Friday, October 24, 1992
Zaboru was deep in his usual grind at ZAGE HQ, pushing through the final touches for the October 26th release. Everything was nearly set, and his team was in full gear polishing the builds, preparing distribution, and wrapping up documentation.
The October release lineup was shaping up to be one of ZAGE's most ambitious yet. For ZEPS, players could look forward to three major titles: The Legend of Zelda II, a bold sequel introducing side-scrolling action and magic; Star Fox, ZAGE's first foray into on-rails pseudo 3d shooter gameplay featuring a squad of animal pilots in spacecrafts; and Harvest Moon, a serene and addictive farming simulation game offering a completely new kind of experience to the ZEPS library. Meanwhile, for ZGB, two groundbreaking titles would be making their debut: Metroid II: Return of Samus, bringing deep sci-fi exploration to the handheld; and Kirby's Dream Land, a whimsical platformer starring the adorable but powerful pink puffball, Kirby, in his very first adventure.
Then came a knock on his door Yugo.
Minutes later, the two were seated across from each other in a quiet meeting room. Yugo had that unmistakable spark in his eyes—a mix of pride, excitement, and something else. Determination.
Zaboru leaned back, curious. "So, Yugo, what brings you here?"
Yugo practically vibrated with energy. "Boss! I've decided to expand the world of Koro-Cool! New gameplay mechanics, deeper story, wild boss concepts—I've got it all!" He dropped a thick stack of papers on the table. "Here's the script and concept work."
Zaboru chuckled, flipping through the pages. Yugo had always been passionate about his chaotic little masterpiece, Koro-Cool. The original game had been a surprise hit, thanks to its unique tone and stylized action. Now Yugo wanted to take it to a new level.
"Alright, hit me. What's new with Korosi?" Zaboru asked, eyes scanning the pages.
Yugo clapped his hands together. "Chainsaws. All chainsaws. In this new iteration, Korosi is restricted exclusively to using chainsaw prosthetics—his former arsenal of diverse weaponry has been entirely replaced. This shift marks a dramatic turn in both gameplay and tone, reflecting his new battle against hellish demons instead of the alien forces from earlier titles. The visceral brutality of his chainsaw attacks is a direct extension of his transformation, embodying the chaos and carnage of his new world. A major demon tries to corrupt him by injecting demonic cells into his body—but Korosi, because of his sheer willpower, resists full transformation. He becomes a hybrid: half-man, half-demon, fully capable of summoning chainsaws from anywhere on his body! Even his head!"
Zaboru raised an eyebrow as he looked at the simple character sketch. It was strikingly familiar. The chainsaw sprouting from the head, the jagged smile, the brutal aesthetic... it bore a strong resemblance to Chainsaw Man from his previous world.
Yugo continued without noticing Zaboru's moment of internal recognition. "He's still got his hoodie, i don't want to change it . I wanted him to look like a modern urban myth."
"This is... actually impressive," Zaboru said, nodding. "We could definitely expand this further. Have you considered designing other demons? Either rivals or allies for Korosi?"
Yugo lit up. "I have! But I'm struggling to design ones that match the intensity of Korosi Chainsaw. I want them to be unique, not just generic monsters."
"Then we'll brainstorm together," Zaboru said. "Let's treat this as a long-term project. Something we build up carefully and unleash when the time is right. We'll make this sequel the real deal."
Yugo's eyes sparkled. "Yes, Boss! I'm all in. Thank you so much, Boss-sama!"
Zaboru laughed. "And about the name... 'Korosi Chainsaw' is a bit of a mouthful, don't you think?"
Yugo tilted his head. "Then maybe... Koro-chan?"
Zaboru winced. "Absolutely not. That sounds like a mascot, not a demon-slaying hybrid. How about... Chainsaw-Man?"
Yugo's jaw dropped. "WHOA! Boss-sama! That's perfect! Simple, bold, and iconic—like an American superhero! Why didn't I think of that?!"
Zaboru smirked. Deep down, he knew the name carried a legacy from his past world, but in this reality, it would belong to Yugo's vision. And the best part? It was authentic. Yugo had arrived at the idea all on his own, shaped by the world Zaboru had helped build he give Yugo little bit ideas overall its his own idea.
As Yugo gushed about gameplay mechanics—finishing moves, heat systems, demon upgrades, and environmental carnage—Zaboru quietly flipped back through the sketches and documents.
'He's got the spark,' Zaboru thought. 'And now he's starting to catch fire.'
Even though it wasn't an exact replica, Zaboru was genuinely stunned by how closely Yugo had managed to channel the spirit of Chainsaw Man. 'Sure, I dropped a few ideas his way,' Zaboru thought, 'but this... this is all him. And it's damn impressive.'
The meeting wrapped up with renewed enthusiasm, and both men returned to their work with fresh energy.
Zaboru then leaned back, fingers steepled beneath his chin as a faint smile curved across his lips. 'Is it coincidence anymore, or am I just laying the foundation for echoes of my past world to rise on their own?' he mused. The idea of shaping this world not by force, but by inspiration, made his pulse quicken. Maybe it wasn't about recreating everything exactly—it was about seeding ideas, nurturing them, and watching others run with the torch. The thought both humbled and thrilled him. 'Interesting indeed,' he whispered to himself, a quiet fire burning in his chest.
And with that Chainsaw-Man had begun its first swing.
to be continue