Video Game Tycoon in Tokyo-Chapter 718: Support from the Sidelines

"It's really rare for my child to call me at a time like this."

"Mom, I need to ask you for a favor."

"...Go ahead. What kind of favor?"

Takayuki didn't bother with pleasantries with his mother in this world.

Since arriving here, Masako Takayuki had become one of the people he trusted most—family, someone he could count on completely.

And right now, he needed help. Naturally, turning to Masako was the best choice.

"I need an artist who understands the female body well. Preferably a woman. So in the end, I thought of you. If you're involved, I know you'll be able to draw the most seductive, attractive female figures."

Masako wasn't specialized in figure drawing, but that was part of her foundational skill set. Shifting to a new style wasn't a big challenge for her.

...

...

So Takayuki's flattery wasn't misplaced.

Hearing her son's praise, the fifty-something Masako couldn't help but smile warmly.

"Hmm? Why the specific request? What exactly are you trying to draw?"

"I'm planning character design sheets for a few of my upcoming games. Everything would follow the general appearance outlines I provide, so there's not much room for artistic improvisation."

"Hmm, and you want your mom to do this?"

"Would that be okay?" Takayuki asked, testing the waters.

"It's not impossible..." Masako replied, drawing out her words meaningfully.

"Mom, if it's about payment, don't worry, I—"

"Speaking of which... Takayuki, you're not that young anymore. Have you considered having children?"

Takayuki: "...Bye, Mom."

He seriously considered hanging up right then.

He hadn't expected to be pressured about marriage and kids even in this world. Then again, it made sense—Masako was his mother, after all.

Aya Tsukino, listening nearby, also blushed deeply when she heard the mention of children.

Given their age, it was true that they should probably start thinking about it.

Sensing Takayuki's finger hovering over the end-call button, Masako quickly said, "Hey hey, Takayuki, don't hang up! You still need something, don't you?"

"As long as you stop nagging about that, everything can happen naturally."

Masako sighed quietly, then said, "Alright, I won't pressure you two. Do as you like. As for helping with character design, I don't think I'd be the best fit. I probably don't understand all your new industry tools and methods. You'd need someone familiar with current game development."

Takayuki nodded. "Yeah, that's true. If the designer isn't familiar with these aspects, I can arrange support from our modeling team. But it'd be best if the artist already had that experience."

It was like game music in the early days: only musicians who understood the hardware could properly code music that fit a game's limitations and tone.

Art was a bit different, but the principle was similar.

The earlier Final Fantasy titles didn't require much technical modeling—they just needed solid illustrations based on Takayuki's concepts.

This time, Bayonetta and NieR: Automata could've been designed by his internal team.

But Takayuki felt they were missing something—his characters lacked that spark, that sensual charisma.

That's when he remembered the original Bayonetta's concept artist had been a woman, chosen specifically for her ability to portray feminine allure. As they said back then, "Only women truly understand women."

Men could only grasp the surface.

Masako said, "Then I'm probably not the right person for this, but if you need cover art or promotional materials, I can handle those. For character design, I'll recommend someone else."

"That's fine. As long as she meets the requirements. I believe only women can fully bring out a woman's elegance and sensuality in art. That's the kind of talent we need right now."

Masako nodded. "Got it. Give me two days. I'll find someone who fits the bill and have her contact you directly. Sound good?"

"Of course!"

Takayuki was impressed—his mom always came through. In fact, when he'd first needed an illustrator, she'd been the one to introduce him to Mitsuke Tsuchitani.

Later, Tsuchitani became the lead artist for Dragon Quest for life.

He didn't have the same raw talent or luck as Akira Toriyama—who created Dragon Ball, a titan of the anime world—but Dragon Quest's success made him a well-known figure in the industry.

Now that Takayuki had a skilled artist lined up, he could confidently move the development process forward.

"So your mom said yes?"

After the call ended, Aya asked with a smile.

Takayuki, in good spirits, nodded. "Yep. She's just as reliable as ever."

Aya nodded along in agreement. This part seemed settled.

"By the way... about that other thing your mom mentioned..."

"The other thing? You mean—oh~"

Aya's eyes darted to the side, as if she hadn't just brought it up herself.

"Well... maybe it is time to start thinking about it."

Some things didn't need to be said out loud.

...

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Two mornings later, not long after Takayuki arrived at the Gamestar headquarters, his assistant came to find him.

"President, there's someone here to see you. She says she was recommended by Ms. Masako Takayuki."

Takayuki had been planning to slack off and play games in his office before getting to work, but hearing that, he instantly perked up. "Perfect! Let her in right away! I can't believe she actually found someone in just two days!"

"Yes, sir."

The assistant left, and about ten minutes later, a young woman—probably in her early twenties—stepped cautiously into Takayuki's office.