Danganronpa Creator Says Being ‘Contrarian’ And ‘Edgy’ Is How He Competes With Mario And Monster Hunter

When you’re competing in a crowded, $200 billion industry, playing it safe is no longer an option. That’s especially true for Danganronpa and The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- creator Kazutaka Kodaka, who has made a name for himself through unconventional storytelling and a habit of shocking players. But as it turns out, there’s more to his anime madness than simply chasing shock value. During an interview with Mrs. GREEN APPLE vocalist Motoki Ohmori published in Famitsu Issue 1966, Kodaka discussed the challenges of standing out in an industry dominated by massive AAA franchises.

When asked what motivates him to craft unusual ideas, Kodaka explained that smaller developers like himself need to offer less mainstream experiences that players cannot find anywhere else. “[…F]or customers, the money or time spent to make them has no relevance. Whether it’s a new IP too is irrelevant; they are compared as individual games, and that’s why, to compete you have to let loose, otherwise, there’s no point. Your game won’t get picked up,” explained Kodaka, pointing out that in particular for retail games like The Hundred Lines and Monster Hunter, where both are sold at a similar price range. “So, regardless of whether it’s a thing everyone wants to play, we have to fight with something that’s like, ‘Normally, nobody would do something like this.'”

Kodaka, however, also stressed that he’s an anti-mainstream at heart and always tries to avoid ‘overlapping’ with what other people are doing. “You can’t just suddenly beat Monster Hunter and Super Mario, you know,” he admitted the hardships of facing off against established, long-running franchises. “With so many games out there, to get picked up, a certain degree of contrarian approach or individuality is needed. […] Especially when you’re surrounded by enormous empires.”

For that reason, Kodaka didn’t find the need to sand down his games’ rougher ‘edges’ to appeal to a wider audience. “In that sense, one’s own individuality can become a weapon, I think; as I create with the feeling of not smoothing out their edges, but making something edgy enough to stab the players,” he continued.

Still, being different doesn’t exactly mean you have to constantly reinvent yourself. As seen in Danganronpa‘s bizarre twist on Ace Attorney mechanics, Kodaka also believes creators shouldn’t force themselves to abandon familiar ideas or concepts they like just because they are already explored. “‘This is just a rehash, isn’t it?’ If someone said that, it’s fine to respond with, ‘Well, I’m just in the mood for that right now,’ I think,” he added.

As a musician, Ohmori echoed that sentiment. Trying to satisfy everyone’s expectations can eventually compromise what makes an artist’s work distinctive in the first place. “I’ve reached a conclusion that’s, in a sense, like, ‘As long as I’m having fun, that’s enough,'” replied Ohmori. “Doing something I like, and having others enjoy watching us do it, both the other members and I have come to that line of thinking.”

Much like The Hundred Line‘s rag-tag group of students defending their school against an endless onslaught of monsters, Kodaka himself is fighting an uphill battle against the industry’s biggest juggernauts with eccentric ideas. For more gaming news and interviews, keep an eye out on GameObserver.