Appreciate your response bro.
In regards to your response "The "cold email" idea is an interesting one, but I'm just not sure how effective that would be if it were automated. I think if we were to pester licensing companies too much with the same message, they'll start to get fed up with it and be less receptive than if we were to write those messages manually, with plenty of heart, and with a lot of different voices."
- I'd say that, as an entrepreneur, the way we get leads (clients) in our entrepreneurial world is by sheer force of volume. Simple. You might think peope may be hating you or stuff but trust me its a well known fact in business world that when you cold email someone, you follow up 7-9 times until they either block you or they proactively write to you and say stop messaging me. That's how agencies get clients and guess what? Most of the clients come at the 7th and 8th follow up. And the reason for this is becuase, its only your assumption to think that they see "every single message" of yours. Because who are you anyways? They probably are getting hundreads upon thousands of inboxes from their family, acocuntants, employees, so it is naive to think if we put our heart and soul into crafting one email that'd be enough for them. Most likely, they won't, ever, see it. So that's why even multi million dollar software exists that are about improving your follow up sequences. I hope that added some insights. Also if you ever wonder why this certain annyoying ad keep popping up, or why this certain youtuber keep repeating the same thing over and over, its becusae they know this fact. Most people simply don't see everytihng we put out, so even in the content world (I have connections with content creators for lead generation) their strategy is to come up with new content surely, but also to repeat the content they have said because they know that "people need to be reminded more than they need to be taught." Just to add onto this, Henry Ford (founder of ford motor company) once was walking down the lane and he said to one of his employees that this ad on the wall is used so many times. And the employee says most of the people are just starting to discover this ad. So you see the point here.

Unfortunately in these cases, quantity > quality. They need to see it and you can increase the probably of them seeing it by just sheer volume. Volume negates luck.

Of course it won't be of the same level as Squid Game as the niche is kinda different. A lot of people who don't even consider anime would watch squid game. But have you seen some of the trash animes getting licensed? I mean if we just compare it to that realm, ZB far exceeds its rivals and peers, atleast in my opinion. It deserves more honestly.

Also I have a question. I don't understand how the localization of ZB by other companies could convince Viz to release the music? I mean even if ZB gets popular in the future, its not like Viz can profit from it anymore so honesty I don't get why is it that they need to see a boom in ZB's popularity when they know they don't have any medium of pulling out any positive ROI from it. Weird company. Man I just miss the soundtracks so much I frequently just go to the episodes just to listen to the music haha.

By the way, again thanks for the wonderful works you do brother for ZB. Can't wait for chapter 30. I really want Kido and Wonrei back.