The head of the Market Department cleared his throat and pressed the remote control for the projector.
On the huge screen, a detailed report appeared.
"Everyone, this is the sales data summary for our first batch of Pokémon licensed merchandise, after just one week on the market."
The air in the conference room was momentarily still.
Everyone's eyes were focused on the scrolling bar charts and astonishing numbers.
The report clearly showed that plush toys, toy belts, themed stationery, and even small stickers and keychains, accumulated sales to a staggering figure.
More importantly, since the primary income from these merchandise products came from brand licensing fees, their profit margins were far beyond what the electronic pets themselves could achieve.
Silence.
A brief silence, where one could almost hear breathing.
Then, there were uncontrollable gasps and low exclamations of surprise.
The board members who had previously shown a hint of scrutiny and doubt on their faces were now completely silent.
The expressions on their faces underwent a complex and rapid evolution.
From initial slight disdain, to shock upon seeing the data, then wide-eyed disbelief, and finally, all emotions transformed into a complex expression mixed with relief and unconcealed excitement.
Takuya Nakayama watched all of this quietly.
The light in the conference room, filtered through the blinds, cast shifting patterns of light and shadow in his young yet profound eyes.
Everything was developing basically as he had expected.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, thinking, 'As expected of the world's number one money-making IP.'
He glanced at the new event he had already prepared, the cover of the event proposal prominently displaying the large words—"Pokémon Center Flagship Store and Offline Event Preliminary Concept."
Nintendo, the giant of the gaming industry, naturally also noticed the cross-industry craze stirred up by Sega.
Nintendo's executives were discussing this emerging electronic pet phenomenon in the conference room, which was completely different from their traditional cartridge games.
They saw Sega closely bundling electronic pets, animated films, and merchandise, forming a formidable commercial force.
But in their eyes, this model seemed to deviate from the pure gaming track, more like the operation of a popular toy.
"It's definitely profitable."
An executive adjusted his glasses, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible caution.
"But it doesn't seem to pose a direct threat to our FC console market in the short term."
Another supervisor added, his words revealing confidence in their own products.
Seeing this, Hiroshi Yamauchi also composed himself and concluded, "Indeed, this is ultimately a side-show for Sega. We only need to stick to our own path. Continue to release games according to the second half of the year's plan."
Ultimately, they decided to adopt a wait-and-see strategy for now, as their own console game development plans were proceeding systematically and could not afford any mistakes.
Meanwhile, the sixth episode of the Pokémon anime, "Clefairy and the Moon Stone," was broadcast on television screens on time.
Countless children gathered in front of their televisions, their eyes filled with anticipation for new adventures, temporarily forgetting their outdoor play.
In the anime, the mysterious Moon Stone emitted a soft glow, triggering the collective evolution of the Clefairy, a scene both fantastical and spectacular.
Kyosuke watched intently, his small hand instinctively touching the Pikachu electronic pet in his pocket, feeling its cool familiarity.
He thought, 'It would be so cool if my Pikachu could also evolve through some magical stone, just like the Clefairy in the anime.'
However, he also noticed that among the first batch of electronic pets released on the market, there was no Clefairy, the adorable pink Pokémon, and a slight regret, like a missing flavor in candy, crossed his heart.
Most other children had similar thoughts, yearning for that magical Moon Stone, as if it were the key to becoming a stronger trainer.
As the ending song of the sixth episode began to play, most children thought their Pokémon time for the day was over.
However, the TV screen did not immediately switch channels; instead, it suddenly went black, then burst forth with new visuals, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
Against an exciting background music, scenes inside and outside a shop with a sign reading "Pokémon Center" rapidly flashed by.
The shop was bright and clean, filled with Pokémon elements, looking like a real-life recreation of the Pokémon Center from the anime, rather than an ordinary store.
A magnetic voice-over excitedly announced,
"Effective immediately, Sega will authorize a batch of stores nationwide to be upgraded to 'Pokémon Centers'!"
"Providing unprecedented special services for all trainers!"
The scene then switched, first showing a Pokémon recovery machine similar to those commonly seen in the anime's Pokémon Centers, full of futuristic technology.
A child connected his electronic pet via a data cable, and the Pokémon's status icon on the screen rapidly changed from "tired" to "full of energy," a visible transformation.
"For only 100 yen, you can restore your six Pokémon to optimal condition!"
The voice-over clearly explained, the price appearing quite affordable and not out of reach.
Next, the screen showed a close-up of a data cable, its appearance very similar to Sega's own tetris handheld version's link cable, giving off a familiar industrial design feel, clearly surplus stock from the tetris handheld version.
"Communication between Pokémon trainers will be even more convenient!"
When Kyosuke saw this, his eyes instantly lit up, and he almost jumped off the sofa, his heart pounding.
He immediately recalled his agreement with Teacher Kinoshita about "friendly communication"; this cable was practically tailor-made for them, as if guided by fate.
The most stunning scene appeared last, pushing everyone's emotions to their peak.
A technologically advanced "Evolution Stage" appeared in the center of the screen, and a uniformed store employee gently placed an electronic pet on the platform, with professional and elegant movements.
She skillfully connected the data cable, then inserted a circuit board card encased in a stone-textured shell into a special slot on the side of the Evolution Stage, full of mystery.
A close-up shot clearly showed the three words printed on the card—"Moon Stone"—these three words seemed to possess magic.
On the screen, the previously calm Pokémon image suddenly began to flicker intensely, erupting in a dazzling light of evolution that was hard to look at directly.
"Specific Pokémon can complete evolution through specific Evolution Stones!"
The voice-over's voice also reached its climax at this moment, full of Incitement.
"One evolution service costs 500 yen. Evolution is irreversible, so please choose carefully, trainers!"
This sentence carried a hint of serious warning, but it only added to the sacredness of the evolution.
The voice-over also specifically emphasized that the first batch of Evolution Stones offered was precisely the "Moon Stone" that had just shined brightly in the anime, seamlessly connecting with the plot.