Wednesday 12 November 2000 USA.
Over the year 2000, ZAGE, together with Disney and Pixar, released a series of remarkable animated films, breaking record after record. In this single year alone, they managed to release a total of five major movies—an achievement that shocked the entire film industry.
From Disney, they released Finding Nemo and Ice Age, both of which quickly captured massive audiences with their charm, storytelling, and emotional depth. Meanwhile, from Pixar, they released Toy Story 2, Monster Inc., and The Incredibles. Each of these films not only performed extremely well at the box office but also pushed the boundaries of animated storytelling and visual presentation.
Among them, the most recent release was The Incredibles, which came out just last month. The film was still dominating discussions, with audiences praising its unique take on superhero family life, blending action, humor, and emotional storytelling in a way that felt fresh and innovative.
The movie world was completely shocked by the release of these five outstanding animated films happening within such a short span of time—something that was almost unheard of in the industry. It wasn't just the quantity that surprised people, but the consistent quality across all of them. Because of this unprecedented achievement, both Walt Disney and Edwin Catmull, as the leading figures behind Disney and Pixar, were invited to appear on one of the most popular talk shows at the time—The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as the host.
The public wanted answers. How was this even possible? What had changed behind the scenes to allow such a surge in creativity and success? Naturally, the spotlight quickly extended beyond Disney and Pixar themselves. Since ZAGE played a major role behind both studios, Zaboru was also invited to join the interview.
At first, Zaboru rejected the invitation without much thought. Public appearances like this weren't something he particularly enjoyed, especially when the focus was more on attention than substance. However, Walt Disney personally insisted that he join them, emphasizing that this moment wasn't just about publicity—it was about acknowledging the people behind the scenes.
After a brief hesitation, Zaboru let out a small sigh and eventually agreed. Even if he preferred to stay out of the spotlight, he understood that this was a moment that carried weight for the industry—and for the people he had worked with.
Now on The Tonight Show, Jay Leno was already seated at his desk, adjusting his cue cards with a confident smile before looking up at the audience. The studio lights brightened slightly as he began speaking with his usual energetic tone. "Ladies and gentlemen, today's episode will feature some of the greatest minds in the animated film industry—and they are none other than Walt Disney and Edwin Catmull!"
The audience immediately erupted into loud applause, cheers echoing across the studio as the camera panned toward the stage entrance. Walt Disney and Edwin Catmull walked in side by side, both smiling warmly, acknowledging the crowd as they made their way toward Jay Leno.
Jay stood up to greet them, extending his hand enthusiastically. They shook hands one by one, exchanging a few light words and laughs before taking their seats. The atmosphere was lively and full of anticipation, as everyone in the room—and those watching at home—knew this wasn't just an ordinary interview, but a rare moment featuring the people behind one of the most successful years in animated film history.
Then Jay Leno quickly started the conversation, leaning forward with a friendly grin. "Mr. Disney, Mr. Catmull, it's an honor to have you both here tonight," he said warmly. Walt Disney chuckled and gave a relaxed nod, while Edwin Catmull smiled politely, clearly comfortable but still humble in front of the audience.
But just as Jay was about to continue, Walt raised his hand slightly, interrupting with a playful tone. "Wait a minute… aren't you forgetting someone?" he said, glancing toward Jay with a knowing smile.
Jay paused for a split second before breaking into a grin. "Oh goodness me, you're absolutely right! How could I forget?" he said dramatically, turning toward the stage. "Alright then, ladies and gentlemen—our special guest… Zaboru Renkonan!"
The moment the name was announced, the audience erupted into even louder applause than before. The camera quickly shifted toward the entrance as Zaboru walked onto the stage with his usual calm and composed demeanor. Despite the overwhelming reaction, he carried himself naturally, as if he wasn't bothered by the attention at all.
He first greeted Edwin and Walt with a respectful handshake, exchanging a few quiet words with them, before turning to Jay Leno and shaking his hand as well. Jay gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, clearly excited to have him there.
As Zaboru took his seat, the applause slowly settled, but the energy in the room remained high. It was clear to everyone watching—this interview had just become something even bigger.
Now that the three guests had arrived and settled into their seats, Jay Leno wasted no time getting into the heart of the conversation. Leaning slightly forward with interest, he opened the show with a curious smile. "So, five movies under Pixar and Disney—and we all know that both of these companies are either majority or partially owned by ZAGE," he began, setting the tone for a deeper discussion. "My first question is… what really changed? What makes Pixar and Disney so different after ZAGE's acquisition?"
The question immediately caught the audience's attention, as it was something many had been wondering themselves.
Edwin Catmull smiled and chose to answer first, adjusting his posture slightly as he gathered his thoughts. "Well, first of all… from Pixar's side, the situation is quite different compared to Disney," he began calmly. "When ZAGE invested in us, Pixar was still relatively new as a studio. We didn't have the long legacy that Disney had, so in many ways, we were still searching for our identity."
He paused briefly before continuing. "So, you could say that it really paid off when I decided to sell half of Pixar to an investor like Zaboru. It wasn't just about funding—though that certainly helped—it was about direction."
Edwin glanced briefly toward Zaboru before continuing with a small smile. "He didn't just invest and step back. He actively contributed ideas for our movies… and those ideas turned out to be incredibly strong. They gave us clarity—something that's very difficult to achieve in creative industries."
He leaned back slightly, his tone becoming more reflective. "And beyond that, ZAGE also supported us on the technical side. Their experience as a video game company meant they were already experimenting with advanced animation tools and real-time rendering techniques. That knowledge translated surprisingly well into film production, especially for animated movies."
Edwin nodded once more. "So in short… it wasn't just investment. It was vision, direction, and technology—all coming together at the right time."
Walt Disney laughed heartily. "Hahaha! For Disney, it changed everything," he said, still smiling as the audience leaned in. "It's like… we found a spark we had been missing for a long time. I'll be honest—I'm past my prime, and Disney was starting to feel that. We had the talent, we had the legacy… but something was missing. Creativity needs momentum, and sometimes you lose that along the way." He glanced toward Zaboru with clear appreciation. "And Zaboy… he brought that momentum back. Not by forcing anything, but by reminding us how to think differently again."
He added, a bit more reflective now, "He gave us ideas, yes—but more importantly, he gave us confidence to explore them. That's something you can't easily buy or teach."
Jay Leno leaned forward, clearly intrigued by the answer. "So, Mr. Disney and Mr. Catmull… are you saying Zaboru is the main reason Pixar and Disney were able to create those films?" he asked, emphasizing the question slightly as the audience grew quiet, waiting for the response.
Before either of them could answer, Zaboru spoke up first, lifting his hand slightly with a small smile. "Nope… that's not it," he said calmly. "If anything, I'd say I just provided some funding and shared a few ideas here and there. But all the real hard work—the countless hours, the creativity, the execution—that all belongs to the Disney and Pixar animation teams."
He leaned back slightly, his tone remaining modest but sincere. "Ideas are just a starting point. Without the people who bring them to life, they don't mean much. What you're seeing on screen—the emotion, the detail, the storytelling—that's the result of their dedication, not mine."
Zaboru gave a faint chuckle. "I just helped guide things a little… they're the ones who made it real."
Edwin Catmull smiled while Walt Disney laughed. "Hahaha! That's true, but Zaboy, you really underestimate yourself," Walt said warmly, his tone filled with genuine admiration. "Your ideas are incredible. Without those ideas, there's no way we would have had such a clear direction to work toward. So don't discredit yourself like that."
He leaned slightly forward, still smiling. "A lot of people think ideas are easy… but the right idea at the right time? That's rare. And you gave us that."
Edwin nodded in agreement, his expression calm but firm. "He's right. You may not see it that way, but from our perspective, your contribution wasn't just supportive—it was foundational. You helped shape the vision we worked toward."
He added thoughtfully, "Execution matters, of course… but direction matters just as much. Without it, even the best teams can lose their way."
Jay Leno laughed before continuing, leaning forward with genuine curiosity. "Alright, next I want to ask something directly about Zaboru," he said, glancing toward him with a grin. "Honestly, how do you even come up with ideas like Monster Inc. or Toy Story? They're incredibly unique stories, don't you think? I mean… who just wakes up one day and thinks about monsters running a company or toys having secret lives?"
He paused for a moment, letting the audience react before adding more. "Like seriously, where does that kind of imagination come from? Is it something you plan, or does it just… hit you out of nowhere?"
Jay leaned back slightly, still smiling. "Because from the outside, it almost feels impossible. These concepts are simple, but at the same time, they're so creative that nobody else seems to think of them first."
Zaboru smiled and leaned back slightly, taking a moment before answering. "Honestly, most of it comes from really simple, everyday thoughts," he said calmly. "For Toy Story, I actually have a lot of action figures in my collection. One day I just thought… 'What do these guys do when I'm not around?' And yeah, in reality they probably do nothing… but in a story, I can give them a life of their own. I can give them emotions, relationships… purpose."
He continued, his tone becoming a bit more thoughtful. "For Monster Inc., it's also pretty simple at its core. Around the world, there are so many stories meant to scare children—monsters in closets, under beds… that kind of thing. So I just asked myself, what if I take that idea and push it further? Not just make it scary… but make it funny, make it human in a weird way. What if monsters had jobs? What if scaring kids was just… work to them?"
Zaboru gave a small smile as the audience reacted. "Once you flip the perspective like that, suddenly it becomes something new."
He then added, "And for The Incredibles… I was thinking about superheroes, but from a different angle. What if a superhero family had no enemies left to fight? How would they live in a normal world? Would they even fit in? That question alone opened up a lot of ideas."
He glanced briefly toward Walt and Edwin before continuing. "It's also heavily inspired by Fantastic Four, which I've always liked. But since ZAGE owns Marvel anyway… well, I figured there's no harm in exploring that kind of theme in our own way."
Zaboru leaned back again, finishing with a faint grin. "So yeah… it's not really about complicated ideas. It's just about taking something simple… and looking at it differently."
Jay Leno smiled and leaned forward again, clearly energized. "Alright, let's keep this going," he said. "Zaboru, when you're developing a story, do you start with character first… or the world?"
Zaboru thought for a second, then answered more thoughtfully this time. "Character first… always," he said. "Because if I understand the character—what they want, what they fear, what they lack—then the world naturally forms around those needs. A world without purpose feels empty, but a world shaped by a character's conflict… that feels alive."
He continued, elaborating further. "For example, if a character is hiding something, the world becomes one that allows secrets. If a character feels out of place, the world needs to contrast them. So instead of building a world and placing characters into it… I let the character pull the world into existence."
Jay nodded, clearly impressed. "Interesting. Walt, would you agree?"
Walt Disney chuckled. "Absolutely. A strong character carries everything. Without that, even the most beautiful world won't matter."
Jay continued, clearly enjoying it. "Okay, what about risk? These ideas sound risky on paper."
Zaboru shrugged slightly, but this time he expanded on it. "Everything is risky. But the difference is… there are two types of risk," he said. "The first is creative risk—trying something new. The second is safe risk—doing something familiar and hoping people still care."
He leaned slightly forward. "The second one is actually more dangerous. Because you might succeed once… but you won't last. People forget safe ideas very quickly."
The audience murmured in agreement.
Zaboru continued, his tone calm but firm. "If you fail while trying something new, at least you learn something. But if you succeed doing something safe… you don't grow."
Jay laughed lightly. "That's… actually a pretty good way to look at it."
He then asked his final question. "Alright, last one—what's next? Should we expect more crazy ideas like this?"
Zaboru leaned back with a small grin, but this time his answer carried a bit more weight. "Always," he said. Then after a brief pause, he added, "As long as people are still curious… there will always be something new to create."
And that's how the interview came to an end, but its impact didn't stop there. Zaboru had become incredibly famous in the movie world—not just as a businessman or investor, but as a creative mind, an author behind ideas that shaped entire films. His presence alone carried weight now, and people began to look at him not just with curiosity… but with a kind of awe.
The way he consistently produced ideas that felt simple yet groundbreaking made people question whether his imagination had any limits at all. To them, it almost seemed infinite.
And perhaps… from the outside, it really did look that way.
To be continue
Please give me your power stone and if you want to support me and get minimum 50+ advance chapter and additional 1 chapter a week for 4$ considering subscribe to my patreon patreon.com/Zaborn_1997
Or buymecoffee https://buymeacoffee.com/Zaborn_1997 which same with patreon
current Patreon/buymecoffe chap 1154
Also Join my discord if you want https://discord.gg/jB8x6TUByc