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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 55: Alright, come on in
It was Sunday night, just before the dreaded Monday grind.
“Ughhh… I don’t wanna go to work.”
Amakisa—a guy living your average corporate life while maintaining a respectable otaku existence—was trawling the internet, checking for any events or updates that might’ve popped up.
Then—
“Hm…?”
He noticed something new at the top of the homepage of Enju’s personal website, known for regularly posting manga and illustrations.
[Wakayama & Enju join the team! ‘Shoot'n'Gate’ PV and teaser now live!]
For anyone in the know, seeing the names of such famous creators attached to a title was more attention-grabbing than any clickbait headline.
Drawn in like a moth to a flame, Amakisa clicked on the banner without hesitation—and soon found himself swept away, watching the video unfold.
The opening scene revealed a familiar backdrop: the streets of Akihabara.
Some ordinary slice-of-life dialogue followed, with a protagonist who gave off strong "chunibyo" vibes—like he was trying too hard to sound dark and mysterious.
“Is this a romance visual novel?”
Amakisa muttered to himself.
But almost immediately, the tone of the video shifted.
The peaceful background music was suddenly interrupted by static, then switched to a frantic, intense scene.
The sound of the protagonist’s desperate screams rang out, followed by the sharp crack of gunfire.
Before he even realized it, Amakisa was fully immersed, hanging on the edge of his seat, dying to know what came next—
[Shoot'n'Gate]
With the title reveal, a full list of the production staff and developers rolled by on-screen.
＊ ＊ ＊
[‘Shoot'n'Gate’ — I don’t usually buy games, but I’m actually hyped for this one??]
(Shoot'n'Gate PV link)
(Shoot'n'Gate illustration image)
First off, the character designs are totally my type. There are illustrations drawn in Wakayama and Enju’s art styles, and Wakayama is also working on the scenario. If you’re already a fan, you’re probably gonna want to check this out at least once.
ㄴThe teaser was cool, but the PV? They just straight-up made an anime...
ㄴlolol knew you’d be surprised! Not the first time and still got ya! (changing underwear)
ㄴI don’t even play games, but the Enju + Wakayama combo is just too powerful
ㄴBut what’s this about a budget issue??
ㄴ?
The provocative title of a game featuring the famous creators Wakayama and Enju quickly took over the internet and social media.
[Breaking down the hidden clues in the ‘Shoot'n'Gate’ PV — scenario by Wakayama!]
[‘Shoot'n'Gate’ Staff Overview]
[Wakayama x Enju collab... This one’s a must-buy.]
- You’re really gonna NOT buy this? Seriously??
ㄴBut like... I heard they’re doing that crowdfunding thing 'cause they’re low on budget?
ㄴCrowdfunding
ㄴYeah okay but like... What IS that exactly??
[‘Shoot'n'Gate’ Crowdfunding Page]
[Crowdfunding Explained — What’s Going On With Shoot'n'Gate]
Thus entered the relatively unfamiliar concept of “crowdfunding” to the average public.
＊ ＊ ＊
Crowdfunding.
A compound of the words crowd and funding, it refers to a method of raising capital directly from the public.
In simple terms, it’s a system where ordinary people invest in a project.
Naturally, it’s conducted online.
In the era before Jung Junhyuk’s regression, this concept wasn’t all that unfamiliar.
But now, it's the year 2009—a time when crowdfunding was still largely unknown to the general public.
While platforms abroad, like in the U.S., had begun experimenting with crowdfunding, in Japan, this was virtually unheard of.
So in a way, it made sense that most people didn’t know what it was.
Which meant—just starting with the idea of crowdfunding support was already the biggest hurdle.
“Writer-san, are you sure about this?”
This was before Jung Junhyuk had officially joined the Shoot'n'Gate staff.
At a meeting, Hanasaka and Director Takahashi looked at Junhyuk with visible concern.
“It definitely won’t be easy.”
He replied.
The biggest issue? Credibility.
No matter how polished the teaser, PV, or illustrations were—without trust backing it, the crowdfunding would likely flop.
Because funding, in the end, is a form of investment.
There's no product. No tangible result yet.
To get people to willingly open their wallets for something like that, you need to offer reassurance—
That their money won’t be wasted.
That if things go sideways, there’s at least a chance they’ll get a refund.
And the names Wakayama and Enju alone—while certainly notable—weren’t enough to provide that level of confidence.
What was needed was something bigger.
A name everyone would recognize.
A name with long-standing clout. A rock-solid reputation.
Which is why—when Junhyuk decided to join the project—he reached out to someone who could lend him that kind of name value.
“—so I was hoping you could help out a little.”
The person on the other end of the call listened to Junhyuk’s explanation, then let out a soft chuckle.
It wasn’t a mocking laugh—it was filled with curiosity and interest.
The man on the phone? Sakami Ando, president of Shueisha.
“Crowdfunding, huh… That’s a funding model that’s started to gain traction overseas. You really keep your eyes on everything, don’t you, Mr. Jung?”
Junhyuk let out an awkward chuckle.
“The IP tied to Enju that we discussed before, for the magazine’s overseas expansion—honestly, that deal already leans too heavily in my favor. So I might be open to hearing more.”
Junhyuk’s ears perked up at the unexpectedly positive response.
It wasn’t like he hadn’t planned for a moment like this when that earlier deal was made without strict conditions.
Still—if things were moving in a good direction, there was no reason to complain.
Carefully, and deliberately, Junhyuk began explaining what he hoped Shueisha would allow.
“So if I’m understanding you right—you’re asking to launch this crowdfunding under Shueisha’s name?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Junhyuk replied as calmly as he could, trying not to show how tense he was.
Shueisha was one of Japan’s publishing giants.
Its name was well-known nationwide, and its credibility was on a completely different level compared to any individual—no matter how popular.
Which is why Junhyuk had hoped to leverage that reputation, to give their crowdfunding effort the solid trust it desperately needed.
“Still… using Shueisha’s name in exchange for leftover royalties from an IP deal? That’s quite the unbalanced trade, don’t you think?”
“……”
At President Ando’s words, Jung Junhyuk shut his mouth tightly.
He wasn’t wrong.
Borrowing a company’s name—
It sounds simple on paper, but in reality, it means leveraging the trust and reputation that company has built over decades.
Even if they successfully secure funding using Shueisha’s name, if the final product disappoints, it would tarnish Shueisha’s reputation too.
What did Ando really want?
For him to even steer the conversation this way—there had to be something he was after.
Just as Junhyuk considered testing the waters, Ando’s voice cut in, beating him to it—
“Lending our name isn’t all that difficult. Especially since it’s a request from you, Mr. Jung.”
It was a positive response, but Junhyuk didn’t let his guard down.
Because Ando’s next words were going to be the real deal.
“If we start crunching numbers, it’ll never end. So how about we keep it simple and make a little bet?”
“A bet… sir?”
“If this crowdfunding project succeeds, Shueisha will step in as the publishing investor for Shoot'n'Gate.”
“……”
“You were planning to float the idea anyway if it went well, weren’t you?”
At that, Junhyuk gave a quiet chuckle.
Of course—there was a reason Ando was sitting in the president’s chair at Shueisha.
Right now, Shoot'n'Gate still had three major investor seats unfilled:
The main publisher, a co-production partner, and a publisher.
Crowdfunding was the solution they were using to compensate for the lack of a main publisher.
The co-production partner—Junhyuk already had a target in mind.
But for the vacant publishing seat, ideally, he wanted Shueisha.
Reading Junhyuk’s thoughts perfectly, Ando continued—
“And if the game succeeds after launch and performs well commercially, we’ll also move forward a bit faster on that overseas translation project we discussed before.”
“……And what exactly… would I be betting in return?”
Ando had already laid out an aggressive offer.
At this point, Junhyuk didn’t really have much room to negotiate.
And if the reward for success was that enticing, the price of failure would no doubt be brutal.
Junhyuk swallowed hard, bracing for Ando’s next words.
“Hmm…”
And then—
“I’ll decide that later.”
Just like a parent’s ominous ’We’ll talk when you get home’—that vague answer was even scarier than specifics.
After hanging up, Junhyuk rubbed his arms as a chill ran down them and muttered under his breath—
“He’s not gonna sell me off or anything… right?”
＊ ＊ ＊
The PV, teaser illustrations, and other promotional materials were rolled out in coordination with Shueisha.
Under Shueisha’s name, the crowdfunding campaign was safely launched.
With that, most of the prep work was finally complete, but for Jung Junhyuk and the rest of the staff, there was no time to rest—they now had to face the most critical part.
“Please please please please please—!”
“Namu Amita Butsu, Kwanseum Bosal…”
“Amen—Amen—Amen—Amen—”
They were practically praying to their monitors.
The crowdfunding goal was 30 million yen.
Considering how unfamiliar the concept of crowdfunding still was at that time, this wasn't a small target—it was downright ambitious.
They had pulled together every resource they could.
Now, everything depended on this.
The campaign would run for one week.
They couldn’t just sit around praying forever. So each time someone passed by the monitor, they’d pause for a solemn moment, then quietly return to their work.
Hours passed like that.
The team had buried thoughts of the crowdfunding effort in the back of their minds, focusing on their tasks, when—
“Hey, Writer! Hanasaka! Y-You guys gotta come see this, now!”
Director Takahashi shouted, his voice shaking with excitement.
“It—it worked! It worked! Crowd—crowd-something—whatever! It worked!”
Eyes wild, he pointed at the monitor, barely able to contain himself.
“We blew past the 30 million yen goal—it's already hit 40 million!”
All in just six hours since launch.
It was a historic milestone that would go down in the annals of Japanese game development—
a legendary crowdfunding success.
＊ ＊ ＊
[How to Support the Shoot'n'Gate Crowdfunding Campaign]
(Image)
Click the button in the top-right corner here… (truncated)
(Image)
If this window pops up, it means your pledge went through.
ㄴWhy isn’t it working? It keeps saying the page is closed.
ㄴThat’s because the crowdfunding already ended...
ㄴWait, they actually raised 30 million yen with this??
ㄴThis is the first time I’ve seen something like this. People are really throwing their money at it.
ㄴI mean, it's Wakayama & Enju, and it’s officially backed by Shueisha. No way they’d just run off with the cash.
- Did Shoot'n'Gate’s crowdfunding end already?
ㄴThe goal was 30 million yen, but they surpassed it and hit the 50 million yen cap.
ㄴOver 40 million in just 6 hours… I was there for that glorious investment moment.
ㄴLOL Wakayama: “No money? Then just MAKE it.”
The successful crowdfunding campaign didn’t just make waves on fan communities and social media—it made the news.
[Crowdfunding? How Shoot'n'Gate pulled in a flood of anonymous investors—what kind of game is this, anyway?]
[Wakayama tries his hand at game development?! Crowdfunding revives a project that had vanished into the shadows.]
[A first-of-its-kind collaboration from Wakayama & Enju. This is unlike anything we’ve seen before.]
Thus, Shoot'n'Gate became the first successful crowdfunding case in the industry, and the staff behind it…
“WAAAAAAAH—!”
…were cheering loud enough to shake the heavens.
“Writer! Thank you, thank you so much! I love you!!”
“L-Love might be a bit much…”
As Takahashi, the director, clung to him sobbing, Junhyuk Jung gently pried him off and looked around at the rest of the staff, who looked ready to pop champagne at any second.
The roaring cheers nearly burst his eardrums—but given the emotional toll they’d all been through, he couldn’t blame them.
Bzzzz—
And then, a call came in.
Junhyuk glanced at the caller ID and stepped away from the team to answer.
- Congrats, Writer. I heard Shoot'n'Gate’s crowdfunding was a success.
“It was… mostly luck.”
The voice on the line belonged to Utahara from Avid Works. She gave a dry chuckle.
- You don’t raise that kind of money that fast on luck alone.
Utahara then launched into her analysis of why the campaign had succeeded:
The brand power of Enju and Wakayama.
The rock-solid credibility that came from having Shueisha, a major publishing house, backing it.
The high quality of the promotional videos, teasers, and illustrations.
The solid planning documents and funding structure.
The staff’s track records from past projects.
She said you could fill two sheets of paper listing all the reasons it was bound to work. Junhyuk couldn’t help but smile.
Coming from someone considered a future luminary of the industry, even flattery made his shoulders square with pride.
“It was thanks to a talented director giving the PV and teaser a final check.”
- If I’d known it’d turn out like this, I should’ve charged you a cut for that ‘check’.
Utahara laughed, then cleared her throat and suddenly shifted to a more serious tone.
- Writer, we want to officially join the Shoot'n'Gate project. If it’s okay, we’d like to take the open co-developer slot.
Though they'd already made teaser content for promotional use, if Shoot'n'Gate was going to ramp up toward release, they’d need to produce even more video content.
Not to mention—they were short on hands.
If a high-caliber team like Avid Works joined in, it would be a godsend.
“I already mentioned it to our director. I’ll send you his contact info.”
- Our writer’s always one step ahead. That’s what I love.
When Junhyuk had asked her to review the videos earlier, he’d also brought up the idea of her team joining.
Utahara had expressed interest even before the crowdfunding began. Since she had already discussed it with Director Takahashi, there should be no issues with her joining the project.
As expected, when Junhyuk told Takahashi that Avid Works wanted in as a co-developer, the man threw his arms wide open in welcome.
And then came a short text message—from President Ando of Shueisha.
- Investment approved. Looking forward to what’s next, Writer Jung.
It sounded almost like a threat—that if he didn’t live up to expectations, there’d be consequences.
But Junhyuk had borrowed the name of a publishing titan. That pressure? He could take it.
He replied with a message of thanks.
And so, with Avid Works as the official co-developer and Shueisha as the publishing investor, Shoot'n'Gate spread its wings wide and began full-scale production.
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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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