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Three days later, on January 11th.
The cold wind seemed unable to deter the enthusiasm of teenagers.
Outside Sega arcades in major Japanese cities, long lines had formed early in the morning.
As the arcade doors slowly opened,
the crowd surged in like a tide.
Their objective was clear: they headed straight for the brand-new arcade machines adorned with "fatal fury" posters.
"They're here! They're here!"
"Let me go first!"
"Get in line, you idiot!"
A cacophony of shouts, the crisp clinking of coins dropped into machines, and the intense combat sound effects from the game itself instantly filled the entire space.
On the screen, Terry's Flame Punch cut across with a fiery trajectory.
Andy's Shadow-Slicing Fist was as fast as lightning.
Joe's Hurricane Upper was powerful and fierce.
The dazzling moves, glimpsed in the animation trailer, were now genuinely displayed before the players.
Although the resolution of the graphics certainly couldn't match that of the animation, the precise controls and intense combat quickly allowed players to immerse themselves in the game characters.
Its expressive power even exceeded the expectations of many players.
There were more spectators than actual players, each craning their necks, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
Exclamations of awe, discussions, and shouts imitating the moves rose and fell.
A wave of heat rolled through the arcade, a stark contrast to the winter cold outside the doors.
Inside the Sega Development Team 3 office.
Team Leader Shimizu and Takuya were in the meeting room, listening to real-time reports from the front lines of various arcades with the other development leads.
The phone rang incessantly, each call bringing even more exhilarating news.
"The Shinjuku store's line has already wrapped around the corner!"
"There aren't enough machines in Akihabara, and players are starting to complain!"
Shimizu clenched his fists, his face showing uncontrollable excitement.
The characters he designed, the moves he debugged, were now being experienced firsthand by countless players, sparking such fervent adoration.
This sense of accomplishment far surpassed any previous project.
He looked towards Takuya Nakayama, who was not far away.
Takuya was calmly answering the phone, occasionally nodding, a faint smile playing on his lips.
It was as if this nationwide arcade craze was already within his expectations.
After listening to all the midday reports from the directly managed arcades, Shimizu let out a long sigh of relief, his face a complex mix of exhaustion and ecstasy.
He gave Takuya a thumbs-up, his voice a little hoarse.
"Takuya... you... you really did it!"
Takuya Nakayama hung up the phone and nodded gently.
"This is just the beginning."
His voice was not loud, but it carried a convincing power.
"The animation and the 'tutorial' at the end haven't even started to show their full effect yet."
"The real storm is yet to come."
At the same time.
Kyoto, Nintendo Headquarters.
A report on the unprecedented sensation caused by the release of the fatal fury arcade version was delivered to Hiroshi Yamauchi's desk with the fastest possible speed.
The report detailed the grand spectacle of long lines at arcades in various locations, the enthusiastic reactions of players, and the media's scramble to report on it.
The astonishing coin-in rate and player retention time made the voice of the Market Department staff member delivering the report sound somewhat dry.
For the first time, the atmosphere in the office became somewhat solemn because of this Sega arcade game.
Hiroshi Yamauchi silently read the report.
His fingers tapped unconsciously on the desktop.
His previous remark, "It's just a small fuss in arcades," now seemed a bit hasty.
Although he still firmly believed that the foundation of the home console market was unshakable,
Sega's explosive power demonstrated this time, and this new approach of animation and game linkage, indeed exceeded his predictions.
"Marketing bubble"?
The phrase lingered in his mind for a moment, but he didn't easily dismiss it as he had before.
He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the executives present.
"Continue to observe."
His voice remained low, but with a hint of subtle caution.
"Pay close attention to their subsequent actions."
Meanwhile, at Namco headquarters in Tokyo.
Masaya Nakamura also learned the news of fatal fury's massive success in arcades.
He didn't feel much surprise; instead, he had a complex feeling of "as expected."
Nintendo's "sniping" had failed.
Sega had successfully ignited the market.
This seemed to confirm his previous vague worries and judgments.
He looked out the window; the Tokyo sky was overcast.
Perhaps, the sky of this industry was truly about to change?
January 11, 1986, 6:00 PM.
Television sets in countless homes lit up precisely on time, reflecting the expectant or curious young faces.
The first episode of fatal fury officially began airing to widespread anticipation.
Under the personal supervision of Director Ooba, the production quality, which burned through budget, immediately captivated the audience's attention.
The tough character designs in the Kurumada Masami style were full of power and masculine hormones.
The fluid combat scenes and sharp special effects for moves far exceeded the average level of TV animation of the same era.
The plot's fast pace, Terry Bogard's background story of avenging his father, and the themes of revenge and fighting quickly ignited the passion of young boys.
"So strong! The animation!"
"Terry is so handsome!"
Exclamations of awe rose and fell in front of television sets.
When the first episode ended at its climax, viewers were still immersed in the exciting combat and suspense, expecting the familiar ending theme to begin.
However, the screen suddenly changed.
What appeared on the screen was not a list of production staff, but the actual game footage that had excited and frustrated them in the arcade during the day.
Below, a clear small window displayed the real-time input status of the joystick's eight directions and four buttons.
The game character was none other than the anime's protagonist, Terry Bogard.
Terry in the footage took his starting stance.
Immediately after, the joystick in the small window quickly traced a downward arc, then sharply pushed to the front-right, while the A button lit up.
Terry on the screen then lunged forward, his fist igniting with a fiery trail.
"—Power Wave!"
The clear move name and concise operation instructions appeared simultaneously on the screen.
"↓ → + A / C"
Before the audience could react,
the screen demonstrated again.
The joystick charged downward for a moment, then sharply upward, while the A button was pressed.
Terry leaped into the air, his fist, carrying a powerful airflow, slammed down onto the ground.
"Crack Shoot!"
"↓ → + B / D"
This was followed by demonstrations of several other basic special moves, such as the "Rising Tackle."
Each action was accompanied by precise joystick and button input displays.
It was like a hand-held tutorial.
The group of teenagers watching the broadcast, after a brief moment of surprise, instantly erupted.
"Holy cow! You can do that?"
"It's the move list! The move list from the game!"
"So that's how you move it! No wonder I couldn't get it right no matter how I pressed it during the day!"
"This joystick display is so clear!"
"Quick, write it down! ↓ → + A / C!"
Players who had been crushed by the computer or other players in the arcade during the day, gazing longingly at those flashy moves, now felt enlightened, their minds suddenly clear.
Even those viewers who had originally only been drawn by the animation and hadn't yet been to an arcade were completely ignited by the dazzling moves and the seemingly "simple and clear" operation methods, sparking their curiosity and desire to try.
The glow of the television screen illuminated faces flushed with excitement.
Anime ending theme? What's that?
Now, all they had in their minds was "↓ → + A / C"!