Takuya's gaze shifted to the development head, a knowing smile on his face. "Minister, I recall our *Super Robot Wars* collaboration was quite pleasant. Light workload, hefty profits, right?"
The development head's mouth twitched, silent. Light workload? It was practically fill-in-the-blank, but the profits were undeniably sweet.
"What's the next step?" Makoto Yamashina asked. "Can Sega support Bandai in developing new games to boost our skills and expand MD's lineup?"
"I have a two-step plan," Takuya mused, raising two fingers. "First, port the arcade *Super Robot Wars* to MD, fully upgraded—graphics, music, battle effects—showing what a 16-bit console can do. It's both a technical exercise and a quick win."
Nods rippled through the room. A solid, safe proposal.
"Step two," Takuya paused, ears perking up around him. "I hear your original Famicom games hit some snags?"
Embarrassment flooded the room. The development head squirmed, haunted by last year's *Saint Seiya* debacle, with players flooding Bandai's lines with complaints. Takuya, unfazed, continued, "Sega offers a completed game framework. We'll help Bandai 'borrow' it to craft a new game fully leveraging your IPs."
A hush, then stifled excitement. *Super Robot Wars*' easy money lingered in their minds. Yamashina leaned forward. "Which game?"
Takuya smiled, pulling a black cartridge from his briefcase: *Super Robot Wars*. The room froze. Everyone knew Sega's licensing hustle with Sunrise and Toei for this title. Now, the finished product sat before them.
When the development head inserted the cartridge and booted the MD on a TV, all eyes locked on the screen. "Amuro, launch!" With familiar dialogue, the original Gundam blasted from its carrier, beam rifle streaking brightly. Mazinger Z followed, its "Rocket Punch" obliterating foes to rousing music. The slick battles and fiery lines captivated Bandai's team.
This was robots done right—something their top-tier IPs couldn't achieve. The development head, lips dry, ventured, "If we use this, are we making *Kamen Rider Wars*? But Kamen Riders aren't robots—skills and depth might feel thin."
"Good point," Takuya nodded approvingly. "It's not just swapping characters. We need new gameplay elements to enrich it."
"What elements?" the development head blurted, leaning forward, eyes hungry for answers.
Takuya sipped his tea, glancing calmly at Yamashina. Silence fell—the boss needed to commit first. Yamashina's face twitched, then he let out a dry laugh, breaking the standoff. "Haha, Executive Nakayama's right. We're all-in on cooperation." He sealed it. "Let's follow your plan."
Takuya set down his cup, smiling. "Since you're decided, let's discuss projects. For step two, I propose two options: Gundam or Dragon Ball. Kamen Rider can come later. But," he added, "we go one at a time. Success first, then the next."
The room ignited. From envy at the demo to outright glee, the development head marveled at Takuya's genius, while Mitsui's eyes urged Yamashina, "Pick! Pick!" Yamashina raised a hand, calming the fervor. "Ten-minute break," he said steadily, nodding to Takuya. "We need to discuss. Please rest."
Takuya nodded, gesturing "go ahead," and leisurely refilled his tea. His poise raised Bandai's regard for him. In the side room, voices erupted as the door shut.
"Dragon Ball, obviously!" the marketing head waved excitedly. "Goku just beat Piccolo—manga's at its peak! Strike now, it'll sell huge!"
"Then what?" the development head countered, standing tall, no longer gloomy but resolute. "Dragon Ball's a brawler. Nakayama's framework is strategy-based. Force it in? We'd repeat our worst mistakes!"
"But Sega's got action games," marketing shot back.
The development head shook his head. "They're giving us a ready-made strategy framework! Gundam's different—*Mobile Suit Gundam*, *Z*, *ZZ*—tons of mecha, named pilots, rich stories. A simple arcade skin would let Sega off too easy. Gundam's depth can make a heavyweight game fans will dissect for ages."
The room paused. Mitsui looked to Yamashina. "He's right. Dragon Ball's hot, but Toriyama's still writing—we can't deviate without risking his ire or fan backlash. A shallow project just lets Sega coast. Gundam's stories are set, deep enough for a landmark game showcasing Bandai's IP mastery."
Yamashina pondered, then decided, "Gundam it is."
Ten minutes later, they returned. Yamashina faced Takuya solemnly. "Executive Nakayama, we choose Gundam."
"Wise choice," Takuya replied, as if expecting it. He distributed NDAs from his briefcase. "Before we dive into ideas, please sign these."
The development head's heart sank, any hopes of "learning a bit more" evaporating. Takuya's meticulousness was daunting. After signing, Takuya stood at the whiteboard, uncapping a marker.
"Our Gundam game isn't just strategy. Three core hooks." He sketched a star-like framework.
"First, battlefield narrative. Players aren't Amuro or Char but a fleet commander, leading ships and MS through Gundam's stories.
"Second, collection and progression." He drew a branching line. "Every MS evolves from its series' models—Zaku I to Zaku II, to high-mobility Zaku for A Baoa Qu, even Gryps' Hi-Zack. GM to GM II, GM III. It's a playable *Mobile Suit Encyclopedia*, luring players to sink hundreds of hours.
"Third," Takuya turned, scanning the room with a confident smirk, "freedom of choice. You control your squad, manage resources, assign mecha, and set tactics."
A game letting players command a custom Gundam squad enthralled everyone. The development head's eyes sparkled, itching to start. Mitsui and Yamashina exchanged stunned, elated glances.
Takuya capped the marker, concluding his pitch. "We'll follow our discussed framework. Sega's team will handle technical support and details. Any objections?"
Yamashina rose, approaching Takuya with gravitas, extending his hand. "Executive Nakayama, Bandai's game is in your hands."