Meanwhile, still on Saturday, December 8, 1997—while the Bakudan Boys were busy tearing each other apart in Mario Party over at the Bakudan Arcade—Zaboru remained at the ZAGE Tower. But this weekend was different. Instead of his usual solo brainstorming or casual team check-ins, today he found himself in a meeting with three important figures: Hideo Kojima,Yugo Kanai, and Zaboru's own father, Zanichi Renkonan, who also happened to be the Chief Technology Officer of ZAGE.
The four of them had gathered for a critical internal review of their highly anticipated game project, one that had been brewing for quite some time. Originally slated for a late 1997 release, they unanimously agreed it needed more polish—and thus decided to push the release to sometime next year. The delay wasn't a failure but a strategic move, a shared decision made with pride.
Zaboru was intensely curious. He had been following the project from a distance, but unlike his usual hands-on approach, he made a promise—no interfering, no early playthroughs, no spoilers. Even though the game had his blessing and full ZAGE resources at its disposal, including dedicated manpower and technology, he chose to step back.
This wasn't just another releases. This was a joint collaboration between Kojima and Yugo, two radically different minds who somehow meshed together.
The games in question were "Jasper Crank," developed by Hideo Kojima and Yugo Kanai, and "Lunar Knight 2," a sequel to the original title that had been overseen by Zaboru's father, Zanichi.
Still, his mind raced with curiosity. What kind of madness were they building? Why did even the testers seem confused yet oddly thrilled? He wanted to ask, to dig deeper—but he held back. That promise still held weight. For now.
"So, Hideo, Yugo, and Dad—your games are finally ready?" Zaboru asked, trying to sound casual, though his eyes betrayed his eager anticipation.
Zanichi grinned, leaning back in his chair. "Yes, Boss. Lunar Knight 2 is nearly complete. It just needs a few more rounds of internal testing. And like you said before—I'm not spoiling anything for you. You trust me, right?"
Zaboru sighed, visibly deflating. Of course he was curious. Desperately curious. He had been waiting for months, watching from the sidelines as his father and his best developers worked on two of the most mysterious projects in ZAGE's pipeline. But a promise was a promise. He had made it clear to everyone in the company that when it came to creative projects, especially games not directed by him, he would respect the process and hold back until they were complete.
That trust had become a principle—a rule that empowered his teams. He knew that by staying out of the way, the final product would hit even harder when it finally landed. If the games turned out great, the surprise would be worth every second of the wait. And when they were bad, at least the team would learn from it without the pressure of his influence looming over them.
Still, he muttered under his breath with a grumble, "Sigh… you're really stingy, Dad."
Yugo, meanwhile, grinned with obvious excitement. "For me and Hideo, Jasper Crank is our baby, Boss! We promised it's good—really, really good! Hehehe. Honestly, I think I understand Hideo better than he understands himself now!" he laughed, eyes gleaming with pride. "We created something that feels raw, personal, and weird in all the best ways. It's a true masterpiece, at least to us. Though... I won't lie, some of our devs keep saying the game is 'too strange.' Right, Hideo?"
Kojima calmly adjusted his glasses and gave a rare smile. "They don't have enough vision to see the game for what it is, Yugo. Don't worry. Most people never do at first. But you, Boss,"—he turned to Zaboru—"you're different. I bet you'll understand what we're doing better than anyone else."
Zaboru's eyes lit up instantly. To him, Hideo Kojima's mind was like an ever-expanding puzzle box full of weird brilliance, abstraction, and logic-defying creativity. And Yugo? If there was ever a video game equivalent of Tatsuki Fujimoto—the wild genius behind Chainsaw Man—it was him. Yugo had that same energy: bold, unpredictable, and delightfully chaotic.
And now, these two creative tornadoes weren't just working together—they were syncing. Jasper Crank was more than a collaboration. It was a collision. One that forged something new, maybe even revolutionary. Despite already being familiar with each other's work, this project had bonded them in a deeper way. It was no longer just about making a game. It was about making a statement.
Zaboru could barely contain himself. The thought of what these two minds had conjured up made his pulse race. What kind of game had they actually made? How weird was it? How deep? How far did it go?
He didn't know yet—but he couldn't wait to find out.
Zaboru grinned, his voice practically bouncing with excitement. "Can you at least tell me what kind of game you made!? Just a little bit—out of curiosity! Maybe a piece of the story, or a hint of the gameplay!"
His eyes were literally shining, sparkling with so much energy it could've lit up the entire conference room. He leaned forward like a kid trying to peek at his birthday present early. Kojima and Yugo exchanged glances, clearly tickled by their boss's enthusiasm. Both of them blushed slightly, not out of embarrassment, but from the pride swelling in their chests. Zaboru's excitement wasn't just flattering—it was inspiring.
"I think we can spoil just a little bit, right, Yugo?" Kojima said, glancing at his co-developer with a knowing smile.
Yugo laughed, already leaning forward, his hands animated. "Yeah, why not? Just a small taste, Boss. We've kept you in the dark long enough."
He cleared his throat like a stage actor preparing for a big reveal. "So! Jasper Crank is about a soldier—someone ordinary, a grunt from a forgotten war—who gets chosen by the government for a black ops experiment. They implant him with ancient biomechanical tech they recovered from a sealed vault, calling it 'Machine God' tech. The centerpiece? A crank—literally, a winding mechanism—embedded into his heart."
Zaboru blinked, already stunned.
"The crank isn't just symbolic. It physically changes how his body functions. Depending on how it's turned, and how fast or slow it spins, the crank alters his perception, his strength, and even his mind. Each rotation tunes his abilities into new, unpredictable modes—some of them wildly overpowered, others... a little unstable. And no, we're not telling you what those powers are. That part stays secret, Boss~ hehehe."
Zaboru leaned back, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. 'What the fuck… that sounds so weird—but I'm already obsessed. This is EXACTLY my kind of weird.'
Zaboru said, practically leaning over the table, "Then what about the gameplay!?" His tone was pleading now, like he was hanging on the edge of his seat for any sliver of information.
Hideo Kojima chuckled warmly, adjusting his glasses. "Well, Boss, let's just say this game has multiple gameplay elements layered into it. We're experimenting a lot. We've been analyzing your games—Silent Hill, RoboCop 2, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. We're not just studying them; we're dissecting them to understand their DNA. We're picking apart the pacing, combat rhythm, atmospheric tension—all of it—and asking ourselves, 'How do we remix this into our game?'"
Yugo jumped in, adding, "Exactly. We're tweaking and hybridizing mechanics like crazy. Some areas feel almost like a psychological survival game, others go full-blown high-octane action. There's a shifting layer of genre baked into the design, and it responds to how the player engages. It's not just third-person—we're bending that format."
Kojima nodded. "So yeah, the main structure is third-person, but the gameplay experience isn't fixed. It evolves. The deeper you go, the stranger the mechanics become. But as for the real details…"—he smirked—"that's still a secret for now. Hehehe."
Zaboru slumped back with a dramatic sigh. "Damn you. That's basically you saying nothing, damnit!"
Zanichi, Hideo, and Yugo burst into laughter, clearly enjoying Zaboru's frustration just as much as he was enjoying the mystery.
Then Zanichi said, "Just wait, okay? You're the one who said you'd let us develop games on our own, without your help or interference. No spoilers, no early playtests, no stepping in. Even if the game turns out to be a mess, you told us that's okay because experimenting and learning are part of the process, right?"
Zaboru sighed and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know. Don't worry about the game being a failure. As long as we can learn what it's lacking and where we misstepped, then it's not a waste—it's valuable. Every failure gives us a new tool. And besides, I don't think it'll fail at all. I trust the three of you to build something amazing. Seriously, hahaha."
Zaboru genuinely believed in his team. These weren't just employees—they were artists, dreamers, and bold thinkers. He had spent years teaching and nurturing their talents, pushing them to think beyond trends and mechanics. But more than that, Zaboru's unique power—his mysterious Aura of Influence—had a strange effect on those around him. It made the people under his leadership sharper, more curious, more focused. It wasn't magic, but something intangible yet undeniable.
Under Zaboru's guidance, ZAGE had become a developer like no other. The people working there weren't just diligent—they were visionary. Each team member carried a fire in them that pushed projects forward, even when things got weird, messy, or difficult. And Zaboru knew that whatever came out of this experiment, it would be something worth remembering.
With that, Zaboru, Hideo, Yugo, and Zanichi headed out together for a well-earned dinner at a nearby BBQ restaurant. As expected, Zaboru insisted on paying for everyone, brushing off their protests with a confident grin. And, just like always, he ended up eating the most—stacking up plates like trophies, while the others watched in awe and amusement. The evening was filled with laughter, smoky flavors, and the kind of warmth only found in shared victories and genuine camaraderie.
To be continue
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