"Clap."
A soft sound broke the silence.
It was Hayao Nakayama; he gently placed the pen in his hand on the desk.
He glanced at his son, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration and pride, then turned to all the Directors.
"So, do any of you have any additional comments?"
"If not, let's start the vote."
Director Yoshikawa, who had been in charge of liaising with third parties, cleared his throat, and his statement set the tone for the meeting.
"I agree with the Managing Director's view. This kind of wooing, either don't do it, or do it all the way. Small-scale efforts are not only meaningless but also a waste of time, and they make Sega look like we lack confidence, which will lead others to look down on us."
Director Yoshikawa's words were met with nods of approval from many.
The voting began.
Although several Directors, due to their conservative nature, cast abstention votes, ultimately, there was not a single dissenting vote.
Takuya Nakayama's astonishing performance over the past two years, his extraordinary long-term vision, and his meticulously planned and bold strategy at this moment had won everyone's trust.
A blitzkrieg aimed at overturning the entire gaming industry's landscape officially began.
For two consecutive weeks after the "Blitzkrieg Campaign" was launched, Sega Headquarters transformed into a fully operational war machine.
The "Third-Party Special Strategy Department," specifically established for this campaign, occupied half a floor, with lights burning brightly day and night.
Telephone rings sharply tore through the air, the hum of fax machines spitting out documents never ceased, intermingled with the hurried footsteps of people rushing about.
Takuya Nakayama was at the center of this chaotic storm.
His eyes were bloodshot, but deep within his pupils, a nearly feverish, burning light flickered.
On the huge whiteboard in front of him, dozens of third-party manufacturers' names were densely listed.
Next to each name, different colored markers were used to update the negotiation progress, the other side's core demands, and the personality weaknesses of key individuals in real-time.
This information flowed like blood, sustaining the life of this campaign.
At 9 PM, a piercing telephone ring broke the brief silence.
It was an urgent call from the team responsible for strategizing with Osaka CAPCOM.
"Managing Director, the situation is a bit tricky."
The voice on the other end of the line carried an uncontrollable anxiety.
"CAPCOM's executives—they still have deep doubts about the MD's 2D graphics processing capabilities."
"They are concerned that the MD cannot perfectly reproduce the large character sizes and smooth animation frame rates of street fighter."
Takuya Nakayama pinched his brow, but there was no trace of panic on his face.
While calmly reassuring the frontline team, he had already connected directly with the core technical experts of the Hardware R&D Department via an internal phone line.
His instructions were clear, precise, and without a hint of hesitation.
"Immediately, package our internal demo, specifically designed to showcase the MD's layered scrolling technology and giant sprite processing capabilities, tonight, and send a dedicated person to Osaka CAPCOM Headquarters."
After hanging up the phone, he gave the final instructions to the strategy team.
"A thousand verbal promises are not as good as letting them witness the MD's muscle firsthand."
"Tell them, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Our engineers will assist them throughout the process to squeeze every bit of potential out of this machine."
This calm and decisive strategic planning instantly stabilized the wavering morale of the frontline, and also demonstrated his professional competence far beyond that of an ordinary manager.
April 16th, evening.
The last batch of daily battle reports was delivered to Takuya Nakayama's desk.
He scanned the whiteboard, and next to the names of several manufacturers like TAITO and JALECO, he personally drew a green checkmark indicating "signing intention reached."
The nerve that had been taut for a full half-month finally got a moment of respite.
He glanced at the beautifully designed invitation on the corner of his desk.
Ghibli Studio, my neighbor totoro premiere.
He decided to briefly step away from this war without smoke.
Takuya Nakayama did not go directly to the venue.
He first found a high-class barbershop with elegant decor.
The warm towel on his face washed away the fatigue of consecutive nights of staying up late.
The barber's exquisite skill meticulously styled his slightly messy hair, and the stubble from days of overtime was carefully shaved clean.
Afterward, he returned to his apartment, changed out of the shirt that smelled of tobacco and coffee, and chose a well-tailored dark gray casual suit.
Tokyo Imperial Theater, post-screening reception.
Elegant clothes, intertwining shadows, clinking glasses.
Takuya Nakayama's appearance did not cause much of a stir in this social gathering of cultural luminaries.
However, when a bearded man actively walked towards him, the surrounding air subtly changed instantly.
It was Hayao Miyazaki.
This animation master directly pulled Takuya Nakayama into his core social circle.
He unceremoniously patted Takuya-kun's shoulder and, using the loud voice he had perfected while scolding subordinates at the studio, introduced him to his friends around him:
"Everyone, let me introduce you to Takuya-kun Nakayama from Sega, a very impressive young man!"
"I originally thought that game businessmen only had fighting and the stench of money in their minds."
"But he is the first game producer who can deeply discuss character arcs and emotional delivery with me!"
This highly significant "endorsement" was like a stone thrown into a calm lake.
Many people present immediately cast curious and scrutinizing glances at Takuya Nakayama.
Hayao Miyazaki introduced them one by one.
Until he reached two people.
"This is Mamoru Oshii, and this is Hideaki Anno."
A hint of surprise flashed in Takuya Nakayama's eyes.
Takuya-kun smiled and extended his hand to Mamoru Oshii, shaking his hand.
"Mr. Oshii, your exploration of the boundaries between 'reality and illusion' in your works always inspires me deeply."
Then, his gaze turned to Hideaki Anno.
"Mr. Anno, the unique mechanical aesthetics of the details in your 'Royal Space Force' are truly unforgettable."
There was not a single word of flattery; every sentence precisely touched the softest, most self-satisfied parts of the two creators' hearts.
A subtle hint of surprise appeared on Mamoru Oshii's usually stern face.
And Hideaki Anno's slightly evasive eyes instantly burst with the brilliance of meeting a kindred spirit.
By the end of the reception, the atmosphere had become quite harmonious.
Takuya Nakayama happily exchanged business cards and contact information with Anno and Oshii.
He smiled and said to Hideaki Anno:
"I hear that GAINAX Studio gathers many talented eccentrics, and I am very interested in that."
"If there's an opportunity, I hope to visit."
Hideaki Anno agreed almost without hesitation.