Interview Archive

This is an archive of key articles and interviews with the creative team behind *World's End Club* to help with sourcing information in the future. Interviews hosted here are for archival purposes only and *World's End Club Wiki* claims no rights to the original work. Visitors to this page are encouraged to visit the original articles - which are linked in the headline - in order to support the original publishers. If any publisher wishes for their content to be removed, please contact our Admin AAABatts.

## Dualshockers

* October 3rd 2018

**Danganronpa and Zero Escape Creators Discuss New Studio, First Games, and More**
 by **Giuseppe Nelva**

**Dualshockers:** You left Spike Chunsoft to create your own studio. Was it because you wanted more freedom, or you were simply ready to make a new experience?

**Kodaka:** I wanted to challenge many different projects and work with many different people. That's why I decided to be independent.

**Dualshockers:** Why so many projects at the same time? Starting a new studio isn't certainly simple, so wouldn't it have been simpler to begin with a single game?

**Kodaka:** We don't have a big team. We only have the core members among designers, character designers, and a composer. We had many things that we wanted to make. Since we don't use our own internal programmers, it's possible to work on multiple things at the same time.

**Dualshockers:** You couldn't decide on what to tackle first?

(Everyone laughs)

**Kodaka:** As you know, Danganronpa is quite successful, so quite a few contacted us wanting to do something together. Four is the maximum number of projects that we can handle at one time, and that's why. In terms of scripts, we have four people in the team who can write them. They can write the plot of the games and then the rest of the team can do their part. That's one of the reasons why we can take on four projects at the same time.

**Dualshockers:** One of your projects is a "Death Game for Children." Does that mean that the game is actually a title with children as its intended audience, or the story involves children?

**Uchikoshi:** It's kind of like *It*. it's for adults, but it includes children characters. That being said, children may be able to enjoy it as well.

**Dualshockers:** Pretty much all of you seem to be very interested in depicting the theme of despair. What did inspire you to create games on this rather unique theme?

**Kodaka:** What we really like to do is something unusual and unconventional to begin with. There are a lot of titles like *Spider-Man* and *Detroit: Become Human* that everybody can get into, but we like do something different. Our publishers were also looking for something unique. So basically what we liked and the search for something different unconventional matched each other. Of course, you can't kill others in real life, but in games it's possible, so we tried to do something like that.

**Dualshockers:** Have you ever be worried that the media or society would react negatively to this kind of thing?

**Kodaka:** We do, but we believe that this is entertainment for mature people.

**Uchikoshi:** Isn't killing people the point of games? (Laughs)

**Kodaka:** It's not like I want to necessarily show people dying, but in these scenes, it means something for people to live or to die. In these situations, I want to say something.

**Dualshockers:** I wonder if the fact that you're in Japan is among the factors that allowed you to create games like this. In Japan, entertainment and fiction aren't judged harshly as in the west, where society appears to be much quicker to point fingers.

**Kodaka:** We actually aren't very aware of what's going on outside of Japan. We want to create something we think it's enjoyable. If I worried about how people reacted outside of Japan, I wouldn't be able to create the things I want to make.

**Dualshockers:** That's why I love Japanese games.

**Uchikoshi:** For the Japanese audience fiction is fiction and it's not reality. Maybe the western audience is more prone to connect fiction and reality, and they prefer something closer to reality even in fiction. I think this might be one of the differences between Japanese and western audiences.

**Dualshockers:** Do you already have platforms in mind for the game projects you already started?

**Kodaka:** We can't say anything about platforms, as only the publishers can make that announcement. We don't care much about what hardware we work on, and hopefully, we can create games for all consoles.

**Dualshockers:** Do you have a favorite platform personally?

**Masafumi Takada:** PS4.

**Kodaka:** PS4.

**Uchikoshi:** Switch!

(Everyone laughs)

**Dualshockers:** When you released the first video, it was *NieR: Automata* Producer Yosuke Saito. Did you play with it on purpose so that people would wonder if it was about Yoko Taro?

**Kodaka:** I think Saito-san said something that made people think that the company was created by Yoko Taro, but he already has his own company.

**Dualshockers:** Have you already started working on the games? What kind of stage of development are you in?

**Kodaka:** We already started. We already have something playable, but since we work with publishers, showing four titles at the same time, it's hard to say which one is more advanced.

**Dualshockers:** How long do you think we'll have to wait before we'll see the first gameplay?

**Kodaka:** That depends on the publishers (laughs). It's possible that the first one you'll see gameplay of is the Death Game for Children game that you mentioned before, within this year.

**Dualshockers:** At the very beginning, you said you'd like to make "crazy games for the whole world." Does this means that you want to release all of your games in the west?

**Kodaka:** Yes, that's correct. We're not sure exactly which regions, though, as it depends on the publishers as well.

**Dualshockers:** Are you looking for publishing partners outside of Japan for western releases, or maybe you've already found some?

**Kodaka:** It depends...

**Dualshockers:** Let's switch gears a bit. Outside of your own games, what are your favorites?

**Uchikoshi:** Now I'm playing Yoko-san's *Nier: Automata* and I think it's a lot of fun.

**Kodaka:** I've been watching *Nier: Automata* from the very start of the project, through every development stage, and that's why I'm very much into it.

**Dualshockers:** You created a very lean and compact group of developers, but if you could pick any other to join you, who would that be?

**Kodaka:** We collaborate with other developers, but we don't want others to join.

**Dualshockers:** Since you already have playable prototypes, I guess this has been going on since much before the announcement. How long has it been?

**Kodaka:** We started working together a year ago.

**Dualshockers:** How long ago did you start thinking about this? Maybe going out for drinks and saying "wouldn't it be nice if we started our own team?"

**Kodaka:** Actually, I've been thinking about these four projects since before Danganronpa.

**Dualshockers:** Have you ever brought these ideas to your previous employer?

**Kodaka:** I never did. That being said when I started thinking about leaving the company, I started showing those ideas to people I could trust. When I did that, they told me they were really good ideas, and we should make them happen.

**Dualshockers:** You're still working with Spike Chunsoft for one of your games. How did they react when you told them that you were all quitting?

**Kodaka:** After the latest Danganronpa I presented the ideas to the President of Spike Chunsoft, who immediately said they were good ideas and we should make them happen. Then I told him that I wanted to make them outside of Spike Chunsoft.

**Dualshockers:** And what did he say?

**Kodaka:** He was actually very encouraging.

**Dualshockers:** If Spike Chunsoft wanted to make a Danganronpa game without you now that you've left, would you give them your blessing, or maybe you'd ask them to wait for you so that you could do it yourself?

**Kodaka:** If they wanted to do it right now, it would be impossible for me because I have four projects going on. I would tell them to go ahead. I left the company, and they have their own financial and business reasons to use the IP, so I have nothing negative to say about it. If later on I have time and they want to do it with me, then maybe it would be possible for me to say.

**Dualshockers:** The Project Kodaka-san and Uchikoshi-san are writing together looks a lot like Danganronpa in some ways, but also very different in other ways... at least from what I can tell from one piece of artwork, which I'll admit isn't much. What sets it aside from your previous games?

**Uchikoshi:** Well, the main character is different (laughs)

**Dualshockers:** What about the main character?

**Kodaka:** No that was a joke. The reason why you probably thought that it may be similar is the character design. The game itself is totally different from Danganronpa. That being said, while some creators try to always do something different from previous games, I'm not like that. If my new name turns out to be similar to my previous ones, then it's fine.

**Dualshockers:** Is the genre the same as Danganronpa?

**Kodaka:** It's actually a different genre.

**Dualshockers:** What genre is it?

**Kodaka:** That's still a secret. That being said, any genre would be workable if we put our effort in adapting it to the scenario.

**Dualshockers:** If I was to guess, to me it seems like an action game with martial arts.

**Kodaka:** They look like ninja right?

**Dualshockers:** Did you set yourself a specific goal for these first four projects?

**Kodaka:** I would like them all to be big hits (laughs). We're putting 100% of our efforts into all four of these projects. Some may think that if we work on four games at the same time, maybe we can't give it our all for all of them. That isn't the case. The goal is creating games that are all interesting and fun to play.

**Dualshockers:** You mentioned that you'll work on games, anime, and other forms of entertainment. What are those?

**Kodaka:** Plays and manga.

**Dualshockers:** Do you already have ideas for those?

**Kodaka:** Yes, we do. The studio is called Too Kyo games, so it's a game company, but we also want to provide the IP for other forms of entertainment that audiences outside games can enjoy as well.

**Dualshockers:** Do you already have publishers for all of your projects?

**Kodaka:** Yes.

**Dualshockers:** I'm really looking forward to seeing your games.

**Kodaka:** The release shouldn't be too far. As soon as we have the idea, we like to start right away, you'll probably be able to see them in the relatively near future.

**Dualshockers:** Since the reveal was all in Japanese, most of your western fans couldn't understand a word of it. Is there anything you'd like to tell them?

**Kodaka:** Uchikoshi-san has made the Zero Escape series, and I have worked on Dangarnronpa, so those who liked those games, please buy our games! (laughs) Takada-san also composed Danganronpa's music and he is very talented, and we also have the character designer in our team. Each member of our team is talented. With everyone combined, it's going to be a powerful team, so please look forward to play our games.

**Takada:** I'll do my best to create great music!

**Uchikoshi:** By the way, since you played Devil May Cry today (Editor's note: I mentioned it earlier in the conversation while casually chatting), our Death Game for Kids already has a title, it's Death March Club. It's still "DMC."

**Dualshockers:** Is it some kind of school club?

**Uchikoshi:** Kids who don't go well at school are gathered in this club.

**Dualshockers:** Is it some kind of punishment?

**Uchikoshi:** Of course it's against their will, but the story explains why they're in the club.

**Dualshockers:** It kind of feels like Danganronpa... Are there any teddy bears?

**Uchikoshi:** No! (Laughs)

## Gematsu

* June 6th 2019

**Too Kyo Games interview with Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi at BitSummit 7 Spirits**
 by **Sal Romano**

At BitSummit 7 Spirits in Kyoto last weekend, we sat down with Too Kyo Games writers and co-founders Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi, known for the respective creations of the *Danganronpa* and *Zero Escape* series, to discuss the studio’s recent founding and current progress.

**Gematsu:** What made everyone decide to leave Spike Chunsoft and start a new company?

**Kodaka:** "Well there were two reasons for this. One, we wanted to use our own money to make indie games and own the rights to our titles. And two, we wanted to team up with other companies and create titles that we wouldn't have been able to make at Spike Chunsoft."

**Gematsu:** Was Spike Chunsoft not giving you the creative freedom to tackle the kinds of projects you wanted to work on?

**Kodaka:** "Well, Spike Chunsoft is not a big company, so resources are limited. And there are companies that are good in a specific genre of games. We wanted to, for instance, team up with a company that's good at making action games, or a company that's good at making RPGs to expand what we can do. In that regard, there is a project that we are teaming up with Spike Chunsoft on as well."

**Gematsu:** Oh yeah. The fourth project teased by Too Kyo Games was a Spike Chunsoft collaboration project. How did that start?

**Kodaka:** "I left the company when the idea got green lit, and told Spike Chunsoft that I wanted to work on it from the outside."

**Gematsu:** Are you able to say anything about the "Limit x Despair" title you two are working on together?

**Kodaka:** "That's actually the theme so it might not become the title. As for that game, its still in the early stages. We haven't decided upon whether to release it through a publisher or go indie with that."

**Gematsu:** Ah, right. I know you're already working with Izanagi Games on *Death March Club*, who judging by your comments isn't the publisher of the "Limit x Despair" title. As of now, do you think that title should be an indie game or find a publisher for it?

**Kodaka:** "Well, if we were to release it as our own, it's probably going to be a visual novel. Though if we decide its better to have, for instance, 3D graphics or other mechanics, then we might have to find a publisher. It's still in the early stages and we'll probably have to decide that after the story is finalized."

**Gematsu:** What other genres are you interested in working on?

**Kodaka:** "We can't say in detail yet, but genres that we haven't done yet."

**Gematsu:** Well I'm not so much asking what you're currently working on, more so if there are there any genres that you're personally interested in?

**Kodaka:** "Well, that's the genre we're working on right now. (Laughs.) Although action, or RPG, whatever the genre might be, what we want to keep in mind that is our games will always be a story-driven experience. So we aren't thinking about games that are heavy on the online components. It might sound that we're going against trends, but we're certain that there are people out there wanting a narrative driven game."

**Gematsu:** You guys are also working on an anime from Studio Pierrot. Can you explain influences that films like *Pulp Fiction* and *The Professional* had on it?

**Kodaka:** "When the plans started for the anime, there was an influx of 'moe anime' or anime that have too much fan service. So me and the producer were discussing that we should make something that goes against that trend. It also includes cyberpunk influences, from *Ghost in the Shell* and such. I also wanted to make a story in which most characters will die at some point. (Laughs.)"

**Gematsu:** So far, the only game that we know with a release window is *Death March Club* in 2020. The premise sounds similar to *Danganronpa*, but how is it different?

**Uchikoshi:**: "There's going to be a lot of twists and turns in the story so we can't tell you yet. It's filled with surprises."

**Kodaka:** "If you're thinking that it's a Danganronpa clone, we've already got you in our hands. (Laughs.)"

**Gematsu:** Hmm, I see. So you want people to think its similar to Danganronpa?

**Uchikoshi:**: "Well, yeah… but we don't want to say too much. (Laughs.)"

**Kodaka:** "I like to think that the game already started the moment we announced the title."

**Gematsu:** What's it coming out on?

**Kodaka:** "PC is confirmed, but other platforms are still in negotiation."

**Gematsu:** Is this going to be a worldwide release?

**Kodaka:** "That's right."

**Gematsu:** What platforms do you play games on the most?

**Uchikoshi:**: "I think I play on PlayStation 4 the most at work, although since I have a daughter, when I play at home I play Switch the most."

**Kodaka:** "I play on PlayStation 4 the most as well. The Switch is probably the least played."

**Gematsu:** What was the intention behind announcing not one, but four titles so early in development, alongside the announcement of a newly formed company?

**Kodaka:** "Why did we do that? (Laughs.)"

**Uchikoshi:**: "Don't ask me! (Laughs.)"

**Kodaka:** "Well at first, we didn't tell everyone that we formed a new company. And when we were to reveal Too Kyo Games, we thought, 'who would be interested in a bunch of old guys making a company?' So we decided on actually having some titles with that news to get everyone's attention."

**Gematsu:** Four is quite a high number, How many titles did you think you needed for people to take notice?!

**Kodaka:** "We thought two wasn't enough. (Laughs.)"

**Gematsu:** I'd say even one title is enough! (Laughs.)

**Kodaka:** "Since we're working with many companies, if we reveal one title, all the other companies will be worried about them not having publicity. So we had to reveal four to make it fair. Since we're a very small company, we're sailing between some huge waves. I can't say everything now, but maybe in ten or so years I'd love to share those stories. There's a lot of things happening."

**Gematsu:** Can you give us an idea of how far along each title is?

**Kodaka:** "Death March Club is probably the furthest in development. And except for the 'Limit x Despair' title, I'd say everything is more than halfway done. The main story and character designs are nearly finished for all of them, and we're cooperating with other companies to further develop them."

**Gematsu:** Uchikoshi-san, you're currently developing *AI: The Somnium Files* at Spike Chunsoft in addition to working for Too Kyo Games. How has that affected your work at the new company?

**Uchikoshi:**: "Well, hmm… how should I put it…"

**Kodaka:** "Are you busy?"

**Uchikoshi:**: "Well, yeah. (Laughs.)"

**Gematsu:** Have you brought ideas from *AI: The Somnium Files* to your other projects, or something similar to that?

**Uchikoshi:**: "Not really. I have two different roles in development. For AI, I came to Too Kyo after the game's story was finished, so I'm currently working as the director. As for the games for Too Kyo, I'm a writer."

**Gematsu:** Did you find it hard to leave your past franchises behind at Spike Chunsoft? How does it feel to start something new?

**Kodaka:** "Hmm… Well I always wanted to do something other than Danganronpa, so I'm really enjoying what I'm doing right now."

**Uchikoshi:**: "I'm still working with the AI team, including team members from Zero Escape, so it doesn't really feel as if I left quite yet."

**Gematsu:** How much do you think your past titles at Spike Chunsoft influence your current projects?

**Kodaka:** "I think one of the reasons I'm able to even make my own company is because Spike Chunsoft let me make Danganronpa, and I'm extremely grateful for that. It also kind of honed in my style of game. So explaining things to staff I just met is easier if they played my past titles. I love Danganronpa, so yeah it definitely has its influences."

**Uchikoshi:**: "Since the Zero Escape series really caught on overseas, it really opened my eyes to visualize a wider audience for my games. Without that, I think I'd still only be focusing on the domestic market."

**Gematsu:** How much do you think works from overseas influenced your projects?

**Kodaka:** "Of course I play games, and watch movies and series from overseas, but I'm not actively distinguishing 'western content' or 'Japanese content,' so probably everything I watch or play obviously influences me. Although I have to say that I love Tarantino films, so they surely have influenced my works."

**Uchikoshi:**: "Hmm…"

**Kodaka:** "What about Detroit: Become Human?"

**Uchikoshi:**: "Ah, yeah. When we played Detroit, we were always talking about how we would have made it. As a Japanese developer and as someone who has been making many adventure games."

**Kodaka:** "Yeah, we also talked about, 'what if we had the same funding as Detroit.' (Laughs.)"

**Gematsu:** As a big fan of the Dangonronpa series, I'm curious about why you choose that ending in Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony...

**Kodaka:** "Well, we didn't think Danganronpa would succeed to this level when we started it. The first Danganronpa was made because we wanted to make something different and challenge ourselves. The second game was focused more on each character, and they became popular somewhat similar to the characters of the Persona series. Also the anime started around that time too. And when we started development on V3 around that time, there were talks about fleshing out the characters even more and taking Danganronpa on the same path as Persona. Although looking back I started Danganronpa as something 'different' from other games, so I wrote down the plot that would become V3, and a lot of the staff said, 'that's what we need to do.' So yeah, that is kind of how it came to fruition."

**Gematsu:** It looks like our time is up. Thank you for the chat, Kodaka-san and Uchikoshi-san!

## Kotaku

* October 3rd 2018

**Danganronpa, Zero Escape Creators Team Up For A New Murder Game**
 by **Chris Kohler**

The writer-directors behind Zero Escape and Danganronpa have formed their own studio and are teaming up to create another game about school kids and murders. Fans of both series will likely want to check out Death March Club—especially since the developers don't think their former employer will continue their old series without them.

Danganronpa's Kazutaka Kodaka and Zero Escape's Kotaro Uchikoshi announced last month that they had departed publisher Spike Chunsoft and formed their own studio, Too Kyo Games. Today, the pair officially revealed their first game, Death March Club, which they plan to release in 2020. It follows a group of a dozen misfit school kids, each around 12 years old, who get into a car accident on a class trip, waking up to find themselves in an abandoned underwater amusement park where a clown forces them to play a Battle Royale-style murder game.

In an interview last month in Tokyo, Kodaka said that the split from Spike Chunsoft was about getting out of a rut. "It was like doing the same thing over and over again," he said through a translator. "I couldn't motivate myself through that. I wanted to do something new, with new people, a new setup."

While the studio has announced four projects that are in the early stages, including three games and one anime, Death March Club is the first one that they've given specific details about. So far, it's only been announced for PC, and will be published by Izanagi Games. Famitsu magazine reports that it's going to be the pair's final "death game."

"We thought about doing something completely different," Kodaka said. Ultimately, the two realized that fans would expect the creators of Danganronpa and Zero Escape to create the ultimate game about schoolchildren and murder. "We wanted to meet that expectation head-on, and work on something that will be the epitome of the death game."

Although the pair created similar games at Spike Chunsoft, they had never worked together before. "I always thought that Kodaka had things that I didn't have, in a way that could be very complementary," said Uchikoshi.

"I focus very much on building the characters," said Kodaka, "whereas Uchikoshi is very good at creating a story that has intricate tricks."

"Also, Danganronpa fans tend to be more stylish," said Uchikoshi, causing the room to break out in laughter.

Currently, seven people work at Too Kyo Games, many of whom left Spike Chunsoft with Kodaka and Uchikoshi. The company will do game writing, direction, music, and art, but will work with outside developers for the programming. Death March Club's engineering will be handled by the developer Grounding, under the supervision of Panzer Dragoon creator Yukio Futatsugi.

"We don't have engineers, we don't have coders," Kodaka says. "We want to focus on doing original IP… If we had a bigger organization, with more people on our payroll, we might have to work on things that we don't want to."

"I selected people who can maintain their livelihood even if the company goes bankrupt," he said. Other members of the company include those who created the graphics and music for Danganronpa. That's why Kodaka and Uchikoshi don't believe that Spike Chunsoft will continue with the series they started, because much of the talent behind it is now gone.

"It's not something that Spike Chunsoft can do anymore. It's not likely they'll work on it," said Uchikoshi. Leaving their former series behind hasn't been too difficult, he says. "For us, it's not like leaving it to somebody else."

"I typically forget the things I make," said Kodaka.

## Polygon

* October 4th 2018

**Death March Club is a new ‘death game’ from Danganronpa, Zero Escape creators**
 by **Michael McWhertor**

Two creators behind the Danganronpa and Zero Escape series of visual novel games have teamed up to create what they call "a death game that nobody has ever seen before." Their project is called Death March Club, and much like Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi's previous works, it stars a group of kids thrust into a deadly Battle Royale-esque game.

This time, however, the game makers are skewing younger. Death March Club's cast of 12 school kids are all about 12 years old.

We spoke with the developers at Tokyo Game Show last month, and they gave us early details on their new type of death game.

After a bus accident, the preteens who star in Death March Club find themselves stuck in an underwater amusement park, where a murderous clown forces them to play a deadly game. Players will assume the role of Reycho, an unusual young boy who Uchikoshi says is easy to identify and empathize with. He'll be joined by Vanilla, a girl with an "innocent, light personality" who's also "quite dynamic and active," according to Uchikoshi. Players will interact with the game's other 11 characters, in episodes of treason and friendship, Uchikoshi said, while also solving puzzles in 2D action.

Yukio Futatsugi, whose studio Grounding is handling development of the game's action components, said the mechanics will "leverage the personalities of the characters." Kodaka explained that those characters are elementary school-aged because "they obviously have different ways of thinking" compared to high school students or adults, and that will inform how Death March Club will play.

"One of the strong themes [of Death March Club] is growth," Kodaka said. "Having all of these characters grow is part of the story, and that's why we have characters in elementary school. That growth is easier to express. If it's an adult, it's not going to be growth, it will be change."

Kodaka added that another design goal was to have "an extended contrast between the setting of a death game with elements of horror, but implementing children in the theme park. It's a way to create a big contrast."

Death March Club is the first of multiple projects in development at the recently formed Too Kyo Games. It's being developed in Unity and will come to PC sometime in the year 2020. Too Kyo itself is small, only about seven full-time employees and 10 external contractors. Too Kyo joined with Grounding, which developed Crimson Dragon, and Izanagi Games to bring Kodaka and Uchikoshi's project to life.

Kodaka and Uchikoshi teamed up and split from their previous company, Spike Chunsoft, because they wanted to work on something new and different, they said. Shinsuke Umeda, the game's producer at Izanagi Games, said that getting the two creators together along with Futatsugi (the creator of Sega's Panzer Dragoon series) was a miracle in terms of timing. Umeda added that the group is revealing Death March Club early, well over a year before it will be released, because they're following in the footsteps of other indie developers. They want to find an international publisher to partner with, he said, and that Too Kyo "wanted to really show more of the development phase to users, and try to incorporate users' reaction to the game."