Later that same day, fresh from his meeting with Walt Disney, Zaboru made his way to Ryan's office with urgency in his step. Without wasting time, he said, "Ryan, I need you to come with me to Japan again. There's another important meeting."
Ryan blinked in disbelief. "Wait, boss—I just got back from Japan a few days ago. Another trip already?"
Zaboru nodded with a serious look. "Yeah. And this time... it's about Disney that ZAGE has chance to acquire 50% of Disney"
Ryan's eyes widened. "What!?" His jaw nearly dropped. Disney was famous for its independence, and Walt Disney had always been adamant about retaining full ownership. The idea that Zaboru was even discussing a deal felt unreal.
"But how is that even possible, boss?" Ryan asked, still trying to process what he'd just heard.
Zaboru let out a long breath. "It's a long story—and I'll explain the details during the meeting in Japan. "
Ryan, still stunned, gave a slow nod. "Understood. I'll get ready."
With that, the wheels were already in motion for yet another flight to Japan—and possibly, the most historic meeting in ZAGE's history.
ZAGE Japan – Thursday, 14 January 1995
Now, Zaboru sat at the head of the meeting table, joined by Ryan and the senior executives of ZAGE Japan. The room buzzed with quiet curiosity; the sudden call for a meeting had caught everyone off guard.
Without wasting time, Zaboru stood. "Thank you all for coming on short notice. There's something important I need your thoughts on." He took a breath, steadying himself. "This past Monday, while I was still at the ZAGE USA office, I was visited by Walt Disney himself. He presented me with an offer: the opportunity to purchase 50% of Disney's shares—for 700 million dollars."
Gasps rippled across the room, but Zaboru continued. "However, publicly, we'd announce that the deal was for 1 billion dollars. The remaining 300 million would quietly be covered by Mr. Disney himself. He wants the world to believe Disney still holds immense value. And now, I'm turning to you all to ask—do you think it's wise for ZAGE to spend 700 million dollars on this acquisition?"
Everyone's eyes widened. Buying Disney!? That's not a small company—that's a massive one!
Zanichi, ZAGE's CTO and Zaboru's father, leaned forward and asked, "How? I mean, why would Walt Disney suddenly want to sell Disney—especially to you, boss? He's famously protective of Disney's shares, isn't he? And the fact that he's willing to personally cover 300 million… that means the actual valuation for 50% is 1 billion, right?"
Everyone nodded, sharing the same curiosity.
Zaboru scratched his head, then replied, "Mr. Disney told me he had a 'hunch.' He said he's looking for a successor—someone who can restore Disney to what it's meant to be. And apparently, he believes I'm the one who can do that. Honestly… if I did own Disney, I'm confident I could bring it back to its peak."
Zanichi and the others were taken aback—it wasn't every day someone like Walt Disney named a successor, and the fact that it was Zaboru stunned them. Ryan Miller from Emerald Wings spoke up, "If this deal actually happens, it could be a huge win for ZAGE. Fifty percent of Disney's revenue is no small thing. Sure, the company looks weak now, but even then, it could catapult ZAGE's reputation to the level of a global entertainment ultimate power."
Kudou, the head of the legal team, added with concern, "My main worry is the U.S. government's reaction. Let's face it—if this goes through, a Japanese company will effectively have major control over one of America's biggest entertainment institutions. That's bound to raise political flags. I doubt they'll just sit back quietly."
Zaboru nodded. "Regarding that concern, I already asked Mr. Disney directly. He assured me that the U.S. government won't be able to interfere with Disney's ownership—even after his passing. I pressed for more details, but he simply said it's a secret."
Kudou leaned back and exhaled. "I see… If that's truly the case, and especially if the request is coming from Walt Disney himself, then maybe the U.S. government won't push back too hard."
Sayuri, ZAGE's head of finance, raised a cautious voice. "Boss, 700 million dollars is no small sum. That's roughly 140 billion yen. If we hit any kind of financial turbulence in the future, this could seriously backfire."
Zaboru nodded thoughtfully, then looked at her. "But Sayuri-san, what if we never face a financial downturn? In that case, would spending 700 million to acquire Disney be a sound move?"
Sayuri exhaled, considering the hypothetical. "Yes, boss… in that scenario, it would be fine. But you know as well as I do—there's always a risk. Things don't always go as planned."
Zanichi chimed in, his tone pragmatic. "Sayuri makes a good point. The bigger question is this: how confident are you, boss, that this deal will return more than what we put in? And how certain are you that ZAGE can avoid financial setbacks in the next few years?"
Zaboru smiled. "As long as I'm alive, I'm 100% sure none of that will happen." Zanichi chuckled. "I love your confidence, boss. But there's no such thing as 100% success—there's always room for failure. But if you're that confident, then I think we can consider this a good deal, no?" Zanichi smiled at Sayuri, and she sighed and nodded.
Shinsuke, head of ZAGE marketing, also spoke up with enthusiasm. "Honestly, boss, the idea that ZAGE is buying Disney could be the most powerful marketing story in modern business. Just imagine the headlines around the world. ZAGE is already a heavyweight—but this deal? This puts us on another level entirely. It's not just growth—it's legacy-level branding."
Zaboru nodded, taking in the weight of the statement. "I see... So in terms of image and influence, it's a win. From my perspective, this deal could unlock major advantages for ZAGE. If I control 50% of Disney, I'll have enough authority to steer its direction. That makes alignment and collaboration far easier—and puts ZAGE in an even stronger position globally."
Zanichi then said, "Once the deal is finalized, I strongly recommend we make it public."
Shinsuke nodded in agreement. "Yes—host a press conference, boss. Be there with Walt Disney himself. Let the world see it firsthand. Let them know that Walt Disney didn't just agree to this—he personally chose you as his successor."
Zaboru nodded. Then Zanichi asked, "So what exactly do you plan to do with Disney? Are you thinking of shifting it toward games, boss?"
Zaboru smiled and shook his head. "No, I plan to keep Disney focused on movies. Of course, I'll be creating films that can elevate Disney back to its peak. And as for ideas—I've got plenty," he said, tapping his temple with a grin.
"The fact that we also own Pixar means we have two animated movie studios under our wing—Disney, the legacy titan, and Pixar, the innovative newcomer. Together, they can redefine animated storytelling. Oh, and I've also got a few ideas for Disneyland that I think could take it to the next level."
Zanichi and the others nodded, clearly confident in their boss's ability to elevate Disney to new heights.
The meeting continued for a while, with final thoughts and cautious optimism shared around the table. As it wrapped up, Zaboru sat quietly for a moment, deep in thought. He had made up his mind. In February, he would give Walt Disney his answer—he was ready to buy 50% of Disney for 700 million dollars, and he would do so with the full weight of ZAGE behind him.
To be continued
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