Takuya Nakayama's gaze fell upon the upcoming *The King of Fighters* project.
"Executive, here's the latest sample issue from Kōdansha," his secretary said, gently placing the magazine on the desk.
Takuya picked it up.
The cover was vibrant, packed with colorful titles and character illustrations. At the center was a half-portrait of Kyo Kusanagi wielding flames, occupying the most prominent position.
The magazine's name, *Shonen Comp*, was displayed in eye-catching, artistic lettering, accompanied by a small tagline: "Boys' + Beautiful Girls + Animation + Games + Light Novels."
This was a new magazine launched by Kōdansha just last January, positioning itself as a diverse, all-encompassing publication.
Takuya flipped through the pages, finding the *The King of Fighters* manga by Kaneko Hayato. The sharp, dynamic art style perfectly captured the essence of the game's character designs.
"How are the sales?" he asked without looking up.
"Not exceptionally high, but very stable," his secretary replied. "Thanks to the exclusive content we provide, including unannounced setting materials and concept art from Sunrise, many readers specifically seek out these issues for that content."
Takuya Nakayama nodded, his fingers lightly tapping against the smooth copperplate paper.
From its inception, he had decided to support this magazine. He wanted more than just a serialized *The King of Fighters* manga; he aimed to turn it into Sega and Sunrise's "reserved territory"—a stable source of content and world-building for the *Children of the Star Ring* franchise, and a platform to amplify its influence.
During its early months, Sega and Sunrise practically emptied their vaults. Designs for scrapped mechs from *Super Robot Wars*, early character sketches from *Sakura Wars*, and even previously unrevealed game proposals—all these precious materials continuously filled the pages of *Shonen Pu*, propping up the new magazine's foundation.
But this wasn't enough.
"Summon the editor-in-chief of *Shonen Compo* here," Takuya Nakayama said, closing the magazine.
That afternoon, a slightly balding middle-aged man sat respectfully across from Takuya Nakayama.
He was the editor-in-chief of *Shonen Comptiq* and a veteran employee of Kadokawa, Mr. Sumida.
"Executive Vice President Nakayama, thank you so much for Sega's continued support!" Sumida began with a deep bow.
"Mr. Sumida, no need for pleasantries," Takuya Nakayama replied, pushing the magazine across the table. "The content is solid, but the business model is too traditional and limited."
Sumida froze, unsure what this young executive meant.
"Readers enjoy the setting materials, right?"
"Absolutely! In our reader surveys, the sections on setting materials and original art consistently receive the highest praise," Sumida answered quickly, proud of this aspect of the magazine.
"Then why not publish them separately as a setting collection or a Mook (magazine-book) and sell them?"
Sumida's expression crumpled, and he forced a bitter smile. "Executive Vice President Nakayama, you don't understand... The market for setting collections is too narrow. Printing too few makes it unprofitable, and printing too many risks unsold stock. It's all risk. We tried it before and lost a fortune."
"That's because your approach was wrong," Takuya Nakayama said, leaning forward slightly and enunciating each word. "You could include a survey questionnaire at the end of the magazine, specifically targeting the setting collections. For example, this month we released *Sakura Wars* settings. Do you want a complete setting collection? Those who do, please return this reply card. Once the votes for a project reach five, even ten times our minimum printing threshold, we'll initiate the project."
Wada's eyes widened gradually, his breathing becoming slightly rapid.
"Furthermore," Takuya continued, dropping another bombshell, "our sales model will be primarily based on pre-orders. We'll print exactly as many copies as are pre-ordered, plus an additional ten to twenty percent to be sold through our most exclusive channels. Tell me, how could this business possibly lose money?"
"This... this..." Wada's mouth hung open, feeling as if a massive door to a new world had slammed open before him.
Wasn't this... a completely risk-free publishing model? Collect the money first, then print!
"Mr. Sumida, this isn't just about increasing your revenue," Takuya Nakayama said, his voice carrying an undeniable persuasive power. "When you use this model and successfully publish several well-received setting collections, *Shonen* will become the authority in this niche genre. At that point, it won't just be Sega. I can introduce you to Koei, Namco, Capcom—every major game developer in the industry—and get them to collaborate with you. Do you really think this magazine's future is limited to being just another hodge-podge publication?"
"Gulp."
Sumida swallowed hard, looking at the overly young executive before him, feeling as if he were surrounded by an aura.
This wasn't just business advice; this was evangelism!
"I—I understand!" Sumida shot to his feet, bowing deeply, his voice trembling with excitement. "Executive Director Nakayama, I'll immediately convene a meeting back at the office. We will definitely—definitely make this model work!"
Watching Sumida practically run out of the office, Takuya Nakayama smiled.
After seeing off Editor-in-Chief Sumida, Takuya picked up the report his assistant had just presented.
[ The King of Fighters ] Japan Deployment Report.
The first batch of over ten thousand arcade machines had been successfully deployed in major gaming centers across Japan. The remaining orders would arrive within three days, after which they would officially launch their overseas market supply.
He glanced at the wall clock. It was still early before tea time.
The office air felt stifling. He suddenly wanted to hear other sounds—not the meticulously crafted reports from executives or the commercially calculated flattery from partners, but the most genuine sounds from the front lines: the crisp clink of coins dropping into the slot, the excited shouts of players.
"I'm going out for a walk."
He didn't call for his driver, instead slipping into the subway alone. From the commercial heart of Chiyoda Ward, he traveled north to the more residential Adachi Ward.
Exiting the station, he turned onto a shopping street and quickly found an arcade. It wasn't as pristine as a Sega-branded store, its air mingling faint smoke with the raw energy of youth, but it was orderly enough.
Takuya Nakayama didn't rush inside. Instead, he stood at the entrance like an ordinary passerby, tilting his head to listen.
*Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!*
It was the sound of a joystick being forcefully slammed against its slot.
"Take this! Super Ultimate Move!"
"Wow! You connected! So awesome!"
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