128 Preparing to enter the Film Industry

[New York, USA]

The trial involving Universal Studios and KiShin extended until August 15, 1991, resulting in disappointment of KiShin's competitors. The court and the judge sided with KiShin, leading to the dismissal of Universal Studios' lawsuit against them.

Not only that, Universal Studios compensated KiShin for the damages it had caused, providing them with a substantial sum of at least 1.4 million USD. This outcome left KiShin's competitors, including Tora and Suzuki Brothers like Shiko and Seki, visibly disheartened.

Meanwhile, Orio Masayoshi expressed his gratitude to Joseph Kirby, and Shin himself traveled from Tokyo, Japan to New York, USA, to meet with Joseph Kirby in person.

---

[KiShin US Headquarters]

While Orio Masayoshi and Joseph Kirby were engaged in conversation, Orio's phone suddenly beeped. He answered it and realized it was his boss on the other end.

After a brief conversation, Orio nodded and discreetly placed his phone in his pocket. Turning to Joseph Kirby, he said, "If you'll excuse me, Mr. Kirby, I'll be back." Joseph Kirby acknowledged with a nod, and Orio exited the room.

As Orio stepped out of the building, he noticed a taxi pulling up in front of him. A person in a sharp black suit emerged from the taxi, and Orio recognized him as Shin.

Orio Masayoshi quickly approached Shin, and the two engaged in a conversation. After some discussion, they both decided to re-enter the building. A short while later, Shin and Orio Masayoshi joined the room where Joseph Kirby was present.

Upon seeing the foreign man, Shin identified him as Joseph Kirby, thanks to Orio Masayoshi's introduction.

Joseph Kirby rose from his seat as Shin approached with a warm smile. Shin extended his hand for a handshake and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Mr. Kirby, I truly appreciate your assistance in defending KiShin in court."

Joseph Kirby, though somewhat perplexed, extended his hand to greet Shin, and they shared a handshake, despite Joseph's lingering confusion.

Observing Joseph's confusion, Shin introduced himself, saying, "I'm Shinro Suzuki, the founder and owner of KiShin Company."

Joseph Kirby was taken aback by this revelation and offered a warm greeting, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Suzuki."

Shin smiled, and they both took their seats as they began their conversation.

After a while, Shin proposed with a smile, "Mr. Kirby, as a token of our gratitude, we're considering naming a video game after your family name, 'Kirby.' What do you think?"

Orio Masayoshi and Joseph Kirby were taken by surprise upon hearing this. Joseph Kirby, someone who had recently developed an interest in video games, exclaimed with excitement, "Really!?" His excitement surged as he envisioned a KiShin video game named after him.

Shin smiled and nodded in response. He explained, "Certainly, we've already developed the video game, and it's set to be simultaneously released in Japan and the United States. I'm simply asking if you're comfortable with having the game named after 'Kirby,' your family name." He paused and added, "Of course, we'll name it 'Kirby' only if you're willing."

Joseph Kirby eagerly nodded and enthusiastically replied, "Of course, I'd love to!" Why wouldn't he agree? Not only would he have a video game bearing his name, but it would also provide him with potential popularity – essentially, free promotion!

After seeing Joseph Kirby's agreement, Shin smiled and proceeded to share more details about the video game that was about to bear his name.

---

After some time had passed, Shin saw Joseph Kirby off, leaving him and Orio Masayoshi in the room. Shin then turned to Orio and asked, "Do you know of any struggling film studios here in the USA?"

Orio Masayoshi was taken aback by Shin's question but responded, "I do know one, Carolco Pictures. They're currently facing financial difficulties due to overspending on films that didn't perform well at the box office."

Shin was quite surprised and inquired further, "Isn't that the studio that produced some successful films?"

Orio Masayoshi nodded and clarified, "Yes, that's correct. Currently, there are even rumors circulating that they're considering selling their distribution arm to MCA or Universal Studio for a hundred million dollars, although it's only a rumor at this point."

Shin nodded thoughtfully and remarked, "I see..." As he spoke, his mind wandered to the idea of acquiring Carolco Pictures. He realized that acquiring the company wouldn't be as straightforward as obtaining an anime studio. Carolco Pictures was already a significant presence in Hollywood, with an extensive distribution network. To secure such a company, he'd likely need hundreds of millions of USD, which he couldn't afford to spend at the moment.

However, he considered the alternative of establishing a new film studio under KiShin's name to produce films. The challenge here was the absence of a distribution network in the film industry. To address this, he would likely need to partner with a larger studio to distribute the films created by his new company.

Shin turned to Orio Masayoshi and instructed, "Create a new company under KiShin's banner focused on the film industry."

Orio Masayoshi was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "You want to start a film studio?"

Shin nodded with a determined smile and explained, "This is our way of competing with Universal Studios. If they think it's over, they're mistaken. I'll establish a film studio to produce films and challenge them."

Orio Masayoshi was taken aback, and he expressed his uncertainty, saying, "But... We have no experience in film production! Attempting to retaliate with a medium we lack expertise in might result in financial losses."

Shin smiled and nodded, letting out a chuckle. He responded, "You're correct; we lack experience. However, we can recruit emerging talents to assist us in producing films."

Despite this suggestion, Orio Masayoshi remained unsure and added, "Even with that, we might not be able to compete with Universal Studios in the film industry."

Shin nodded with a confident smile and revealed, "You may be right, but I have a secret weapon I haven't disclosed yet." This secret weapon was the remarkable ability to recall his past life's memories. Shin couldn't explain why, but he retained vivid memories from his previous life. Some details remained forgotten, like the Kirby video game, but they often resurfaced in his mind. Even without the Universal Studios lawsuit, Shin knew that with time, he'd remember these details and reproduce them in this world for people to enjoy.

There were still numerous untouched and outstanding video games from his past life that he hadn't yet introduced to this world. When he did, it would undoubtedly bring joy and satisfaction to the emerging community of video game players in this world.