He took the package; it was very light.
The sender's address was Tokyo Nerima Ward, and the sender's name field clearly showed four Chinese characters—Kurumada Masami.
Takuya understood.
He thanked the other party and walked into the elevator with the magazine and package.
Back in his spacious and bright office cubicle in Development Team 3, he first put the magazine aside, then carefully tore open the seal of the kraft paper bag.
Inside was indeed a brand new "Weekly Shonen JUMP."
And the cover of this JUMP instantly captivated his gaze.
Against a deep blue background, a young man in Pegasus Bronze Cloth, with his right hand clenched into a fist and his left hand open to guard his front, struck the classic starting pose for "Pegasus Meteor Fist." His eyes were resolute, full of power.
In the most prominent position on the cover, in bold font, was printed—
""saint seiya"! Lead Color Pages! Popularity Breakthrough! Burn, Cosmos!"
A relieved smile involuntarily appeared on Takuya's face.
He quickly flipped to the lead color pages and began to read this week's serialized content.
The story had progressed to the initial stage where Seiya and others participated in the Galaxy War to compete for the Sagittarius Gold Cloth.
The use of panels was noticeably smoother and more impactful than in the first few chapters.
The character art style was also more mature, especially in the depiction of human proportions and muscle lines. It was evident that Caruda Teacher had put in a lot of effort, clearly having listened to some of the suggestions Takuya had made earlier over the phone.
The pacing of the plot was also better controlled, with both passionate battles and a gradual laying out of a deeper worldview.
Although "saint seiya" began its serialization more than a month later than in his previous life due to the "butterfly effect" caused by his transmigration, its potential seemed even higher than he remembered, judging by the current momentum and the completeness of the work.
This was undoubtedly good news.
Takuya shifted his gaze from "Shonen JUMP" and began to handle the work at hand.
While the release of "the legend of zelda" had stirred up huge waves in the home console market, it did not immediately extinguish the fiery popularity of "fatal fury" in arcades.
The anime aired steadily every week, and the "New Character Move Tutorial" released on time at the end of each episode was like adding new kindling to the fire.
The cooperation with Tatsunoko Production was also progressing systematically.
Currently, this season's anime only had thirteen episodes, a length insufficient to be directly sold to American television stations for broadcast.
Both sides were accelerating the production of VHS versions with English subtitles and English voiceovers.
Sega of America (SOA) had already contacted several large video rental chains and distributors.
Their plan was to first introduce the "fatal fury" anime and game concept into the the North America market through video rentals, sales, and continuous playback in Sega-owned or partnered arcades, to test the waters and pave the way for larger-scale promotions later on.
In early March, the air in Akihabara seemed ignited by the popularity of "the legend of zelda." In electronics stores and game shops, FC Disk System and "the legend of zelda" became the most dazzling stars.
Although the long queues had disappeared, that was only due to tight supply; sales remained very considerable, just not as exaggerated as on the release day, but the sustained purchasing power proved that Nintendo's new hardware and new game truly hit players' demands.
Especially that "save" function.
It was like a key, opening the door to a deeper gaming world.
Players were pleasantly surprised to find that they were no longer limited to one-time playthrough experiences.
They could freely explore the vast Hyrule continent.
Every time they discovered a hidden cave, every time they defeated a powerful enemy, every time they obtained a new item, their efforts were faithfully recorded by the Disk System.
This sense of accumulation, this "sunk cost," was quietly changing players' gaming habits.
It fostered a sense of belonging and attachment to the game world.
In contrast, while the craze for "fatal fury" in arcades continued, it seemed more like a short-term, explosive carnival compared to the "immersion" brought by "the legend of zelda" in the home console realm.
On the other hand, the anxiety of third-party manufacturers like Konami and Namco grew daily.
They watched the sales curve of "the legend of zelda" steadily climb.
They also saw the invisible barrier Nintendo had built through the "save" function.
The decision to postpone their releases allowed them to temporarily avoid the sharpest edge of "fatal fury."
But now, they faced new pressure from Nintendo's home console domain.
Should they continue to wait and see? Or should they risk finding a chance to survive in the gap between Nintendo's two bombshells?
Every choice was fraught with risk.
Time came to the first weekend of April.
The "fatal fury" anime ushered in its final chapter.
Countless players waited in front of their televisions.
They hoped that in the tutorial segment at the end of the episode, they would see the move list for the final BOSS, Geese Howard.
The tutorials in the previous episodes had already given them a taste of success. Learning Terry and Andy's basic combos made them the coolest kids in the arcades.
In the arcades, players who mastered these moves and combos clearly had an advantage.
So, with Geese just announced as a selectable character, Geese's move list was undoubtedly the most coveted "martial arts secret manual" for everyone.
The main anime episode ended. The ending song played. The familiar tutorial screen appeared. Players held their breath.
However, the text that appeared on the screen stunned everyone.
"The First Sega E-Sports Tournament!"
A huge title, accompanied by exciting background music.
Immediately following was a detailed introduction to the tournament format.
"Prefectural qualifiers, register at designated arcades!"
"Single-elimination system, determine prefectural representatives!"
"Final showdown at the Tokyo Budokan, compete for the title of the first strongest player!"
The news exploded like a thunderclap, instantly igniting the player community.
Move list? Who still remembered to copy down move lists!
Sega was actually going to host a national arcade tournament!
And in a sacred place like the Budokan!
This was not just a game competition.
This was glory. This was a chance to prove themselves.
This was a "stage" players had never imagined.
The crowds in arcades across the country instantly reached new heights.
No longer just for practicing combos or showing off new moves.
It was for preparation.
It was for strategizing.
It was for becoming a member of the prefectural team.
To step onto the Budokan stage.
There were even strange stories of players quitting their jobs to embark on "national arcade training tours."
Solely to challenge top players from different regions and improve their own strength.
These stories made it onto television news, further expanding the concepts of "fatal fury" and "e-sports."
At Sega Headquarters, in the Sega E-Sports Tournament Preparatory Committee, the Section Chief responsible for liaising with various arcades excitedly reported the compiled information one by one to the committee members.
"The number of registrants is still increasing! Far exceeding expectations!"
"Arcade owners everywhere are urging us to send more maintenance personnel!"
"The promotional effect of the E-Sports Tournament is even more exaggerated than the anime's end-credit tutorials!"
Sega's internal executives also felt an unprecedented excitement.
They had once thought that the popularity of "fatal fury" would fade with the end of the anime.
As a result, Takuya Nakayama's move forcefully redirected the popularity to another dimension.
Transforming simple entertainment into a "competition" full of competitive and social attributes.
This greatly extended the game's lifespan.
It also unprecedentedly enhanced Sega's image in the hearts of players.
However, just as Sega was immersed in the joy brought by the E-Sports Tournament,
Nintendo, in Kyoto, dropped another bombshell.