Akira's Thoughts on Himeji Division
"The acclaimed actor, Nobuo Sone? Naturally, I'm familiar with him. Who isn't? My wife, Sonomi, is an avid fan of his. She loved his recent film, The Timekeeper's Daughter. I can't honestly say I've ever engaged in any dealings with him, and to be frank, I wouldn't wish to. A character like him? A hedonist, perpetually embroiled in some scandal despite his remarkable skill? That's not the kind of individual LIMITLESS should link itself with. Can you fathom the impact it would have on our image? The fallout alone wouldn't be worthwhile.
"In the off-chance we ever do need to communicate with him, it will be through his manager, Nishida-san, and his representatives, not face-to-face. It's best to maintain a professional distance from whatever chaos he has created around himself."
"When he was younger, I held a great deal of respect for this young man. Shogi is quite a challenging game, and to earn the Meijin title at such a tender age? That was truly remarkable. Believe it or not, LIMITLESS even had some signed shogi boards with his autograph floating around, though they were not at all cheap. We even had aspirations of meeting with him, possibly even establishing a partnership or collaboration. Compensating him for his time wouldn't have been a problem at all.
"However, then came the loss. And I'm not referring to the game itself. After all, losing is a typical aspect of any competition. No, it was what transpired afterward that shaped my view of him. Striking someone simply because he couldn't handle a hit to his pride? That was both childish and unprofessional, two aspects that LIMITLESS steers clear of in the business world. That was the pivotal moment we decided to withdraw from any consideration of working with him.
"Later on, I learned about his publications. Two focused on shogi, one was a children's guide to the game, and his most recent one was an autobiography. He should focus on writing, in my opinion. Why? Because it's going to be a considerable amount of time before anyone, myself included, feels comfortable trusting him near a shogi board again."
"Iwao-san? Yes, I do know him. Though I rarely take the train, when I do, he's often the one behind the controls. He's a friendly man, surprisingly so, given his size. Asuga mocks me for riding the train, but that hardly matters. Unlike her and my siblings, I didn't grow up with luxury. I'm used to it, and frankly, it's convenient when I don't feel like driving myself to work or being chauffeured around. As for Iwao-san, perhaps, when time allows, I'll put in a word for his promotion. He deserves it.
"I can't seem to grasp what the real endgame is for this team. From what I understand, they came together at Nobuo-san's whim, but for what purpose? He and Bunko-san have fame and wealth, unlike Iwao-san. So why go out of their way for this competition? What do they stand to gain? It's something to ponder, though truthfully, I don't see them functioning well as a team. Their personalities clash far too much. Perhaps I'll be proven wrong, but I highly doubt it."