KiShin's downfall?

[Tokyo]

Many young people flocked to stores and malls in Tokyo to purchase Tora's two new video games. However, some youngsters, aged 11 or 10 and below, were disappointed to discover that they weren't allowed to buy Tora's latest releases.

A determined 10-year-old boy confronted the salesman, saying, "What's the matter? I wanted to buy these video games. Why won't you let me?"

The salesman appeared quite helpless as he responded, "I sincerely apologize, but the 'Rampage Tengu' video game is rated B..."

The boy snorted in frustration and hurriedly retorted, "Rated what? This is nonsense! I just wanted to buy the video games I saw on TV!"

Once again, the salesman shook his head in helplessness and explained, "I'm truly sorry, kid. Rated B means it's only suitable for ages 12 and up," addressing the elementary student.

The elementary boy expressed his frustration with a disdainful snort and remarked, "Tsk. If you don't want to sell, that's fine! I can just go to Suzuki, or even better, KiShin." With a dismissive huff, he turned and walked away.

Similar situations were unfolding in stores and malls across Tokyo. Many desired to purchase 'Dramatic Mahjong,' but young individuals under the age of 15 were barred from doing so. These restrictions left numerous Tora customers disheartened, and they vented their frustration by cursing Tora for its strict policies.

However, those who understood why Tora implemented these rules recognized that the company had little choice but to enforce them due to the sensitivity of their content.

Upon witnessing this, Suzuki fans breathed a sigh of relief, believing that Tora's video games wouldn't pose much competition. Suzuki seemed poised to maintain its dominance, especially since KiShin had been silent for weeks, releasing only a handful of independent video games.

The Suzuki fans appeared to be correct, as Tora's new video games sales numbered only three to seven thousand, falling far short and not even reaching the daily sales of the dwindling 'Happy' video game.

Meanwhile, a young man named Uehara Hiro had just purchased Tora's two new video games. He eagerly inserted the video game called 'Dramatic Mahjong.'

The gameplay revolved around gambling, with players engaging in Mahjong on a game board with tiles. The effects were noticeably exaggerated; comic-style text would appear when Hiro completed certain actions, and dramatic text would exclaim 'Tsumo!'

Hiro played for a while but quickly grew bored. Gambling wasn't his forte, and he lacked knowledge of the rules. He was simply testing the gameplay for fun, but it failed to captivate him.

So, he halted the video game and removed it from the cartridge slot, replacing it with 'Rampage Tengu.' The Tora 16 Bit console and the game both booted up. The screen displayed the imposing red Tengu's face, and Hiro was pleasantly surprised to find that the graphics had improved.

As he began the game, a peculiar sound theme played, and his in-game character transformed into the formidable face of the Tengu with its elongated nose, shooting fireballs in all directions. While the gameplay still bore some resemblance to KiShin Super Mario Bros., this video game possessed a unique charm.

Hordes of tiny enemies swarmed the massive, flying face of the Tengu with its long nose, but Hiro skillfully evaded them or relentlessly attacked. To be honest, the gameplay lacked the complexity of Super Mario Bros. or The Legend of Zelda—it was sheer chaos and mindless combat against the imposing red-faced Tengu.

Whether in cityscapes or underwater settings, the Tengu relentlessly attacked tiny fish without a hint of concern.

"This is such a simple video game... But..." Hiro remarked thoughtfully as he continued to play, adding with a smile, "It's oddly satisfying..."

Indeed, rather than growing frustrated, Hiro found the video game to be a stress reliever. High school had brought its fair share of stress, and this game served as his much-needed escape.

---

The initial and subsequent sales of Tora's two new video games were disappointing, to say the least. Within just a few days, Suzuki™ Entertainment even took a jab at Tora in their advertisements.

With the narrator proclaiming, "Our video games are nothing like Tora-san's!"

Tora-san or 寅さん, a reference to a Japanese comedian, was used as a playful mockery.

When people in the Kanto Region saw and heard this advertisement, they couldn't help but chuckle and let out faint laughter.

President Taro Ikeda, on the other hand, clenched his lips in frustration upon witnessing the ad.

However, just when Suzuki and its fans believed that Tora's two new video games were destined to flop, something remarkable happened. In a matter of days, although initially selling only a few thousand copies with a slight uptick in recent days, Tora's video game, 'Rampage Tengu,' suddenly surged in sales, even surpassing the sales of some Suzuki video games.

What's more, some adults who had developed an interest in video games also joined the fray, opting to play gambling games by purchasing Tora's new video games. Given Japan's penchant for gambling, this trend took hold.

These sudden turn of events left Suzuki and its fans utterly speechless. While KiShin remained the market leader, the spotlight in the Kanto Region was gradually shifting towards its two competitors, Tora and Suzuki. Consequently, KiShin began to experience a gradual decline in sales.

Fortunately, KiShin was steadily expanding its presence throughout Japan. Starting in the Kyushu Region, the company gradually extended its reach to include Hokkaido, Tohoku, Chubu, Kyushu, and even Okinawa, thanks to the assistance of the Yamauchi-gumi. These expansions contributed to KiShin's net worth soaring into the tens of billions, reaching a total of 48 billion yen.

KiShin's strategic focus on other significant regions in Japan was likely the reason why the Kanto Region had started shifting its attention to emerging competitors, thanks to their new video game releases.

Many loyal KiShin fans began to feel concerned. While KiShin did release some independent video games, they fell short of the quality of KiShin's original creations. There was growing anxiety that KiShin might be losing its initial creativity and relying too heavily on independent games, a sentiment shared by many Tora and Suzuki fans.

Speculations were rife about the potential downfall of the king who hadn't even reigned for a year.

As of mid-November, there was still no word from KiShin, leaving people in the dark. Some higher-ups at Suzuki™ Entertainment were already assuming they would dominate the video game market. To them, KiShin seemed like a lost cause.

However, they couldn't have been more mistaken, as KiShin was gearing up to release a slew of exciting video games simultaneously in early December.

[For those interes ted in the gameplay of 'Rampage Tengu,' search for 'Aburenrou Tengu.']

[Damn it, I didn't expect this novel to reach the top 5. Thank you for the support.]