Monday 3 May 1996 ZUSUGA Offices.
Zanki Zagashira reviewed the total sales numbers for the Reborn 16. The handheld had launched just four days earlier, on April 30, 1996. So far, the performance was mixed—not a breakout success, but not a complete failure either. Sales were underwhelming, yet not disastrous.
Zanki sighed. "As expected, people are still hesitant to buy our Reborn 16. ZUSUGA's reputation is still tarnished from the Gen 1 days, hmm."
Even though he had hired his sister to appear in commercials—ads that were actually well-received—and even paid a few individuals to spread word-of-mouth buzz about the Reborn 16 being worth the price, and spent even more of the budget on expanded marketing campaigns, sales remained lower than he had hoped. He'd invested in magazine ads, retail displays, and even demo kiosks in a handful of tech stores, trying to build excitement and drive engagement.
There were also online forum threads in ZAGE Forum, seeded subtly by hired fans, praising the Reborn 16's performance and game variety. But none of it seemed to tip the scales. So far, only around 8,000 units have been sold in Japan. It wasn't a complete disaster—those numbers at least showed a baseline interest—but it certainly wasn't the strong start Zanki had envisioned. In his mind, he'd been hoping to break 30,000 units in the first week. That would've made a statement. This? This was just a cautious whisper in a crowded market.
But Zanki grinned. "Well, just wait until Zaboru reviews our games—I bet he'll love them."
He had good reason to feel confident. All six launch titles for the Reborn 16 were polished and genuinely fun to play. Zanki had made sure of it—he had brought in experienced gamers to rigorously test each title, making sure the gameplay held up under scrutiny. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and Zanki knew, deep down, that they had succeeded in delivering a solid lineup of proper 16-bit handheld games. It was a rare win, and he was proud of it.
"A slow start doesn't mean failure. We just need to maintain momentum," Zanki said to himself with a sly grin. "Then, at the right moment, I'll arrange an interview with Zaboru—handled by professional reporters. He won't suspect a thing tomorrow seems good time"
Zanki laughed quietly. To many people, Zaboru Renkonan was the god of video games, the savior of the industry—you name it. A single good review from Zaboru was the equivalent of a billion yen marketing campaign. And Zanki was confident. He knew Zaboru wasn't one to be bought, but if he genuinely liked the games, he'd give them a glowing review. That was just the kind of man he was—honest, even to a fault, a pushover. And that, Zanki believed, was his advantage.
Meanwhile at Sonaya, Hikaru Kurata sat at his desk while Junpei Hoshida examined the Reborn 16. "As expected, boss—it only manages about 3 to 4 hours at most, even when using quality batteries like the Z-Batteries," Junpei reported.
Hikaru Kurata nodded. "That's exactly why we're not diving into the handheld market—at least, not yet. Battery technology is still too much of a hassle."
Junpei nodded in agreement, understanding the concern completely.
Sonaya was still progressing with their "Amaterasu" project—a 32-bit console that had now reached the final stages of development. The team expected it to be ready by either September or October. The launch would be accompanied by five new titles, each showcasing true 3D gameplay—something they hoped would set a new standard in the market.
Hikaru Kurata then said to Junpei, "Anyway, Junpei—get back to working on Amaterasu. We need every second to count now. I'll handle the marketing."
Junpei Hoshida nodded. "Sure thing, boss."
Hikaru grinned, already buzzing with ideas. The marketing campaign for their upcoming 32-bit console had to be massive—bold, aggressive, unforgettable. He wasn't just aiming to make a splash. He wanted to shake the industry. And as usual, that meant taking shots at ZAGE.
"Of course we're going to drag ZAGE into this," Hikaru muttered to himself with a smirk. Back when their 16-bit console, the Titan Drive, launched, the slogan had been "Bring Arcade to Home." It was a confident jab at arcades, built on the belief that arcade machines were barely ahead in power—maybe capable of 16-bit gameplay—while the home consoles were still stuck in the 8-bit era. But then ZAGE had blindsided them all. They released true 3D arcade games like Tekken, proving just how far ahead they really were.
That humiliation still stung. Hikaru hadn't forgotten how the media turned on them. The mockery. The comparisons. The headlines claiming Titan Drive was already obsolete the moment it hit shelves.
Not this time.
This time, Amaterasu would be different. This time, he was going to be two steps ahead.
He leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands behind his head, and chuckled. "Just you wait, Zaboru. This time, we're not going to stumble. We're going to crush ZAGE."
He was in an unusually good mood. Not just because Amaterasu was shaping up well—but because for once, it felt like the momentum was shifting in their favor.
The next day, on a street in Tokyo.
Zaboru had just finished eating dinner at a small ramen stall tucked along a side street. He was preparing to head back to his office to continue working when a woman along with a guy bring camera suddenly approached him.
"Hello! Zaboru-san! My name is Miya Kato from ZEMITSU!" she said brightly.
Zaboru stopped, smiled, and greeted her politely. "Hello."
Then Miya asked, "Sorry to bother you, Zaboru-san! But we gamers really want to hear your opinion on this. What do you think about the recently released handheld, the Reborn 16 by ZUSUGA—the first-ever 16-bit handheld console—and its games? Do you like it?"
Zaboru chuckled and replied, "Well, as for the handheld itself, it's definitely on the expensive side—but to be honest, I think it's still worth the price. I've played all six of the launch titles, and I have to say, they're surprisingly solid. The gameplay mechanics are smooth, and the variety of genres they've covered is impressive.
One game in particular—Sekai Senshi—really stood out to me. It's not just good; it's the kind of title that makes you want to pick up the device again and again. I genuinely loved that one the most. The pacing, the visuals, and even the soundtrack felt way above handheld standards."
He paused for a moment and added, "The fact that the Reborn 16 can offer performance that's nearly on par with the ZEPS 2, while still being completely portable? That's a huge plus for me. You can take it anywhere and still get a console-like experience. But yeah," he said with a laugh, "the battery situation is kind of a hassle. You're definitely going to spend quite a bit on batteries if you plan on playing regularly. Hahaha."
Miya Kato's eyes lit up with excitement, clearly thrilled by the soundbite. "I see! So you loved the Reborn 16?" she asked, her tone rising with enthusiasm.
Zaboru gave a small shrug and replied, "It's decent and not bad. There's still room for improvement, of course, but it's a solid effort overall." He nodded once more, casually adjusting his coat as the cool Tokyo evening breeze began to pick up.
Miya, beaming, said, "Okay! Thanks so much for your time, Zaboru-san! This will mean a lot to the fans!"
Zaboru offered her a polite smile, then turned and walked away, his mind already drifting back to the stack of work waiting on his desk. Behind him, Miya and her cameraman exchanged a satisfied glance. They had gotten what they came for—and more.
After Zaboru left, Miya Kato grinned slyly, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "We got it," she said, turning to her cameraman. "Now we send this straight to Zanki-sama. It's going to air on every national television network. Hehehe."
Though she introduced herself as a ZEMITSU reporter, Miya wasn't actually working for them—not in the traditional sense. This entire stunt had been orchestrated by Zanki himself. Miya had been brought in specifically for this mission, handpicked for her charm and ability to draw people out. And she was paid handsomely for it.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, still smiling as she imagined the footage being broadcast across Japan. Zanki's plan was unfolding exactly as intended.
To be continue
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