
• Sakura sat beneath cherry blossoms in Ueno Park and cried as the first episode ended, prompting an outcry from viewers.
• TV Tokyo's hotline operators told callers that the Sakura Wars game continued the story and let them guide Sakura as Captain Ogami.
• Viewers bought Sega-CD systems, played the game, comforted Sakura, and stayed up through the weekend to continue playing.

Sega’s Sakura Wars anime and game sparked a nationwide craze, driving strong ratings, game sales, and Sega-CD purchases. The chapter ended with the pink Sakura storm spreading across Japan as players devoted their time and money to winning Sakura’s smile.

• Students traded rumors about the game while avoiding spoilers, and Sega producer Hiroi Ouji reported that the anime reached the top three in its time slot, the game sold over 100,000 copies on launch day, and Sega-CD sales surged.
• Nakayama Takuya told the Sales Department to restock quickly and let the anime and game’s reputation grow.
• The anime’s second episode drew more viewers into the franchise, and students and office workers crowded around shared Sega-CD consoles to play.
• Famitsu awarded the game 36 points and a place in its Platinum Hall of Fame, praising its LIPS System and blend of game and anime.
• By mid-April, Sakura game sales surpassed 200,000 copies, while Sakura merchandise and related products rose in price across Akihabara.

Nakayama Takuya moved the Mega Drive cartridge version of Chrono Trigger up to Golden Week to answer player demand and fill the gap left by Sakura Wars. It sold massively on release, proving the Mega Drive still mattered, while Nakayama turned his attention to what came next.

• Nakayama Takuya ignored petitions for a Mega Drive version of Sakura Wars and arranged a surprise promotion announcing Chrono Trigger's earlier release.
• Sega-linked magazines suggested the Chrono Trigger cartridge release demonstrated that a Sega-CD game could be converted well for the Mega Drive, calming players who hoped Sakura Wars might follow.
• On May 1, students crowded electronics stores to buy Chrono Trigger, and Tanaka Kenta found that the cartridge's pixel art, FM music, combat, and story still made the world feel alive.
• Chrono Trigger sold 1.02 million copies in Japan and 430,000 in North America and Europe on its first day, showing that the Mega Drive still ruled many living rooms.
• Sato tried to warn his friends about an upcoming boss, but they silenced him to avoid spoilers; players who had already finished the game kept quiet as newcomers explored it.
• Nakayama Takuya filed the first-week sales report, counted the release as a victory for both the Mega Drive and Sega-CD, and returned to work without celebrating.

Nakayama Takuya traveled to Sega of America to inspect the Jurassic Park game and discuss its simultaneous Mega Drive and Sega-CD release with Tom Kalinske. They went to Universal Pictures to see how the film's promotion was being handled, where strict rules showed how carefully the studio guarded Jurassic Park.

• Nakayama Takuya flew to San Francisco to inspect the Mega Drive version of Jurassic Park, whose development Mark Cerny had largely completed before returning to Tokyo.
• Nakayama Takuya and Tom Kalinske discussed releasing the Mega Drive and Sega-CD versions simultaneously, despite the cartridge's high cost and record-setting price.
• Tom Kalinske and Nakayama Takuya drove to Universal Pictures with Bernard Stolar to see how the film's promotion was being prepared.
• Tom Kalinske complained that Universal restricted Sega's commercials and posters, while Bernard Stolar explained that the studio was guarding its risky, groundbreaking film carefully.

Nakayama Takuya explained Sega’s plan to capitalize on Jurassic Park’s publicity while keeping its own marketing restrained, and the group defended the game against criticism of movie adaptations. Spielberg joined them at Universal, eager to see Sega’s game, as Tom Kalinske connected the Sega-CD to a projector.

• Takuya told Tom Kalinske that Sega would ride the film’s publicity instead of competing with it, while Bandai made dinosaurs on its production lines.
• Takuya, Tom, and Bernard met Universal’s publicity chief to review the campaign restrictions.
• Spielberg described hiding the dinosaurs during interviews and dismissed criticism comparing the game to Atari’s E.T.
• Takuya defended Sega’s year-long work on the game and assured Spielberg it would impress its critics.
• Spielberg invited the group to see the game, and Tom connected the Sega-CD to a projector in Universal’s curtained conference room.

Nakayama Takuya won Universal Pictures’ approval to expand promotion for Sega’s Jurassic Park game after Steven Spielberg praised its lifelike dinosaurs. Tanaka then reported that Mega Drive rental shops in southern China were thriving, leaving Takuya asking how localization was progressing.

• Steven Spielberg played Sega’s Jurassic Park game and praised its ability to make players feel hunted.
• Nakayama Takuya persuaded Universal Pictures’ publicity and distribution head to allow wider promotion using Sega’s five-million-dollar budget.
• Tanaka told Nakayama Takuya that Nine-Tattoo Dragon’s Mega Drives and cartridges had sold out quickly as shops rented the machines to customers.
• Tanaka explained that Nine-Tattoo Dragon’s underlings were loyal because the game business helped their relatives earn money.
• Nakayama Takuya asked Tanaka about localization, which he considered essential to spreading Sega’s influence.

Takuya directed Tanaka to expand Sega’s gray-market game business in China while keeping the company’s involvement deniable, then attended the Los Angeles premiere of Jurassic Park with Tom Kalinske and Bernard. The chapter ended as the film’s lifelike dinosaur effects stunned the audience.

• Takuya told Tanaka to have Nine-Tattoo Dragon arrange Chinese localization through Shenzhen factories without using Sega’s name, and refused to extend credit for more machines.
• Takuya instructed Nine-Tattoo Dragon to keep students from playing too long, protect the business from public backlash, and expand from Guangdong into Shanghai.
• Takuya emphasized that Sega must deny knowledge of where the inventory went, while Tanaka confirmed the paperwork and warned Nine-Tattoo Dragon to follow the rules.
• On June 9 in Los Angeles, Takuya, Tom Kalinske, and Bernard attended the Jurassic Park premiere at the Cinerama Dome.
• The audience gasped at the realistic brachiosaurus on screen, and Tom stared at the film in astonishment.

Jurassic Park became a record-breaking hit, and Sega turned the film’s dinosaur craze into a surge in Mega Drive and Sega-CD sales. By the end of the chapter, stores had sold out of even the expensive limited-edition bundles.

• At the premiere, Tom Kalinske told Nakayama Takuya that Sega had underestimated demand, and the audience erupted into cheers after the screening.
• Spielberg’s film drew huge crowds, sold out presale tickets across the United States, and earned $41.5 million in its opening weekend.
• Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, and Sam Neill promoted the film as Michael Crichton’s novel surged in bookstores.
• Sega placed Mega Drive demo kiosks in theater lobbies, where excited moviegoers tried the Jurassic Park game and bought consoles and cartridges.
• Shoppers snapped up Sega-CD bundles featuring Tyrannosaurus rex artwork, leaving stores without stock or even unreserved display units.

Jurassic Park’s Sega-CD and Mega Drive releases became an enormous hit, drawing attention from American executives and Japanese gaming media alike. Famitsu awarded the game a Platinum Hall of Fame score, and Japanese shops struggled to keep it in stock.

• Tom Kalinske celebrated Sega-CD sales of 30,000 units in one week as Bernard reported two million cartridge copies sold in the first week.
• Matsui Sho and Kobayashi worked through the night in Los Angeles to send Weekly Famitsu their report and photographs of the game’s launch and premiere.
• Matsui credited Mark Cerny’s technology and Spielberg’s public support for the game’s prospects as a major seller.
• Hirokazu Hamamura and three Famitsu editors tested the game and gave it four scores of 9, earning it a Platinum Hall of Fame total of 36.
• Japanese players crowded around the game’s demo at Messe Sanoh, and the shop’s shelves emptied despite Sega’s ample supply.

Jurassic Park’s success in America fueled a sudden rush for the novel in Japan, while Bandai prepared its dinosaur models without rushing their promotion. Nakayama Takuya returned home from Los Angeles, where his young son Kazuki failed to recognize him and cried.

• High school students bought out Kinokuniya’s copies of Jurassic Park after playing Sega’s game, prompting Manager Ikeda to order two thousand more.
• Mitsui Chuta convinced Yamashina Makoto and Bandai’s executives to hold back toy promotion, keep production running, and stock their warehouses for the film’s July release.
• Nakayama Takuya saw Jurassic’s success and heavy orders as proof that his work in Los Angeles was done, then left for Japan and handed Tom the remaining duties.
• Nakayama Takuya returned to his home in Meguro Ward and greeted Kazuki, but the toddler did not recognize him and ran off crying.

After a week at home reconnecting with Kazuki, Nakayama Takuya returned to Sega Headquarters and proposed a realistic but exciting soccer game for the 1994 U.S. World Cup. The chapter ended as he faced the question of whether to include Japan Team, knowing Japan would suffer the Doha Tragedy and miss the finals.

• Nakayama Takuya won Kazuki over with a special dinosaur plush and spent his vacation caring for his son with Eri.
• After returning to Sega Headquarters, Nakayama Takuya reviewed the company's progress and summoned Ono Hiroshi's idle development team.
• Nakayama Takuya proposed that Ono Hiroshi's team develop a soccer game ahead of the 1994 U.S. World Cup, and Ono agreed they could adapt their baseball game's defensive AI.
• Nakayama Takuya directed the team to create a realistic, thrilling game featuring twenty-four strong national teams.
• A planner asked whether Japan Team should be included, and Nakayama Takuya recalled that Japan would miss the finals after the Doha Tragedy.

Nakayama Takuya ordered Sega to develop a soccer game built around authentic national teams and player data, while avoiding FIFA’s protected tournament name and trophy. The chapter then shifted to Toho, where Sega and Bandai offered cooperative promotions for the Japanese release of a major film.

• Nakayama Takuya told Ono Hiroshi to include Japan’s national team and promised to secure data through Director Yoshikawa and the Japan Football Association.
• Nakayama Takuya explained that Sega’s data network would give its soccer games a lasting competitive advantage and warned the team not to use FIFA’s name or trophy design.
• Nakayama Takuya assigned Ono Hiroshi’s team to negotiate national-team licenses for real names and jersey designs.
• At Toho Pictures, Sato reviewed rising North American box-office figures and urged his staff to make the film’s July Japanese premiere a success.
• Sega and Bandai presented promotional plans that highlighted the film while keeping their own branding and products from overshadowing it.

After Toho agreed to give Sega and Bandai prime theater promotional space, the 1993 Hokkaido earthquake devastated Okushiri Island and cast Japan into mourning. Nakayama Takuya found inspiration in the disaster response to design a video game that could teach practical emergency procedures, remembering that an even greater earthquake would strike Kansai in 1995.

• Sato arranged for Sega and Bandai to receive prominent displays and shared poster space at Toho's leading theaters in exchange for their cooperation.
• On July 12, Nakayama Takuya and Eri watched emergency reports of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, tsunami, and fires on Okushiri Island.
• In the days after the disaster, Japanese schools practiced safety drills and households checked their emergency supplies as news coverage focused on casualties and aftershocks.
• Nakayama heard Sakai Izumi's song Don't Give Up lift the spirits of people at a convenience store while television screens showed rescue efforts.
• Nakayama wrote down a proposal for a disaster-prevention game using Sega's QTE system to help players memorize escape and safety procedures.
• Nakayama noted that his proposed game should precede the devastating 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, then crossed out the date.

Nakayama Takuya postponed Sega’s disaster-prevention game plans until public grief over the Okushiri Island disaster had eased, then turned his attention to Jurassic Park’s Japanese premiere. The film opened to stunned audiences and a rush on dinosaur merchandise, as the CG dinosaur storm began reshaping Japan’s entertainment industry.

• Nakayama Takuya decided to wait before pitching Sega’s disaster-prevention game, keeping his idea for a later moment of public reflection.
• At Jurassic Park’s premiere, Miyazaki Hayao, Hideaki Anno, and Yoshiyuki Tomino debated the film’s computer-generated dinosaurs and what the technology could mean for visual entertainment.
• Nakayama Takuya argued that movies could make dreams with either paintbrushes or computers and welcomed cooperation between artists and programmers.
• Jurassic Park opened in Japanese theaters on July 24, and audiences erupted in amazement after watching it.
• Moviegoers quickly bought out dinosaur toys and plushies at the theater counters, including Sanrio’s cute dinosaur designs.

The dinosaur craze spread across Japan, driving sales of related merchandise and electronics as Jurassic Park’s popularity surged. Sega’s global sales passed 5.5 million copies, and the chapter ended with companies scrambling to keep up with demand.

• Bandai, Autobacs, and electronics stores saw demand rise for dinosaur merchandise and high-end audio equipment.
• Japanese television and newspapers embraced the dinosaur craze, while Sam Neill and Laura Dern endured crowded promotional appearances.
• Tom Kalinske reported that Mega Drive and Sega-CD shipments in Europe and America had reached 3.2 million copies.
• Sega employees celebrated as domestic sales pushed Jurassic Park’s global total past 5.5 million copies.
• Nakayama Takuya saw stores sold out and trucks leaving Sega’s warehouses as the film brought new customers to the game.
• Bandai’s sales chief urged staff to ship goods as quickly as possible amid surging demand.

Yamashina Makoto reconsidered Nakayama Takuya’s proposal to unite Bandai and Sega as Bandai’s dinosaur merchandise sales soared. After Kagoshima’s devastating floods briefly dampened Japan’s dinosaur craze, audiences returned to Jurassic Park, and Toho celebrated its box-office success by publicly crediting Sega and Bandai, leaving Takuya poised to speak.

• Yamashina Makoto heard that customers had forcibly bought even the display samples and reflected on Nakayama Takuya’s suggestion that Bandai and Sega become one family.
• Torrential rain and flooding struck Kagoshima on August 6, and television coverage of the disaster exposed the limits of public aid.
• Nakayama Takuya watched NHK’s disaster coverage as public discussion shifted toward self-help, mutual aid, and disaster preparedness.
• After the rescue period passed and variety shows and Jurassic Park returned, audiences flocked back to cinemas.
• At Toho’s celebration banquet for Jurassic Park’s ten-billion-yen Japanese box office, Sato praised Sega and Bandai’s support and handed the microphone to Nakayama Takuya.

After Jurassic Park’s success, Nakayama Takuya returned his attention to Sega’s hardware and game development work. He spotted Hisao Oguchi’s organizational talent and prepared to give him greater responsibility, then called him over.

• At a banquet, Nakayama Takuya argued that films, games, and merchandise could grow together by drawing on the same audience spending, and Yamashina Makoto led the applause.
• With Jurassic Park’s box-office and merchandise earnings still soaring, Nakayama Takuya set aside the financial report and refocused on Model 2, the next-generation console, and game teams.
• Nakayama Takuya stopped Yu Suzuki from overclocking the Model 2 prototype and assigned him foundational work on collision detection, physics, input latency, and AI.
• Mark Cerny and Yuji Naka led engineers in developing graphics libraries and compilation tools while SGI worked on the custom chip.
• Nakayama Takuya saw Hisao Oguchi coordinating the racing game team and recognized his potential to manage Sega’s operations.
• Nakayama Takuya called Hisao Oguchi over, and Oguchi turned back and greeted him.

Nakayama Takuya asked Hisao Oguchi how Sega could address duplicated work and poor coordination across development teams. Hisao proposed assigning experienced employees to full-time project coordination, leaving the chapter with Nakayama considering the value of the idea.

• Nakayama Takuya brought Hisao Oguchi into a conference room and asked about his workload across several teams.
• Hisao explained that resource conflicts and communication delays caused frequent problems, including two groups building similar physics engine modules.
• Nakayama asked Hisao to propose a solution without budget or staffing limits.
• Hisao suggested assigning fixed project managers to large teams instead of relying on supervisors who moved between groups.
• Hisao argued that experienced employees with family responsibilities could coordinate projects, reduce rework, and support development teams.

Nakayama Takuya offered Hisao Oguchi a deputy position and planned a new technical management career track for experienced employees whose coding skills had fallen behind. He began arranging the changes with Human Resources, where Director Tamura raised questions about how the new roles would be paid.

• Nakayama Takuya offered Hisao Oguchi a role as his deputy in the Managing Director's Office, to begin after Oguchi finished his current work.
• Nakayama Takuya asked Hisao Oguchi to identify veteran employees suited to project coordination and proposed a technical management job sequence with pay and benefits comparable to coders.
• Hisao Oguchi accepted the offer and thanked Nakayama Takuya, while preparing to complete his current duties and compile the list.
• Nakayama Takuya told Director Tamura to promote Hisao Oguchi by half a level, discuss his compensation, and begin the transfer procedures.
• Nakayama Takuya explained his plan for Technical Manager roles to Director Tamura, who praised the idea but asked how their salaries should be set.

Nakayama Takuya defended a well-paid technical management role for veteran employees and explained his opposition to forced overtime and workplace socializing. Five days later, Hisao Oguchi brought him a researched list of twelve candidates, and Nakayama began reviewing their circumstances.

• Nakayama Takuya told Tamura the technical management position deserved pay comparable to technical posts because it involved handling conflict and supporting developers.
• Nakayama Takuya rejected mandatory drinking parties and workplace bullying, insisting that efficiency, rest, and family time mattered more than forced socializing.
• Tamura agreed to draft salary standards for the new role, and Nakayama said it could serve as a return path for former Sega employees at Sony.
• Five days later, Hisao Oguchi presented Nakayama Takuya with a folder listing twelve potential candidates and their résumés and circumstances.
• Nakayama Takuya discussed Watanabe’s family burdens and Sato’s mortgage, considering how their experience and personal situations suited the role.

Nakayama Takuya arranged for twelve struggling veteran employees to become technical coordination managers, giving them stable roles and improved compensation while freeing developers to focus on their work. After all twelve accepted the transfers, they came to thank him, and Watanabe nearly knelt in gratitude before Nakayama stopped him.

• Nakayama Takuya praised Hisao Oguchi for selecting twelve employees suited to technical coordination roles and told him to finish handing over his racing project before transferring.
• Nakayama Takuya instructed Tamura to offer the employees promotions, a five-percent raise, and bonuses tied to frontline developers, while presenting the change as a chance to guide younger staff.
• Tamura negotiated with the twelve employees, including Watanabe and Sato, who accepted their new positions and signed the transfer agreements within three days.
• Hisao Oguchi led the twelve veterans to Nakayama Takuya's office to thank him for putting them to important use.
• Watanabe tried to kneel before Nakayama Takuya, but Nakayama caught his arm and helped him stand, easing the room's solemn mood.
• Sato told Nakayama Takuya that the group had learned he personally requested and approved their new posts.

Nakayama Takuya assigned twelve experienced employees to management roles, improving the Development Department’s workflow and morale. In mid-September, he pitched the team a disaster-survival game for Sega’s Mega Drive and Game Pocket, outlining its resource-planning and real-time survival mechanics.

• Nakayama Takuya told the twelve transferred employees to use their experience to keep the Development Department’s talented but difficult staff on schedule.
• The twelve employees reported to their new positions, and the Development Department’s workflow improved as they handled coordination and obstacles.
• By mid-September, Nakayama Takuya presented the team behind Sonic Pinball with a proposal for a disaster-prevention survival game called 72 Hours After the Disaster.
• Nakayama Takuya outlined a first stage focused on budgeting for supplies and home safety, followed by disasters that required quick-time choices and survival decisions.
• Nakayama Takuya explained that players would manage stamina and drinking water while deciding whether to rescue neighbors during a compressed seventy-two-hour scenario.

Nakayama Takuya outlined a disaster-survival game designed to teach practical earthquake response through clear visuals and strategic resource management. The planning team embraced the project and agreed to build it, even if balancing the mechanics took a long time.

• Nakayama Takuya described a three-phase survival scenario in which players endured a disaster for seventy-two hours and earned ratings based on survival, supplies, and rescues.
• Nakayama Takuya simplified the survival interface to stamina and health, and explained how fatigue, injuries, and environmental hazards would affect players.
• Nakayama Takuya made rescued NPCs useful allies who could restore stamina or help with tasks, prompting the planners to consider rescue choices as strategic decisions.
• Nakayama Takuya instructed the art team to use high-contrast, easily recognized icons so players could identify hazards and supplies quickly.
• The lead planner accepted the assignment, and the team agreed to make the game despite the time required to tune its mechanics.

REAL-3DO launched in the United States with impressive multimedia features and graphics, but its $699 price stunned buyers. The chapter left Matsushita facing a cycle of weak sales and dwindling software support.

• Matsuda warned Nakayama Takuya that Matsushita had announced REAL-3DO with powerful hardware and broad developer interest, but Nakayama Takuya dismissed the threat and argued players cared most about fun games and affordable prices.
• On October 7, 1993, Matsushita and 3DO officially launched REAL-3DO in the United States, showcasing its premium design, multimedia capabilities, and controller features.
• Samsung Electronics withdrew from the 3DO alliance after its leaders judged the hardware costs too risky.
• Matsushita set REAL-3DO's price at $699, far above the prices of Nintendo's SNES and Sega's Mega Drive.
• Shoppers admired launch games such as Crash'NBurn and EscapefromMonsterManor but balked at the console's price, leaving REAL-3DO trapped between low sales and weak incentives for developers to make major games.