In the President's office, President Wakana Akio of GALLOP and Mr. Suzuki from Sega's Market Department had clearly finished their initial pleasantries and were waiting for them.
Seeing the expression on Kunihiko Yuyama's face, President Wakana probably had a good idea of the situation.
"It seems Director Yuyama is very satisfied with Nakayama-san's proposal," President Wakana said with a smile, his gaze shifting between Takuya and Kunihiko Yuyama.
"President Wakana, it's more than just satisfaction."
Kunihiko Yuyama made no secret of his excitement.
"This is a brilliant concept, and its completeness in detail far exceeds my imagination."
"Then, let's discuss the specific terms of our cooperation."
President Wakana's smile faded, revealing the shrewdness of a businessman.
He symbolically brought up the issue of copyright ownership, tentatively inquiring if they could obtain authorization for the development of some derivative products, or have a certain percentage of the animation copyright.
"President Wakana,"
Takuya's attitude was very clear, even carrying a hint of unchallengeable resolve.
"All copyrights for the 'pokémon' IP must belong 100% to Sega."
"This is the premise of our cooperation; there's no room for negotiation."
President Wakana met with a firm refusal but was not surprised; after all, Sega had made a huge investment and could not compromise on core interests.
He adjusted his sitting posture, preparing to negotiate on production costs.
"So, regarding the production budget..."
"12 million Japanese Yen per episode," Takuya directly stated a figure, interrupting President Wakana.
"Furthermore, we require a guaranteed production of 100 episodes. If your company can devise suitable side stories or spin-off plots without affecting the main storyline, we will pay accordingly after Sega's review and confirmation!"
"Nani?!"
President Wakana's eyes widened, and Mr. Suzuki beside him gasped. Although he knew Takuya was very determined, he hadn't expected such astonishing terms.
It's important to know that the average production cost for TV anime in the industry currently hovers between 8 million and 10 million Japanese Yen per episode.
12 million per episode, with a guaranteed 100 episodes – while this doesn't reach movie-level investment standards, it's not far off. Moreover, Sega explicitly stated they could appropriately 'pad' the content!
President Wakana's heart pounded. This price, this project scale, let alone the profit margin, was simply a godsend.
But he still instinctively wanted to push for a little more.
"Nakayama-san, this price is indeed very generous, but considering we need to invest the top team and the potential production cycle pressure..."
Before he could finish, Takuya dropped another bombshell.
"President Wakana, TV animation is just the first step."
"If the cooperation goes smoothly and market response is good, Sega will continue to invest in the future to produce 'pokémon' theatrical animated films."
"The scale of investment will only be higher, not lower, than that of the TV series."
Theatrical films!
These three words completely shattered President Wakana's last thought of bargaining.
He looked at the young man before him, who, though young, had sharp eyes and was lavish with his spending, and deeply felt Sega's determination and immeasurable ambition for this project.
"Deal!"
President Wakana almost blurted it out, his face full of smiles.
"It will be as you say, Nakayama-san! We at GALLOP will definitely go all out to ensure the highest quality work!"
"Of course, I have great faith in your company regarding this, which is why we hope Director Yuyama will serve as the animation's general director. This also reflects my confidence in your company's production capabilities," Takuya stated the most crucial requirement for the production. After all, this was the general director of the 'pokémon' anime series in his previous life.
"Of course, no problem. I'm counting on you, Yuyama-kun," President Wakana patted Director Yuyama's shoulder.
"Hai! Please leave it to me!" Director Yuyama also looked full of anticipation.
The subsequent detailed negotiations proceeded exceptionally smoothly.
Both parties quickly reached an agreement on matters such as the production cycle, broadcast time, and key personnel appointments.
The 'pokémon' animation project was officially finalized!
As they left GALLOP Animation Company, the lingering rays of the setting sun cast a glow on the streets of Nakano Ward.
Takuya and Mr. Suzuki walked side by side, both with satisfied smiles on their faces.
Behind them, in GALLOP's President's office.
President Wakana Akio and Kunihiko Yuyama exchanged glances, their smiles mixed with excitement, thrill, and a heavy sense of pressure.
"President, I'm afraid we've taken on an extraordinary project this time," Kunihiko Yuyama remarked.
"Indeed."
President Wakana Akio nodded, his gaze deep.
"This Takuya Nakayama from Sega is truly a formidable young man."
"Not only can he come up with such astonishing and brilliant ideas, but just by looking at this setting and story outline, one can foresee immense future profitability."
"And his preparations are meticulous, and the negotiations are both swift and ruthless, giving no one a chance to react."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of relief and also a touch of solemnity.
"However, for us at GALLOP, this is both an unprecedented opportunity and a huge challenge."
Kunihiko Yuyama nodded in deep agreement, his gaze seemingly already seeing the vibrant and miraculous Pokémon world about to be born under their brushes.
The pressure was immense, but the motivation was even stronger!
Leaving GALLOP Animation Company, Takuya Nakayama and Mr. Suzuki walked side by side on the sidewalk.
Mr. Suzuki's face held an irrepressible smile; President Wakana's eagerness to close the deal just now was truly impressive.
Takuya's steps, however, remained steady, his gaze fixed on the city skyline outlined by the twilight glow in the distance.
He turned his head to look at Mr. Suzuki beside him, his smile fading slightly, replaced by a hint of solemnity.
"Suzuki-san, the animation matter is temporarily concluded."
"But the expansion of 'pokémon's' empire has only just begun."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Suzuki immediately collected himself and looked at Takuya seriously.
"Next, for the promotion of merchandise, especially the plush toys that children love most, I want to entrust you with full responsibility."
"Especially the negotiations with San-X."
Takuya's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable sense of trust, as if he were simply stating a matter of course.
This trust warmed Mr. Suzuki's heart, but then he felt a heavy sense of pressure.
He understood that this would be no easy task.
"Nakayama-san..."
Mr. Suzuki hesitated slightly but still expressed his concerns.
"San-X... I'm afraid they won't be easy to negotiate with."
Takuya nodded, as if he had already anticipated this.
He candidly analyzed, "San-X, with Hello Kitty's status in Japan, their direct stores, and their extensive sales channels, negotiations definitely won't be easy. They just experienced their second Kitty boom last year and are at the peak of their success, so they probably won't easily pave the way for our new IP."