Friday 5 December 1999.
Hiroshi Kiyomasa was already living the routine of a corporate worker. His adult life was normal in the most exhausting way: go to work, come home tired, repeat. The days blurred together, and sometimes he felt like the week ended before it even started.
But his life wasn't completely dull, because he still had video games. Hiroshi had been a game fan since the ZEPS 1 era, the kind of kid who saved allowance money, reread magazine previews until the paper softened, and stayed up late even when he knew he would regret it the next morning. That love never went away, even after college, even after the shift into real work, even after the world started demanding more from him.
Now, as an adult with his own salary, he had everything he once dreamed of owning. The new ZEPS 3 from ZAGE sat proudly in his room. He also had a Sonaya Game Station, a Reborn 16 in ZUSUGA, and even a PC setup for gaming when he wanted something different. He wasn't just someone who played games sometimes. He was the kind of gamer who kept up with releases, compared versions, and still got excited by a good announcement trailer.
But there was still one console that felt truly special to him: the ZEPS 2. Right now, just seeing it sitting there made him smile. "Hehehe… hello, man."
It wasn't only nostalgia for old games. The ZEPS 2 was tied to the peak of his life. When it first released, Hiroshi was in college, energetic, confident, and somehow always surrounded by time. He had a great part-time job that didn't crush his spirit, classes that felt like a challenge instead of a prison, and even a cute girlfriend who made weekends feel brighter. Back then, a Friday night wasn't just the end of work, it was the beginning of something. He could play until morning, crash for a few hours, then wake up and do it all again without feeling like his body was asking for mercy.
Then adulthood happened. Real work happened. Bills, deadlines, tired eyes, and the kind of responsibilities that don't care if you're in the mood. And just like that, the world got heavier. The days got faster, the weekends got shorter, and the version of him who stayed up laughing with a controller in his hands started to feel like a memory.
But his love for the ZEPS 2 never disappeared.
He rubbed a thumb along the console like it was an old friend, then glanced toward the shelf where the cartridges were lined up. Tonight, he wanted something familiar. Something warm. A ZEPS 2 game to start his weekend right. Donkey Kong Country sounded perfect, but Sonic 3 and Knuckles was tempting too, the kind of game that made you sit up straight the moment the first notes hit.
He had just come back from the office, and the weekend was finally here. He felt that quiet spark of excitement in his chest, not wild hype, not childish screaming, just the calm happiness of knowing he had time again. Even if it was only a normal kind of excitement, it was still his.
So he sat in his room, cracked open a can of soda, and turned on the TV first, letting the cold fizz settle his nerves after a long week. He flipped through a couple of channels out of habit, but his eyes kept drifting back to the clock.
Then he remembered. "Ah, there's a ZAGE announcement tonight. Let's watch that first, then I'll start the gaming marathon."
Hiroshi laughed to himself, the quiet kind of laugh you only make when you're alone, and sank deeper into the couch. The cushions swallowed his shoulders. The room felt warm, the TV glow filling the corners, and for the first time all week he felt like time was finally on his side.
A short jingle hit, crisp and familiar. The ZAGE logo flashed onto the screen with the announcer's booming voice.
"ZAA-GEE!"
Hiroshi straightened a little, soda still in hand.
The screen shifted, and Zaboru appeared in a black suit, standing with the kind of calm confidence that made the camera feel like it belonged to him. What caught Hiroshi's attention immediately was the hair. It wasn't blue anymore. Unlike the Digital World Showcase a couple of weeks ago, Zaboru's hair was back to its natural color, and the change made him look more serious, more grounded—less like a performer and more like a man about to deliver news that mattered.
Zaboru turned slightly toward the screen beside him. One by one, the 3D mascots of ZAGE appeared near his shoulder like silent guests on stage: Sonic, SpongeBob, Mario, Kirby, and Donkey Kong. They didn't talk, but their presence alone made the announcement feel heavier, like even the company's brightest faces had come to say goodbye.
The background music wasn't the usual fun theme ZAGE used for hype reveals. It carried a melancholy tone, soft and slow, the kind that made the room feel quieter even through a television speaker. Zaboru took a few steps, letting the camera follow him, then faced forward again.
"ZGB released in 1992," he said, voice steady. "And ZEPS 2 released in 1994. That means they're already seven years old and five years old. And… they've been a blast."
As he spoke, the screen shifted into a montage. ZGB gameplay flashed by in quick, warm clips, then ZEPS 2 followed with brighter colors, sharper action, and those familiar menus that instantly pulled at the heart. It wasn't just random footage either. The montage felt curated, like a memory album: title screens, iconic stages, victory poses, quick moments of chaos and laughter.
Hiroshi felt his chest tighten in a way he didn't expect. Seeing those games again, framed like history instead of entertainment, made the nostalgia hit harder. He smiled without thinking, and for a second he could almost smell the old plastic of cartridges and hear the late-night clicks of a controller. Zaboru let the montage breathe for a moment before continuing.
"But every meeting has an end," Zaboru said, and the melancholy music underneath him seemed to sink even lower. "So with a heavy heart, I have to announce that ZGB and ZEPS 2 will end their service, and we will stop production."
Hiroshi's eyes widened. His throat tightened before he could stop it, and for a second his vision blurred like he'd stared too long at a bright screen. He even teared up a little, embarrassed at how fast the emotion hit. But he understood. It was inevitable. Consoles didn't live forever, and technology didn't wait for anyone, not even a machine that felt like a piece of your youth.
Zaboru didn't rush the moment. He let the words settle, then continued in a calmer voice.
"Both ZGB and ZEPS 2 are important devices for ZAGE. Without them, we would never have grown into what we are today. And we know they have a special place in your hearts."
The camera framed him tighter, the mascots still standing there like quiet witnesses.
"So we won't let this farewell be just a farewell," Zaboru said. "We want to give you one last dance."
Hiroshi swallowed, leaning forward without realizing it.
"A total of seventeen games," Zaboru announced, and now the tone shifted slightly, from sadness into celebration. "Six for ZGB, and eleven for ZEPS 2. These are our final gifts for the systems that carried us. And for everyone who carried them."
He lifted his hand toward the screen beside him, like he was opening a curtain.
"And what are those games?" Zaboru's mouth curled into a small smile, the kind that tried to soften the goodbye. "Enjoy this."
Then the gameplay began, and the list of ZGB and ZEPS 2 farewell titles flashed onto the screen like a final festival, turning the announcement from an ending into a promise that the goodbye would be worth remembering.
For ZGB, the trailer listed six titles, and Hiroshi's smile widened as each logo popped onto the screen like a gift tag being tied: Pokemon Puzzle Challenge, Megaman Xtreme, Rayman, Donkey Kong Country, Mario Golf, and Kirby Tilt 'n Tumble. It wasn't just a solid lineup, it was a lineup with personality. Puzzle for calm nights, action for adrenaline, platforming for pure nostalgia, even golf for the kind of weekend mood that felt oddly perfect. Kirby Tilt 'n Tumble caught Hiroshi's eye the most, because it looked genuinely unique and fun, the kind of game you buy out of curiosity and then end up loving.
Then the montage shifted, and the ZEPS 2 list hit like a bigger wave. Eleven titles, one after another, fast enough to make your heart race but clear enough that Hiroshi could read every name. Rocket Knight Adventure, Pilotwings, X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, Secret of Mana, Mario Paint, Metal Warriors, Kirby Dream Course, Earthworm Jim 2, Zombies Ate My Neighbours, Breath of Fire 2, and the most unexpected one of all, Choujin Sentai Z-man 2. Seeing that last title made him blink hard, then laugh under his breath, because it felt unreal. A sequel to a game that used to be talked about like a legend.
Hiroshi couldn't hide his excitement. Just seeing the list made his weekend plans rewrite themselves in real time. The titles looked strong, varied, and carefully chosen, like ZAGE wasn't just dumping leftovers, but curating a final celebration for both systems. Before the montage even finished, he was already doing the math in his head, already imagining the stack of boxes on his shelf.
And then his eyes locked onto the name that hit him the hardest: Choujin Sentai Z-man 2.
He blinked, then leaned closer to the TV like the letters might change if he looked away. A sequel. A real sequel, after all these years. Z-man had been one of ZAGE's best games on ZEPS 1, the kind of title people talked about with that special tone, half nostalgia and half respect. Ever since, fans had been begging Zaboru for a continuation. Hiroshi had seen it everywhere, in magazines, in forums, in casual conversations at game shops: "When is Z-man coming back?"
And now it was here.
Not as a rumor. Not as a vague promise. Right there, in the farewell lineup for ZEPS 2, like ZAGE was saying goodbye with a grin and one last surprise.
Hiroshi exhaled a laugh, equal parts happy and shocked. "It's deserved," he muttered, still staring at the screen. "Finally."
Then, after the showcase ended, Zaboru appeared again on screen with the same calm smile, like he'd saved one more surprise for the end.
"That will be it," he said. "And now, about the farewell packs. The ZEPS 2 farewell set will be 45.000 yen. The ZGB set will be 20.000 yen for six games. And if you buy both together, it will be 60.000 yen." He paused just long enough to let the number land, then finished, "This will be released on 20 December."
Hiroshi's eyes widened so fast he almost choked on his own breath. "So cheap?"
Sixty thousand yen for seventeen games was a ridiculous deal. A single title usually cost around 4.000 to 5.000 yen on its own, and ZAGE knew that. Everyone knew that. Which meant this wasn't a normal product announcement, it was a deliberate final gift. A last chance for old fans to complete their collections, and a perfect excuse for newer players to jump backward into the libraries they missed.
Hiroshi could already picture the store shelves. Limited stock. Long lines. People rushing before it sold out, not only because of the price, but because the packs felt like history you could still buy with your own hands.
Zaboru looked back into the camera, his expression gentle, almost grateful in a way that felt unusually personal for a company announcement. The lights behind him softened, and for a moment the stage didn't feel like a set. It felt like a quiet room where someone was saying goodbye to an old friend.
"We're grateful," he said, voice steady, "to ZEPS 2 and ZGB." He paused, letting the words breathe, then his mouth curled into that familiar half-smile. "And… just buy it, okay?"
It was his signature line, delivered like a joke and a command at the same time, the kind of phrase that somehow made the sadness easier to swallow. The mascots on screen seemed to frame it like a final wink, standing around him like a small circle of memories.
Zaboru's gaze stayed on the lens for one more beat, as if he was looking directly at every player watching from a living room. Then he bowed his head, slow and respectful. The characters beside him bowed as well, one after another, like a silent salute to the systems that carried so many weekends and so many childhoods.
When they rose, they waved their hands to the camera, not in a loud, cheerful way, but in a warm, lingering way, like they didn't want to leave the screen too quickly. The melancholic theme played on, soft and steady, and the broadcast began to fade out. The stage lights dimmed, the mascots blurred into the background, and the ZAGE logo lingered for a final second before disappearing.
Only the last notes of the music remained, hanging in the air like the end of a song you don't want to finish.
Hiroshi sat there for a second, stunned, like he'd just watched the end of an era happen in real time. Then the excitement rushed in and pushed the sadness aside.
"Heh! It's a farewell, but there are so many new games!" he blurted out, almost laughing. "And for that price? I have to get it!"
He was already imagining the purchase: two farewell packs, seventeen games, and the feeling of carrying a piece of his past forward before it disappeared from shelves. He could picture himself sliding those cartridges in one by one, replaying old favorites, discovering new ones, and reliving the kind of weekend nights he thought adulthood had stolen.
And he wasn't alone. Across Japan, other players watching the same broadcast were doing the same math, feeling the same sting of goodbye mixed with the thrill of a final celebration. For ZGB and ZEPS 2, it wasn't just an ending.
It was one last dance—and everyone wanted a ticket.
To be continue
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