Chapter 85: Chapter 78: Zaboru’s Research

Sunday, September 28, 1991

After his intense brainstorming session the day before, Zaboru decided to take a break from direct game development. Today was all about research—specifically, understanding the state of comics and manga in this world. Since he had already confirmed that video games were lagging behind by about a decade, he wanted to see if the same applied to other entertainment sectors. If comics and manga were also ten years behind, it could open up new opportunities for him.

Taking the train into central Tokyo, Zaboru arrived at the largest bookstore in the city. The moment he stepped inside, the scent of fresh paper and ink filled his nose, stirring a nostalgic feeling within him. Making his way to the manga section, his suspicions were quickly confirmed. There was noDragon Ball,Fist of the North Star,Saint Seiya,JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, or any other manga that should have existed in 1991. Instead, the shelves were lined withDr. Slump,Kinnikuman,Captain Tsubasa, andCat's Eye.

"So the famous authors exist in this world too," Zaboru muttered, running his fingers along the spines of the books.I wonder where Eiichiro Oda is right now?He smirked, reminiscing about how much he had enjoyedOne Piecein his previous life. "Will these authors follow the same creative paths as before, or will my presence cause shifts in the industry?"

He picked up a few volumes and added them to his shopping cart before heading over to the American comics section. As he expected, Marvel and DC were in their prime, just like in the late '70s of his original world. Superhero comics were thriving, their golden age still strong, and manga had yet to break through in the Western market.

"If this timeline mirrors my old world's trajectory, Marvel will continue booming until around 2005 or 2006 this world year before their financial collapse." Zaboru mused, flipping through aSpider-Manissue. "Or will my intervention accelerate—or delay—that outcome?" He had to admit, the thought of securing the rights to Marvel characters for gaming was enticing. "I'd kill to make a properBatmangame too, but getting the rights for DC characters will be tough."

Superhero games were always hit or miss, even in the years leading up to his death in his previous life. The lack of a truly greatSupermanorFlashgame frustrated him, as their popularity never translated into a proper gaming experience.

After selecting a few classic issues from both publishers, he checked out and returned home with a stack of comics and manga.

Back in his room, Zaboru sprawled out on his bed, flipping through the pages of his haul. But his mind was already running with ideas. Initially, he had planned to introduce iconic characters from movies into the video game industry, rebranding them as gaming legends rather than just film figures. He thought aboutTarzan,Woody,Buzz Lightyear,The Lion King,SpongeBob, andBen 10. In his previous life, these characters had existed in film and TV before entering the gaming industry. But here, he had the chance to bring them into gaming first.

"If I play my cards right, they can be original video game icons before they're ever adapted into movies or shows," he mused. "I could make them ZAGE exclusives."

Old school cartoon adaptation games are mostly awesome , especially the Disney ones , old Disney was peak.

Then another thought struck him.TransformersandSpawnweren't even around yet. Could he introduce them himself? He could launch an original comic series or animated show and build a franchise from the ground up before licensing the characters for games.

"That'd be insane," he chuckled. "Do I start a comic book division? Or should I go all-in on animation first?" But Zaboru sigh it seems its to far ahead

He shifted his attention totokusatsu. In his previous life,Ultraman,Super Sentai, andKamen Riderhad long histories dating back to the '60s and '70s. But in this world, everything had started a decade later.Super Sentaididn't begin until 1985 instead of 1975,Kamen Riderdebuted in 1981 instead of 1971, andUltramanlaunched in 1976 instead of 1966.

"But film technology here is closer to real 1991," he noted. "So even thoughtokusatsustarted later, the quality of the shows is way better."

That sparked an idea. "Should I introducePower Rangersright now?" He grinned, thinking about how massive the franchise had been in his old life. The idea of creating aChoujin Sentai Jetmangame for ZEPS also excited him.Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger—which in his world later becameMighty Morphin Power Rangersin western—was another favorite he wanted to adapt.

"If I make aJetmangame, I can refine the mechanics and story, improve what needed fixing, and make it a hit."

His mind raced through ideas for superhero games. AMetal Gear Solid-styleCaptain Americagame, aGod of War (2018)-inspiredThorgame, aCastlevania-styleBladegame, anArmored Core-likeIron Mangame, Yakuza like Moon knight Game and even aSifu-styleIron Fistgame. The potential was limitless.

Feeling inspired, Zaboru grabbed his notebook and began jotting down ideas. He carefully categorized every character, franchise, or show he wanted to introduce to this world as a game first, marking which ones would fit ZAGE's future lineup. If he played this right, he could shape the entire pop culture landscape, giving video games the prominence they deserved.

With his notes finalized, he lay back, staring at the ceiling.

"This is gonna be fun although this will take long long time"

With that thought, he relaxed, letting the excitement settle in as he waited for tomorrow to come.

To be continued...

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com