Childhood Dreams

It has been one of my childhood dreams to go to Japan and Tokyo in particular, though I'm not sure yet if Tokyo is going to be the place I call home someday.  Maybe.  There are a few game companies that I would like to work for there like Vanillaware, Studio Tales, Kojima Productions, and even Square Enix.  There are many games I want to make (so many ideas floating in my head), but one in particular would be one to rival the Persona series.  I just love that series so much.  It's hard for me to say which one company I would prefer above the rest, because they all are so talented and have some great titles.

A few months back I've been having some email conversations with Vanillaware, particularly about what skills they require for hiring a new member of their team, animation, illustrating, language skills and that sort of thing.  I was actually surprised that they responded to my emails since they were in English.  Come to find out, it's actually not impossible for a gaijin like me from the states to get work over there after all.  I even checked with Tri-Ace who makes the Star Ocean series about hiring foreigners.  They actually have staff on hand and classes to help you learn Japanese.  However, you do have to be pretty good at what you do to get in regardless.  The gaming industry is getting pretty competitive to get in these days.  But, you'll be surprised that many of these companies will actually give you the time of day to answer some questions if you're looking into breaking into the Japanese gaming industry.  One thing for sure I've found out, know your Japanese ( in most cases you have to pass a Japanese proficiency test).  Well, I'm working on it;)

To tell the truth, I don't fully know why I want to go to Japan.  It's partly because it's completely foreign to me, and going there would be an awesome adventure to live life differently.  I'm also a huge fan of the Japanese anime, manga, and gaming industries.  They're all wonderful story telling tools and I would love spending the rest of my life speaking to the world and hopefully encouraging and inspiring some people out there who could use a nice little pick me up.  I also know that my destiny is partly wrapped up in Japan.  You could say, God put it in my heart to go there.  I don't think I'll fully understand until I take the voyage and discover it for myself.

George Kamitani, from Vanillaware sent me this as a New Years greeting.  It's a little creepy, but pretty cool at the same time:)  I like it.  As far as I know this isn't a new game concept.  2010, Mr. Kamitani sent out a similar image called Three Graces, which started some huge rumors whether it was going to be Vanillaware's new game they're working on.  Sadly, no, at least as far as I know.  I have no idea what they are up to, except they have been doing some testing on the PS3, and that they will finally start incorporating some 3D elements now.  I dearly hope they hold on to their amazing ability to work on the 2D level, at least to some degree.  I'm actually a little embarrassed to point it out, but theirs a typo in George's name...