Kevin reviewed the blueprints. "Standard isolation zones, compliant with the organizer's specifications..."
"EA wants more booth space than the other companies. They won't mention it beforehand, but on-site, they'll try to squeeze out extra space using partition walls. They're the local power players in the US, and we can't let them exploit these minor details that can have a significant impact. Confirm their red lines in advance to avoid arguments when we're setting up." Takuya Nakayama advised.
Kevin jotted this down without argument.
Takuya didn't spend much time in Petree Hall, the area IDSA had allocated for small and medium-sized developers. The layout was simple, and after a quick walkthrough and asking a couple of questions about the arrangement, he was generally satisfied.
Search TWKAN on Google.
The final stop was Kentia Hall, located in the basement of South Hall.
This was a space he had specifically proposed adding.
In the original E3 plan, the basement was essentially a dead zone—too small for people to walk through alone and too unappealing for exhibitors, resulting in wasted space.
His suggestion to IDSA had been straightforward: reserve the basement for peripheral companies like Bandai, Sanrio,
Takara, Hasbro, and Mattel would turn the venue into a souvenir shop, specializing in limited-edition products licensed by each console manufacturer and developer.
For the IDSA, this meant additional sponsorship revenue. For peripheral manufacturers, it was an opportunity to get their products within the main exhibition's reach. And for consumers, convention-exclusive items were always in high demand.
The elevator doors opened to the basement level, where the lighting was still being adjusted, with several lights flickering.
Takuya Nakayama walked around, then reviewed the blueprints in his hand. Bandai's booth area was slightly larger than anticipated, but it wouldn't disrupt the overall layout.
"Sanrio is confirmed to attend, right?" he asked Kevin, turning his head.
"We received their confirmation last week. They'll be bringing licensed product lines for Hello Kitty and Doraemon, as well as Sega's Pokémon and other items," Kevin replied, flipping through a list.
After listening, Takuya said, "We must carefully plan the traffic flow here. We need to design it so people can enter and exit quickly. Even though it's in the basement, the foot traffic will be no less than other halls—possibly even more."
Kevin's pen flew across the paper.
The inspection of the convention center concluded in the afternoon.
Kevin stuffed the last stack of folders back into his briefcase and escorted them to the parking lot.
Takuya Nakayama stopped at the entrance to the parking lot and glanced back at the building. Workers were still coming and going, but next month it would be packed with game developers from around the world, buzzing with activity.
"Your venue layout is well done," Takuya said to Kevin. "The zoning is logical, and you've considered both the exhibitors' needs and the flow of attendees. The only remaining challenge is the on-site service."
Kevin put away his folder and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Nakayama. If you have any further suggestions..."
"I'll email them to you," Takuya said, opening the car door. "When the manufacturers' engineering teams move in next month, you'll be ten times busier than you are today. Make sure your coordination plans are solid now, don't wait for a crisis to put out fires."
"This is the first exhibition of its kind in our gaming industry," Kevin replied. "We'll give it our all. You can rest assured."
Takuya patted him on the shoulder in encouragement before getting into the car.
Takuya asked his assistant to check flights to Tokyo that evening.
The assistant flipped through his manual and offered two time slots. Takuya chose the earliest one.
"I thought you'd be staying in Los Angeles a few more days," the assistant said.
"Stay for what?" Takuya Nakayama leaned back in his seat. "I've seen everything I needed to."
The assistant knew this was the case.
The IPO of Silicon Valley Online, a visit to Blizzard, a proper meeting with Nvidia, and confirmation of the venue in Los Angeles—all the business for their trip to the United States was concluded. There was no reason to linger.
The plane departed late that evening, crossing the Pacific to land at Narita Airport in Tokyo the following morning.
Takuya Nakayama barely slept on the flight. He finished reviewing the remaining documents and spent some time gazing out the window.
The first-class cabin was quiet. A flight attendant refilled his blanket once, but didn't disturb him.
The plane landed just after six in the morning. The sky outside was still dim, and the runway at Narita Airport stretched far into the thin mist.
After retrieving his luggage from the baggage carousel, Takuya Nakayama hailed a taxi and headed straight home.
The streets of Tokyo were sparse at this early hour, before the morning rush. He arrived home quickly.
He pushed open the door to his house.
The entryway was silent. No sound of his son's footsteps running around, no greeting from his wife.
He pushed his suitcase into a corner and changed his shoes.
The house was spotlessly clean, with everything neatly arranged. It was clear that Keiko Nakayama had been by to clean regularly.
Walking into the living room, he picked up the landline and dialed the Haneda Main Residence.
The phone rang three times before being answered.
"Hello, this is the Nakayama Family," his mother, Miyuki Nakayama, said from the earpiece.
"Mom, it's me. I just got home."
There was a two-second pause on the other end, followed by the rustle of papers. "The itinerary said you were scheduled to land this afternoon. How did you get back so early?"
"The Los Angeles business wrapped up quickly, so I changed to a night flight." Takuya Nakayama loosened his tie and poured himself a glass of warm water. "Are Eri and Kazuki still with you?"
"Yes, they are. Eri just finished breakfast and is taking a walk in the garden. Kazuki was brought back by his father-in-law yesterday. He said he was tired of playing with the train models in Setagaya and insisted on asking Keiko for his limited-edition Ultraman." Miyuki sighed, her voice full of grandmotherly indulgence. "Your father didn't go to the office today; he's in the living room messing around with Kazuki."
"Messing around with what?" Takuya's hand froze mid-air as he was about to take a sip of water.
"They say they're building a secret base for Ultraman and ripped all the sofa cushions apart."
Takuya Nakayama rubbed his temples and set down his water glass. "I'll head over right away. Ask Father to tone it down—don't let him tear the living room apart."
"Don't you need to adjust to the time difference?"
"I slept for several hours before landing. I'm wide awake. Besides, if I really needed to adjust, listening to Kazuki and his grandfather bicker at your place is more effective than any coffee."
After hanging up, Takuya grabbed his car keys and left.
The engine roared to life, and the car pulled out of the garage, heading straight for Haneda.
Before long, Takuya had parked the car in the garage of the Haneda Main Residence.
He pushed open the living room door and was met with utter chaos.
The leather sofa cushions lay scattered in disarray, piled into a crooked fortress near the coffee table.
Kazuki, his rear end sticking up in the air, was crawling into the fortress, clutching a rare Ultraman Taro soft vinyl figure high above his head.
Nakayama Hayao, the highest authority at Sega Corporation, was squatting nearby in loose linen loungewear, completely uninhibited. He held a back cushion, ready to add it to the fortress's defenses.
"Monster attack! Grandpa, use your beam!" Kazuki yelled from inside the cushion fort.
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