Revised Law

[Tora Headquarters]

It had been a few hours since the release of their new game, and the programmers were eagerly awaiting their raise. They were somewhat confident that their game would succeed, thanks to its realistic yet dark storyline, which set it apart from the usual fantasy and childish narratives.

All they could do was wait for the sales results, and when those arrived, they were not disappointed. In just a single day, they were summoned to a department meeting where they learned that the video game had surpassed the daily sales of their other, less polished games, except for 'Happy'.

The sales for their video game had reached at least 15 thousand units on that day. Although it fell short of the estimated sales for 'The Legend of Zelda,' which averaged between 20 to 30 thousand daily sales.

The game development team at Tora celebrated at the Karaoke, and the higher-ups allowed them this moment of joy.

The developers became complacent and enjoyed their day, but when the sales report for their new video game arrived on the second day, they were about to meet with the displeased faces of the higher-ups, especially President Taro Ikeda.

The game developers were summoned to a company meeting, and they entered the meeting room with anticipation, hoping to see the sales of their video game grow once more. However, reality turned out to be the opposite of their expectations.

Upon entering the room, they could immediately sense the somber atmosphere prevailing within.

Nervousness gripped the game developers as they spotted the familiar, stern countenance of the company's president, Taro Ikeda.

"All of you are here..." Taro said with a serious and solemn tone.

The game developers responded with formal and anxious bows.

"Since you're all here, I must inform you that our new video game, 'Odyssey of Neren Rage,' has experienced a significant decline in sales..." stated one of the executives solemnly.

The game developers lowered their heads slightly. Though they had braced themselves for bad news, the phrase 'significant declined' hit them harder than expected, casting a negative surprise over the room.

While they had initially anticipated an outburst from President Taro Ikeda, he remained remarkably silent, leaving the game developers to grapple with their uneasy feelings, interpreting his silence as one of disappointment.

Indeed, the game developers were correct in their assessment; Taro Ikeda was disappointed, but what lay ahead for them was worse than they had imagined.

"The sales of 'Odyssey of Neren Rage,' which initially sold 15 thousand copies on the first day, declined to 7 thousand sales on the second day," Taro Ikeda said in a calm tone.

This revelation surprised the game developers, particularly given the tranquil demeanor of the usually stern company president, Taro Ikeda.

Based on their past experiences, they had expected him to be furious, venting his anger at their underperformance compared to KiShin's game developers and programmers.

Suddenly, the adage "the calm before the storm" sprang to mind, and a premonition of impending trouble sent shivers down their spines.

Their instincts and apprehensions were soon confirmed as Taro Ikeda continued speaking, this time with a serious and solemn tone, "I don't really care that much about the decline in sales; we're still making a profit, even if it's just a small one. Profit is profit."

The creative director, Goda Mitsuhi, began to speak, "Then-" but Taro Ikeda interrupted him, saying, "I'm not finished yet..."

Goda Mitsuhi nodded and fell silent.

Taro Ikeda ensured that everyone was attentive and then pressed on, "Who is the narrative designer of 'Odyssey of Neren Rage'?"

The game developers turned their attention toward a young man in a formal suit. He promptly raised his hand and stated, "That would be me, sir. I'm the narrative designer for 'Odyssey of Neren Rage'."

Taro Ikeda nodded and asked solemnly, "What's your name?"

Nervously, the young man replied, "I'm Kinoshita Yoshi, sir," his hands fidgeting uneasily.

Taro Ikeda nodded and fell silent for a moment, and the room remained hushed as everyone awaited his next words.

"Do you have any idea of the trouble you've caused our company?" Taro Ikeda asked in a cold tone.

"W-what do you mean, sir?" Kinoshita Yoshi inquired nervously, and his colleagues shared his anxiety.

Taro Ikeda let out a chuckle and remarked, "Hehe, I forgot. You're not aware of the reason yet..." His grim laughter sent chills not only through the game development team but also among the other executives. Taro Ikeda laughed silently for a moment before continuing, "Let me pose a question to you... Do you know the history of our country?" He asked Kinoshita Yoshi calmly.

"W-which part of history, sir?" Yoshi asked with a trembling voice.

"1941," Taro Ikeda replied without hesitation.

"I... I can explain," Yoshi said, sounding confused and nervous.

Taro Ikeda simply nodded.

"That's when our country... began," Yoshi started, then abruptly stopped as if realizing something.

"It seems you've just realized it," Taro Ikeda said, chuckling once more.

The entire room was thrown into a deeper state of solemnity when Taro Ikeda suddenly revealed something that took everyone by surprise, saying, "Government officials warned us about our new video game, 'Odyssey of Neren Rage.' They hoped we would immediately cease its production..."

The game developers, particularly Kinoshita Yoshi, were left in shock.

The executives, who had been kept in the dark about this development, were equally stunned. "What does this mean?" one of them inquired.

The meeting room erupted into a cacophony of discussions.

Another executive voiced their disagreement, saying, "They can't do this! 'Odyssey of Neren Rage' doesn't violate any laws!"

"That's correct!"

"It's unjust!"

Taro Ikeda sighed and shook his head in response to the executives' opinions. "That's why our video game is still on the shelves. However, higher government officials insist that we take it down, citing concerns about its content being harmful to children and potentially detrimental to the country's image. It's the government we're dealing with, and our board of directors has also decided to comply. I'm just here to remind you."

But another executive argued, "Video games aren't covered by the 'Juvenile Protection Act,' so there's no legal basis for this!"

Taro Ikeda shook his head again. "No, it's futile even if it's not explicitly covered now. After our video game, the government decided to update the 'Juvenile Protection Act' and other laws to regulates to restrict video games and related products, so 'Odyssey of Neren Rage' will still be banned."

The executives slumped in their chairs, disheartened. "But we'll suffer significant losses..."

Taro Ikeda offered a helpless shrug. "There's no way around it..."

The Narrative Designer, Kinoshita Yoshi, knelt on the floor, bowing his head to his superiors. "Please forgive me! It's all my fault!!!"

Taro Ikeda and the other executives exchanged looks, shaking their heads with a sense of helplessness.

The damage and losses had already been incurred. Blaming individuals would only lead to frustration.

---

In various parts of Tokyo and throughout the Kanto Region, young people engaged in heated debates over who was superior between 'The Legend of Zelda' and 'Odyssey of Neren Rage.' However, there was hardly any competition, as 'Odyssey of Neren Rage' had only a handful of fans, and most regarded them as peculiar Tora enthusiasts.

Then, a bombshell news report emerged.

Numerous major broadcasting channels in Japan announced that Tora VG Production's latest game, 'Odyssey of Neren Rage,' would cease production and no longer be available for purchase.

Another critical report held immense significance for the future of the video game industry in Japan. This news was of utmost importance to pioneering companies such as KiShin and Tora.

The Japanese Government had revised the 'Juvenile Protection Act' and other laws to restrict video games, placing limits on content to safeguard minors and prevent video games from tarnishing the government's or the country's reputation, both domestically and internationally.

[The Juvenile Protection Act and several other laws had actually been in the pipeline for a few months in relation to video games. This was primarily due to the absence of existing legislation to regulate the burgeoning video game industry. Specifically, the provisions aimed at preventing damage to the government or the country were added as a direct response to the controversial Tora video game. The release of 'Odyssey of Neren Rage' served as a catalyst for the swift approval of these laws by both the National Diet of Japan and the Emperor, primarily because they were seen as crucial in safeguarding the country's image.]