Bringing a Megahit IP to Life: Behind the Game Design of "Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade"
Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade, the first-ever smartphone game for the Jujutsu Kaisen IP, launched in November 2023 and has been met with incredible enthusiasm, surpassing 6 million downloads*. We sat down with Yuta Imamura, the game's design team leader, to discuss the unique challenges of adapting such a beloved IP and his philosophy.
*As of August 15, 2024.
Profile
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Yuta Imamura / Lead UI Designer, "Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade," Sumzap, Inc.
After graduating from Musashino Art University's Crafts & Industrial Design program, he was so passionate about working in game creative that he joined the CyberAgent subsidiary Sumzap as a part-time employee. He was promoted to a full-time position one year later and has been creating new titles as a designer ever since. Today, he leads the design team for "Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade" at Sumzap.
The Anime Franchise Became a Massive Hit During Game Development: How We Met the Subsequent Expectations
The Jujutsu Kaisen project followed a path from the original manga to an anime adaptation and then to a game. When we began game development, the anime was still in production. However, the anime was released first and became a massive hit. This significantly raised the game's profile, and we resolved then and there to relentlessly pursue a level of quality that could satisfy the incredibly passionate expectations of the fans.
Before proceeding with concrete UI design, we first established development principles to ensure a shared understanding of our target quality within the team. Clarifying these principles provided a solid basis for decision-making when we debated "what to do or not to do" and "how to do it." This enabled the entire team to focus on the essential goal of collaborating to create a superior product.
I make a conscious effort to verbalize my direction rather than relying on intuition, ensuring that the intent and philosophy behind the information architecture are clearly understood by every team member with a sense of conviction. I believe that by articulating and sharing our goals and the requirements needed to achieve them, the entire team can engage in creation from a higher, more unified perspective.
Our Core Principles for Further Enhancing an Established World
The great thing about making a game for a hit IP is that you already know your audience and their passion level, which makes targeting much easier. The flip side is that the bar for fan expectations is set incredibly high from day one. They have a built-in idea of "how fun this game should be," and you have to constantly ask yourself if you're building something that can clear that bar.
When it comes to expressing the characters and the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, our first and most important question is always, "Is this the right way to handle it for this IP?" We are in constant communication with our partners to ensure our interpretation is reasonable and appropriate. For instance, they might come to us with feedback like, "We don't want 'Cursed Tools' to be treated like typical RPG equipment. Can you represent them as a different concept?" or "We need players to be able to clearly distinguish between the anime-based scenario and the game-original scenario." These are major requirements that deeply affect the UI and game structure, so we work them out through rigorous team-wide verification.
Our creators are in constant discussion with the producers and planners about how we can elevate the world of Jujutsu Kaisen. It's incredibly rewarding to know that we, from the game development side, can actually enhance the appeal of the original work itself. The fun of this project is creating a synergy where we can build excitement for the IP together.
© Gege Akutami/SHUEISHA, JUJUTSU KAISEN Production Committee © Sumzap, Inc./TOHO CO., LTD.
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Why is "Touken Ranbu" Loved Worldwide? Nitroplus President Takaki Kosaka Talks about His Philosophy of IP
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Touken Ranbu※ continues to capture the hearts of fans worldwide, both in Japan and beyond. Yet, Takaki Kosaka, President of Nitroplus, remarks, "We never intentionally targeted the global market." Still, the company's creations have undeniably transcended borders, captivating a big fan base. In this article, we delve deep into the unique philosophy of IP at Nitroplus that fuels their ability to produce one hit after another.
※Touken Ranbu is a popular Japanese IP and a free-to-play simulation, strategy, and RPG browser game where players collect and strengthen male characters, who are the personifications of historical swords, to battle against historical enemies.
