Sunday, 22 December 2001.
The second and final day of the ZAGE End-of-the-Year Event had arrived. Saturday had already been absolute chaos in the best possible way, with ZEB Japan filled from morning until night by tournaments, cosplay, merchandise, developer demonstrations, arcade competitions, families, tourists, and thousands upon thousands of visitors. Sunday remained busy as well. The stores were still open, Special Merc continued selling, game booths remained active, and people still wandered through ZAGE Insight areas, tried different games, took photographs with cosplayers, and spent far too much money on things they had absolutely not planned to buy.
But everyone knew the main attraction was no longer the merchandise or tournaments. There were two things almost everyone had been waiting for: Zaboru's annual speech, followed immediately afterward by a live performance from Zaraki.
By late afternoon, the main event hall had become completely packed. People filled the seats below the massive stage while additional spectators watched from the upper sections of ZEB Japan. Giant screens had been installed so even those sitting far away could clearly see everything happening onstage. A large portion of the event was also being broadcast through YaDo, Nickelodion, and ZAGE's online services, allowing millions more to watch from home.
The stage itself remained mostly dark until the lighting suddenly changed. The enormous screen behind the podium displayed a simple purple ZAGE logo as soft music began playing throughout the hall. The crowd immediately grew louder, and then Zaboru stepped onto the stage.
The reaction was instant.
Zaboru had dressed considerably more stylishly than he normally did for work. He wore a fitted purple shirt that clearly showed the muscular build created by his Enlightenment Body, paired with a dark vest deliberately left unbuttoned across the chest. Black trousers and polished black Oxford shoes completed the outfit, while his long hair remained completely loose tonight, flowing naturally behind him instead of being tied.
The entire look was unmistakably intentional. In fact, Zaboru had recreated it from his memories of Kazuya Mishima's more formal style from Tekken in his previous life, adjusting it just enough to make the outfit his own.
And he knew damn well he looked good in it.
Zaboru stepped toward the podium with a grin and raised one hand. "HELLO, EVERYONE!"
Cheers erupted throughout the hall.
"You guys still strong!?" Zaboru shouted.
"YEAHHHH!"
The response was loud enough that Zaboru briefly moved away from the microphone, laughing before nodding approvingly. "Okay! Okay!" He pointed toward the crowd and grinned. "You guys are very cool!"
That familiar phrase earned another enormous wave of applause.
Zaboru smiled before slowly turning toward the huge screen behind him. The ZAGE logo disappeared, replaced by two simple words:
VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY
"Well…" Zaboru rested both hands casually against the edge of the podium. "You guys noticed something? It has already been more than ten years since ZAGE really started becoming what it is today."
Behind him, the screen changed again. Old photographs appeared: the earliest ZAGE offices, primitive development rooms, young developers gathered around arcade hardware, the first ZAS machines, ZEPS 1, early advertisements, and photographs of Zaboru when he was still extremely young.
The audience reacted warmly as each image appeared. Zaboru looked over his shoulder and immediately laughed when one particularly embarrassing photograph of himself appeared. "Why did they choose that one?"
The audience laughed with him.
"But yeah… more than ten years," Zaboru continued, his expression softening slightly. "And honestly, that is a really long story. Back then, the video game industry was completely different. When ZAGE started video game industry are basically dead after the Atari Crash.."
"Yes hat's how bad it was." Zaboru's tone became more sincere. "But somehow… we kept going."
The screen began showing images from across the decade: developers, game releases, arcades, ZEPS 2, ZGB ZEPS 3, ZGBA, Steam, ZAGE Campus, ZAGE Hub, ZAGE Base, international tournaments, and massive crowds attending previous ZAGE events.
"And the biggest reason we could keep going…" Zaboru looked directly toward the audience. "…was because people kept playing."
The hall gradually became quieter.
"You bought our games. You played them. You criticised them when we messed up. You argued about them. You broke controllers because of them." Some laughter returned as Zaboru grinned. "And some of you apparently decided to dedicate your entire lives to becoming unbeatable at fighting games just so you could eventually beat me."
Several professional players in the crowd immediately reacted.
Zaboru laughed. "Still waiting, by the way."
That earned an even louder response.
His smile softened once more. "But seriously… thank you."
Zaboru briefly bowed his head. Not deeply. Not ceremonially. Just sincerely.
"Thank you for letting us keep making games."
Applause spread throughout the building, and Zaboru waited until the noise slowly faded before continuing. The screen behind him changed again, this time displaying the logos of ZAGE, Sonaya, Microsoft, Apple, numerous independent developers, WUGONG , Chu-Soft , Triangle Soft , Buriko Soft, and many more
"And this is something I'm especially proud of," Zaboru said as he walked away from the podium and began moving casually across the stage. "The video game industry isn't just ZAGE anymore. Not even close. There are more developers now, more companies, more platforms, and more weird ideas." His grin widened. "And thank God for that."
The audience laughed.
"Because if ten years passed and everybody still depended on ZAGE for everything, then honestly… I would consider that a failure."
That statement caught some people by surprise.
Zaboru stopped near the centre of the stage. "I don't want ZAGE to be the only company capable of making great games. That would be boring."
The screen displayed several successful games from rival and independent companies.
"Competition is good. It always brings the best out of us and that's why healthy competition is what is best for the video game industry."
"And this year proved something important. Games are becoming bigger, more complicated, more expensive, more ambitious… but they are also becoming stranger."
Behind him appeared images of games from throughout 2001 there are some weird games and there are great games.
Zaboru glanced back toward the display and chuckled. "And I like strange. I really like strange."
Then the entire screen suddenly went black.
A single phrase slowly appeared.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The atmosphere changed immediately.
People leaned forward.
Zaboru turned toward the words behind him before looking back toward the crowd with a smile everyone immediately recognised. It was the expression he wore whenever he knew he was about to cause trouble.
"So…" He slowly walked back toward the podium. "You guys are probably wondering what's next for ZAGE?"
The crowd became louder.
"Yeah, yeah. I knew it." Zaboru raised one finger. "And I already know the biggest question."
The screen changed.
ZEPS 4
The reaction was enormous. People shouted, cheered, and several immediately stood from their seats.
Zaboru allowed the reaction to continue for a few seconds before asking simply, "When?"
The screen changed again.
WHEN?
"And another one…"
WHY SO SECRET?
That question drew laughter because it had become one of the biggest frustrations surrounding ZAGE's next console. Previous ZEPS systems had experienced rumours, leaked information, prototype discussions, development details, and occasional accidental disclosures long before release.
ZEPS 4 had been completely different.
ZAGE had become almost absurdly secretive. Very little concrete information existed publicly, and even photographs of development hardware were rare.
"You guys noticed, right?" Zaboru chuckled. "ZEPS 4 development is… really damn restrictive. Almost no leaks, barely any confirmed specs, and we don't even let developers casually say project names in restaurants anymore."
Several Team IZAN employees somewhere in the hall undoubtedly felt personally attacked.
"And a lot of you keep asking why. The answer is actually simple." The screen went dark once more as Zaboru spoke more slowly. "Because ZEPS 4 is going to be very different from our previous consoles. Not just stronger. Not just prettier. Different."
The hall immediately became quieter.
"When people think about console evolution, usually they imagine something straightforward. Better CPU, better graphics, more memory, better sound, larger games—and obviously, all of that matters."
The screen began showing simplified diagrams of console generations.
"But let's think about what the natural evolution after ZEPS 3 should look like. You'd probably imagine something similar to Microsoft Xbox, or Apple iPlay."
There was a noticeable reaction from the audience
"And honestly, both brought some good ideas," Zaboru continued without mocking either system directly. "Better online integration, digital stores, digital payments, downloadable content, account systems, communication features, and online multiplayer becoming more central. These things matter."
Then his expression became mischievous.
"Although…" He paused deliberately as the crowd already started laughing. "…to be fair, we already had most of that on Steam."
The hall exploded with laughter.
"Come on! I had to say it!" Zaboru laughed with them. "Xbox advertising keeps talking about connectivity like somebody discovered electricity last week."
The audience laughed even harder.
He looked toward the screen again.
"But ZEPS 4 isn't simply our answer to Xbox."
The words behind him changed.
NOT JUST THE NEXT CONSOLE
"It is our answer to a different question," Zaboru said. "What should a game machine become?"
Silence spread throughout the hall.
"That's why we've been so secretive. Because if I simply stood here and listed hardware specifications, it would ruin the fun." He shrugged casually. "I want you guys to see it working. I want developers to show you what they've built. I want you to watch the system doing something and think…"
Zaboru widened his eyes dramatically.
"Wait. You can do THAT?"
The crowd cheered.
"That's the reaction I want."
Zaboru continued walking slowly across the stage. "So no, I'm not giving you the full specs today."
Several people booed jokingly.
"HEY!" Zaboru immediately pointed toward them while laughing. "You waited this long! You can survive a little more!"
The laughter continued.
"But…" Zaboru deliberately paused. "There is one thing I can finally confirm."
The hall became almost completely silent.
Behind him, ZEPS 4 appeared once again.
Zaboru grinned.
"ZEPS 4… will release next year."
For half a second, nothing happened.
Then the entire building erupted.
The cheers became deafening. People stood from their seats, some hugged one another, and the massive screens immediately changed.
ZEPS 4 — COMING 2002
Zaboru laughed as he looked across the crowd and raised both arms. "YES! NEXT YEAR!"
The applause continued.
This was the first time ZAGE had publicly locked ZEPS 4 into the following year. No exact date had been announced. No price. No complete specifications.
But 2002 was now official.
Zaboru waited until the crowd became slightly quieter before continuing. "And when it releases…"
His grin widened.
Everyone already knew what was coming.
Zaboru pointed toward the giant ZEPS 4 logo.
"Just Buy It, Okay?"
The reaction somehow became louder again.
The words behind him immediately transformed into another enormous message.
ZEPS 4 WILL COME NEXT YEAR!
JUST BUY IT, OKAY?
Zaboru burst out laughing. "Who put the second line there!?"
The audience laughed with him.
Zaboru shook his head. "Marketing team is getting too powerful."
Then the lights suddenly began changing.
The podium slowly descended into the stage, and people immediately realised what was coming next. Zaboru stepped backward as stage crews moved quickly behind him, bringing out amplifiers, microphones, drums, keyboards, guitars, and lighting equipment.
Within minutes, the formal presentation stage had transformed into a concert setup.
The ZEPS 4 message disappeared.
The screen became dark.
Then a new logo appeared.
ZARAKI
The crowd erupted again.
Zaboru smiled and removed his vest, tossing it casually toward one of the stage assistants before taking his guitar.
One by one, the other Zaraki members entered. Kingo Hashi sat behind the drum kit and immediately tested the cymbals with several sharp hits. Bradley Kiyotake walked onto the stage carrying his bass, adjusting the strap before taking his position beside Kingo. Masashi Nisikiyama stepped behind the keyboard setup and briefly tested several notes.
Then Kana Mizuno appeared carrying her rhythm guitar.
The reaction to Kana was enormous.
She smiled brightly and waved toward the crowd before moving toward her microphone.
Finally, Zaboru stepped toward the centre microphone with his guitar already hanging across his body. He glanced toward the rest of the band. Kingo twirled one drumstick, Bradley nodded once, Masashi placed both hands over the keys, and Kana smiled toward Zaboru.
Zaboru grinned.
"Well…" He adjusted the microphone. "We already talked enough."
The audience laughed.
"So let's end 2001 properly."
Kingo immediately struck the drums.
The opening sound exploded through ZEB Japan.
Bradley's bass joined almost immediately, followed by Masashi's keyboard and Kana's rhythm guitar. Then Zaboru struck the first full chord and the crowd erupted.
Zaraki had begun.
For the next portion of the evening, ZAGE's founder completely stopped behaving like a CEO.
He became a musician.
Zaboru moved freely across the stage while playing guitar, his long hair flying wildly whenever he moved his head. Kana shifted naturally between rhythm guitar and vocals, occasionally sharing verses with Zaboru before their voices came together during choruses. Kingo played aggressively behind them, while Bradley remained comparatively calm, his bass anchoring the entire performance. Masashi moved between atmospheric keyboard sections and heavier layers that made several songs feel far larger live than they did on recordings.
The performance included older Zaraki songs, several popular Zankoku-era tracks that the newer lineup had adapted, and a few game-related songs that the audience recognised almost immediately.
At one point, Zaboru stopped singing entirely and simply held the microphone toward the audience.
Thousands of voices filled ZEB Japan.
He stood there smiling while they sang an entire section back toward the stage.
Eventually, the final song approached its ending. Zaboru and Kana stood near the centre of the stage while Kingo accelerated into the last drum sequence. Bradley's bass followed, Masashi held the final keyboard layer underneath everything, and Zaboru struck the last guitar chord.
The sound rang throughout the enormous hall.
For a fraction of a second, the entire building seemed frozen.
Then ZEB Japan exploded with applause.
Zaboru laughed as Kana raised one hand toward the audience. Kingo stood behind the drums, Bradley smiled toward the crowd, and Masashi bowed slightly.
Zaboru approached the microphone one final time.
"Thank you! Thank you for playing our games this year, thank you for supporting our developers, and thank you for making this industry cooler every damn year!"
He raised one fist.
"See you in 2002!"
The massive screen behind Zaraki displayed one final message.
THANK YOU FOR 2001.
The lights slowly dimmed as Zaraki remained together onstage and the audience continued cheering.
With music, laughter, games, and one enormous promise about ZEPS 4, the 2001 ZAGE End-of-the-Year Event officially came to an end.
To be continued.
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