Thursday 2 May 1998 ZAGE Offices Japan.
Zaboru grinned as he held the newest flip phone in his hands, the latest creation from AKAI, one of ZAGE's key subsidiaries — the AKAI Z2-FLIP. It was a full-color flip phone with a slim, sleek body, its design elegant and refined in a way that immediately set it apart from almost every other phone currently on the market. The smooth hinge, the balanced weight, and the carefully chosen materials made it feel premium the moment he touched it. Just yesterday, Hyoga Akai had informed him that the device was nearly complete, and now that it was finally in his hands, Zaboru could clearly see the result of all that effort.
"Heh… I can't believe they're capable of making something like this already," Zaboru muttered with genuine amazement. He slowly rotated the phone, appreciating its silhouette and proportions. The design reminded him strongly of the Motorola RAZR V3 from his previous life — that same sense of stylish minimalism — though this version lacked a front screen when folded. Even so, the resemblance was undeniable. The internal specifications were slightly weaker than the RAZR V3 that would be released in 2004 in his old world, but that comparison only made this achievement more impressive. For a phone released in 1998, the AKAI Z2-FLIP was anything but lacking.
Rather than falling short, the device clearly demonstrated how advanced technology in this world had become relative to its era, especially when compared to the still-lagging entertainment sector. Holding the Z2-FLIP in his hand, Zaboru felt a quiet sense of satisfaction — proof that ZAGE and AKAI were once again pushing the boundaries of what people believed was possible for its time.
Zaboru chuckled as his gaze shifted toward another phone resting quietly on his desk — Nokia's newest release from just last month, the Nokia 3510. It was also a color phone, and seeing it side by side with the AKAI Z2-FLIP made the contrast immediately obvious. Still, Zaboru found it interesting. From his perspective, it was clear that Nokia was beginning to feel pressure, afraid of losing its footing in the mainstream market.
What surprised him the most wasn't the hardware, but the pricing strategy. Nokia hadn't priced the phone aggressively high. Instead, they released it at around 300 USD, roughly 30,000 yen — a decision that genuinely caught Zaboru off guard. He had fully expected Nokia to sell it for something closer to 650 USD, especially considering this was their first serious attempt at a color phone.
Back in 1995, AKAI's Z1 phone had launched at around 360 USD, and even that had been considered slightly expensive at the time.le Now, only a few years later, the price of the Z1 had already dropped to around 200 USD due to mass production and market saturation. Seeing Nokia price the 3510 so conservatively told Zaboru everything he needed to know — Nokia wasn't trying to dominate with innovation, but to survive through accessibility.
Zaboru grinned to himself. "Too bad, Nokia… you can't fight this," he said quietly. He chuckled as he thought about the ZAGE Z2-FLIP, which was scheduled to release next month. Unlike Nokia's offering, this phone would have something they simply couldn't match — good games. Real games. Zaboru had already decided that the phone would ship with a total of eight games installed by default, not simple tech demos or shallow distractions, but proper titles designed to keep users engaged.
All of these games were built using JAVA ME as their framework, allowing flexibility, smooth performance, and future expandability. Zaboru knew exactly how powerful that decision was. While other manufacturers treated games as mere extras, ZAGE treated them as a core feature. In his mind, this alone was enough to shift the balance — because once users experienced actual fun on their phones, it would be impossible to go back.
And once again, history seemed to twist itself in an oddly familiar way. Even though it was only 1998, JAVA ME in this world was already rising rapidly, much like its early 2000s counterpart from Zaboru's previous life. In this world, Sun Microsystems — the creator of JAVA — was growing at an incredible pace, far faster than he remembered. Because of that accelerated development, JAVA ME had already become surprisingly mature by mid 1997.
Even Nokia had adopted it. They were already using JAVA ME to power the three built-in games on their Nokia 3510: Monster Fish, Sudoku, and Super Soldier. To Zaboru, the situation felt deeply ironic. In his previous world, Nokia's most iconic mobile games — Space Impact and Snake — had defined an entire era. Yet here, those very games had already been created by Zaboru himself back on the first AKAI Z1. Nokia never made them in this world.
Still, Zaboru could objectively admit that Nokia's current lineup wasn't bad. They were typical games for the early color-phone era — simple mechanics, limited visuals, and straightforward loops designed for short play sessions. As for what's Game for Z2, Flip Zaboru had personally built these early mobile games himself. Compared to developing titles for the ZEPS-3, these JAVA ME games required very little manpower, allowing him to iterate quickly and experiment freely.
All of the games planned for the Z2-FLIP were completely new creations. And while the old ZAGE ZEPS-1 8-bit games could technically be made playable on this phone, Zaboru deliberately set that idea aside for later. For now, the launch lineup needed to feel fresh and exclusive. The games bundled with the Z2-FLIP had to stand on their own — unique experiences that would immediately set ZAGE's phones apart from everything else on the market.
But Zaboru wasn't willing to settle for just typical games. The eight titles he had planned were meant to be something special, far more memorable than the usual time-killers found on most phones. He clearly remembered the kinds of Java phone games he used to play in his previous life — simple on the surface, yet clever enough to keep people hooked. Those memories guided his decisions now. Still, the finer details of those games would have to wait, because another problem had surfaced, one that couldn't be ignored any longer.
"Hmm… the price of this phone, huh?" Hyoga Akai said thoughtfully. He explained that the production cost of the AKAI Z2-FLIP was quite high, especially due to its materials, hinge mechanism, and color screen. "We definitely need to sell it at a higher price than the Nokia 3510. The specs and the design of the Z2-FLIP are far ahead of theirs." He paused before adding, "But the real question is… how much should we sell it for?"
Hyoga made it clear that the final decision would be Zaboru's. After all, the concept itself had been Zaboru's idea from the very beginning. That meant Zaboru would need to carefully think through the pricing strategy — balancing production costs, market expectations, and the long-term image of ZAGE's phones before settling on a number.
""Well, let's think about that later. I can ask Shinsuke-san or Dad about it," Zaboru said casually. Shinsuke was the head of ZAGE's marketing team, while his father, Zanichi Renkonan, served as ZAGE's CTO — both of them more than qualified to give input on pricing and positioning. Zaboru chuckled to himself, deciding there was no need to rush the decision right now.
With that thought set aside, he casually picked up the phone again and launched one of the games that existed on practically every ZAGE device — Tetris. The familiar blocks began to fall, and Zaboru found himself relaxing as his fingers moved instinctively, stacking shapes with practiced ease. Moments like this reminded him why he always insisted that games should feel natural and satisfying, no matter the platform.
Not long after, the door to his office opened. Ayumi, his wife, stepped in, carrying their seven‑month‑old son, Zenshin. They were currently staying in ZAGE Tower, occupying the fifty‑second floor — a private residential space designed to feel more like a home than part of an office building. Zaboru's main office was on the fifty‑first floor, making it easy for his family to come and go without formality.
Seeing them enter, Zaboru's attention immediately shifted from work to family, the phone lowering slightly in his hand as a warm smile formed on his face.
Ayumi glanced at the unfamiliar phone in Zaboru's hand, tilting her head slightly in curiosity as her eyes lingered on its slim shape and unusual finish. "Huh? Zabo, what's that?" she asked, her tone light but clearly intrigued. At the same time, Zenshin immediately noticed his father's attention shift toward them, and his excitement spiked. His small body wiggled energetically in Ayumi's arms, legs kicking as if he couldn't contain himself. "Ba‑ba‑ba!" he babbled enthusiastically, his voice filling the room with cheerful noise as he reached out instinctively toward Zaboru.
Zaboru chuckled, a wide grin spreading across his face as warmth naturally filled his expression. He gently pinched Zenshin's cheek, making the baby giggle happily, before lifting him comfortably into his arms. Zenshin waved his tiny hands in excitement, clearly enjoying the attention. With his free hand, Zaboru carefully passed the phone over to Ayumi so she could take a closer look, making sure not to jostle his son in the process.
"Well, this is AKAI's newest phone," Zaboru explained casually while holding Zenshin close to his chest. "It'll be released next month." Ayumi's eyes immediately focused on the device as she turned it over in her hands, examining every detail with genuine curiosity. She traced the edges, tested the hinge, and studied the screen before letting out a soft gasp. "Whoa… the design is really exquisite, huh?" she said, clearly impressed by how refined and modern it felt.
Zaboru laughed softly at her reaction. "Yup, cool, right?" he replied with quiet pride. Then, lowering his voice into a gentler tone, he added, "And don't worry, Ayumi. When it releases next month, I've already prepared special versions of the phone just for you — and for Mom, Sanika, and Dad as well." He smiled reassuringly. "So just wait a little longer, okay?"
Ayumi's eyes lit up at that, her excitement impossible to hide. She nodded eagerly, already distracted as she launched Tetris on the phone. As the familiar blocks began to fall on the screen, she smiled brightly, fully absorbed in the game while letting Zaboru hold their son close.
"Zabo, how do you make games on this?" Ayumi asked curiously, glancing between the phone and Zaboru. "Is it similar to making games for consoles?"
Zaboru nodded slightly while holding Zenshin securely in his arms. "Well, yes — overall it's similar in concept," he explained calmly. "You still design gameplay, logic, and flow the same way. But for phones like this, you need special software. It's called JAVA ME, which is basically an extension of Java, optimized for limited hardware like mobile devices."
He chuckled softly as Zenshin grabbed at his sleeve. "The constraints are tighter," Zaboru continued. "Less memory, lower resolution, simpler input. But in a way, that makes it fun. You're forced to be creative with very little."
Then he smiled at Ayumi. "I can teach you, you know… if you want."
Ayumi's eyes instantly lit up, her expression bright with excitement. "Really!? Yes, please — I want to know!" she said without hesitation.
Even though she was technically still on a break from active development until September or October, Ayumi's passion for game creation hadn't faded at all. If anything, moments like this only reminded her why she loved making games in the first place.
Ayumi then continued to play Tetris and Meanwhile, Zaboru was having an absolute blast playing with Zenshin. He carefully tossed his son into the air, just high enough to make the baby squeal in excitement, before catching him securely against his chest. Zenshin burst into cheerful laughter, his small hands flailing happily. At times, Zaboru placed him gently between his legs and swung him back and forth, exaggerating his movements just to hear that bright, infectious laugh echo across the room. Each giggle filled the office with warmth, turning the normally professional space into something far more personal — a place where Zaboru was no longer a CEO or visionary, but simply a father enjoying a precious moment with his child.
To be continue
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