Rekka Alexiel

CC2 screened the .hack//G.U. TRILOGY movie recently for fans. Many members from CC2 were present, including president Matsuyama Hiroshi, Niizato Hiroto, and Isobe Takayuki as MCs during the film. We heard several interesting anecdotes about the production of the film as well as some additional details that have remained undisclosed until now. Here are a couple notes from the event: Matsuyama Hiroshi never had a computer growing up, so when he first started CC2, he didn’t know how to use one. He didn’t know how to type and just used the “hunt and peck” technique with both index fingers. He didn’t understand how the “copy and paste” function worked, either. He somehow thought that if he hit Cntl+C on one computer, walked over to another computer and hit Cntl+V, it would spit out what he had coppied but… alas. lol Back in the day, when computer mice didn’t have a trackball to easily scroll down a webpage, he didn’t know how to scroll down since the mouse would quickly reach the end of his desk… so he tried extending the desk with his arm to continue scrolling down. Hosokawa Seiichiro is apparently a larger-built guy with a very quiet voice. He doesn’t do well in social situations. During CC2’s 20th anniversary staff party in Tokyo, everyone from the main Fukuoka headquarters were given airfare and lodgings to come to Tokyo… but Hosokawa never came. When Matsuyama asked what happened, Hosokawa said that… his stomach hurt. Matsuyama said that it was a waste if he never showed, but people have their own unique quirks and ticks… so there’s really nothing you can do but respect them for who they are. Regarding .hack//G.U. TRILOGY and the Game For the B’st segment in the movie, Matsuyama told Sakurai Takahiro (voice of Haseo) to sort of vomit the lines… Sakurai tried his best but… ended up not doing it. haha Matsuyama wanted to sever some of Haseo’s limbs in the game, but Sony has a specific regulation against disembodiment. This why they managed to do it a little bit during the B’st segment in the movie (ie. Haseo’s leg is ripped off). Matsuyama continued to say that he is a bit fond of a degree of violence and dark stories. The scene where Atoli appears before Haseo while he’s engulfed in flames during the B’st segment, Matsuyama said that this scene took the longest to get right–namely with Atoli. At one point she looked too ghostly. The scene where Haseo and Ovan fight with their Avatars, he mentioned seemed a lot like Gundam. …maybe too much like Gundam. The scene where Ovan’s glasses float momentarily in the air before disintegrating was apparently a huge laughing point for audiences in France. Generally speaking, audiences in Japan do not laugh at that moment… so it was a huge cultural shock for Matsuyama to experience so many people viewing that moment as comical. He said, “People are so insensitive!!” Apparently, the female staff at CC2 had an issue with how Haseo & Atoli held hands at the end, saying it felt very awkward. Come to find out, the main motion animator working on the scene didn’t have a girlfriend at the time, so he didn’t know about those fine details. haha Regarding the Up-coming LieN 10th Anniversary Concert & Live Event The event will be split between live performances by LieN and recitation dramas by some of the G.U. cast. The recitation dramas will consist of 8 parody mode dramas that take place after the previous set from Last Recode. One drama will portray the final day of R:2, lasting 7.5 minutes. Haseo & Atoli’s Embrase ※ I’m going from memory regarding these lines, so please keep that in mind. Haseo: We are the same, you and I. Afraid of being hurt, frightened of sorrow. Even within our own minds, we avoid our true selves. It’s no wonder no one else really understands us. Atoli: Yeah… Haseo: Other people can’t determine our place in life–that’s for us to decide. Atoli: But, by doing that, we might hurt others… even ourselves. Haseo: Yeah. But, we’ll never find where we belong if we’re always afraid of being hurt. Atoli: Haseo-san. Haseo: Yeah? Atoli: I’m here. Haseo: Yeah. Atoli: I’ll always be here, seeing you for who you truly are. ▲ It was really nice hearing this dialogue, but I have to side with deleting it. The audience doesn’t need to know the details of what’s being said there–we can infer that on our own pretty well. I think it’s more emotional to let the vocals in the song take the spotlight and direct the emotion of the scene. Thoughts and emotions are just as easily conveyed in music as they are in words. They also gave away a bunch if shikishi as lottery prizes. I got a cool one of Bordeaux by Oiji!

During the live broadcast on NicoNico tonight, Matsuyama-san announced that they will be releasing the “future vision” for CC2 in Famitsu magazine on February 1st. He was very diligently writing something in his sketchbook long after the others finished writing their goal or mission for 2018. Then finally when he revealed what he was drawing… …a boob. He drew… a boob. But that’s not all…!! He announced that whatever “vision” CC2 has for the future will be announced in the issue of Famitsu magazine on February 1st. I wonder what it could be!! Here’s the clip:

Siliconera recently posted the ambitions of various game creators, which was part of a four-part questionnaire by 4Gamer. I still need to look through more of the original article, but I believe Siliconera only translated a small portion of the overall article. I don’t exactly follow many of the people interviewed, but I’ll try to cover as many people that interest me as I can! ーMatsuyama Hiroshiー Q1: Out of all the games released in 2017, which one impressed you the most or gave you the biggest shock? Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age As always, it was a great game in which modern gamers were taken into careful consideration. Q2: Out of all forms of entertainment released or announced in 2017, what title made a strong impression on you? Left-handed Ellen by kappi 「左ききのエレン」(かっぴー) It’s been a long time since something’s impacted me to this degree. I don’t think anything will affect me this greatly for many years to come. Q3: Personally, what single individual did you or are you still paying close attention to in 2017? kappi (mangaka) He’s the author who wrote “Left-handed Ellen” among other titles. I have a gorgeous image in my head that he–along with his works–will make it big. I think the world will rightly find out about him soon enough. Q4: Please give our 4Gamer readers a message or tell us about your ambitions for 2018? We’re going to release “the future vision for CyberConnect2” in February, 2018, so please look forward to that! Source: 4Gamer ※ This post is a Work In Progress. Please reload to see if there are any updates since the last time you visited. ❤️

Earlier today, CyberConnect2 released an announcement for the Winter Campaign 2018. There’s all sorts of awesome new and old merch that will be available for a limited time, so be sure to check it all out!! ☆ The campaign will be running through Friday, December 29 until Monday, January 15. ◾️ Reproduction Gengas (2 types) 『.hack』illustration by Hoshi Itsuki 『.hack//G.U. Last Recode』illustration by Hosokawa Seiichiro Details: 553×438mm, serial number plate included. Price: 30,000 yen (roughly $300) ◾️ 『.hack//Fanbook』Vol.4 Details: B5 size Price: 2,000 yen (roughly $20) Store Locations: Kotobukiya: Akihabara, Nihonbashi, Tachikawa main store, Online Shop GAMERS: All 18 stores, Online Shop Animate: Details Amazon Japan: http://amzn.to/2zcPcYv 『.hack//Fanbook』 Official Page ▶︎ Bonus Item #1: 『.hack』Canvas Bag Purchase all four volumes to receive this bonus. Kotobukiya Version: Haseo & Ovan, Black GAMERS Version: Haseo & Tri-Edge, White ▶︎ Bonus Item #2:『.hack//Fanbook』 Vol.5 Purchase all four volumes to receive this bonus. Deadline for this bonus: March 31 Tentative shipping date: May, 2018 ◾️ 『.hack//Fanbook』Clear File Set of 5 Details: A4 size（297×210㎜） Price: 2,000 yen (roughly $20) Pre-order: GAMERS Online Shop ◾️ Chim Chim Plushie ※ Details: 200×180mm Price: 2,400 yen (roughly $24) Pre-order: GAMERS Online Shop ※ This particular item was originally released as part of a set of goodies back in 2013. This time, however, the plushie will be sold separately. ◾️ Acrylic Diorama Stand (Hulle Granz Cathedral) Details: Plate size: 150×230mm, Assembled size: 70×100×70mm Price: 3,000 yen (roughly $30) Pre-order: GAMERS Online Shop ◾️ Bonus Item: Pin (3 types) Details: Get 1 random pin per item check-out. ▶︎ Participating Store Locations Kotobukiya: Akihabara Nihonbashi Tachikawa, Main Store Online Shop GAMERS (Select Stores): Sapporo, Sendai, Akihabara, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Machida, Tachikawa, Yokohama, Tsudanuma, Omiya, Nagoya, Numazu, Nanba, Umeda, Kobe Sannomiya, Kyoto, Hataka, Kokura; Online Shop

This is a random story I just started writing. It’s pretty non-canon, taking place several years after Last Recode Vol.4, pretty much ignoring all the other canon stuff that happens with Link, Quantum, and beyond. So, anyway, enjoy! I’ll try to update this with more “bits” soon. I’m pretty much writing this on the spur of the moment, so I don’t really know where the story’s going to go. I’ll try to keep it somewhat short, though. lol I can’t give it an actual title yet, either, since I really don’t know where I’m going with this… ー1ー It was several years after the R:2 servers had shut down for good when the voices began. At first they sounded like nothing more than mere static on the other end of a telephone or a muffled voice from the other side of a thin wall, but gradually—he couldn’t remember exactly how long—the voices grew more and more incessant and…demanding. It spoke no clear language that he could understand, but through feeling alone, he could understand what it wanted perfectly. It wanted out. At any cost. Eventually, the voices grew so overbearing, he had difficulty thinking clearly. His own inner voice began to get lost in the fog of sound. Not only that but almost daily headaches and migraines threatened to cripple him physically as well. He tried to stay afloat in the sea of swirling chaos in his mind, but it was exhausting. He knew if nothing was done to quell the voices soon, he would eventually lose himself entirely. It was about a week before Christmas when he nearly collapsed on the way out of the NAB office and fell down a flight of stairs. “Whoa,” said someone, grabbing his arm just in time before he fell. “You all right?” His vision was suddenly very hazy as though someone had applied a blur filter to his entire field of vision. He tried shaking his head a couple times to rid his sight of the fog and continuously buzzing voices in his head, but it didn’t seem to help much. “Yeah, I… I think so,” Ryo said as he turned to rest his back against the side of hallway. He could hear his own voice come out of his mouth in sharp gasps as if he was suddenly winded or out of breath. Skeptically, Masato shook his head. “Ryo, you don’t look well…” Somehow Ryo managed a reassuring smile but he still couldn’t completely stand on his own without the aid of the sturdy wall supporting him from behind. “I dunno; maybe I’m just tired.” “How long has this been going on?” Masato asked, his brow wrinkling with concern. Ryo shook his head slightly as though he didn’t quite understand what Masato said. “What? No, I—“ Again another wave of fog washed over him, stealing the light from his eyes. Not even the sound of Masato’s voice calling his name seemed to be able to reach his ears from the place he now found himself… It was like waking from an elaborate dream. Lying flat on his stomach on the dusty ground, he felt like the weight his own breath would crush him. His eyes burned in the twilight haze as he tried to stir his stiff body and stand. Everything was dark with dusk; the ground and air, chill as death. Groggily rising to his feet, he glanced around him to find absolutely no trace of the hallway where he had just been standing beside Masato— Masato? Wasn’t he just here—? Suddenly, a sharp flare ignited in his head as waves of pain coursed through his entire being. A moment later, he found himself on the black ground once more, both hands gripping at either side of his head as a silent scream slipped past his lips. It was the voices again, but this time it sounded eerily nearby. Hello again, said the voice. I’ve missed you… Haseo. ー2ー He instantly recognized the voice as his own. Images of “him” exploded painfully in his memory. He knew what this shadowy figure represented—his own dark past and yet… something was different, new even. “He” shouldn’t exist anymore, Ryo thought, the buzzing in his head throbbing along with his rapidly beating heart. As he slowly rose to his knees, one hand firmly on the dusty ground and the other instinctively grasping at his chest, Ryo gazed upon the shadowy figure standing before him in the dim twilight. But that’s all it was—a shadowy figure with hardly any fine details. He couldn’t see the figure’s face, eyes; he couldn’t tell what sort of hair he had—if it even had any. All he could tell was it’s nondescript outline like a smudge of black chalk on a canvas. And yet Ryo knew who it was… and that alone struck fear into his entire being. “How… How can you be here?” Ryo asked with an unusually raspy voice. The figure roughly brushed a hand through its undefined hair in confusion. ‘…As though I know where “here” is…’ Shrugging it off, the figure stepped closer before kneeling in front of Ryo. ‘How long has it been? Then again, I suppose the concept of time is different for you than it is for me. Still… It feels as though ages have passed since we were together… I’ve missed you. Truly, I have.’ Feeling utterly drained of energy and struggling to suppress the tight feeling in his chest, Ryo simply shook his head in tired confusion. “Who are you?” Seemingly exasperated at the question, the figure rested both hands on its hips. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. You need me to spell it out for you?’ The figure shook its head, disappointed. ‘Well, I guess I can’t really blame you. I looked a little different the last time we saw each other.’ Ryo could only continue shaking his head in restless bewilderment. Even though this figure felt similar to his shadow with the memories of Sora that he confronted before, the pieces of the puzzle still didn’t quite line up. There was something else—almost like another presence—lurking behind the figure’s vail of darkness. ‘You know, I should thank you,’ the figure continued. ‘Without your help—and, well, maybe that idiot’s death wish helped a bit, too, but… Without you, I’d still be that fragmented string of data with no other purpose than to destroy and strike fear into those who dared to cross my path.’ And just as the words reached his ears, Ryo felt the throbbing pain in his head and chest merge into perfect terror that gripped him tighter than even death itself. “Skeith…?” The nebulous figure appeared to bow politely. ‘Hello, ‘tis I,’ the figure said, comically, ‘the great “Terror of Death”. At your service, sir.’

Printed in the .hack//Fanbook Vol.2 is a nice character “birthday database” that includes additional information on the characters. Haseo Real Name: Misaki Ryo Birthday: July 13, 2000 An honars student at a famous private high school. He begins to work for NAB from September 2017. Atoli Real Name: Kusaka Chigusa Birthday: April 5, 2001 Although she felt as though there was no place for her, due to a brush with fate, she was able to grow and attain the courage to not depend on anyone. Kuhn Real Name: Kazumi Tomonari Birthday: November 8, 1993 He is extremely dependable with a great sense of duty. He worked parttime at an arcade while supporting his dream to join CC Corp. Sakubo Real Name: Nakanishi Iori Birthday: May 26,2006 A gentle introvert. He is taken in by his faternal grandmother. Endrance Real Name: Ichinose Kaoru Birthday: December 31, 1996 He was thoroughly withdrawn from the world until he met Haseo and slowly became interested in others and the rest of the world. Yata Real Name: Hino Takumi Birthday: July 8, 2000 Having already graduated after skipping several grades, he established his own company with a huge amount of funds he earned in the online trade. He is the largest CC Corp share holder. Pi Real Name: Saeki Reiko Birthday: December 24, 1993 She used to be a system engineer at CC Corp, but joined NAB from September 2017. Ovan Real Name: Indo Masato Birthday: December 12, 1992 An investigator for NAB. He falls into a coma due to an event in 2017. Youkou / Alkaid Real Name: Kuramoto Chika Birthday: July 2, 2001 A student of fine arts, she loves to read. She is very spunky with an unyielding spirit. Her favorite motto is “Train for your body, read for your heart.” Silabus Real Name: Morino Yuuichi Birthday: October 28, 1997 A socialble young man who is attentive to his surroundings. He first started playing “The World” when he was a college student, living on his own. Gaspard Real Name: Masa Kouta Birthday: April 21, 2004 He loves card and board games. He suffers from a severe case of social anxiety. Piroshi 3 / Piros the 3rd Real Name: Matsuyama Hiroshi Birthday: November 23, 1978 He belongs to the development team at CC Corp. Working as a graphic designer, he is the project leader for the development of “The World R:X”. Translation and Photos by: Rekka Alexiel

This is a copy and paste of my comment on the Dothack Network Facebook page, which you can find here. The issue is regarding the fan interest in a new remaster of the so-called “First Season” of the .hack video game franchise. The .hack “First Season” includes four separate games: Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine; aka IMOQ. I would, again, like to calm the waters a little bit with all this talk of a possible remaster of the original four .hack games. Please, please calm down and focus on what’s here, right now. I understand the hype, but now is not the time to be daydreaming about what somebody mistakenly let slip, giving fans the idea that this may be possible or even in the works when it’s not. But if you can’t quell your desire for a possible remake, then I would suggest you support Last Recode with every ounce of your being NOW. I’m pretty sure everyone here already bought the game, but if you haven’t yet, now’s the time to show your support. I know it’s really hard to purchase official merch outside of Japan, but I would also suggest you try to look into ordering some of the merch through a deputy service or on Amazon Japan (they will usually ship internationally). Also, write and tell BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT that you want international access to .hack merchandise!! Not only that, but tell them how much you love the series: the games, the anime, the novels and manga! Don’t feel embarrassed to let your fan-heart gush a little! Get involved in my fan giveaway contest on Twitter, going on now! Tell people how much you love the series, tell a friend about it who maybe hasn’t even played it yet. I will have more contests in the future, too, so stay tuned to my site. Ultimately, if you all really want a remake of the first four games as badly as you say you do (this is where I give you a little “tough love,” so please don’t hate me for telling it like it is), then you have to put in the effort to support the series as a whole first. That’s just economics. If Last Recode doesn’t make a certain number of sales, then there is NO future for anything. Thankfully, though, sales both in Japan and internationally look really good and BNE is quite pleased. That’s good, but we can’t stop there; we can’t let our guard down just yet! Keep talking about .hack on social media and wherever else possible. If you have a blog or website or something similar, write about it (I’m guilty here as I have yet to finish my editorial on Last Recode orz). Get other gamers interested in the series, introduce it to a friend or family. If you know somebody likes both anime and games, you could first introduce them to the anime TV series .hack//SIGN or .hack//ROOTS or go over to one of the movies (maybe avoid TRILOGY if they intend on playing Last Recode lol). Basically my point is… there isn’t time to daydream about what could be right now. We need ACTION that is clearly visible and makes a difference to BNE, the publisher. If they do not make a profit from the series, nothing will happen. We’ll get NOTHING. So please, please… I understand how excited everybody is over the thought of a remake–I am, too–but now is not the time. If you’ve already done all you can to support Last Recode and this message is redundant, I’m really sorry. This topic has been a bit of a thorn in my side ever since people started talking about it A WEEK after the release of Last Recode. ^^;;

This is just a very early, preliminary announcement for a fan contest that I want to set in motion. The basic premise behind the idea is for fans of the .hack series share their enthusiasm with others while also targeting potential new fans! *If anything is unclear or if I left anything out of this post, I will fix it later! Please understand if there are any changes to these details. Some of the goodies I have to use as giveaway items include: New World Roundtable featuring Nino CD .hack//DRAMATIC DVD .hack//Link PSP Game .hack//re-birth Disc historical Disc Blu-ray .hack//G.U. Returner DVD .hack//4koma .hack//CELL Vol.1 .hack//G.U.+ Manga Vol.2-5 .hack//G.U. Vol.3 Complete Guide .hack//G.U. TheWorld Vol.05 I have one more special item available. Please keep reading to find out more! The way to enter is simple. Just go on twitter and talk about the series. You can post artwork, fanfics, photos of your own gameplay; really anything goes! But the one thing you MUST post are the following tags: #dothack #dothackcontest Winners will be chosen at random from the contest hashtag, so the more you post, the more likely you will be chosen for a prize. Only one person is eligible to win, so please do not create sock puppets in an attempt to win more than one item. Likewise, I am only able to send one item to any given address. This is to avoid one person faking a friend and claiming more than one item. Yes, this has happened in the past… As for the prizes, I’m very sorry, but they are all used items and in Japanese. The games, DVDs, and Blu-rays may only work on Japanese systems. I would also like winners to be free to choose which item they’d like to receive. This will be decided at a first-come-first-served style. Items are completely free of charge since I’ve already paid for everything, but I would like to ask for the shipping fees to send the items to you. This means that if you are a chosen winner, you have the right to claim or reject your winnings. I will continue to choose winners from the list until all items have been claimed. Shipping fees must be sent via PayPal and I cannot send your item until I have received your payment. Here’s a brief flow of the contest: You post .hack stuff on Twitter with the above hashtags. At the conclusion of the contest, I will pick winners at random from the contest tag. I may also record this live so you can see how I do this. I will contact these people via Twitter DM and ask which item you’d like to claim. This is when you may choose to forfeit your winnings if you are unable to pay for shipping. (Please understand that I am just a fan myself and am financially unable to offer a completely free contest.) I will package your item up and get an estimate from the post office. Items will be shipped from Japan via EMS. This is one of the more expensive shipping methods, but it is also the safest and fastest method that comes with a tracking number. Depending on the weight of your item, shipping will likely be anywhere between $8-18. The heaviest book, the .hack//G.U. Vol.3 Complete Guide might be more. I won’t know for sure until I take the items to the post office for an estimate. Once I have an estimate, I will contact you in which you may again accept or deny your winnings. Should you accept, this is when I will give you my paypal address for you to send the shipping fees. Once I receive the fees, I will send your item. Contest Deadline The contest will run from NOW until roughly 10am on December 26 (Japan time). This date & time is subject to change. Last but not least, I also have an extra, unopened .hack//G.U. Last Recode Premium Edition. I would like to use this for ART ENTRIES ONLY, but I feel this is being overly inclusive, so we’ll see… I’m up for suggestions. It may also be possible to ask CC2 CEO Matsuyama Hiroshi for his autograph… I don’t know if I can get this accomplished, however, so please don’t get your hopes up. THE MAIN GOAL AND PURPOSE OF THIS CONTEST… …is for fans to have fun discussing the series, to spread the word about it, and… it’s mostly to boost the hype. If you love the series, I think this would be a fun way for you to get involved and share that passion with others! And also, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions or anything, please feel free to let me know!

The CEO of CyberConnect 2, Matsuyama Hiroshi, held a really interesting seminar for game creators and those interested in the topic. Although, I am hardly part of the industry, the interest and passion has always been there. I was able to attend this event, although I arrived a little after it had begun. There was also time for a book signing and a brief discussion gathering after the event where we were treated to some small drinks and snacks. Matsuyama was completely in the game tonight and it was clear he was enjoying giving the seminar. I had a blast just listening to him tell the handful of anecdotes throughout the evening. We were told that we were free to take photos, but to just be mindful of when it was appropriate to take photos. ? ▲ Quick company stats with photos from the Fukuoka, Tokyo, and maybe Montreal offices? Company Size Fukuoka Studeo: 180 Tokyo Studeo: 33 Montreal: 14 ▲ Slide for 『.hack//G.U. Last Recode』!! ▲ Naruto is one of the main titles that CC2 releases. This is Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 “Road to Boruto”. ▲ Another one of their series would have to be Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. This is the PS3 release of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle and the PS3/PS4 release of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven. ▲ Here’s one of the few smartphone applications that they produced, Full Bokko Heroes X for both iOS and Android. ▲ The offices are literally littered with more than 60 different magazines every month for employees to browse! ▲ There are also all kinds of movie and anime DVD/Blu-rays, individual manga books, and various video game titles freely available to employees. ▲ The company also provides many opportunities for employees to “skill up” their abilities in various areas such as C++, UnrealEngine4, Python scripts, and more. ▲ With the basic introduction out of the way, this was the “meat” of the seminar: “The Game Creator Seminar”!!! ▲ First, we were asked to think of the average number of games sold in a single year. Numbers ranged from 200 to 1000. ▲ This chart breaks down the number of game titles released every year. 2004: 802 2005: 828 2006: 900 2007: 983 2008: 972 2009: 811 2010: 745 2011: 679 2012: 644 2013: 565 2014: 539 2015: —– ↓ 2016: —– ↓ 2017: —– ↑ My photography was bad in the moment, so I don’t have the exact numbers for 2015-2017, but the main point was that 2017 signaled in a slight rebound from the downward trend of releases since 2007. ▲ Next, we were asked to think how many games a person buys in the course of a year. ▲ Generally speaking, the average number of games a “game fan” purchases in a year is 8.8. A soft-core gamer buys about 4 games a year. ▲ Next, we were asked to think of what titles sold over 1,000,000 copies in 2017. I was stupid with the numbers (Japanese “man” is a bit difficult to calculate in your brain) and suggested NieR:Automata did…even though I knew it only sold a bit over 300,000 copies. lol ▲ And this was our answer, a list of top selling titles in 2017! 3DS: Dragon Quest 11 – 1,728,000 3DS: Monster Hunter Double Cross – 1,668,000 PS4: Dragon Quest 11 – 1,321,000 Switch: Splatoon2 – 1,309,000 Switch: Mario Cart 8 Deluxe – 717,000 3DS: Pokemon Sun/Moon – 560,000 Switch: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the World – 551,000 Switch: Super Mario Odessy – 511,000 3DS: Super Mario Maker – 397,000 PS4: NieR:Automata – 343,000 ▲ Basically, if titles don’t sell over 100,000 copies, they’re losing money… ▲ If we imagine the sales of the top 40 games are positive, then anything 41 to 424 is losing money. 1/10 is in positive figures, whereas 9/10 is in the red. ▲ Among the gaming industry, 1/5 of titles is in positive numbers whereas 4/5s are in the red; which means, 20% have to be MASSIVE HITS! ▲ So it’s very important to know what sort of interesting things will sell. It’s best to avoid talking with people who cannot answer this question. ▲ It’s also vitally important for copies to connect with fans to hear their opinions on a multitude of topics. How/what do people play, read, watch, experience. ▲ This shows the trends of various platforms. The top represents smartphone and PC online games, the middle represents home gaming games, and the last represents home gaming hardware. December 27, 2015 Online Platform (smartphone & PC) = 998,900,000,000yen Home Software & Hardware = 360,200,000,000yen →2016 Home Software & Hardware = 299,400,000,000yen ▲ Global Market Size: 5,400,000,000,000yen; Japan is just 1/14 of this figure. ▲ Global sales for the PS4 is around 60,000,000 units, where as within Japan alone, it’s around 5,000,000. ▲ Titles that sold well overseas: Pokemon Sun/Moon Super Mario Maker Final Fantasy XV Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Bloodborne Dark Souls 3 Resident Evil 7 Yokkai Watch 3 Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Monster Hunter Double Cross Pokken Tournament The Last Guardian Street Fighter V NieR:Automata ▲ The market for home gaming is WORLDWIDE, with a focus on gamers all over the world. ▲ The very last bit of Matsuyama’s talk touched briefly on his non-fiction novel, detailing the true events that occurred with “Hiroshi-kun” just prior to the release of 『.hack//G.U. Vol.3』in 2009. ▶︎ Famitsu was also present for the seminar, so here is their recap of the talk!

Went out with some other cool .hack fans to enjoy the karaoke collab in Ikebukuro. Personally, I don’t mind going to karaoke alone, but it is more fun to go with a specific purpose in mind! Here’s a couple photos I took there! And thanks to one of my new friends, I was able to get SIGNED copies of LieN’s new piano scorebook and CD from M3. I usually go to the M3 event every year, but couldn’t go this time because of work… I was so upset. There were many people I wanted to say hello to this year, especially after GameTakt. Hopefully some day I will have a job that works in tandem with my life rather than obstructing or limiting it… but that’s everybody’s fantasy, right? Hey, I can dream, right???

The new collaboration drink menu at “Kara-Tetsu” just started today! Here are the drinks and random coasters I got! ▲ Haseo’s drink & Piroshi3 & Natsume coaster. ▲ Ovan’s drink & Kuhn coaster. ▲ Atoli’s drink & Endrance coaster. ▲ Endrance’s drink & Haseo’s Xth Form coaster. ♡ ▲ Close-up of the flower petals in Endrance’s drink. ▲ Sakubo’s drink & …yet another Kuhn. I actually drew him three other times, but the workers were nice and let me try again… lol

The 『.hack//G.U. Last Recode』collaboration cafe in Ikebukuro [ Official Site ] just started this weekend. Here’s a quick look at what to expect. Collaboration Cafe Dates: Saturday, October 14 Sunday, October 15 Saturday, October 21 Sunday, October 22 Saturday, October 28 Sunday, October 29 Friday, November 3 Saturday, November 4 Sunday, November 5 Saturday, November 11 Sunday, November 12 If you are interested in going to the cafe, you will need to make a reservation in advance from the link here. Here are a couple of images that I took…! ▲ Here are the first items that I got when I ordered Haseo’s 1st Form Curry and Haseo’s 1st Form Coffee… I ended up trading the postcard, though! ▲ Haseo’s 1st Form Coffee… and a look at my friends’ drinks. I believe the one drink on the right is Ovan’s cola, which comes with a cute laminated stand (that you can’t keep). You can also see some of their postcards on the bottom as well as Haseo’s 1st Form Curry! ▲ Here’s what Haseo’s 1st Form Curry and Tri-Edge’s Omlet & Rice looks like! They were pretty good! ? ▲ Here you can see Tri-Edge’s Omelet & Rice, Tri-Edge’s Data Drain Juice, and the remainder of Haseo’s 1st Form Coffee. The second image is Sakubo’s Blueberry Cake. It was really good!! ▲ Tri-Edge’s Data Drain Juice & Pi’s “Fighting Secretary” Peach drink. ? ▲ Here’s all the goodies that I got at the cafe! It’s a little confusing how you get the luncheon mats. For every 1,000 yen worth of food that you order, you get a stamp… and for every 3 stamps, you get a random luncheon mat. It’s a bit more stingy and therefore more expensive than other locations like the SQEX Cafe. Luckily, I got the mat that I wanted the most on the first try! Yay! I also bought a bunch of merch… Charms Haseo Tri-Edge x2 Pi Endrance Yoko / Alkaid Gaspard Large Pin Ovan –> Traded for Haseo! <3 Thank you!! <3 Note: All photographs, translations, and photo edits on this page were made by me.

MachiAsobi [Official Site] is a biannual anime and gaming event held in the spring and fall in Tokushima, Tokushima Prefecture. This year there were a bunch of events going on from October 7-9 to help promote the release of 『.hack//G.U. Last Recode』. Here’s a quick look at .hack related activities and other goodies that were available at the event: ◾️ Atoli’s Beef Bowl Style Crape Just as it was stated in an email within the game itself, Atoli’s favorite food is gyudon, beef bowl, and so this original recipe was created. Atoli’s crape came with bits of beef, egg, onion, and tofu. ▲ People were also given a random .hack pin with each purchase of a crape! ◾️ LieN －リアン－ Live There was also an hour-long live concert by LieN [Official Site] on Sunday, October 8th. ◾️ 『.hack//G.U. Last Recode』Official Merchandise! ▲ Merchandise available included the following: .hack//Fanbook Vol.2, 2,000 yen 2018 Yearly Planner, 1,500 yen Smartphone Case, 3,800 yen 『.hack』Series 15th Anniversary Pin, 1,000 yen ▶︎ More Information on MachiAsobi on the official CC2 Website here.

Yesterday was the Talk & Signing event at Tsukumo Digital Life in Shinbashi, Tokyo– also where the .hack//G.U. Last Recode exhibit is going on. I first met with some other cool .hack fans and went as a group to the talk & signing event… then we hung out at the exhibition area for a while before going out for a fan dinner. It was a full day of .hack goodness! Anyway, here are a couple of the photos that I took at the exhibition area. ▶︎ You can view all of my pictures in the gallery here.

This year at TGS, I wanted to get the special signed copies of the NieR:Automata concert blu-rays, so I booked a hotel for two nights just across the street. On Saturday, I got in line with my friend at 7:00am and it was still too late by the time we made it to the SQEX Merch booth to get the signed copies. *sad* So with that failure out of the way (I was able to get the NieR LP Box set at least), we were pretty much free the rest of the day until we needed to find the place for the .hack Fan Meeting & Dinner. I can’t really talk about the details about it, but it was a lot of fun! On Sunday was the .hack//Last Recode presentation at the Famitsu booth with Matsuyama & Natsumura from CC2. Before the broadcast, I asked if it was okay to take photos, and they said it’d be no problem! Yay! So below are a ton of pictures that I took. But first, here’s the edited video that I cropped out of Famitsu’s 4th day live broadcast. I also fixed a bit of audio discync. ▲ Matsuyama-san reveiled the cover illustration of his new book The Medicine Called Entertainment (エンターテインメントという薬). It’s an anecdote about a boy he learned about roughly 10 years ago when the 3rd volume of .hack//G.U. was still in production. He was informed of a boy suffering from cancer would soon have surgery to remove his eyes some weeks later. The boy was asked what he wanted to see the most before losing his sight and he responded that he wanted to play the final volume of .hack//G.U., but the scheduled date for the surgery was before the official release of the game. Matsuyama very much wanted to make the boy’s wish come true, so he had his team fix up a pre-release version of the game and he personally delivered it to the boy. Now, ten years later, he felt bad that he accidentally created a continuation of the G.U. story that the boy would not be able to play. That is why he decided to take the initiative upon himself to write a story heavily based upon the boy’s story. The book will be available in paperback, electronically on e-readers, and also in audio book format. You can purchase the book here on Amazon Japan. ▶︎ View additional photos from TGS 2017 that I took here.