Chapter 585: AKAI Phone Z1 Presentation Planning
Friday, 1 May 1995 – AKAI Offices
Zaboru, Hyoga Akai (the AKAI CEO who currently held 30% of AKAI shares), and Akechi Hamazou (once feared as the Yakuza Prince, now reinvented as the powerful owner of the gaming company Akaishidan and the security firm Aoshidan, while also controlling 30% of AKAI shares) were gathered in the sleek, glass-walled AKAI offices on that Friday afternoon. Their meeting carried a charged atmosphere of anticipation and ambition, for the focus of their discussion was none other than the highly anticipated showcase of the AKAI Phone Z1, a device they all believed could redefine the future of technology and mobile phones.
Zaboru was the majority shareholder, holding a decisive 40% stake in AKAI. With that weight of authority in the room, the meeting officially commenced.
Zaboru turned to Hyoga and said, "Hyoga-san, I think it's better if you present the phone yourself—after all, you are AKAI's CEO, aren't you?"
Hyoga shifted uncomfortably in his seat and admitted, "Yes, I'm AKAI's president, Zaboru-san… but this entire vision belongs to you! The design, the components, the concept of the AKAI Z1—every bit of it comes from you. We at AKAI only built it, following the foundation you laid down. That's why I'm asking—please, help me lead the Z1 showcase… please…"
Zaboru sighed. "But I'm the ZAGE owner. Even though I hold the majority of the shares, you're still the CEO. There's a chance that if I do this, people might overlook your role and not recognize you."
Hyoga shook his head with a small smile. "It's fine, Zaboru-san. I don't care about fame. As long as AKAI flourishes and our vision moves forward, I won't mind at all."
Akechi chuckled and said, "Zaboru, you'll see—it's far better for you to handle this presentation. Why? Because nearly everyone in Japan, and even across the world, knows who you are right now. On top of that, I'd wager you already have a vision in mind for how the showcase should unfold." Akechi grinned knowingly.
Zaboru chuckled softly and finally relented. "All right then, Akechi-san. I'll be the one to introduce the AKAI Z1 to the world. The booth is ready, isn't it?"
Akechi nodded and grinned. "Well, I already prepared a stage for it, so don't worry about that. Everything's in place. It's set to be showcased next Friday night, live, with all the lighting, sound, and spectacle we could need." Zaboru leaned forward with a satisfied nod. "Perfect. I'll finalize the presentation materials. I also want to invite a wide range of distinguished guests—famous people, Is that all right?"
Hyoga Akai nodded politely, assuming that by "famous people" Zaboru meant well-known Japanese businessmen or perhaps a few local celebrities — nothing beyond that. He was still in that frame of mind when Akechi suddenly leaned forward and asked something so outrageous it made Hyoga freeze in disbelief.
Akechi asked with a raised eyebrow, "Wait, by famous people, you mean… Bill Gates and Walt Disney?" Zaboru nodded calmly. "Well, yes—more or less. And I also want to invite Michael Jackson."
Hyoga's jaw fell slack, his eyes widening in utter disbelief. "Wh-what did you just say!?"
Akechi smiled. "You forgot that Zaboru is international level now, Hyoga. Get over it." Akechi couldn't help but smile as memories of mid-1991 came flooding back. Back then, Zaboru was still struggling just to officially open ZAGE, even finding it difficult to rent proper office space until Akechi stepped in to help. Now, watching how far Zaboru had come, Akechi chuckled softly. He knew his instincts had never been wrong the first time he met Zaboru—there had always been something special in him, a spark worth investing in. Akechi had once told himself, If you help this man now, it will pay off in the long run. Looking at the present moment, he realized just how true that belief had become.
Zaboru smiled, and then Akechi picked up the phone that hadn't yet been released on the market — none other than the AKAI Phone Z1. "This is honestly an unbelievable creation, Zaboru… I never expected a phone like this could even exist." The device wasn't just sleek and refined, free of the bulk that plagued most portable electronics of the time — it could also write notes, run games, and still manage to look modern and elegant. For 1995, such a combination was groundbreaking, almost unreal.
Hyoga nodded slowly, his expression softening as he admitted, "When I first heard about the idea you proposed to me, I was really skeptical—honestly, I thought it was nothing more than an impossible dream. But here we are, Zaboru-san… the prototype is real, it's in our hands, and now I truly believe this phone will change the world in ways we can't even begin to imagine."
Akechi nodded while playing Tetris on the AKAI Z1, while Zaboru simply smiled.
Zaboru thought, They have no idea what future phones are capable of… but well, I'll keep that to myself.
The phones in this world are quite advanced for their 1995 counterpart in his previous world . Sim cards , calls and SMS are already good quality but other than that ? meh. Most phones don't even have calculators , notes or change ringtones, it's like the phones in this world are used for practical purposes only.
The meeting ended, and Zaboru wasted no time putting his bold vision into action. He began drafting a dazzling list of invitations to some of the most influential names in the world. Bill Gates, Walt Disney, Stan Lee, Mark Ackerman (Marvel's CEO), Jan Timmer (Philips CEO), Michael Jackson, and Hikaru Kurata were all carefully selected to witness history. Not wanting to leave out his closest circle, he also ensured that his top executives and loyal employees received invitations, cementing their place in this pivotal moment. Finally, with deliberate emphasis, Zaboru reached out to Nokia's CEO, Jorma Ollila, making sure that even their most formidable competitor would be called to see the future unfold before their eyes.
—
At Nokia's U.S. headquarters, Jorma Ollila had just wrapped up a lengthy strategy meeting when his assistant stepped briskly into the room carrying an envelope. "Boss, an invitation just arrived. It's from Zaboru Renkonan, inviting you to the AKAI Phone Z1 showcase in Japan next week. Would you like to attend?"
Jorma frowned, dismissing the envelope with a wave of his hand. "That silly phone? Forget it. Not worth my time. As I've said, those devices pose no real threat to us. Don't concern yourself with it." The assistant gave a reluctant nod before retreating. Alone again, Jorma sighed and muttered under his breath, "These so‑called new phones want to challenge Nokia? They're at least ten years too early." With a smug smile, he leaned back in his chair, poured himself a glass of wine, and savored it as if the matter had already been settled.
Little did he know, the "new phone" he scoffed at was about to end Nokia's entire career.
To be continued
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