May 3rd, Children's Day.
Outside the major game stores in Akihabara, Sega's promotional posters were plastered in the most eye-catching spots.
On the posters, several chibi-style boys and girls gazed toward a floating lighthouse in the sky — the colors were bright, and the art style was strikingly unique.
In bold letters across the poster was the game's title and retail price:
"Golden Sun: The Broken Seal"
Suggested Retail Price: 9,600 yen.
That number made countless players stop and gasp.
"9,600?! Has Sega lost its mind? That's almost twice the price of a normal Mega Drive cartridge!"
"They're seriously pricing a Mega Drive game at nearly ten thousand yen? Are they robbing us?"
"I heard the cartridge includes some kind of coprocessor… but still, that's insane. I could buy two regular games for that!"
Doubts and complaints quickly spread among players.
—
At Sega headquarters, in the executive office.
Takuya Nakayama stood calmly by the floor-to-ceiling window, coffee in hand, looking down at the bustling streets below.
In the room sat two people with very different expressions.
Yuji Naka, the technical genius, had his hands clasped tightly together — his eyes full of tension and anticipation.
Rieko Kodama appeared calmer, but the way she kept glancing at the phone betrayed her nerves. This was her first game as a producer — her career's reputation was on the line.
"Executive Nakayama, the market seems to be reacting quite strongly to the 9,600 yen price," Rieko finally said, her voice betraying a hint of unease.
Nakayama turned with a composed smile.
"Rieko, you must believe in your work."
Then he looked at Yuji.
"Naka-san, you must also believe in your technology."
"We didn't make just another RPG — we made a work of art. Something that will redefine what players think a Mega Drive game can be. And art deserves the price of art."
He paused, confidence radiating in his tone.
"Besides, to hold its soul, didn't you already pack an extra 'heart' and a 'golden voice' into the cartridge?"
He was referring to the coprocessor and audio enhancement chip that Yuji Naka's team had pushed the hardware to include.
The reassurance calmed them slightly — but also made the stakes feel even higher.
Time passed slowly.
At 2 p.m., the sales department called with the first report.
"Executive Nakayama, of the first 30,000 shipped units… about 40% have been sold. The speed is slower than expected."
The room fell silent.
Sweat formed on Yuji's forehead.
But Nakayama only nodded. "Understood. Keep monitoring."
As if everything was under control.
He knew — the real storm just needed time to brew.
—
A few days later, a player who had finished the game showed up in Akihabara.
A shop owner stopped the slightly chubby customer in front of some hesitant buyers and asked, "So, how was it? Did you beat it? Was it good?"
The player nodded. "Yeah. By the way, where can I find the 'Golden Sun' OST cassette?"
The owner blinked in surprise but pointed. "Over there on that shelf. But why the OST?"
"The music in 'Golden Sun' is amazing! I saw in the manual they'd be selling the soundtrack, so I came to check."
He picked up a tape.
The owner had assumed Sega was being overconfident — maybe it was some executive's rash idea. But now he realized — they knew exactly what they were doing.
As the player paid, he grinned, "Boss, I'll admit — I was drawn in by that flashy poster and the 'brand-new RPG experience' slogan. I was bleeding inside when I paid. But after playing it? Totally worth every yen!"
"The opening storm scene — the atmosphere, the sound effects — it's perfection! I've never heard such powerful orchestral music on the Mega Drive!"
"And the Psynergy system! Can you imagine? Fire magic isn't just for battle — you can use it to light torches, melt ice, solve puzzles! The dungeons aren't boring anymore!"
"And the Djinn system! Collecting, combining, equipping different spirits gives you completely new classes! The freedom is insane! I spent a whole afternoon just scratching the surface!"
More players who had finished Golden Sun soon came to Akihabara — all buying the OST tape.
"For real? It's that good?"
"This guy's not some Sega plant, right? It's still 9,600 yen!"
"…I'm getting tempted. Can the Mega Drive really pull this off?"
—
A few days later, the latest issue of Famitsu hit bookstores and convenience stores — and every doubt vanished.
Countless readers flipped straight to the "New Game Reviews" section.
When they saw the title Golden Sun: The Broken Seal, their pupils widened.
Reviewer A: "A living, breathing world full of clever design. The Psynergy system is a monumental innovation in RPG history."
Score: 9/10
Reviewer B: "Motoi Sakuraba's music is epic, perfectly matching the game's grand world. The Djinn summon animations push the Mega Drive to its limits. Absolutely stunning."
Score: 10/10
Reviewer C: "Though it starts as a classic hero's journey, the details and foreshadowing are outstanding. The Djinn system's depth will keep RPG fans hooked."
Score: 9/10
Reviewer D: "9,600 yen? After playing, you'll think it's worth 12,000. My only complaint: the story feels like it's just beginning after the credits. I can't wait for the sequel!"
Score: 9/10
Total Score: 37/40 — Platinum Hall!
After Pokémon Red & Green, Sega had, within just two months, scored another Platinum Hall RPG masterpiece!
The score hit like a thunderclap — and the market exploded.
"Platinum! It actually got Platinum!"
"Famitsu gave it a 10/10?! Crazy! I'm buying it now!"
"I hesitated yesterday, but today it's sold out! The shopkeeper said all of Tokyo's fighting for copies!"
At Sega headquarters, the sales department phones rang nonstop.
"Release all remaining stock immediately! All factories — triple shifts! Full power production on Golden Sun cartridges!"
"Distributors' lines are jammed — they're begging for more!"
"Executive Nakayama! The first week's sales — projected to exceed 200,000 units!"
The message reached the office. Yuji Naka, who had been anxiously waiting, stood up in disbelief — his eyes red, face filled with pure joy.
The shadow of Phantasy Star's sales slump had finally lifted.
Rieko Kodama covered her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes.
She did it.
She had proven to the industry that a woman producer could create a top-tier RPG masterpiece.
Nakayama stepped forward and patted both their shoulders.
"You two — this is only the beginning."
"This isn't just a victory for a game. It's a victory for our new team — the first golden banner of Sega RPGs."
He turned to Rieko.
"By the way, about the second part of the Golden Sun trilogy — please inform the team to begin development right after the vacation next week."
"Yes, sir!"
Then he patted Yuji's shoulder with extra force.
"As for you, Naka-san — now that Golden Sun's programming challenges are behind us, the arcade division has a project that could use your help."
"Oh? Doesn't Suzuki-san handle the arcade side? Why come to me?" Yuji asked.
"Ah— Suzuki's currently obsessed with CD-ROM development. Once that's complete, his Taiko Master will finally evolve."
"All right, I'll check in later," Yuji nodded.
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