On February 10th, Kobayashi Tetsu arrived at Daicon Film as promised.
He was welcomed warmly. Though his requests were many, he paid promptly, and the content itself was intriguing—production had gone smoothly. The first episode was finished, right on schedule.
Even though Kobayashi hadn't provided a fully detailed setting, he had outlined the general plot. Thus, the first episode hadn't deviated: Earth in crisis, the descent of Jörmungandr, the great battleship swallowed, the meeting of the male and female leads, the beginning of synchronization training, and the debut of their fighter craft. At the end of the episode, two fighters appeared—named Salamander, a little Easter egg Kobayashi had slipped in.
After watching, Kobayashi fell into thought.
Anno Hideaki and director Yama'ga Hiroyuki both watched him expectantly.
"Well, Kobayashi-kun?"
"This should be good enough to satisfy you, right?"
Kobayashi lifted his eyes toward Yama'ga Hiroyuki.
This was the man who would later direct Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise—and whose career would collapse after the project lost so much money that he never again participated in frontline animation production. But no one could deny his passion or talent… only his tendency to burn through money like air.
"I think it's good," Kobayashi said. "But it doesn't matter if only I think so. All right—give me the tape. Anno-kun, if you have time, come with me. We're going to discuss the next step."
Anno nodded. "You mean broadcast arrangements? No problem."
Daicon Film would need to send someone anyway. Though Anno was nominally working under Miyazaki Hayao, Miyazaki wasn't constantly in production—there were always intervals in which Anno could work on his own projects.
Once outside, they found a black car waiting. Koizumi the driver leaned against the door, smoking. Anno hugged the tape case a little nervously.
"So… we're going to a TV station?"
"No," Kobayashi replied. "We're going to Bandai."
"?!!"
"This anime can pair with fighter, battleship, and monster toys," Kobayashi said casually. "Naturally, we go to Bandai first and see if they'll collaborate on merchandise."
Anno understood the idea but not the timing—why now?
…
Kobayashi didn't bring Anno inside. He only wanted Anno present to signal sincerity; once the car reached Bandai, he left him waiting with the driver.
Bandai was not yet the giant it would one day become. Its influence was still small-scale. It had only recently survived the near-fatal "security deposit" incident and was just beginning to recover.
Still, Bandai had money.
Kobayashi walked up into the modest three-story building. The first president, Yamashina Naoharu, had had some dubious experiences in his youth, later investing heavily in factories to handle Bandai's contract manufacturing. But the current president was the second-generation heir: Yamashina Makoto, Naoharu's prized son.
Kobayashi's bold plan depended precisely on this man.
Yamashina Makoto, still in his thirties, was ambitious—desperate to surpass his father. This was why, in 1985, he would invest several hundred million yen into the still-obscure Daicon Film to make Royal Space Force.
He had a vision of an integrated industry chain: anime, games, toys.
In other words—
He was far more approachable than Yamashina Naoharu.
Kobayashi followed the directory to the president's office. The secretary looked up in confusion.
"Is President Yamashina Makoto in?"
"I'm sorry, I can't disclose—may I ask your name?"
"So he is in," Kobayashi said, nodding. "I have an appointment…" He then casually gave a deliberately vague, half-mumbled "name."
The secretary hurried to check the logs, but before she could verify anything, Kobayashi had already walked past her and opened the office door.
"W-wait! Please wait!"
The poor woman trailed after him but couldn't stop him.
Inside, Kobayashi found Yamashina Makoto mid-call—judging by his tone, likely speaking to Yamashina Naoharu.
Their sudden entrance startled him, but only for a moment. He hung up and looked at Kobayashi, then the flustered secretary.
"Kobayashi Tetsu."
Kobayashi answered briefly, "I'm here from SEGA."
"Oh… SEGA."
Of course Yamashina knew that name.
He hadn't scheduled a meeting with Kobayashi today, but "from SEGA" was enough to pique his interest—especially since Kobayashi was holding something.
It didn't look like a weapon.
Yamashina gestured toward the seat opposite him.
"Red tea only—is that all right?"
"No problem."
When the secretary left, Kobayashi spoke. "Strictly speaking, I'm not a SEGA employee. My name is Kobayashi Tetsu. I'm from Atlus."
Yamashina pushed up his glasses, searching his memory.
"Atlus… oh! That game studio. I've heard of your father—came back from America, impressive."
His eyes drifted again to what Kobayashi held.
Kobayashi set the case on the table and opened it, revealing the master tape.
"I've produced a work. I believe it will benefit both SEGA and Bandai. So I hope Bandai will invest, obtain naming rights, and acquire rights to related merchandise—fighters, ships, monsters, everything."
Yamashina removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes.
He had expected a proposal document—not an already completed product. That alone was surprising, in a good way.
A real work speaks louder and far more convincingly than an empty pitch.
And Kobayashi wasn't here alone—he carried the implicit weight of both SEGA and Atlus.
That made him, in Yamashina's eyes, someone worth speaking to.
After all—he, Yamashina Makoto, was a second-generation heir too.
And when you're a second-generation heir?
Of course you do whatever you want.
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 15+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon