Zaboru then presented them with their next project, a title called ZAN: The Cowboy Samurai. He couldn't help but chuckle as he introduced it, because at its core, the concept was inspired by a wildly whacky parody action game from his previous life on the PS1 era — Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman. Back then, the game featured surprisingly insane action sequences, fully 3D combat, and an unapologetically absurd mix of stereotypes and over-the-top enemies. Unfortunately, it was far too strange for its time. Many players dismissed it, critics mocked its tone, and it quietly faded into obscurity.
Yet in the modern era of Zaboru's previous world, opinions had begun to change. People started looking back and realizing that Rising Zan had actually been ahead of its time — experimenting with ideas, presentation, and action design that the industry would only embrace years later. Remembering this irony made Zaboru smile. This time, he intended to take that lost potential, refine it, and reintroduce it properly to the world.
But Zaboru was only using that old title as a loose reference. In his mind, this new game would be a complete overhaul from the ground up. He intended to take the core idea of blending the Wild West and samurai culture far more seriously, treating both with equal weight instead of pure parody. On top of that, he planned to introduce strong fantasy elements and steampunk technology, creating a setting that felt bold, stylish, and unmistakably unique. This wasn't meant to be a one-off experiment — Zaboru wanted ZAN: The Cowboy Samurai to serve as a foundation, a predecessor for ZAGE's future action games. If successful, it would establish a new design philosophy for action titles under ZAGE and turn this once-forgotten concept into something widely recognized and respected.
As Zaboru handed Team IZAN their folders labeled ZAN: The Cowboy Samurai, the room immediately shifted in mood. The Shinji trio leaned in almost instinctively, flipping through the pages with visible curiosity. Concept art, early design notes, and rough gameplay ideas filled the folder, and it didn't take long for intrigue to turn into genuine interest. Zaboru watched their reactions closely, then began to explain with a satisfied smile.
"First of all," Zaboru said, his tone confident, "this is a one hundred percent action game — which is exactly where Team IZAN excels." He gestured lightly as he spoke. "At its core, the game blends the Wild West and samurai themes, but that's only the foundation. On top of that, we're adding magic, steampunk technology, and fantasy elements to push the world beyond simple genre fusion."
He continued, smiling as he saw the team listening intently. "Despite all that style and spectacle, the game will still have a strong story focus. Action comes first, but the narrative will give meaning to the chaos. This isn't just about flashy combat — it's about creating a world and a character that players can follow from start to finish."
"First of all, the story will be set in an 1800s fantasy world," Zaboru explained, his tone steady and confident. "In this world, supernatural phenomena exist side by side with early steampunk technology. Our main character, Zan Hayato, is a renowned samurai from Japan — the wielder of The Sarashi no Ken, the secret sword style passed down through the Hayato family."
He continued, clearly enjoying the concept. "This sword style specializes in controlling wind, dust, sand, and even dirt, turning the battlefield itself into a weapon. Zan Hayato isn't just a practitioner — he is the pinnacle of this art, someone who has mastered it to a level few ever reach."
Zaboru paused briefly before going on, choosing his words carefully. "Due to an unforeseen accident, Zan Hayato is suddenly transported to the Wild West," he explained. "Stranded in a completely foreign land and era, far removed from everything he knows, he is forced to adapt if he wants to survive."
He continued, his voice steady. "Over time, Zan accepts his circumstances and becomes a cowboy, working as a bounty hunter. Even so, he never abandons the righteous code and discipline of a samurai. Those values shape how he fights, how he chooses his targets, and how he views the violence around him. He is surviving in a brutal world, but he refuses to lose himself to it."
Zaboru smiled slightly as he finished the thought. "Survival becomes his immediate priority, but the desire to find a way back home never truly leaves him. That constant tension, between duty and necessity, between identity and adaptation, is what drives the narrative forward. It's not just an action story, it's a personal journey." He added with a light smile, "As for the finer story details, we'll explore those later."
Zaboru continued, his explanation growing more detailed. "The gameplay will be a third-person action combat system," he said. "It will focus heavily on flashy attack animations, fast movement, and satisfying combat flow. Zan's primary weapon is his Kousazan Sword, an heirloom passed down through his family. This blade is not just symbolic, it is deeply tied to his fighting style, as it allows him to manipulate sand directly. And since the Wild West is filled with dust, sand, and dirt, the environment itself becomes part of combat."
He went on, clearly passionate about the idea. "Players will be able to unlock new skills for Zan as they progress, expanding how he controls sand, from quick slashes enhanced by swirling dust to larger area attacks that reshape the battlefield. At the same time, players will gain access to new weapons over time, giving them freedom to adjust their combat approach without losing Zan's core identity."
Zaboru smiled and continued. "There will also be a dedicated gun system. Players can customize what type of firearms Zan uses, but he will be limited to one-handed guns to preserve his sword-focused style. That means revolvers and sawed-off shotguns will be the main choices. These weapons can be modified through in-game merchants."
He added, "This is where the steampunk elements truly come into play, because these guns are not just standard firearms, they are fully upgradeable machines. Imagine a multi‑barrel shotgun powered by a compact steam engine, where pressure builds up before unleashing devastating close‑range blasts. Or a revolver that compresses air inside its chamber before firing, turning each shot into something far more lethal than an ordinary bullet."
Zaboru continued, clearly visualizing the combat. "These upgrades are not meant to overpower the sword. Instead, they exist to enhance Zan's versatility in battle. The sword remains his core, but the guns give players tactical options, crowd control, and burst damage when needed. When used together, sword techniques and steampunk firearms create a combat rhythm that feels aggressive, stylish, and unpredictable."
He smiled slightly. "The goal is to make every fight feel wild, creative, and distinctly Zan, where technology and tradition clash in a way that feels natural within this strange world."
Zaboru then continued explaining ZAN: The Samurai Cowboy to Team IZAN in greater detail. The more he talked, the more intrigued the team became. At first glance, the concept sounded whacky and absurd, a strange mix of samurai honor, Wild West chaos, steampunk machines, and supernatural abilities. Yet beneath that surface madness, they could clearly see structure, ambition, and creative intent. Instead of being put off by the strangeness, the team felt challenged by it, eager to explore something so unconventional.
For Zaboru himself, success or failure was not the primary concern. He openly treated this project as an experiment, a chance to test ideas that traditional action games rarely dared to touch. If the game failed, it would still provide invaluable lessons. If it succeeded, it could redefine ZAGE's approach to action titles entirely. That freedom from fear was what excited Team IZAN the most.
After some time, once all questions had been answered and the core vision was fully conveyed, Zaboru finally concluded his explanation of ZAN: The Cowboy Samurai. With a clear direction set and expectations aligned, the project was officially entrusted to Team IZAN, with a planned release window set for February 1999.
Next, Zaboru turned his attention to Team NOVA, ready to assign them their new task and also conclude the meeting. He walked over and handed the folders to the leaders of Team NOVA, who accepted them with curiosity. As they opened the documents, the title on the cover immediately caught their eyes: Bishi Bashi Special.
Zaboru smiled as he saw their reactions and began to explain. "At ZAGE, we already have games with serious themes and heavy tones, as well as titles that are more relaxing and casual," he said. "Now, it's time for us to fully embrace something different. We're going into pure fun, comedy, and jokes."
He chuckled lightly before continuing. "Bishi Bashi Special is a multiplayer-focused game built around chaos, absurd humor, and fast-paced competition. It's meant to be loud, ridiculous, and unpredictable. With the power of ZEPS 3 in this world, we can enhance it far beyond what people expect, making it faster, flashier, and funnier"
The leaders from Team NOVA looked down at the folder, and grins quickly spread across their faces. Yugo Kanai, in particular, looked genuinely thrilled, barely hiding his excitement as he flipped through the pages. This kind of project clearly spoke to him on a personal level.
Zaboru noticed their reaction and continued his explanation. "This is a multiplayer-focused game for up to four players, fully taking advantage of what our ZEPS 3 console is capable of," he said. "But unlike games such as Mario Party, which may also be multiplayer but often rely on shared goals or temporary alliances, this one is far more ruthless."
He smiled knowingly. "Here, everyone is an enemy. From start to finish, the goal is simple: compete, outplay, and outscore the other three players. There's no safety in cooperation, and no guaranteed friendships by the end of a session. It's fast, chaotic, and intentionally competitive, designed to spark laughter, shouting, and absolute madness among players."
Zaboru chuckled as he continued, "This game will feature a huge number of insane mini games. The tone is deliberately comedic, strange, and borderline absurd." He gestured toward the example images included in the folder, and the moment Team NOVA saw them, they completely lost their composure. Laughter filled the room. One image showed a chibi-style version of Zaboru himself with an oversized head, desperately swallowing brightly colored balls with an exaggerated, ridiculous expression.
Zaboru noticed their reaction and grinned immediately. "For now, the placeholder images use my face," he said jokingly. "It helps visualize the insanity. We can always replace it later once we decide on a more suitable mascot or character design."
He then grew a bit more descriptive. "The mini games will be extremely short and straightforward, but deliberately absurd," Zaboru explained. "One game might be a frantic button-mashing race where players have to inflate or break something before anyone else. The next could be a rapid reaction challenge that lasts only a few seconds, or a bizarre task where timing matters more than logic."
He continued, clearly enjoying the reactions. "Some mini games will focus on eating, balancing, dodging random obstacles, or completing completely nonsensical objectives under intense time pressure. Players won't have time to think too much — they'll just react."
Zaboru laughed softly. "The key is variety and surprise. Players should never know what comes next. Every mini game is short, intense, and ridiculous, and that unpredictability is what keeps people laughing, shouting, and wanting to play just one more round. It's not about mastery. It's about chaos, reflexes, and having fun together."
As the leaders of Team NOVA read through the list of potential mini games, they couldn't help but chuckle, some of them shaking their heads in disbelief at how ridiculous the ideas were. Their laughter quickly drew the attention of the other leaders in the room, and soon even members from Team IZAN and Team NIWA leaned in, curiosity clearly written on their faces. The sheer variety and absurdity of the mini games made it impossible not to be intrigued.
Seeing their reactions, Zaboru continued explaining Bishi Bashi Special to Team NOVA in greater detail. He emphasized that this project was about creating a completely different kind of experience, one that focused less on perfection and more on shared chaos, quick reflexes, and spontaneous fun. Team NOVA listened eagerly, clearly excited by the opportunity to work on something so lighthearted and unconventional compared to their usual projects.
Zaboru then confirmed the planned release window. "We're aiming for January next year," he said. "Because this game will contain a large number of mini games, we'll need plenty of time for balancing, playtesting, and p
olishing." Team NOVA nodded in agreement, fully aware that making something this chaotic fun would require just as much care and testing as any serious title.
With that, Zaboru finished assigning tasks to all of his Japanese development teams. For the moment, there was nothing left to do but wait. His attention now shifted toward the upcoming trailers for ZAGE's June lineup: Winning Eleven 98, Digimon World, and RC Pro-Am 3: Let's N Go. Across Japan and overseas, countless players were already waiting in anticipation, eager to see what ZAGE had prepared next. The marketing teams had confirmed that the advertisements and trailers would begin airing on this Friday , and Zaboru knew that once they did, public attention would immediately turn toward ZAGE once again.
To be continue
Please give me your power stone and if you want to support me and get minimum 35+ advance chapter and additional 1 chapter a week for 4$ considering subscribe to my patreon patreon.com/Zaborn_1997
Or buymecoffee https://buymeacoffee.com/Zaborn_1997 which same with patreon
current Patreon/buymecoffe chap 910
Also Join my discord if you want https://discord.gg/jB8x6TUByc