Friday, 16 August 2001.
In the early morning, in front of the large ZAGE Store beside ZAGE Tower, a massive queue had already formed for the release of the AKAI Black Berry Z01. The store would not open until 8:30 AM, but by 5:00 AM, the line was already stretching far beyond the entrance, curving around the side of the building and spilling into the wider ZAGE Tower complex area. Some people brought folding chairs. Some brought breakfast. Some brought handheld games. Some came with friends, and some looked like they had not slept at all.
Normally, a crowd like this in front of a corporate tower would make security nervous. But this was ZAGE, and Zaboru had already told the security team not to chase people away as long as they followed the queue rules. Instead, ZAGE staff and security had prepared barricades, queue ropes, water stations, and simple signs showing where people should stand. A few Aoshidan members also watched quietly from the side, making sure nobody caused real trouble.
The strange thing was that everyone already knew the ZAGE Store website offered delivery service.
They could have ordered the phone online.
They could have stayed home.
They could have slept normally.
But they came anyway.
Because this was not only about buying a phone.
This was a ZAGE release day.
And ZAGE release days had become events.
By 5:30 AM, news vans had already begun arriving. The first major crew was from TV Tokyo. Their reporter, Asakusa, stood in front of the camera with the massive queue behind her, her expression professional but clearly surprised by the size of the crowd. She fixed her earpiece, waited for the cameraman's signal, then began speaking.
"Good morning. Right now, we are in front of one of the largest ZAGE Stores in Japan, located beside ZAGE Tower. Today is the release day of AKAI's newest phone, the Black Berry Z01, and as you can see behind me, hundreds of people are already lining up hours before the store opens. Some of them have apparently been here since before sunrise. We will speak with a few people in the queue and ask why this phone has created such excitement."
After finishing her opening, Asakusa walked toward the first section of the line. The cameraman followed closely, carefully avoiding bags, chairs, and sleepy fans sitting on the pavement. Near the front of the queue, a young man was sitting on a small folding chair while playing his ZGBA with full concentration. He had a backpack beside him, a canned coffee in one hand, and the expression of someone who had prepared for battle.
Asakusa smiled politely. "Excuse me. I'm Asakusa from TV Tokyo. May I ask your name?"
The young man looked up from his ZGBA and grinned. "Call me Taku."
"Taku-san, you are very close to the front of the queue. What time did you arrive here?"
Taku looked proud. "Around 2:40 AM."
Asakusa blinked. "2:40 AM?"
"Yeah. I wanted to arrive earlier, but my mother caught me trying to leave at midnight."
The people around him laughed.
Asakusa tried to keep her professional smile. "So you are waiting for the Black Berry Z01?"
"Of course!" Taku shouted, almost too loudly. "This phone is a must-buy! It's revolutionary!"
The cameraman slightly adjusted the microphone because Taku's excitement nearly destroyed the audio. Asakusa laughed awkwardly and continued, "But the device costs 79,900 yen. Some people may consider that expensive for a phone. What do you think?"
Taku's eyes widened as if she had personally insulted the Black Berry Z01. "Expensive? Are you kidding me? It can record video, take good photos, play music, open ZAGE Forum, watch YouTube, use BBM, connect with Bluetooth, browse the internet, and play games. It is not expensive. It is dangerous. My wallet is not losing money. My wallet is investing in the future."
Someone behind him immediately shouted, "Your wallet is crying!"
Taku pointed backward without turning. "That is the sound of progress!"
The queue laughed again.
Asakusa smiled, clearly enjoying the energy. "You mentioned BBM. Is that one of the features you are most excited about?"
Taku nodded quickly. "Yes! BBM is huge. I already told my friends that if they don't buy Black Berry, I will only reply to them once per week."
A girl behind him crossed her arms and said, "That is why nobody likes early adopters."
Taku looked offended. "You are also in the queue!"
"Yes," she replied calmly. "But I am normal about it."
The people nearby laughed again, and Asakusa turned toward the girl. "May I ask your name too?"
The girl smiled. "Mika."
"Mika-san, why are you buying the Black Berry Z01?"
Mika held up a small notebook where she had written down several features from the showcase. "Honestly, the keyboard. I send a lot of messages, and typing with number buttons is torture. I also want to use email and ZAGE Forum on the train. The games are nice, but for me, the keyboard and BBM are the biggest reasons."
Taku immediately leaned into the interview again. "She says that now, but wait until she plays Super Mario 3 on the phone."
Mika sighed. "That is also true."
Asakusa chuckled, then moved farther down the line. She interviewed a middle-aged salaryman who had come before work, still wearing his office suit, tie slightly loose, briefcase in hand. He looked tired but determined. When Asakusa asked why he was in line, he answered seriously, "I need it for work. Email, schedule, notes, messaging, maybe remote communication with clients. Also, my son told me if I buy it, he will respect me more."
Asakusa laughed. "Is that the real reason?"
The salaryman looked at the camera with dead seriousness. "A father must protect his dignity."
Two younger office workers standing behind him nodded like disciples hearing wisdom.
Another reporter from a different station arrived not long after, then another. Soon, the front of the ZAGE Store looked like a strange battlefield between excited customers, sleepy fans, camera crews, store staff, and security guards trying to keep the walking path clear. Some reporters interviewed students. Others interviewed office workers. One interviewed an elderly man who said he did not fully understand the phone but wanted to buy it because his granddaughter told him BBM was important.
When asked what BBM meant, the elderly man proudly answered, "Big Business Machine."
His granddaughter, standing beside him, immediately covered her face.
The reporter gently corrected him, "It stands for Black Berry Messenger."
The old man nodded seriously. "Yes. That one."
The queue loved him.
By 6:00 AM, the crowd had become even livelier. Someone near the middle of the line started a small argument about whether the Black Berry Z01 should be considered a phone, a pocket computer, or a tiny ZAGE console. A student claimed it was obviously a pocket computer. Another insisted that if it could play ZEPS 1 games, it counted as a console. A salaryman said it was a business device. Taku shouted from the front, "It is all of them! That is why we are poor now!"
The argument somehow turned into applause.
Then suddenly, someone near the back shouted, "Wait! Is that Zaboru?"
The noise spread instantly.
People turned toward the entrance road of the ZAGE Tower complex. A silver bicycle came into view, moving calmly through the morning light. On it was Zaboru Renkonan himself, riding his famous old partner, the Silver Wrecker. He looked relaxed, almost too relaxed for someone whose company was releasing one of the most important devices of the year. In one hand, hanging from the left side of the handlebar, was a box of gyoza. In his other hand, he was holding a large piece of bread, casually eating while cycling toward the tower.
For a moment, the crowd stared.
Then the entire queue exploded.
"ZABORU!"
"BOSS!"
"SILVER WRECKER!"
"HE REALLY CAME BY BIKE!"
"WHY IS HE EATING BREAD!?"
Zaboru slowed down and looked at the line with genuine surprise. He chewed quickly, swallowed, then laughed. "Yo! You guys are already queuing? Oh my god, I'm actually surprised. The store opens at 8:30, you know?"
Someone shouted, "We know!"
Another shouted, "We came for the atmosphere!"
Another added, "And maybe to meet you!"
Zaboru laughed harder. "So the delivery service was useless, huh?"
Asakusa from TV Tokyo immediately rushed toward him with her cameraman. Other reporters noticed and followed, creating a small wave of microphones and cameras moving toward Zaboru. ZAGE security reacted quickly, forming a loose barrier so the reporters could approach without crushing the queue.
Asakusa managed to reach him first. "Zaboru Renkonan-san! Good morning! May we ask a few questions?"
Zaboru stopped his bicycle and parked one foot on the ground. "Sure. But give me one second." He quickly took another bite of bread, chewed with serious focus, then nodded. "Okay. Professional mode."
The reporters laughed.
Asakusa smiled. "First, many people have heard rumors that you often come to ZAGE Tower by bicycle. Is that true?"
Zaboru placed one hand on the Silver Wrecker proudly. "Yes. But be careful. This is not just a bicycle. This is my trusty steed, the Silver Wrecker."
The queue immediately shouted, "SILVER WRECKER ROCKS!"
Zaboru pointed at them. "See? They understand."
Asakusa laughed. "Your bicycle is actually famous among ZAGE fans?"
"Apparently," Zaboru said, smiling. "It has been with me since I was a teenager"
A few people laughed, but Zaboru quickly looked at the queue and added, "But seriously, I like it. It keeps me grounded. Also, traffic cannot defeat me if I am already suffering manually."
The crowd laughed louder.
An Aoshidan staff member came forward, bowing lightly. "Boss, allow me."
Zaboru handed him the bicycle. "Please treat the Silver Wrecker with respect."
The staff member nodded with a face far too serious for bicycle parking. "Of course."
He rode the bicycle away carefully, and several fans actually clapped as if a celebrity had left the stage.
Another reporter quickly asked, "Zaboru-san, this queue is already very long. Are you concerned it may disturb ZAGE employees coming to work?"
Zaboru shook his head. "Not really. We already prepared extra security, queue lines, and walking paths. As long as everyone follows the rules and doesn't block the entrance too much, it's fine. Honestly, it's quite a spectacle, right? And ZAGE employees are used to strange things happening around this tower." He turned toward the queue and raised his voice. "Besides, you guys know the ZAGE Store website has delivery now, right? You could buy from home!"
The crowd shouted back almost together, "HELL YEAH!"
Zaboru grinned. "Then why are you here?"
Someone shouted, "So we can meet you!"
Another shouted, "So we can suffer together!"
A third yelled, "Because online shopping has no soul!"
Zaboru pointed at the last one. "That one sounds dangerous."
The reporters laughed while the cameras kept rolling. Asakusa looked around at the crowd and said, "It seems the line itself has become part of the experience."
Zaboru nodded. "Exactly. Of course, delivery is convenient, and I recommend it for people who cannot line up. But for fans, release day is also a memory. Meeting other people, talking about features, playing handheld games while waiting, complaining about being sleepy, buying snacks, seeing the store open—those things become part of the story."
For a moment, the mood became a little warmer. Several people in the queue nodded. Zaboru was joking, but he understood them.
Then the chaos returned immediately.
Because one fan near the rope barrier reached toward him and shouted, "Zaboru! Please sign my ZGBA!"
Another shouted, "Sign my shirt!"
Another shouted, "Sign my bread!"
Zaboru stared. "Your bread?"
The man held up a piece of bread proudly. "It's limited edition if you sign it!"
Zaboru looked genuinely concerned. "Please eat your bread. Don't turn breakfast into merchandise."
The crowd laughed.
But as more people realized Zaboru was close, the queue began pressing forward slightly. Security immediately stepped in, telling people to stay behind the line. Zaboru tried to calm them down by waving casually, but that only made them louder. Several cameras moved closer. Reporters began asking questions at the same time.
"Zaboru-san, how many units are prepared for today?"
"Will the Black Berry Z01 sell overseas soon?"
"Is the Friday release date meant to clash with Apple?"
"Can BBM connect with future ZAGE consoles?"
"Will Little Steam receive more ZEPS 1 classics?"
Zaboru lifted both hands. "Whoa, whoa, one at a time. I am still holding gyoza. This is not safe journalism."
The reporters laughed, but they did not back off much.
Asakusa asked the question everyone wanted answered. "Zaboru-san, many people online believe today's release date was chosen because Apple delayed The Dark Guild to Friday. Is that true?"
Zaboru's smile became suspiciously innocent. "What? No. Friday is a normal day. Very peaceful. Very random. The calendar chose it, not me."
The entire queue laughed because nobody believed him.
One fan shouted, "Liar!"
Zaboru pointed at him. "That is defamation, but emotionally accurate."
Even some reporters laughed at that.
Then a young man suddenly leaned over the barrier with far too much passion. "Zaboru! I love you!"
Zaboru laughed awkwardly. "Thank you, but please love the queue rules too."
The man continued, "Please marry me!"
Zaboru immediately stepped back. "I am already married!"
"I can wait!"
"No, you cannot!"
The crowd roared with laughter. But then the same man, completely overcome by excitement, tried to push forward as if he wanted to hug or kiss Zaboru. Aoshidan security reacted instantly, catching him by the shoulders before he could cross the barrier. The man was not violent, just wildly emotional, shouting, "Zaboru, I love you!" while being gently but firmly moved backward.
Zaboru sighed deeply, then looked at the cameras. "This is why I usually use the employee entrance."
Asakusa, trying not to laugh too much on live television, said, "Zaboru-san, are you all right?"
"I survived," Zaboru said gravely. "But my bread almost became collateral damage."
The queue laughed again.
However, the situation was getting too chaotic. More fans were waving items. More reporters were pushing questions. Security had to widen the space around Zaboru. Even Zaboru could tell that staying longer would only make the line harder to control.
He raised his voice. "Okay, everyone! Thank you for coming! Please stay in line, listen to the staff, drink water, don't fight over stock, and please don't kiss company executives before breakfast!"
The crowd cheered.
Zaboru waved one last time, then quickly turned toward ZAGE Tower's main entrance. Aoshidan staff formed a moving path around him as he walked away with his gyoza box and remaining bread. A few reporters tried to follow, but ZAGE security politely stopped them. Zaboru glanced back once, grinned, and shouted, "Enjoy the release!"
The crowd answered with another loud cheer.
Asakusa turned back toward the camera, slightly breathless but smiling. Behind her, the queue was still buzzing with excitement, people laughing about the attempted confession, arguing about features, and replaying the brief Zaboru appearance on their cameras.
"As you can see," she said to the camera, "the release of the AKAI Black Berry Z01 has become more than a normal product launch. People are not only here to buy a phone. They are here to participate in what feels like a cultural moment. The store still will not open for another two and a half hours, but the atmosphere is already intense, chaotic, and very ZAGE."
Behind her, Taku shouted, "BLACK BERRY!"
Several people answered, "Z01!"
Asakusa paused, smiled awkwardly, and continued, "Yes. Very ZAGE."
By 7:00 AM, more reporters had arrived. Some covered the business angle, discussing whether the Black Berry Z01 could change the mobile phone market. Some covered the fan culture angle, interviewing people who had lined up only because they wanted to experience a ZAGE launch. Some interviewed office workers from nearby buildings who had come outside just to see the crowd.
One office worker in a gray suit looked at the line and muttered to a reporter, "I came down to buy coffee. Now I feel like I am missing history."
His coworker beside him nodded. "Our manager told us not to line up during work hours."
"Will you obey?"
The man stared at the queue for a long moment. "I am thinking."
His coworker whispered, "I already asked for half-day leave."
"You traitor."
"You are jealous."
"I am."
The reporter could not help laughing.
Meanwhile, ZAGE Store staff began preparing inside. Through the glass windows, people in line could see employees arranging display boxes, testing demo units, checking cash registers, and preparing reservation counters. Every time a staff member carried a Black Berry Z01 box past the window, the queue reacted like they had seen treasure.
At one point, an employee accidentally dropped an empty cardboard box.
The entire queue gasped.
The employee froze, then held up both hands to show it was empty.
The crowd applauded in relief.
Even the reporters laughed.
By 8:00 AM, the line had become so long that ZAGE security had to split it into multiple sections. Priority pickup, new purchase, press access, and demo-only visitors were separated to reduce confusion. Some people complained at first, but staff handled it smoothly. ZAGE Store employees walked through the line explaining rules, stock limits, warranty information, and Little Steam account setup. Water bottles were handed out. Small numbered cards were given to the first several hundred people to prevent pushing when the store opened.
Still, the excitement kept rising.
Every few minutes, someone started chanting "Black Berry!" and the crowd answered "Z01!" until security gently reminded them that there were offices nearby.
Finally, at 8:30 AM, the front doors of ZAGE Store opened.
The first wave of customers entered under flashing cameras, reporter narration, applause from the queue, and the proud smiles of ZAGE staff.
Taku, still holding his ZGBA, stepped inside first like a warrior entering the final dungeon.
Asakusa watched from the press area and spoke to the camera again. "The doors are now open. The AKAI Black Berry Z01 has officially launched, and judging from the reaction here, this may become one of the most memorable product release days in ZAGE and AKAI history."
Outside, the queue continued stretching around the building.
Inside, the first customers were already touching the future.
But the Black Berry Z01 release day was only getting started.
To be continued.
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