Hideki Sato gasped sharply, his eyes widening like brass bells.
The image was indeed smaller, but the soul-shaking impact of it was magnified tenfold!
The entire sprite was rendered with unbelievable detail!
The intricate dark patterns on the heroine's robes, the soft transitions at the edges of her hair, even the tiny glint of light in her pupils—everything was so smooth, with virtually no visible jaggies.
With such an incredibly high pixel density, the colors were compressed into an exceptionally rich and sharp display, completely devoid of the washed-out, cheap look of previous LCD screens.
It was as if—as if a high-end color photograph from a professional studio had been embedded directly into this small piece of glass!
An incredibly sophisticated image quality, far beyond the era, washed over him like a tsunami.
Yuji Naka froze completely. Then, he pressed his face against the 3.0-inch screen, staring greedily, his nose nearly touching the glass.
"This—this level of detail—" Yuji Naka stammered, his hands trembling. "It's incredible! A true miracle!"
He snatched the device away, cradling it like a priceless treasure as he turned it over and over in his hands, his thumb unconsciously stroking the screen's surface.
"I'm such a fool!" Yuji Naka suddenly looked up, his face—previously etched with fatigue—now flushed crimson with sheer excitement. His voice trembled as he shouted, "Managing Director! With this level of visual fidelity, the static portraits and cutscene CGs in RPGs... if we just put them in as full-screen images, the sheer impact would leave today's players speechless! They'll absolutely lose their minds when they see this!"
Standing beside him, Hideki Sato stared at the breathtakingly exquisite image, completely won over.
A monstrous 20-hour battery life.
Coupled with this "dimensional strike" level of visual fidelity.
When these two core selling points combined, the measly size advantage of a 3.5-inch screen became utterly irrelevant!
Watching their ecstatic reactions, Takuya Nakayama's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
Exactly.
Hardware engineering was never about mindlessly stuffing in specs; the art of knowing what to keep and what to cut was the most critical skill of all.
In his past life, the Nintendo GBA had used a 2.9-inch screen, setting a textbook standard for the perfect balance of battery life, portability, and image quality.
And now, Sega had snatched that winning formula before anyone else.
"Since we've all seen the logic, the decision is made." Takuya Nakayama shoved his hands into his pockets and laid down the law, his voice crisp and commanding. "We are completely scrapping the 3.5-inch plan. The screen for the new handheld is locked in at 3.0 inches!"
Hideki Sato snapped out of his reverie, whipped a notebook from his pocket, and furiously scribbled down the order.
"Understood! I'll notify Sharp immediately and push them to fast-track mass production for the 3.0-inch panels!"
May 5th was Children's Day, also known as Japan's traditional Boys' Day.
In the courtyard of Takuya Nakayama's home in Minato Ward, Tokyo, a tall, straight bamboo pole had been erected.
Three brand-new koinobori—black, red, and blue carp streamers—fluttered in the warm early summer breeze. The fabric snapped and rustled softly, a crisp sound in the gentle air.
"Grandpa! Grandma!"
Kazuki burst into the living room, running and skipping like a little cannonball shot from its barrel, clutching a square gift box in both hands.
"Oh, my little darling, slow down! Don't trip!" Takako Nakagawa's face beamed with affection as she quickly reached out to steady him.
Nakagawa Jun sat on the large leather sofa, smiling warmly at his grandson, his eyes full of doting love.
"Go on, open it up and see if you like the gift I picked for you."
Kazuki's face flushed red with excitement as he tore the beautiful wrapping paper to shreds in a few quick swipes.
"Cyclone Magnum!" he shouted, hoisting the Mini 4WD model box high in the air. His voice echoed through the living room. "Kenta just bought a Sonic Saber yesterday and kept bragging about it! I'm going to take this to the track tomorrow and beat him, so he'll know who the real racing god is!"
Takako was amused by his precocious confidence and chuckled, ruffling his fluffy hair.
Kazuki hugged the box and ran to the floor-to-ceiling window, pointing at the carp streamers fluttering in the wind outside.
"Grandpa, look in the yard!"
Nakagawa Jun followed his gaze, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes.
"Dad climbed the ladder and hung it up this morning! I helped him pull the rope from below. I'm really strong!" Kazuki puffed out his chest, his face beaming with pride as he claimed credit.
"Well done. Our Kazuki has already become a little man who can help his dad with the chores," Nakagawa Jun said with a smile. He stood up, walked over to the window, and patted his grandson's small shoulder.
Just then, Takuya Nakayama approached, his steps steady and composed, carrying a plate of chilled watermelon sliced into neat, even pieces.
"Dad, Mom, it's hot out. Have some fruit to cool down."
Eri followed behind, cradling Miki in her arms. The little girl was dressed in a pink frilly dress, shaking a rattle in her hand with a clatter-clatter sound, giggling incessantly.
As evening approached, a black Toyota Century pulled up smoothly outside the courtyard gate.
Kazuki, with his keen ears, heard the engine cut out. He immediately dropped the half-assembled Mini 4WD chassis and dashed toward the front door on his short legs.
"Grandpa and Grandma must be here!"
The gate swung open, and Nakayama Hayao stepped inside, his expression stern. He wore a meticulously tailored dark suit, still exuding the imposing aura of a Showa-era tycoon. Beside him walked Nakayama Miyuki, elegant and gentle in a simple, understated kimono.
"What's the rush? Stop running around so recklessly," Nakayama Hayao scolded, his voice stern. Yet, his hands told a different story as they steadily caught his grandson, who had thrown himself into his arms. He gave the boy a gentle hoist, testing his weight, and the tension around his eyes instantly melted into a smile. "Oh, you've gained quite a bit. Must be eating plenty of meat lately."
"Grandpa! Did you go see Brother Maruji?" Kazuki asked, tilting his head back and blinking his large, bright eyes.
"I did. Your Brother Maruji has a cram school to attend today. He's not as free as you, you little rascal," Nakayama Hayao said, setting him down and lightly patting the back of his head.
Miyuki, carrying several high-end department store bags, stepped forward with a smile.
Takuya Nakayama and Eri greeted them at the entrance.
"Dad, Mom, come on in. Dinner's ready."
"Coming from Katsuya's place, we hit the evening rush hour, so there was a bit of traffic," Miyuki said, handing the bags to Eri. Her gaze was immediately drawn to Miki, who was cradled in Eri's arms.
Miki waved her chubby little hand, blowing a transparent bubble from her lips, her large, dark eyes staring curiously at her grandmother.
Miyuki's smile widened, her heart melting. She quickly reached out to coax her little granddaughter.
Nakagawa Jun and Takako also came to the edge of the living room to welcome them.
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