Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Securing Bandai

Wednesday arrived swiftly. Two black Crown sedans from Sega pulled smoothly into the parking lot of Bandai's headquarters in Tokyo's Taito district.They were ushered into a spacious meeting room. Moments later, the door opened gently.A middle-aged man of medium build, impeccably suited with neatly combed hair, entered, flanked by a cluster of equally solemn executives. This was Bandai's current president, Makoto Yamashina.Yamashina's gaze was calm yet carried the scrutinizing intensity of a long-time leader, landing directly on Takuya, who sat at the forefront.Beside Yamashina stood a familiar figure—Chuta Mitsui. He wore a warm smile, nodding subtly at Takuya.Takuya understood: Chuta had indeed pulled strings to arrange this meeting.Yamashina's eyes lingered on Takuya for several seconds before he stepped forward, extending his hand with deliberate poise. His movements were unhurried but commanded an undeniable presence."Mr. Takuya Nakayama, I've heard much about you," Yamashina said, his voice deep and authoritative."President Yamashina, it's an honor to meet you today," Takuya replied, grasping his hand firmly, neither deferential nor arrogant.Chuta smiled from the side, offering a few brief introductions and pleasantries before stepping back, yielding the stage to the true negotiators.Takuya adjusted his posture, spine straight, meeting Yamashina's gaze.He chose not to belabor preliminaries but cut straight to the chase."President Yamashina, I've come today with a request."Takuya's voice was clear and steady, ringing distinctly in the quiet room."Sega seeks licensing rights from Sunrise for adaptations of popular robot anime titles, such as Mobile Suit Gundam and several others.""We humbly ask Bandai, as Sunrise's close partner, to assist in this matter."His tone was sincere, as if no prior friction over copyrights had ever existed between their companies."In return, Sega will express our profound gratitude."Yamashina's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly, unsurprised by Takuya's directness.He too avoided any unpleasant history, leaning back slightly, his fingers tapping the table lightly."Mr. Nakayama gets right to the point.""But I wonder, how exactly does Sega intend to show this 'profound gratitude'?"Yamashina's tone was even, betraying no emotion.Bandai's executives, with varied expressions, all focused on Takuya.Rather than answering directly, Takuya smiled faintly, shifting his gaze to a bespectacled, capable-looking middle-aged man beside Yamashina.This was Director Kobayashi, head of Bandai's game development division."Before discussing gratitude, may I ask Director Kobayashi for his thoughts on Sega's Fatal Fury, released last year?"The question caught several off guard.Kobayashi glanced at Yamashina, who nodded subtly. Clearing his throat, he responded."Fatal Fury is undoubtedly a milestone in the fighting game genre."Kobayashi offered an objective assessment, without undue criticism."Both the game's exceptional quality and its subsequent tournament operations have greatly boosted Sega's brand influence and market appeal."He paused, a flicker of confusion in his eyes as he looked at Takuya."Mr. Nakayama, why bring this up now?"Takuya's smile held, but he pivoted smoothly to the heart of the matter."Then, with Bandai's current game development capabilities and experience…""If tasked with independently creating a robot-themed fighting game on par with Fatal Fury, do you believe it would face significant technical hurdles that couldn't be overcome in the short term?"Kobayashi's brow furrowed, a bead of sweat forming at his temple.He felt Yamashina's scrutinizing gaze and understood the question's weight.The room's atmosphere grew heavier.After a brief hesitation, he chose honesty."You're not wrong, Mr. Nakayama.""Bandai lags behind top companies like Sega in the complex systems, fluid controls, and visceral combat feedback required for fighting games.""Achieving Fatal Fury's level independently would be extremely challenging."This admission exposed Bandai's shortcomings in game development.Yamashina's face remained impassive, but a complex emotion flickered in his eyes.Seizing the moment, Takuya leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense as he proposed something that stunned the room."If Sega were willing to provide the core technical framework from Fatal Fury…""And fully support and assist Bandai in developing a brand-new, high-quality robot-themed fighting game…""Would that serve as Bandai's 'gratitude' for helping Sega secure Sunrise's rights?""President Yamashina, what do you say?"The room fell into an eerie silence.Bandai's executives, including Yamashina, wore expressions of disbelief.As a toy company, Bandai's team well understood the market potential and commercial value of a robot fighting game backed by Sega's elite fighting tech.Their hearts raced.Children's dreams of piloting giant robots in heated battles were eternal.Such a game, once released, would be irresistible.Yamashina's fingers stilled on the table, his gaze locking onto Takuya.Takuya pressed his advantage, addressing potential concerns head-on."Rest assured, President Yamashina.""Sega's licensing request to Sunrise is not a one-time buyout.""Sega's involvement won't encroach on Bandai's core position or existing interests in Sunrise IP derivatives.""Bandai remains Sunrise's premier partner. Your fundamental benefits are secure.""What we seek is to jointly tap into new growth markets—a true win-win."These words acted like a tonic, easing Yamashina's tension.Bandai's game development arm had long been his Achilles' heel.Gaining Sega's Fatal Fury-level tech support would not only spawn a blockbuster but also elevate Bandai's R&D capabilities and nurture their team.For Yamashina, aspiring to transform Bandai into a comprehensive entertainment giant, the temptation was irresistible.The caution in his eyes gradually yielded to a gleam of ambition.