"We can each get what we need," Takuya Nakayama said.
"Sunrise needs Sega's expertise in digitalization, and Sega needs Sunrise's visual prowess. By combining the two, we can achieve the most cutting-edge visuals of the era while keeping costs under control."
"Once the first generation of talent is successfully trained, the benefits will trickle down to the entry-level artists and staff."
"This isn't just about technical exchange; it's about the deep reuse of digital assets."
"When an anime is finished, what else can those cels and design sheets do besides gathering dust in a warehouse?" Takuya asked.
Eiji Yamaura couldn't answer.
Maybe publish an occasional art book to make a little pocket money from the fans?
Or maybe rework a few of them into posters to earn a bit more, but the man-hours required wouldn't justify the return.
"It'll be different after digitalization," Takuya said, painting a picture of the future. "The 3D Gundam models Sunrise builds can be taken directly by Sega and put into their games. The battle scenes created for the games can be slightly rendered and used as wide shots for the anime."
"One set of data, used by both sides—even reused across multiple product lines. The time and artistic costs saved would be a staggering sum."
Eiji Yamaura was completely absorbed.
This industrialized production logic completely shattered the traditional, workshop-style mindset of Japanese animation.
"A few years ago, Mobile Suit Victory Gundam had mediocre ratings, but the Gunpla sold incredibly well." Takuya Nakayama shifted his tone, cutting straight to the specific personnel arrangements. "The series of mobile suits from Victory Gundam and V2 Gundam—their combat performance in the anime and their quality as models were both excellent, weren't they?"
Eiji Yamaura instinctively replied, "Absolutely. Whether in terms of visual impact or the internal consistency of the mechanical designs, they're flawless. The fans really bought into the V2 Gundam's design. I heard that in Sega's new Super Robot Wars title, that particular unit is wildly popular."
"That's because Katoki Hajime was fully responsible for it," Takuya Nakayama said, naming him directly. "He was deeply involved in designing the combat sequences, wasn't he?"
Eiji Yamaura finally caught on.
"So, Executive Director Nakayama, what you're saying is that we should move people like Hajime Katoki—talented individuals in their prime who can bridge the gap between the eras of cel animation and 3D, and who possess the ability to work across different production disciplines—into more central roles?"
"Precisely," Takuya Nakayama nodded. "Hajime Katoki and I are roughly the same age. Our generation came of age during the last decade or so, when technology was evolving at its fastest. We're more open to new things, have more experience working across different fields, and can better connect the needs of animation and gaming."
It wasn't just Hajime Katoki.
Takuya Nakayama had a long list of names in his mind.
"Yutaka Izubuchi showed outstanding direction and mechanical design skills in Patlabor. Mika Akitaka's performance in this year's Martian Successor Nadesico is also commendable. And then there are the slightly younger Junya Ishigaki and Kenki Fujioka."
He named them one by one.
"Each of these people has their own strengths. When Sunrise assigns projects, they can choose different people to lead based on the project's compatibility. With the right screenwriters and directors, these individuals could even step into the director's role themselves. Yutaka Izubuchi, for example, has absolutely that potential."
Eiji Yamaura mentally noted these names.
As President, he was naturally aware of these creators working on the front lines, but he had rarely considered them from the perspective of "cross-disciplinary, multi-talented professionals." Takuya Nakayama's insight had suddenly cleared his mind.
"When it comes to integrating 2D visuals into 3D backgrounds, I'll be blunt: Sega's experience is currently leading the entire industry," Takuya Nakayama said, steering the conversation back to the technical aspects. "Sunrise doesn't need to roll out these plans fully tomorrow, but you must start paying attention and learning. Once hardware capabilities and the software ecosystem reach that critical point, the transition will happen in an instant. This is a matter of survival costs; it's an inevitable trend."
He then mentioned developments from across the ocean.
"John Carmack. The technical genius from id Software. He's recently been leading an engine community project. A core concept within it is the seamless retrieval of digitized image assets."
Takuya Nakayama began to explain the concept.
"Sega is planning to go all-in on this," Nakayama explained. "We're breaking down the barriers between animation and gaming assets. From now on, all Sega-owned IPs—whether they're games, anime, or merchandise—must have a highly unified visual identity. The more recognizable they are, the greater their commercial value."
Eiji Yamaura nodded repeatedly.
He fully grasped the business logic. This kind of "dimensionality reduction strike" was something no traditional animation studio could possibly compete with.
With the main business discussed, Takuya Nakayama pushed his now-cold coffee aside, leaned forward, and lowered his voice.
"I'm here today not just to resolve the Gundam X issue, but also to give you a heads-up, President Yamaura."
Seeing this, Yamaura also leaned forward.
"Sega's Board of Directors has already passed a resolution," Nakayama said, looking Yamaura straight in the eye. "We are preparing to acquire Sotsu."
A deathly silence fell over the office.
Yamaura's breath hitched for a split second.
Sotsu.
Sunrise's copyright agent. The middleman who held Sunrise's commercial lifeline in its grip.
"Once the acquisition is complete, as for Bandai—"
Nakayama left the sentence unfinished.
He extended his right hand, palm up, then slowly curled his fingers into a tight fist.
Everything is under control.
Eiji Yamaura stared at the fist, his mind racing.
Sega had already acquired Sunrise, securing the source of anime production. Now, they were moving to swallow Sotsu, seizing control of copyright licensing and the power to form production committees.
Combine that with Sega's own massive game development capabilities and global distribution network, and they had created a complete, seamless, closed-loop anime and manga industry chain.
From now on, Bandai's Gunpla business—which relied on Sotsu's licenses—would be at Sega's mercy.
It took a full two minutes for Eiji Yamaura to recover from the shock.
He looked at the young Managing Director before him, his eyes filled with unconcealed excitement and awe.
"So, this means Sega is about to become the undisputed giant dominating the entire anime and manga industry," Yamaura said, his voice tight.
Takuya Nakayama lowered his hand and placed his index finger over his lips.
"We've only just taken the first step. I must ask you to keep this strictly confidential, President Yamaura."
"Of course, of course," Yamaura assured him repeatedly. "My lips are sealed. Sunrise will cooperate with Sega's strategic directives at any time. This kind of full-scale integration of the entire supply chain is a dream come true for us."
Takuya Nakayama stood up and smoothed his suit jacket.
"Then I'll be waiting for good news from Sunrise. I'll leave the rest of Gundam X in your capable hands, President Yamaura."
"Rest assured," Yamaura said, rising as well and personally walking to the door to open it for him.