acquires.

January 16.

Rachel resumed her methodical work on what she had to do and what she shouldn't, jotting down notes. She deeply hated long trips and hours and hours of irresponsible travel. She walked with a specific purpose toward Gaimax, a Japanese animation studio founded in 1980 by four university students. Despite the great series produced, art was the only place where the owners were dedicated to creating a studio based on different styles. However, they desired two main parts: seinen (suspense stories) and action, mecha, and of course, great stories. Hideaki Anno, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Hiroyuki Yamanga, and Tajami Akai were among them, with Hideaki being the most involved in production. After many animators (mangakas) left in 1992 and many of the founders entered the depression, the studio was sold fairly quickly.

-Focus, Rachel. The sale is closed; you don't have to worry, - Rachel muttered to herself.

-Next, I'll have some conversations with some Madhouse founders who don't want to be interviewed due to the pending animation world. It's about injecting capital into a few series. According to statistics, 65% of animation studios go bankrupt, and 85% go bankrupt at some point but recover, - Rachel commented.

Then, Olm Inc. also wanted to be under an American shelter. However, this studio agreed under a series of conditions proposed by four partners who decided to sell, and they agreed to follow the mandate of the one who was not willing to leave: Shoji Ota. But everything would be backed by incredible animation teams.

-You have to do everything the director proposed, - Rachel commented.

-I'm glad to see you, Miss Rachel. I'm Tomashi from Negotiations Ltd. We are responsible for handling the agreement, - Tomashi said with a slight bow.

-You speak English very well. I'm Rachel Sanders, Chief Operating Officer of Lux Animation. Thank you very much for your efforts over the past month, - Rachel said with a slight bow.

-Oh, Miss Rachel, you're very kind. Allow me to take you myself; you'll stay at my house, - Tomashi said solemnly.

When a Japanese person invites someone to their home for business reasons, it's usually a gesture of courtesy and trust. In Japanese culture, inviting someone to one's home is considered a sign of closeness and respect towards the guest. This can indicate that the business relationship is progressing positively and that a more personal relationship is being built between the parties involved. Additionally, it can be an opportunity to discuss business matters in a more informal and relaxed manner, which can strengthen professional bonds and improve communication between the parties. It's important to follow Japanese customs and etiquette during the visit to demonstrate respect and appreciation for the hospitality offered.

-I'm surprised by the invitation, Mr. Tomashi. I don't know what to say, but I deeply appreciate it, - Rachel commented. Negotiations Ltd. connects people to make purchases. They've been present on three occasions: first for toy factories in Thailand and Malaysia, second for the Japanese market and comics, and lastly, for the purchase of animation studios. All three times, these relationships, now mediated by Negotiations Ltd., had an American adverbial presence to sympathize with the culture.

They quietly left the airport. A small gray car awaited them with a lady who greeted Rachel cordially in broken English.

-My wife, Miss Rachel, - Tomashi said with a smile.

-It's a pleasure, ma'am, - Rachel said, amazed by everything she saw. Different but similar to the big cities, there was beauty in the view of these cities.

-Don't worry; we'll have a meeting tomorrow with the contract already signed. We use an agreement in English to prevent misunderstandings, and another in Japanese; however, both documents are identical. You can expect that much of the progress made by my company is done to help negotiations. Links with universities have been provided, and we have arranged several solutions, as we discussed in previous conversations, - Tomashi commented.

-Thank you, Tomashi, - Rachel whispered, still lost in her thoughts.

***

Steve Parks, enjoying good health, found relief in cooler climates. The warmth often made him uncomfortable, but the city of New York's Eastern side blessed him with its cooler temperatures.

His destination now diverted to Rhode Island, where he had only one goal: to negotiate the Transformers franchise with Hasbro. Acquiring the rights to Transformers was a revelation, as there were many series Billy wished to obtain.

Entering a restaurant, he ordered a glass of water and poured a small glass of whiskey into it. The deep flavor left a lingering taste, accompanied by chewing gum. Hasbro arrived promptly, three men in sharply tailored suits, elegantly described as "vampires" seeking to extract all they could from the negotiations.

-Mr. Parks. Antony Dallas. I'll be leading the negotiations, along with my accountant, Steve Starlin, and advisor, Jim Hangurberg, - said Mr. Dallas, a striking figure with black eyes, long hair styled with gel, and a red vest.

-Gentlemen, a pleasure to meet you, - commented Steve Parks.

-We have half an hour. Let's get straight to the point: $25 million for the Transformers franchise, provided you grant us an exclusive license with your creations for 20 years, - Antony Dallas stated. Generous? Not really. They were merely following suit with the company that had surpassed Marvel and begun selling Star Wars comics. Why couldn't they sell the Hasbro series?

-I like your style. I want you to see some data on the franchises we've created in recent days. Prepare to be surprised. Once again, I'm astonished by the results, but for a small company, this is our achievement, - Steve Parks remarked.

The toy sales statistics from Pixar movies, after many deals, tax payments, and naturalization letters—the profits were staggering, comparable to those of major companies for just one franchise.

-You don't achieve all that by counting sheep. We're facing the greatest animator of the contemporary era. Rumors suggest that Billy Carson is the next Walt Disney. Hollywood companies are stunned; they strike from the shadows but don't attack because they know the young talent is the pinnacle of now. Let's negotiate. I have a third option: $10 million, exclusive license for Power Rangers, Transformers, and Evangelion toys in cartoon form, provided we earn a 15% cut of toy sales. Billy Carson will support the creative process, and let's strengthen our relationships. We keep our cards close to our chests, but these series will provide an outlet they won't forget,-Steve Parks proposed.

Transformers would yield returns 10,000 times greater than the $10 million investment, but Steve Parks was unaware.

"12%."

"14%."

"13%."

"13.5%."

-Very well, we'll do it. But I want more than just a licensing relationship. You work on other involvements; we want to be part of some other companies, - the Hasbro director commented.

Steve Parks smiled and said softly, -That can be negotiated. -

Statistically, until 1995, the Transformers franchise hadn't generated more than $100 million in its 20 years of existence. In other words, it averaged a profit of $5 million per year, not factoring in advertising, shipping, and creation costs.

...