Video Game Tycoon in Tokyo-Chapter 859: A Game with Japanese Cultural Elements

Ever since signing the Plaza Accord, Japan's economy began to spiral wildly, ultimately leading to long-term stagnation. Even now, Japan's position remains awkward—with heavy industry unable to thrive, the country has turned its focus toward more unconventional paths.

When Takayuki began to rise, Asakusa, an official from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, actively sought him and several other companies out, hoping to strengthen the nation through cultural development.

It was a last-resort strategy, but for Japan, it may well have been the optimal solution.

Back then, Takayuki directly saw through Asakusa's intentions, which astonished the official. What had only been a budding idea in Asakusa's mind had already been fully anticipated by Takayuki, who even accurately predicted the trajectory of Japan's cultural development.

Not only that—Takayuki even proposed a new term: "Cool Japan."

The idea was to present Japanese culture to the world in a cooler, more stylish light.

Of course, back then, everything was still in its early stages. Trying to immediately launch a cultural campaign on the scale of "Cool Japan" would've been too ambitious, likely leading to disaster. So after Takayuki coined the term, Asakusa kept it close to his heart. Even by the time he neared retirement, Japan's cultural progress hadn't quite reached the level he hoped—but it was getting close.

Before stepping down, he laid out a comprehensive Cool Japan strategy in his final documents. It included the formation of a Cool Japan Committee, steps for identifying breakthroughs in Japan's current popular culture industries, and an ambitious plan to boost Japan's overall cultural economy.

Asakusa's successor, Shizuoka Jirō, treated this legacy as his greatest political asset. When he first assumed office, he decided that the time had finally come to implement the Cool Japan initiative. He wholeheartedly supported it and believed that, if he succeeded, his own career would soar to new heights.

What he hadn't expected, though, was that the Cool Japan concept hadn't actually originated with Asakusa—but with Takayuki himself.

That was something that couldn't be faked. Shizuoka could easily confirm it by simply asking Asakusa. And someone like Takayuki, with his status, had no reason to lie just to claim credit.

"Mr. Takayuki... this is truly..."

Takayuki calmly took out a document case from his briefcase, placed it on the table, and pulled out a file, handing it to Shizuoka.

"Minister Shizuoka, I truly appreciate your trust. So before coming here, I prepared a basic proposal related to Cool Japan. You could call it a personal ambition—but also a mutually beneficial plan. Please, take a look."

"Oh, oh!"

Shizuoka took it with both hands, visibly serious.

Actually, Takayuki had another proposal in his briefcase. But he felt it was still a bit early to reveal all his cards. Doing so wouldn't maximize his own benefits. For now, this "bait" would suffice—the bigger plan could wait.

"A new game development? Is this tailored for the Cool Japan initiative?"

Indeed, the printed title clearly indicated the project was specifically made for Cool Japan.

At that moment, Shizuoka was almost completely convinced that Takayuki was the original proposer of the idea.

Until now, "Cool Japan" had only been mentioned a few times in internal ministry meetings.

He quickly flipped to the next page.

On it was written:"A fantastical story set in Japan's Sengoku period — Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice."

"A tale about a Japanese samurai? That's intriguing..."

Shizuoka began reading intently.

The Sengoku (Warring States) era was already one of Japan's most popular and frequently adapted historical periods.

But clearly, this game had also blended in many fantasy elements—dragons, bizarre and mysterious creatures, and a fictional land called Ashina plunged into bloody chaos.

The setting was fictional, but filled with classic Japanese cultural motifs—samurai, shinobi, and more.

In the story, it all begins with a political upheaval in Ashina. Genichiro Ashina seeks to purge the nation, while a royal bodyguard known only as Wolf fights to protect his young master, slowly unraveling the true conspiracy behind the turmoil.

Before he realized it, Shizuoka Jirō had become completely immersed.

The plot was only outlined briefly, but even with just that, he could feel a dark and cunning tone running through it.

It was far more sophisticated than typical black-and-white, good-vs-evil narratives.

Whoever wrote this was no ordinary storyteller.

"Mr. Takayuki, is this the game you're planning to make next?"

"That's right. Your proposal reminded me of this project, which I had put on hold long ago."

"Put on hold? But the story's fantastic. Why would you shelve it?" Shizuoka looked puzzled.

He had been captivated from the first page—he was certain it would be a hit.

But his perspective was based purely on personal taste. He didn't fully grasp the nuances of the game industry.

Takayuki patiently explained:"I shelved it because it wasn't the right time. Back then, most players preferred lighter, more casual games with simpler controls. But now, players are becoming more comfortable with challenging games. The time is finally right for this one to shine."

Once, a game called Demon's Souls was hailed as the birth of the Souls-like genre—a term now synonymous with punishingly difficult action RPGs.

The defining feature of Souls-likes was that even weak enemies could kill the player if they weren't careful. Players could pour hours of effort into a game, only to get blindsided and lose it all in a second.

The result? Intense frustration.

But the genre's creator, Hidetaka Miyazaki, never gave up. He stuck to his style, releasing Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and more—gradually building a loyal following. As players matured, they began to embrace the high-difficulty formula. Eventually, Souls-likes became one of the most popular genres in the industry.

Nowadays, any game that dared label itself "Souls-like" would instantly draw attention.

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Takayuki had long considered introducing Souls-likes to this world. But back then, even Monster Hunter was too hard for many players—they would rage-quit and scream about the difficulty.

To release a Souls-like in that climate would've been a poor business decision.

Video games were, after all, cultural products. Like any art, timing was everything. The right game at the wrong time could sink, no matter how brilliant it was.

"Too difficult? Mr. Takayuki, couldn't you just lower the difficulty?"

"I can't. That's the core of this game. But don't worry, Minister—I believe now is exactly the right time for it."

Shizuoka nodded."It really is excellent. The story alone is captivating, and it perfectly matches the goals I had for spreading Japanese culture. Mr. Takayuki, it's no wonder Mr. Asakusa held you in such high regard."