Wednesday, May 28, 1992
Junpei Hoshida, head of Sonaya's gaming division, sat in his office surrounded by sketches, design notes, and game prototypes. A man driven by pure love for games, Junpei's journey into the industry began with the simple joy of playing Atari . That joy grew into passion, and eventually landed him a job at Atari Japan. He'd worked hard, developed with heart, and watched his dreams crumble when the company collapsed under the weight of rushed, soulless releases.
Picking himself up, he joined Nanco's arcade division. It was there he learned how to balance fun and focus. But nothing prepared him for what came next: ZAGE and the release of the ZEPS.
When he first looked at the console and When he first saw the ZEPS lineup, he was floored. The design, the vision, the games — they weren't just good, they were inspiring. He looked into the mind behind the phenomenon: Zaboru Renkonan. Everything about Zaboru's approach resonated with him. At first, Junpei considered applying to ZAGE, wanting to learn from the man himself. But something stronger stirred in him. A challenge. A need to compete.
When Sonaya began searching for someone to revive its gaming division, Junpei saw his opportunity. He took the job, stepping in as division head just over a month ago. Under Junpei's thoughtful leadership even just more than a month, Sonaya's gaming division thrived. He consistently had constructive dialogues with Hikaru Kurata, Sonaya's CEO and major shareholder, whose openness to Junpei's unconventional strategies greatly impressed him. Kurata even endorsed Junpei's bold proposal to prioritize quality over quantity, willingly accepting a secondary market position temporarily to build Sonaya's reputation through excellent gaming experiences.
"For now," Hikaru had said. "We focus on quality, not catching shadows."
By late May, Sonaya was enjoying steady success following the launch of two impressive games. With Junpei's careful oversight, Sonaya's dedicated teams were diligently preparing three more titles set for release on Friday, May 30, 1992. His unique management style divided teams into specialized units, each focusing intensely on a single project. Although this approach slightly slowed production speed, it significantly enhanced game quality and overall employee satisfaction.
Under Junpei's leadership, Sonaya was now on stable footing. Their first two games had launched with positive reception. Now, they were preparing three new titles for release on Friday, May 30, 1992:
Musashi Adventure — a turn-based RPG set in feudal Japan, clearly inspired by Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, but with Junpei's unique storytelling and art direction layered on top.
Galaxy Beam — a fast-paced shoot-'em-up starring a classic UFO-style spaceship, packed with power-ups and a pulpy sci-fi vibe.
Juan Pool! — a lighthearted pool game starring their mascot Sheriff Juan, featuring deep customization and fun twists.
Hikaru Kurata was pleased. He'd seen firsthand how Junpei turned scattered development teams into focused strike units, each locked into a single title. It made development slower, yes — but quality skyrocketed.
Then came the surprise: Kurata reached out to Zaboru and requested a meeting. "My game director's a fan of yours," he admitted. "You should meet."
Zaboru agreed to Hikaru Request , because he is really interested in the new Head of Sonaya game dev , who became a replacement for his father , because his father resigned from Sonaya 2 months ago.
And so, that afternoon, in a quiet corner of an upscale Tokyo hotel, Zaboru, Hikaru, and Junpei sat face to face.
Zaboru took a sip of overpriced coffee and raised an eyebrow. "Ten thousand yen for this? It's... fine."
Hikaru smirked. "We're here for atmosphere, not flavor. Anyway, this is my new head of game development, Junpei Hoshida. He's the one who replaced your father as my division lead."
Zaboru gave a casual nod and extended a hand. "Nice to meet you, Hoshida-san. I'm Zaboru."
Excitedly, Junpei shook his hand, grinning broadly. "It's such an honor, Zaboru-san! Please, just call me Junpei—I'm your biggest fan!" He then produced his treasured ZEPS Special Edition console from his bag, astonishing both Zaboru and Hikaru. Could you please sign this? I couldn't miss this opportunity!"
Zaboru chuckled and obliged, scribbling his name on the polished plastic while Hikaru rolled his eyes. Junpei beamed like a kid meeting a superhero.Junpei then passionately expressed his admiration, praising Zaboru's visionary ideas and exceptional leadership, eliciting an indulgent sigh from Hikaru, who patiently allowed Junpei his moment.
"Your work, your leadership, your design choices — it's all incredible," Junpei gushed. "Even our former ZAGE devs at Sonaya say you're unmatched."
Zaboru nodded politely. "Thanks. I've actually enjoyed your games too — Thunder Warrior had great pacing, and Yokai Kiri was a fun homage to Castlevania. Imitation done right is still creativity.Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all" Zaboru noted graciously, glancing meaningfully at Hikaru, whose neutral expression masked raging boiling heart!.
Junpei's eyes lit up. Hikaru, kept stoic as ever, sipped his drink without comment.
As the conversation continued, the energy shifted. Junpei impressed Zaboru with sharp insight and a deep understanding of game mechanics. Finally, Zaboru dropped a bomb.
"Junpei-san," he said, "come work with us at ZAGE. We could build something great together."
Kurata frowned. "Recruiting my people right in front of me, Zaboru?" He was clearly pissed!.
Zaboru smirked. "You started it, remember?"
The tension thickened, but Junpei just laughed nervously while scratching his back head. "I'm honored, Zaboru-san. Really. But I have to decline. I want to surpass your work someday. Without shortcuts. Without your help." Junpei said with a serious face full of determination.
Zaboru blinked, then smiled and nodded. "I respect Junpei-san. And I hope you do. Because I want more great games to play."
The meeting wrapped, and as Junpei and Kurata walked out, Hikaru gave him a sideways glance.
Following the meeting, Hikaru asked Junpei about his impressions of meeting his idol.
"Satisfied, fanboy?"
Junpei laughed. "More than satisfied. He didn't look down on me for wanting to beat him. "He wasn't threatened or dismissive; instead, he seemed genuinely excited by my goal. It seems that Zaboru is really honest about wanting to play more good games. It's all make sense now an Like our former ZAGE employees always said, 'On his business card he's a company owner; in his head, a game developer; and at heart, always a gamer.'"
Hikaru nodded approvingly, energizing Junpei further. "I'll make sure Sonaya keeps making games that stand tall next to ZAGE. That's my promise."
Hikaru nodded. "Then I'll hold you to it, Junpei. Now let's get to work." Hikaru replied with a satisfied grin, confident in Junpei's passion and determination.
Junpei walked forward with renewed purpose, fire in his chest.
To be continued...
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