Chapter 8: MinTendo, the Toy Company
A few days after the Family's launch event, I was preparing to board the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto. Inside my hefty bag, there were several types of game & watches.
"Still got about 30 minutes left..."
Stomach growling... I skipped breakfast to catch the train on time. Back in 2015, skipping breakfast was a daily routine due to the rush hour commute. But ever since I arrived here, I've been habitually enjoying the full hotel breakfast. To others, living in a hotel for over a month might seem like a luxury, but now it was 1983. The cost of living had significantly dropped, and even the 4-star hotel I was staying in was cheaper per night compared to a motel room in 2015.
"But I should start looking for a place once I get to Kyoto. But it feels like a hassle to leave the hotel..."
I had already made a reservation for a hotel in Kyoto, so I was strolling through Tokyo Station with a contented feeling. That's when a delicious aroma wafted into my nose. Turning my head, I saw a row of restaurants selling bento boxes.
"Oh right, you can eat bento on the Shinkansen. Great! I should get one during the remaining time."
With my decision made, I slowly walked toward the restaurant area. Japan, in the midst of transitioning from the economic boom of the 60s and 70s to the end of the bubble era, was filled with bustling people. They took pride in being the world's second-largest economy, but to me, Japan was just a nation that had caused turmoil on a global scale. Especially, I couldn't stand the constant complaints about the Hiroshima atomic bombing every time the news aired. In 2011, there was even the Fukushima nuclear disaster... Japan really seemed to have a deep connection with radiation. I might just get used to it.
"Welcome, what kind of bento would you like?"
"What's the most popular one here?"
"Our shrimp and chicken bentos are the best sellers."
Shrimp and chicken... the popularity of Chiku-nii (Chicken-kun) remained undiminished in the 1980s. I handed a 300 yen coin to the friendly lady and ordered the chicken bento. Then, a middle-aged man behind me spoke to the lady.
"I'll have a chicken bento too, please."
"Oh, I'm sorry, but the chicken bento was just bought by this gentleman. It'll take a moment to make another one."
"How long will it take?"
"About 10 minutes. Is that okay?"
The man, a bit flustered, started tapping his wristwatch. Oh? Could it be...
"Well, my train time is getting tight..."
Was this chicken bento place so famous? But more than that, I was curious about the man in front of me. I expected to meet him on the Shinkansen, not here. What an unexpected coincidence.
"If it's alright with you, I can give you mine."
"Huh? Oh... no, you don't have to."
"It's okay. I was hesitating between shrimp and chicken anyway, so please give the chicken bento to this gentleman."
"Oh, thank you for your generosity. Sir, our shrimp bento is really delicious too. As a service, I'll add an extra shrimp for you."
"Thank you."
In the end, we both paid for our bentos in a mutually beneficial way.
"Oh, thank you for your kindness."
The man nodded slightly and hurried to the Shinkansen boarding area. Come to think of it, I was also running out of time, right? I need to hurry too!! Moments later, I arrived at the Shinkansen platform.
"A-17, A-17. Here it is."
After checking my boarding car, I boarded the train, calming my slightly nervous heart. The business class offered a comfortable 3.5-hour journey to Kyoto, with its clean and organized interior. As I approached my seat, I saw a familiar face in the window seat.
"Hey, mind if I sit here?"
"Oh, sure... Huh!?"
"Hello again. Nice to see you."
The man offering me the seat was Mr. Nisekoi Gunpei, the father of the handheld gaming device Game & Watch and the creator of Game Boy, who had led Nintendo's portable gaming empire until 2015. I gave him a slight nod of thanks and took the seat beside him.
In reality, this entire encounter was part of my plan. After pinpointing Gunpei's location with a Game & Watch from the future, I had requested the adjacent seat at the ticket counter. Meeting at the bento shop earlier was indeed a pleasant coincidence, and the first meeting with him didn't seem too bad.
"I appreciate the bento shop earlier."
Offering thanks several times for a single favor was a very Japanese thing to do. Soon, the train departed, and we were leisurely eating our bentos, occasionally nodding to each other when our eyes met.
Every time I took a bite, I had to restrain myself from offering thanks with a nod again. After enjoying a snack with a vending machine-bought green tea, I decided to execute my plan, as I had nothing else to do.
That plan involved taking out my Game & Watch from my bag. The first game I retrieved was BALL. Seeing me pull out the game console, Gunpei, the creator of Game & Watch, looked at it with a satisfied smile. I guess he must be pleased to see the game console he had created being enjoyed by people nationwide.
Ding. Ding. As the little ball on the screen bounced back and forth, a soft beeping echoed in the cabin.
"I'm sorry if it's noisy."
I quickly lowered the volume and apologized to Gunpei.
"No, it's okay. You can keep playing."
As he was playing a game he had created, Gunpei wore a contented smile and looked at me. However, I decided to express some complaints about Game & Watch to him.
"If you were going to make it portable, it would have been nice to include an earphone jack, don't you think?"
"Huh? Oh, you're right. It does seem like an earphone jack would be necessary if you wanted to enjoy sound in public places."
"Exactly. Even though it's a game meant to be enjoyed on the screen, sound is still important."
Gunpei nodded in agreement with my complaint and took out a small notebook, jotting something down.
"By the way, is there anything else about the device that bothers you?"
"So many things."
"S-so many things?"
"Well, first of all, the device itself is inefficient and impractical."
"What?"
Gunpei's expression crumpled in surprise as he gazed at me.
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