The next day, Kobayashi Tetsu summoned the group to Atlas's office to discuss preparations for the SF Convention.
Koji Okada and the others arrived together. Three or four people were already in the elevator, waiting to go up. As the doors were about to close, they hurried forward. Fortunately, someone inside pressed the button, allowing them to squeeze in.
Hideyuki Yokoyama, who had just made it, quickly thanked them.
"No problem, it was nothing. Which floor are you going to?"
"The twenty-fourth," Yokoyama replied.
The four of them looked up instantly.
Currently, only one company occupied the twenty-fourth floor of the Mitsui Building: Atlas Studio.
They exchanged glances before asking Yokoyama, Koji Okada, and the other five, "Are you Atlas employees?"
"Uh—" Koji Okada hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.
"We're trainees, just trainees," Yokoyama interjected.
He had a hunch—or rather, it was practically an open secret—that the SF Convention was some kind of test. Success would mean a job offer. After all, as newcomers, they couldn't expect to be put in charge of a project without proper vetting. Doing so would inevitably cause resentment.
This remark seemed to put the four strangers in the elevator at ease, and they extended their hands. "We're from Capcom. We're here to discuss a game collaboration."
The elevator reached the twenty-fourth floor. The two groups exited, one heading to see Kobayashi Tetsu and the Capcom employees directly to Naka Yuji.
In his office, Kobayashi Tetsu met with the five members of True Atlas and casually called Tsukasa Masuko in as well.
Though the office wasn't small, there were few places to sit—only the sofa opposite his desk, which clearly couldn't accommodate five people.
Kobayashi Tetsu gestured invitingly. "Please, have a seat, everyone."
Koji Okada glanced around.
Where are we supposed to sit?!
Kobayashi Tetsu's gaze swept over the group before suddenly urging Tsukasa Masuko, "Masuko, go get some cushions."
"Yes, sir!"
When Tsukasa Masuko returned, he carried a stack of cushions.
Kobayashi Tetsu immediately grabbed one and sat down on the floor nearby.
"There's plenty of space here! Come on, sit down."
His relaxed demeanor instantly put the five at ease. They quickly picked up cushions and settled down.
"I'm sure you've all heard of the SF Convention. As Japan's premier science fiction event, it draws not only sci-fi enthusiasts but also fans of manga, anime, games, and movies, and it's where major awards are presented. Rather than calling the fanbase 'otaku,' I'd say they're a group of people with a greater capacity for dreams. I've taken on the responsibility of organizing this year's convention, but I don't want it to be like previous ones. Since you're all here, let's brainstorm together and figure out how to make this year's SF Convention a success."
Kobayashi Tetsu gestured for them to speak freely. "Gentlemen, please share your thoughts!"
A major meeting was taking place inside the room, while a smaller one was happening outside.
Naka Yuji had already met with several Capcom employees and exchanged formal handshakes.
"Naka Yuji, Atlas Development Department."
The Capcom employees introduced themselves in turn.
"Takashi Nishiyama."
"Matsumoto Yuji."
As they met, Naka Yuji immediately recognized them.
"The Jackie Chan's Kung Fu arcade game?"
Takashi Nishiyama nodded slightly.
Jackie Chan's Kung Fu had both an arcade and an FC version. The arcade version was produced by Takashi Nishiyama, while the FC version was ported under the leadership of Miyamoto Shigeru. At the time, Nishiyama was working at IREM and had only provided partial assistance.
Later, Takashi Nishiyama joined Capcom and helped develop the Street Fighter series, serving as the producer for the franchise's inaugural title.
In Japan, Nishiyama is considered one of the earliest and most successful developers of action games.
Naka Yuji remained more formal in Nishiyama's presence.
As they chatted, Nishiyama noticed something on Naka Yuji's computer and casually asked, "Naka-kun, what are you working on here?"
"Oh, just a personal project to practice my skills. I'm waiting for Capcom's new arcade board, so I'm making some action games on my own to keep my hand in."
Naka Yuji continued, "I'm using Jackie Chan as the protagonist."
Matsumoto Yuji pressed, "What's the game called, then?"
Naka Yuji shrugged helplessly, his expression like a cartoon bear's. "I haven't decided. It's just a practice project, not for sale. How about... Jackie Chan Gets Beat Up?"
Matsumoto Yuji chuckled. "Why gets beat up? Why not Jackie Chan Beats People Up?"
Nishiyama countered, "That's too direct. Let's make it more refined. How about... The Dragon of Jackie Chan?"
The group's interest was piqued, and they quickly began brainstorming ideas.
"Breakthrough!"
"Justice!"
"Two-player mode!"
"Bruce Lee! I love Bruce Lee!"
"We shouldn't call it 'Jackie Chan Beats People Up.' It should be 'Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee Beat People Up Together.'"
"What kind of name is that? How about 'Two Dragons'?"
"Two Dragons? The Double Dragon Association?"
Naka Yuji suddenly had an idea: "How about Double Dragon? The two main characters are based on Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. It's an action beat-'em-up game where they fight evil and uphold justice, released on the MS. This way, we can not only get the team working together and practice for future console development, but also learn some techniques for making action games."
Takashi Nishiyama agreed.
Double Dragon—what a great name!
Let's call it Double Dragon.
Nishiyama only had one concern: "Will the President approve such a large-scale development?"
Naka Yuji reassured him: "Don't worry. As long as we have a solid proposal, the President will make the decision."
Naka Yuji's eyes lit up instantly.
All those movies I've been watching lately weren't for nothing! Time to put them to use!
Since this was just a practice project with no profit motive, they could freely indulge their own interests and quirks.
Takashi Nishiyama and Matsumoto Yuji, who had developed Jackie Chan's Kung Fu for arcades, were seasoned experts in action games.
Now that they had the freedom to create a game without worrying about commercial success, they could truly let their imaginations run wild.
As they were discussing the project, the office door opened and the five members of True Atlas emerged, ready to begin preparations for the SF Convention according to their previously discussed plan.
Kobayashi Tetsu casually greeted them and inquired about their well-being.
Takashi Nishiyama bowed respectfully. "President Kobayashi, we are deeply grateful for your support. We're doing very well here."
Kobayashi Tetsu nodded.
If he's enjoying himself, then that's all that matters. In time, he might not even want to leave.
Seeing the team engrossed in a lively discussion, Kobayashi Tetsu casually asked, "What are you all working on?"
Naka Yuji replied, "President, we're developing a practice game to prepare for our upcoming arcade release. We were just discussing its title—we're tentatively calling it Double Dragon, with characters based on Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee."
As Naka Yuji continued, Kobayashi Tetsu suddenly froze like a startled gazelle.
No.
He wanted to ask Naka Yuji: I asked you to make a practice game, and you're making Double Dragon?!
"Double Dragon, huh," Kobayashi Tetsu said with a solemn nod. "That sounds great. Keep up the good work! If the quality is good enough, we can even release it officially—a joint production between Atlas and Capcom."
After Kobayashi Tetsu left, Naka Yuji spread his hands.
"See! I told you the president would agree."
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