Hikaru Kurata grinned and looked directly at Mitsu with calm confidence.
For a brief moment, Mitsu felt his throat tighten.
Hikaru Kurata's pressure was no joke. He was not raising his voice. He was not angry. He was not even trying to intimidate anyone on purpose. But as the CEO and major shareholder of Sonaya, the man had the kind of presence that made people instinctively sit straighter.
Then Hikaru spoke.
"Honestly, I feel sorry for both Apple and Microsoft."
The studio became quiet.
The live chat exploded instantly.
"HE SAID WHAT!?"
"HIKARU-SAN FEELS SORRY FOR MICROSOFT AND APPLE!?"
"THIS IS GETTING SPICY."
"SONAYA CEO IS COOKING."
Mitsu blinked. "Sorry for them?"
Hikaru nodded calmly. "Yes. Because they touched ZAGE where they should not have. Apple and Microsoft are powerful companies, of course. Nobody can deny that. They have money, technology, talented engineers, and global influence. Their new consoles are also far more powerful than ZEPS 3, and they have many features that ZEPS 3 does not have."
He paused, then smiled faintly.
"But that is exactly why I feel sorry for them."
Kiara leaned forward with visible excitement. "Why?"
Hikaru rested his hands together and continued, "Because they are trapped in an illusion. They looked at ZEPS 3, compared it to their new hardware, and thought they had already surpassed ZAGE. They saw the current king sitting on an older throne and convinced themselves that the king had become weak."
His eyes sharpened.
"That was a big mistake Sonaya learned from this… hard way."
Junpei quietly smiled beside him.
Hikaru continued, "People forget something very important. ZAGE has not released its next console yet. Microsoft and Apple are not competing against ZEPS 4 right now. They are competing against the end of ZEPS 3's life cycle. They are proudly comparing their new machines to an old warrior that has already fought for years."
Nigo nodded slowly. "So you think they misread the situation?"
"Completely," Hikaru replied. "I understand why they made that mistake. From the outside, ZAGE can look strange. Zaboru jokes too much. He praises rivals. He allows strange projects. He sometimes acts like a gamer who accidentally became the most powerful man in the industry. Because of that, some others companies executives underestimate him."
Hikaru's voice became firmer.
"But people who have fought ZAGE directly know better Zaboru is scary because just he is he doesn't need to pretend.."
The studio became even quieter.
Hikaru looked toward the camera and said, "Zaboru once told me something about the ZEPS line. He said ZEPS 1 was the starting point, the foundation. ZEPS 2 was where experiments began. ZEPS 3 was where ZAGE tried to perfect everything they had learned so far."
He stopped for a second.
Then his smile became sharper.
"And ZEPS 4? According to him, ZEPS 4 is where they try to exceed perfection."
The chat went insane again.
"EXCEED PERFECTION!?"
"ZEPS 4 HYPE!"
"ZABORU SAID THAT!?"
"APPLE AND MICROSOFT ARE DEAD."
"HIKARU IS PROMOTING ZEPS 4 HARDER THAN ZAGE."
Hikaru chuckled when he saw the comments moving across the monitor.
"Yes, yes, I know how strange it sounds coming from me. I am Sonaya's CEO, not ZAGE's marketing department. But I have fought ZAGE long enough to understand one thing clearly: when Zaboru says something like that, it is better not to laugh."
Mitsu swallowed. "So you believe ZEPS 4 will be that strong?"
Hikaru nodded. "I do. And honestly, I cannot wait to see how Microsoft and Apple react when it finally releases. Because right now, many of the features they are proud of are not truly new. Online play? Forums inside the console? Digital store? Community features? Downloadable content? Those ideas already exist around ZAGE's ecosystem through Steam, ZAGE Network, Z-Store, and their online services."
He gave a small shrug.
"They may have polished some parts in their own way, but the direction itself is not new. They are not creating the future. They are trying to catch the future ZAGE already started building."
Kiara's eyes sparkled. "That's a harsh statement."
"It is an honest one," Hikaru replied. "And I am saying this as ZAGE's competitor. If Apple and Microsoft want to fight ZAGE seriously, they must stop acting as if powerful hardware alone is enough. Hardware matters, yes. But games, developer trust, online structure, brand loyalty, software tools, distribution, and culture matter just as much. ZAGE has spent years building all of that."
He paused.
"Right now, Apple and Microsoft are like frogs in a well."
The entire studio reacted.
Mitsu's eyes widened. "Kurata-san!"
Junpei covered his mouth, clearly trying not to laugh.
Hikaru continued without hesitation. "They look up, see a small piece of sky, and think they understand the world. But once ZEPS 4 appears, they may realize the well was never the battlefield."
The chat became completely uncontrollable.
"FROGS IN THE WELL!"
"HIKARU JUST MURDERED THEM LIVE."
"SONAYA CEO DEFENDING ZAGE IS CRAZY."
"THIS PODCAST IS INSANE."
"MICROSOFT AND APPLE NEED ICE."
Mitsu stared at Hikaru with disbelief. "I can't believe those words came from your mouth, Kurata-san. Are you a ZAGE fan now?"
Hikaru shrugged. "Well, their boss helped review my company's game, so I said something good about them. Hahaha."
Junpei chuckled. "That's definitely one way to describe it."
Nigo smiled. "But you sound more respectful than before."
Hikaru's expression softened slightly. "Because I learned. There was a time when I hated ZAGE's shadow. I hated how every Sonaya move was compared to ZAGE. I hated how Zaboru could do ridiculous things and somehow turn them into success. But hatred does not make a company stronger. Understanding does my blood pressure learned a lot from that time."
He looked at Junpei briefly, then continued.
"Sonaya does not need to become ZAGE. That was our mistake before. We chased ZAGE too desperately. We tried to answer their strength directly instead of developing our own. Now, I can respect ZAGE properly because I no longer want Sonaya to become a copy of them."
Junpei nodded. "That change helped the development teams a lot."
Hikaru smiled faintly. "Yes. Once we stopped asking, 'How do we beat ZAGE at being ZAGE?' and started asking, 'What can Sonaya do well?' our games became better." He then grinned "What would ZAGE feel if they made 10 pieces of 9/10 game but Sonaya only make 1 10/10 game and end up winning GOTY. that's gonna be hurt"
Junpei chuckles while the studio is laughing.
Kiara grinned. "Speaking of Zaboru, we found a rumor that you have huge respect for ZAGE now, but even more importantly, both of your children are insane Zaboru fans. Is that true, Kurata-san?"
Hikaru's face immediately changed.
He sighed deeply.
"Unfortunately, yes."
The entire room burst into laughter.
Hikaru rubbed his forehead. "Both of my children are hardcore Zaboru fans, and I still cannot get over it. Seeing my children's rooms filled with ZAGE posters is already painful enough. But Zaboru posters? That makes me want to puke honestly."
Junpei lowered his head, shoulders trembling as he tried to hold back laughter.
Nigo failed immediately and laughed aloud.
Kiara clapped her hands. "Wait, wait! They have Zaboru posters?"
Hikaru looked genuinely tired. "Yes."
Mitsu leaned closer. "Not just ZAGE characters?"
"Not just ZAGE characters," Hikaru confirmed bitterly. "Zaboru himself. Smiling. Pointing. Holding a ZEPS controller. One poster says, 'You Are Very Cool.' Another says, 'Just Buy It Okay.' I see those words in my own house."
The hosts completely lost it.
The chat became even worse.
"ZABORU CONQUERED SONAYA'S HOUSE!"
"HIKARU'S CHILDREN ARE ZAGE LOYALISTS."
"THE BLOODLINE HAS FALLEN."
"JUST BUY IT OKAY POSTER IN SONAYA CEO HOUSE IS CRAZY."
Kiara laughed so hard she had to wipe her eyes. "So Zaboru completely conquered your bloodline?"
Hikaru's expression darkened.
"That is funny," he said slowly, "because Zaboru said the same thing to me."
The room exploded again.
Junpei slammed one hand on his knee, unable to hold back anymore.
Mitsu laughed. "He actually said that?"
Hikaru nodded with visible irritation. "Yes. During his visit to Sonaya. He looked at my children, realized they loved him, and said something like, 'Hikaru-san, I have conquered your bloodline.'"
Kiara nearly fell forward laughing.
Hikaru continued, "I told him to shut up."
Nigo smiled. "Did he?"
"No."
Everyone laughed again.
Hikaru sighed, slightly pissed but clearly not truly angry. "But yes, my children like him. They respect ZAGE games, they like ZAGE characters, and they think Zaboru is funny. I do not care."
Junpei glanced at him. "You care a little."
Hikaru glared at him.
Junpei immediately looked away. "I said nothing."
Mitsu grinned and decided to move the topic forward before Hikaru's patience reached its limit. "Aside from the video-game industry, what about the rumors surrounding AKAI? As we know, AKAI is one of ZAGE's subsidiaries, and recently there are many rumors that they want to expand into many different fields. Some reports say AKAI wants to enter the broader electronics market, not just phones or music devices."
He leaned forward.
"Will that become a threat to Sonaya's electronics division as well, especially since AKAI already dominates strongly with the AKAI Z-2 phone?"
Hikaru chuckled.
Unlike when talking about his children, this question seemed to return him to his executive mode.
"Well, I do not really care in the sense that I am not afraid of it. But yes, AKAI is becoming more dangerous. Anyone who denies that is simply not paying attention. With ZAGE behind them The AKAI Z-2 is already a powerful product. Their Z-Pod is also spreading quickly, and their design philosophy is clearly different from traditional electronics companies."
Kiara nodded. "Different how?"
Hikaru thought briefly before answering. "AKAI products feel like they are designed by people who understand entertainment culture directly. They do not only ask, 'What can this device do?' They ask, 'How will people use this while playing, listening, watching, sharing, or expressing themselves?' That is a very ZAGE-like way of thinking."
Nigo adjusted his posture. "So you believe AKAI's strength comes from ZAGE's entertainment ecosystem?"
"Partly," Hikaru replied. "AKAI benefits from ZAGE's ecosystem, Zaboru's influence, and their ability to connect devices with content. A phone is not just a phone if it connects easily with ZAGE services. A music player is not just a music player if it connects with ZAGE's music platform, Z-Pod services, YouTube, Z-Store, and future online systems."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"That is why Sonaya cannot ignore them."
Mitsu smiled. "So AKAI is a real threat?"
Hikaru smiled back. "Every serious competitor is a threat. But Sonaya has never been afraid of competition. If ZAGE, through AKAI, wants to challenge Sonaya's other sectors, then so be it. We will not just sit back and watch."
Kiara grinned. "As expected of Sonaya! Never give up!"
Hikaru nodded. "Of course. If AKAI enters our territory, we fight. That is business. But unlike before, I do not want Sonaya to panic and blindly copy them. We need to compete with our own strengths: hardware design, audio technology, displays, cameras, entertainment devices, and consumer trust built over many years."
Nigo asked, "Do you think Sonaya and AKAI may cooperate someday?"
Hikaru smiled faintly. "In business, anything is possible. Today's rival can become tomorrow's partner if the conditions are right. But for now, I think competition is more likely."
Mitsu chuckled. "That sounds dangerous."
"Good," Hikaru replied. "Competition should be dangerous. If it is too comfortable, everyone becomes lazy."
Kiara then turned toward Junpei with bright excitement. "Okay! Next question is for Junpei-san. What's next for Sonaya's game division? Will you create sequels for Sun Knight or Sherif Juan again since they are now Sonaya's top IP?"
Junpei chuckled and scratched his cheek. "Well… we are already doing solid work for both series, of course. Sun Knight 5 and Sherif Juan 5 performed extremely well, so naturally we will not abandon them. But honestly, Sonaya still lacks truly iconic IP compared to ZAGE."
He gave a helpless smile.
"When people talk about ZAGE, you can't even count how many iconic characters they have. Mario, Sonic, Pac-Man, Kirby, Pokémon, Digimon, ZABO-Man, and many more. Even some of their smaller characters are more recognizable than main characters from other companies."
Kiara nodded seriously. "That is true."
Junpei continued, "Sonaya has strong games, but we need more symbols. More characters people immediately recognize. More worlds people want to return to. More series that can stand for ten or twenty years, not just one successful release."
Mitsu asked, "So Sonaya will focus on creating new IP?"
"Yes, but not only that," Junpei answered. "We have plenty of older or underused IP with potential. Some might deserve remakes. Some might deserve complete reboots. Some might become anime, manga or even experimental projects. We need to look at what Sonaya already has and decide which ideas can become stronger with modern direction."
Nigo smiled. "That sounds like a long process."
"It is," Junpei said. "But after learning from ZAGE, I think we understand something important. Iconic IP is not created only by spending money. It requires consistency, strong identity, memorable characters, good gameplay, and emotional attachment from players. You cannot force people to love a character just because marketing says they should."
Hikaru nodded in agreement. "That was another lesson we learned painfully."
Junpei continued, "For example, Sherif Juan became stronger again because we returned to what made Juan unique. He is not just a cowboy with a gun. He is a man trapped between justice and distrust, between law and freedom, between wanting to protect people and refusing to blindly obey authority. Once we understood that, the gameplay and story became clearer."
Kiara smiled. "That's why the fifth game hit so hard."
Mitsu looked impressed. "That's a strong answer."
Junpei laughed. "I practiced."
Hikaru glanced at him. "You did?"
"No," Junpei admitted.
Everyone laughed.
After that, the conversation continued for quite a while. They talked about Sonaya's future, GameStation's next steps, the pressure of competing against ZAGE, the rising importance of online services, the unexpected popularity of Sherif Juan 5, and even the strange possibility of more cross-company respect between major game developers.
The viewers loved every minute of it.
The ZEMITSU Podcast once again proved why it had become one of the most entertaining shows in the gaming world. It was not only informative. It was unpredictable, funny, and sometimes dangerously honest.
By the time the episode ended, clips had already started spreading across YouTube and ZAGE Forum.
Hikaru calling Apple and Microsoft "frogs in the well" became the biggest headline.
His complaint about Zaboru conquering his bloodline became an immediate meme.
And Junpei being exposed as a signed ZAGE-game owner became one of the funniest moments of the week.
At the same time, while the podcast was happening, Ayumi, who was pregnant with twins, was working overtime at Akaishidan, making her brother Akechi extremely worried about her.
To be continued.
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