Makoto Uchida stared intently at the whiteboard, his previously dull eyes now shining with an alarming intensity.
"That's not all," Takuya added, raising the stakes. "We'll also design several boss-level, powerful yōkai—like Shuten-dōji and the Great Tengu. We'll defeat them, seal them within swords, and summon them as stand-ins—messengers—in critical moments. Imagine the visual impact! Of course, it'll cost you half your life."
The only sound in the conference room was the soft rustle of pen on paper.
The previously dejected men now had eyes burning with a ferocity rivaling that of starving wolves.
Just hearing this premise made palms sweat.
"Let's avoid the clichéd, simplistic revenge plots full of bitter grudges," Takuya said, taking a sip of coffee to moisten his throat. "Not all the yōkai we encounter will be evil. Some just want to share a drink, others are bound by promises.
The protagonist will clash with them first, then forge bonds in battle. I want that sense of lonely wanderlust—the kind where a sword-wielding hero walks the vast land, sharing paths with both man and ghost."
"As for the climax—" Takuya drew a circle at the bottom of the whiteboard. "We storm the eerie Heian-kyō, converge beneath Rashomon with Abe no Seimei, the great onmyouji, and seal Yamata no Orochi together. Does this script sound sufficiently epic?"
Makoto Uchida had completely forgotten his earlier despondency. He stared intently at the densely packed notes on the whiteboard, as if already visualizing that bizarre and fantastical world. "Managing Director, the scope of this game's design... it's daunting."
"Of course it is," Takuya replied, setting down his pen and looking at the team. "From the tranquility of human villages to the eerie Oumagahara, and finally to the oppressive core of Heian-kyō, the map isn't just about paths; it's a journey through emotions. How about it? Do you dare take this on?"
"Yes! Absolutely!" Makoto Uchida shot to his feet, his chair legs scraping backward against the floor. "If we can't pull this off, my hands deserve to be chopped off and fed to the dogs!"
Rieko Kodama, who had remained silent until now, rested her chin in her hand, deep in thought. "Managing Director, if the game's systems are this 'otherworldly,' shouldn't the art style match? A conventional style might not be able to contain this malevolent atmosphere."
"You have an idea?" Takuya asked, turning to her.
"Ukiyo-e," Rieko Kodama said, her eyes sparkling. "Those exaggerated body lines, the bold color clashes, and that distinctive wave pattern. If we could animate this ancient art style using the 2D capabilities of a next-generation console—"
Snap!
Takuya snapped his fingers, giving her an approving look. "Exactly. We'll make the backgrounds scroll like a Japanese painting, and the characters' movements should have the tension of a samurai drawing his sword. Even if they're 2D sprites, we need to convey the weight of each strike as if the blade is sinking into flesh. A style this bold will leave a lasting impression on players, as long as the gameplay is solid."
He turned to Makoto Uchida and added one final, unbreakable rule: "Even though it's an RPG-style exploration, at its core, it must be a hard-core action game. Drawing the sword must be fast, sheathing it must be cool, and blocking should spark like clashing metal. The heart of an action game has always been the feel, understand?"
Makoto Uchida and the others nodded earnestly.
"Wait."
Just as Makoto Uchida was about to roll away the whiteboard covered in illegible scribbles, Takuya's voice rang out again.
"If we're going for Hyakki Yagyō, the music can't be soft and delicate." Takuya leaned against the table's edge, his fingers tapping rhythmically in the air as if searching for a melody. "Let's contact Kaoru Wada."
"Kaoru Wada?" Makoto Uchida froze, his pen hovering mid-air. "The guy who composed the soundtrack for Space Knight?"
"Exactly. He's a student of Akira Ifukube and specializes in making orchestral music sound incredibly oppressive." Takuya closed his eyes, already envisioning himself in the demon-infested Heian-kyō. "I want that kind of atmosphere—deep, resonant cello laying the foundation, suddenly interrupted by a piercing shakuhachi flute, followed by a barrage of thunderous taiko drums. That kind of repressed, ancient, yet fiery melody that sends shivers down your spine."
Rieko Kodama's eyes lit up. "Orchestral music mixed with traditional instruments? That's exactly the vibe we need! It perfectly complements the ukiyo-e style—absolute perfection!"
"But that's not all." A mischievous grin spread across Takuya's face, his signature expression whenever he hatched a wild idea. "Let's also ask Mr. Wada if he's interested in something even more daring."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room. "For the final battle against Yamata no Orochi—that mythic monster—we need an enka song as the background music."
"Huh?" Makoto Uchida, the Managing Director, suspected he had misheard. He fumbled in his ear. "Enka? Managing Director, isn't that music only for old people? Playing that during the climax of an action game—wouldn't it be too..."
"Too weird?" Takuya countered with a laugh. "That's exactly the point! We can ask Mr. Wada to make the style more intense. Imagine: before the torrential rain-soaked Rashomon gate, eight serpent heads blot out the sky, and the protagonist stands drenched in blood. Instead of adrenaline-pumping rock, the background isn't some generic "boom-bap-boom," but a weathered, powerful male voice, howling with a tremor about the capriciousness of fate and the obscurity of life and death. That tragic grandeur, that "though a thousand men stand against me, I will go forth" resolve, that burning passion to break through life and death even if it means abandoning everything—wouldn't that grab players more than simple, repetitive beats? He'll definitely find a way."
The conference room fell silent for a full five seconds.
Then came the frantic scratching of pen on paper.
"Madness... This is absolute madness!" Makoto Uchida muttered, scribbling furiously. Yet his face showed no trace of his earlier dejection. His bull-like eyes were wide and round, bloodshot with excitement. "Slaying demons while listening to Enka—what an unforgettable image!"
"Write it down, you must write it down!" Rieko Kodama slapped her notebook, making it crackle. "If Mr. Wada refuses to take my call, I'll camp outside his house until he agrees."
Watching this group, which had been as wilted as frostbitten eggplants moments ago but now seemed eager to rush back to their desks, roll up their sleeves, and work through the night, Takuya waved them off with satisfaction. "Alright, get back to work. Don't disappoint me."
"Yes!"
The team answered in unison, pushing their whiteboards out of the office.
After seeing off Rieko Kodama and her team, Takuya Nakayama's spacious office finally returned to silence.
The sunlight outside was perfect, casting a warm glow on the carpet.
Takuya stood up, stretched widely, his joints cracking.
He'd been burning the mental candle at both ends lately and was considering taking a stroll through the development departments downstairs.
Just as he placed his hand on the doorknob, someone pounded on the door urgently from the outside.
The rhythm was erratic, like the drumbeats of a hurried march.
Takuya raised an eyebrow and opened the door.
Standing outside was Tanaka from the Marketing Department.
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