In his private office, Nifuji did nothing but lie in his chair, resting.
Yup, he might have many abilities, but that didn't mean he had unlimited stamina or a powerful recovery that let him stay awake without sleep for a week, a month, or even a year!
He is powerful, but he is still a mortal!
He hadn't broken his shell and evolved into a higher being!
It would have been great if the meeting had been just a few hours, but since he had made many changes and was trying to start a new project, it dragged on into the night.
Even if his stamina was good, and he also had a powerful physical ability, it was different with the mind!
His battle in the meeting was like a delinquent story, where a single protagonist entered the school and challenged all the powerful figures for the throne!
"Should I change my strategy?"
The design that he had made before was good, and it was safe, but how much money could he make from it?
How much potential could come out of it?
Frankly, even he wasn't sure how much he could get.
His abilities made him a good artist, and he also understood the trend.
In other words, he was someone who could execute high-level aesthetics (The Artist) while understanding market desires (The Trend-Spotter).
Those abilities alone were enough for him to make a great toy company, as most toy companies fail because they have one but not the other: they either make beautiful products nobody wants, or generic products that drown in a sea of competition.
For a man who possessed "powerful, artistic" abilities, like him, competing solely on cheap, mass-market plastic toys (for toddlers) was a waste of your talent, so he had been thinking of entering the "Kidult" market (adults who buy toys/collectibles).
"But I need a strategy. I need a sure way to make money!"
He wasn't just a creator who designed a toy; he was also the leader of the toy department at this company!
Naturally, he needed a strategy to ensure this toy would sell and make a lot of money!
So, during that meeting, he had been talking with everyone, brainstorming to make sure that this toy would make a profit, and because of that, he was dead tired.
"...I shouldn't have sex in the morning."
If he had a lot of energy, he wouldn't be this tired, he thought.
Yet, fortunately, he had set up a strategy to make sure that he would be successful.
Gudetama.
This was the character that he had envisioned to bring the toy department into a profitable department.
"Cute" is one of the most commercially powerful aesthetics in the world, specifically in the "Kidult" (adults who buy toys) market. However, because it is so popular, it is also the most crowded.
To win here, he used his Trend-Spotting ability to find the gap in the market, and his Artistic ability to create a character that feels like a "friend" rather than just a piece of plastic.
Yup, a friend.
Based on his "Trendsetter" ability, which he gained from Fuji (Ame to Kimi to), he knew that he had to utilize the biggest current trend in toys for adults, which is Emotional Utility!
People aren't just buying toys for decoration; they are buying them to feel better.
He didn't just market his toy as "cute."
He marketed it as a companion!
"Gudetama" didn't just create a character; it also introduced an expression that isn't merely "happy." He gave it an expression of empathy, tiredness, or determination.
The toy was made by him after he noticed the trend of people complaining about "Monday Blues" or "Burnout," so he released this droopy egg-like character, so it could sit on office desks to keep the owner company.
Adult.
Many of those who had heard him thought that he was crazy to make a toy for an adult, but he knew that he was correct, and adults have disposable income, so if this toy could make them feel a connection, they would buy it.
If there is a problem, adults have limited space, and because of that they usually display toys on their office desks or bookshelves, which was why he decided to focus on the blind box format (small vinyl figures, approx 3-4 inches tall) that would allow adults to collect a whole set (6-12 variations) without taking up too much room.
To make it even better, he would also use his artistic skill to make one "Secret" figure in the set incredibly elaborate (e.g., glitter, velvet texture, transparent parts).
With this, he knew that he would drive the "gambling" excitement among all the buyers.
When everything moved in a good direction, he would expand.
The vinyl figures are great. "Cute" translates best to Plush (Stuffed Toys) because it is tactile.
With his ability, he knew that the "Bag Charms" were currently exploding in popularity (again).
Adults are hanging small plushies on expensive handbags.
Knowing all of that, he also decided to design a high-quality, miniature plush version of his character specifically designed to clip onto backpacks or purses, which turned his customers into walking billboards for his art.
Naturally, he also planned the strategy to make his toy viral by using all types of media, especially social media, which was cheaper.
The Life of the Toy.
This was his plan: to make his toy viral on social media (TikTok/Reels), not because of how they are made, but how they live.
He would film his toy "doing things" in the real world.
The toy is looking at a rainy window. The toy is sitting next to a cup of coffee. The toy is being tucked into bed.
By then, it would make the trend-conscious buyer think that this toy fits into their aesthetic lifestyle.
He also thought of creating a simple story, similar to the anime, or a simple cartoon, to make everyone become familiar with his work.
When everyone went on to success, he created the "Exhausted Food" toy series, which would become the cash crop of his department.
Yet, he had to say, the words that came from his subordinates made him fall into a silence.
"It's a shame..."
Yes, it was a shame.
Not because his design was bad, as the "Gudetama" that he created would evoke the intimacy and feeling of companionship to anyone who saw it, as it resembled them.
Yet, with his artistic ability, why did he limit himself to the cute type of toys?
Why shouldn't he go further?
The toy industry wasn't just for toddlers, but for something further; it was a lifestyle!
When he started to think, his mind started to race, thinking of the possible future, something that could change this department into a toy behemoth that could affect the world's trend, but as he was about to open his eyes, ready to start his second plan, his thought stopped as he felt an intense relaxation, when a warm cloth fell on the top of his eyes, making him droopy, lazy, and comfortable all over.