“You decided to become freelance at the height of your popularity. That's so risky, yet so bold.”
Kojima presented Kikuko Inoue’s independence (freelance around 1999, later the Anemone agency with her sister) as a mirror of his own: he said there are things she may not be able to speak about but he regards her as a hero, that she chose to go freelance at the height of her popularity which was extremely risky and yet very bold. He confessed envy, saying he wished he had an older sister like her and asking how many years behind he was in becoming independent, and he joked that Anemone should become a board member of his company.
“Did you become independent in 1999? Well, more like freelance, I guess. I'm sure there's stuff you can't talk about, but to me, you're a hero. […] I wish I had an older sister like you. How many years behind was I in becoming independent? […] Anemone should become a board member for my company.”