Friday 11 Jan 1998.
After the problem with Ayumi was resolved, Zaboru wasted no time and shifted into full gear. He quickly wrapped up most of his remaining work in Japan, ensuring that all critical tasks were either completed or properly handed off to capable team members at ZAGE Japan. With domestic matters mostly settled, he set his sights on his next destination — the ZAGE Campus in the United States. His goal was to personally oversee operations there, address any management or development issues, and provide strategic direction to his American teams.
Alongside this, Zaboru had something else in mind. He had been monitoring the workload of the Disney animation team closely. Currently, they are handling two major projects under his supervision — Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Both projects were advancing well, and the team had proven itself capable of managing complex production pipelines. With their schedules stabilizing and performance improving, Zaboru saw the perfect opportunity to assign them an additional task like the usual Disney team is capable of handling 3 tasks simultaneously.
He had already prepared the concept in advance, waiting for the right timing. With his arrival in the U.S. imminent and the Disney team ready, Zaboru knew it was the right moment to introduce their next ambitious assignment.
Then, without further ado, Zaboru quickly synced up with his team at the ZAGE USA campus. With the assistance of Gabe Newell, the CTO of the U.S. branch, Zaboru conducted a thorough series of briefings and check-ins. He asked his American team many of the same key questions he had previously asked his Japanese division — aligning their creative goals, reviewing ongoing progress, and ensuring that both ZAGE Japan and ZAGE USA shared the same vision and priorities for the company's future.
The meetings were productive. Both branches showed a strong sense of coordination and commitment as usual. As part of his schedule, he informed the U.S. team that on the following Monday, he would be presenting an important technical update related to the ZAGE Online Forums. This upgrade was something Zaboru had personally worked on. Although the implementation was primarily his own, he wanted the forum development team in ZAGE USA — the division responsible for maintaining and scaling the forums — to be aware of the upcoming changes in advance so they could prepare accordingly.
But for now, it was still Friday, and Zaboru had a major meeting scheduled at Disney HQ. He shifted his focus and prepared to meet with Walt Disney himself, alongside several top executives who were eager to hear what new project Zaboru would bring to the table. with that he went to Disney HQ from ZAGE Campus.
Now Zaboru was already at Disney HQ, seated in a sleek executive meeting room surrounded by several high-ranking Disney executives. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation, as everyone in the room was eager to find out what new assignment Zaboru had brought this time. It wasn't just another project — whenever Zaboru proposed something, it had a reputation for being bold, original, and profitable.
Clearing his throat, Zaboru addressed the room. "I apologize for my delayed arrival," he began, offering a polite bow. "I had business to wrap up back in Japan and several other countries, but now I'm fully ready to present the next big task."
Walt Disney leaned forward, grinning with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Heh, Zaboy! You better not disappoint with this one. Although, knowing you, I doubt it will be anything less than impressive."
Zaboru chuckled, returning the grin. "Let's hope that's the case, Mr. Disney."
With that, he unlatched and opened his sleek black suitcase, revealing a meticulously organized set of folders. Each folder had a cover illustration featuring colorful underwater scenes and a bold title: Finding Nemo.
He then handed the folders out one by one to each participant in the room. As the executives opened them, their attention was immediately drawn to the cover — a sleek, vibrant 3D-rendered image of an underwater world. The title Finding Nemo was embossed across the top, glowing subtly under the room lights. Walt Disney leaned in, eyebrows raised, clearly intrigued.
"3D animated movie?" he said with a hint of surprise. "Isn't that what you have Pixar for?"
Zaboru chuckled, nodding slightly. "Technically, yes. Pixar's doing amazing work in 3D. But let me explain — 3D animation isn't just a studio gimmick anymore. It's becoming the core style. And this project isn't meant to replace anything — it's meant to explore. You see, 3D is just another artistic direction, another visual flavor we can use to tell stories in new, immersive ways."
He continued, gesturing to the concept artwork in the folders. "Disney has a legendary legacy with 2D animation, and that's not going anywhere. But 3D opens doors — fluid camera movement, dynamic lighting, atmospheric depth. It lets us bring underwater worlds like this to life in ways we never could before. It's not about abandoning tradition; it's about expanding the canvas."
There was a brief pause as Walt examined the art again, this time with more interest. The expressive characters, colorful marine environments, and sense of motion captured in the still images hinted at something special.
"And of course," Zaboru added with a grin, "it adds a bit of spice, right?"
Walt Disney grunted, "Well, we already know a thing or two about 3D animations." He leaned back slightly in his chair as he flipped through the folder in front of him. As expected from Zaboru, the materials were comprehensive and well-organized — packed with plot summaries, story arcs, scene breakdowns, character biographies, visual direction notes, and even some early dialogue samples.
What caught Walt's attention even more was the clear emotional thread woven through the concept: the story of a clownfish father named Marlin searching the vast ocean for his missing son, Nemo. The idea of a heartfelt adventure mixed with oceanic exploration had a universal appeal. The character designs were expressive and engaging, and the underwater world felt vibrant and alive through the concept art. The charm of the setting, the light humor, and the potential for emotional moments made the project feel incredibly promising.
As Walt flipped to a full-color render of one of the supporting characters — a massive, toothy shark named Bruce — his expression shifted slightly. He chuckled, then glanced up at Zaboru.
"This is a good story," he said, nodding. "And the art — it's really something else. But this shark... Bruce, right? Isn't this design maybe a little too intense? Those teeth could scare the pants off a kid. This might traumatize some of the younger ones."
Zaboru chuckled, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Heh, don't worry about it, Mr. Disney. Kids these days are surprisingly tough — they can handle a little intensity. And honestly, a bit of danger and suspense keeps the story exciting. It gives them something to talk about, something to remember. Besides," he added with a grin, "they need some action and edge in their movies. It's part of what makes an adventure feel real."
Walt Disney sighed, his lips curling into a reluctant smile. "Well… let's hope that's the case. The last thing I want is a bunch of angry letters from parents saying their kids are scared of sharks now well I mean who doesn't?." Everyone chuckles with the dad jokes.
After that, Zaboru moved on to a more detailed briefing about the film's expectations and production schedule. "Yes," he began, addressing the room, "this movie will mark a major milestone — the first fully 3D-animated Disney feature under our banner. I want to clarify though, I'm not going to rush the team. Ideally, we'd love to see it released by early 2000, but I understand that working with a new animation style takes time. If more time is needed, I'm completely fine with that. This project isn't just about a release date — it's also an opportunity for the team to grow, to master a new medium, and to experiment with storytelling in a more immersive format."
He paused to let that sink in, giving the room a moment to process the ambition behind the film. "It's a learning experience as much as it is a production goal."
Walt Disney let out a thoughtful groan as he scanned through the proposed production timeline. "Well," he said, tapping his fingers on the table, "this looks doable. We'll need to reallocate some resources and onboard more specialists, but we can get the ball rolling fast. I think we can make 2000 happen."
He looked up and grinned with his usual showman's confidence. "We'll make it work — we always do."
Zaboru smiled back, feeling reassured by the response. The meeting continued for a while longer, with additional questions, notes, and rough scheduling. Once everything was settled and the Disney team had a clear direction, Zaboru wrapped up his notes and returned to the ZAGE offices in the U.S. to continue his other work like usual while also waiting for Tomorrow as Jasper Crank and Lunar Knight 2 will release.
To be continue
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