Hideo Kojima's academic performance in college was far from ideal.
Still, he was on the verge of obtaining his graduation certificate.
This was primarily because Kojima's mind wasn't focused on his studies. He initially chose Business Administration, but later found the field uninteresting and switched to learning technical skills.
Among early developers, Kojima's coding abilities were notoriously poor, a consequence of his late entry into the field. However, his strengths lay in his imaginative ideas and overall project management skills. This was largely due to his background in Business Administration rather than formal programming training, resulting in a somewhat lopsided skill set.
As graduation approached, Kojima couldn't help but feel anxious.
*I need to find a job after graduation!*
The honors he'd earned during his time at school would be of little use in the real world.
While university graduates in the 1980s typically had no trouble finding employment, this didn't apply to students like Kojima who had coasted through their studies.
Looking around his empty dorm room, Kojima let out a long sigh.
His best friends had all secured positions at major companies. In a few years, students like them would not only find jobs but also receive bonuses and company-sponsored trips.
"Speaking of which, President Kobayashi of Atlas was joking with me earlier. I'm not sure if he was serious, but if I went there, would he give me a job?"
Hideo Kojima scratched his head.
Looking around the dorm room, he saw posters plastered on the walls. Many of his roommates had the same poster: Kobayashi Tetsu raising his hand at Sega's celebration party, his "divine finger" radiating boundless contempt.
He was practically a startup idol for these young men.
This effect was even more potent than Ruo Feng's "Death Finger."
The dorm door suddenly swung open, and the dorm manager poked his head in.
"Kojima-kun, there's a phone call for you downstairs in the office!"
Hideo Kojima descended the stairs, his mind racing with suspicion.
The call could be from Kobayashi Tetsu, but the final version of the game AI, developed by his friends, had already been burned onto a floppy disk and mailed to Kobayashi. There shouldn't be any need for further communication.
When he answered the phone, it was indeed Kobayashi Tetsu. But what Kobayashi said next nearly made Hideo Kojima take flight on the spot.
"Kojima-kun, you're graduating soon, right?"
"Yes—"
"How's the job search going? Any prospects?"
"Not yet, not yet," Hideo Kojima replied, forcing himself to lie.
Kobayashi Tetsu replied, "So that's a no? Come to Tokyo. I have something here you might be able to handle!"
Hideo Kojima was still feeling dizzy when he hung up.
*A real job?*
He couldn't take it anymore! He wanted to punch the dorm manager into oblivion!
The dorm manager rolled up his sleeves, and Hideo Kojima instantly calmed down.
*Never mind. I'd probably get beaten to a pulp instead.*
After arriving in Tokyo, Kobayashi Tetsu immediately took Hideo Kojima to Atlas's office and gave him a grand introduction.
"Gentlemen, this is Hideo Kojima-kun, the provider of the monster AI project currently used by Atlas. He's a truly rare talent!" *Except for being terrible at video games.*
Hideo Kojima scratched his head, meeting the gazes of the twenty-odd people before him without a trace of stage fright, even feeling a surge of excitement.
*This is great! This is exactly what I love!*
The grand public introduction made Hideo Kojima feel deeply respected. He immediately bowed to the group.
"I'm truly humbled. I've only done something insignificant—"
"Save the modesty for later," Kobayashi Tetsu interrupted, slinging an arm around Hideo Kojima's shoulder and pulling him away. "Let's go check out your workspace."
Hideo Kojima nodded, then turned around in confusion.
*Weren't we supposed to be looking at the office? Why are we leaving again?!*
Kobayashi Tetsu led Hideo Kojima straight to their destination: Akihabara Electric Town.
Although Akihabara Electric Town hadn't yet reached its full development, it had already gained some recognition.
Kobayashi Tetsu purchased a two-story building here, a common type of street-facing commercial property from that era. The ground floor could be used for retail, while the second floor could be converted into living quarters or additional retail space. The building had utilities, but it was slightly more expensive than ordinary housing.
Hideo Kojima stared at the building, momentarily stunned.
*What's this? A golden cage for a beauty?*
But he was neither beautiful nor was this a golden cage!
"I plan to open a game experience store, primarily featuring Atlas games. This will be our first location. It's still under renovation, but Naka Yuji and Iwata Satoru recommended you, so I think you'd be perfect as the first store manager here."
Hideo Kojima hissed.
*A Business Administration student who switched to technical studies mid-course, and now I'm going to manage a game store after graduation? That actually sounds... professionally relevant?*
Kobayashi Tetsu casually patted Hideo Kojima on the shoulder.
"I'm giving you two million yen right now. You're in charge of the store's design and business strategy. Atlas will only provide the gaming equipment and games. Your base salary will be low, but your main income will come from the store's profits, so don't disappoint me."
Hideo Kojima swallowed hard, a sudden surge of excitement bubbling within him.
Two million yen handed over without a second thought, and such complete autonomy?
What more could he ask for?
Time to get to work!
The game store was purchased by Kobayashi Tetsu, not rented.
In 1985, Japanese property prices hadn't yet reached their peak, still in the middle of their rise—
***
For long-term fixed assets like this, it was best to purchase them as soon as possible, replacing renting with ownership. This would prevent the Gauze Landlord from raising the rent exorbitantly once the business became successful, making relocation difficult.
On the other hand, owning fixed assets made securing loans much easier. From the mid-to-late 1980s, specifically starting in 1987 and 1988, Japanese lending policies became extremely aggressive. At their most extreme, no collateral was required at all. As long as you were Japanese, had a stable job, and the Yakuza could find your home when collecting debts, you could directly apply for tens of millions of yen in loans from the bank.
With excellent collateral, you could even secure loans far exceeding the asset's value. For example, Kobayashi Tetsu spent 18 million yen on the land for his game store. After building the store and using it as collateral, one would normally only be able to secure a loan less than 18 million yen. However, in the late 1980s, it was possible to obtain loans of 20 million, 30 million, or even more.
Kobayashi Tetsu didn't grasp the intricacies of finance, but he understood one thing clearly:
He was currently earning dollars and spending yen. After 1991, he would bring those dollars back to Japan to spend. He was the living embodiment of "Papa Money" himself—the living, breathing Kobayashi Tetsu had returned to his loyal Atlas.
"Everyone resting?" Kobayashi Tetsu casually tapped the whiteboard.
"The holiday's been relaxing, but it's time to get down to business. We have a new development plan, temporarily assigned to Development Team 2. This game, tentatively codenamed 'B{', with 'B' standing for 'Bomb'."
Iwata Satoru repeated, "Bomb?"
Kobayashi Tetsu nodded, grabbing a marker and pointing emphatically. "Exactly! Bomb!"
*Bomb Man's bomb.*
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