The beginning story of “Yakuza” — the battle with video game regulations, and the difficult path Toshihiro Nagoshi chose. [Passion of the Game Designers]

2017年11月21日 20:00

反応

【Episode 4 summary】

In “Passion of Game Designers ~ in their early days ~,” Keiichi Tanaka interviews about the passionate, young, and overreaching past of game designers, who struggled during the game industry’s “adolescence,” in the 1980s and 1990s.
For the 4th episode, we welcome guest Toshihiro Nagoshi, the SEGA games director of the hit series “Yakuza”, which sold 9.5million copies with the unconventional theme of the taboo “Underworld.”
In 2001, SEGA announced it’s withdrawal from “house hold game consoles,” filling the company with sighs and despair. But Mr. Nagoshi who devoted himself to developing a new genre ― what did he fight with and what was he trying to protect ―.
This passionate man’s struggle is written here with an enthusiastic realistic style !（by editorial department）

日本語版はこちら：【田中圭一連載:『龍が如く』編】「セガ、ハードから撤退」会社の危機に漢は吼えた――前例なき「任侠ゲーム」、表現規制との戦い、名越稔洋が選んだ修羅の道【若ゲのいたり】

Den-fami-nico-gamer's English articles

Author

Keiichi Tanaka

May 4, 1962 Born in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture. Graduated from Kinki University School of Law. During college in 1983, entered Koike Kazuo’s Gekikason Juku (Kobe school) as a student of the inaugural class. In the following year of 1984, debuted as a cartoonist with “Mr. Coward” (published in “Comic Gekikason Juku”). Gained popularity with “Doctor Chichibuyama,” which began in 1986, and later made into an anime. (a series in “Comic Gekikason Juku” and later a different publication). After graduating from university, employed at a toy company. In the “Weekly Shonen Sunday” held the irregular series, “A Bug’s Life: Adventures of P-suke” (1889~1991). Created fanzine magazines centered around parody. Latest publications include the first volume of “Utsunuke” released January 2017 (KADOKAWA) and “Keiichi Tanaka’s ‘Pen and Chopsticks'”(Shogakkan).

Twitter：@keiichisennsei

The beginning story of “Yakuza” — the battle with video game regulations, and the difficult path Toshihiro Nagoshi chose. [Passion of the Game Designers]_002

【Look out for the 3 new projects by Mr. Nagoshi led “Yakuza Studio”】

On August 26, 2017 the development team “Yakuza Studio” of SEGA games “Yakuza,” released 3 new projects at once! The series first online game “Yakuza ONLINE”, “Yakuza Kiwami 2”, a total remake of the former masterpiece, and “Hokuto ga Gotoku”, a collaboration with “Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken)”

“Yakuza ONLINE” centers around Ichiban Kasuga from the series “Shin Ryu Ga Gotoku,” and is the first stage of this new series (Service is planned to begin in 2018 for iOS/Android/PC)

“Yakuza Kiwami 2” is the reborn masterpiece of the December 2006 released “Yakuza 2” with the dragon engine from “Yakuza 6.” Look forward to December 7, 2017 when the PS4 game will be released with new elements such as extra scenarios and a new cast !

“Hokuto ga Gotoku” is a dream collaboration project between “Yakuza” and the popular manga “Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken)”, that was serialized in “Weekly Shonen Jump” from 1983 to 1988 (written/ Buronson, illustrated/ Tetsuo Hara). This action adventure game with a completely original story is planned to release in 2018 for PS4.

How impressive to release 3 projects at once… we can’t keep our eyes off the passionate men in “Yakuza Studio” led by Mr. Nagoshi.