Danganronpa and The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy creator Kazutaka Kodaka’s popularity is no joke, as his recent work-related visit to Shenzhen, China on August 29 drew a spontaneous crowd, with over 300 fans lining up at a shopping mall to meet him. The commotion prompted local police to get involved and almost arrest Kodaka under the presumption that he started an unauthorized event (as reported by Denfaminicogamer.)
Holding or taking part in an unauthorized gathering in China can, depending on the circumstances, be treated as a serious offense that can lead to arrest and even deportation. In Kodaka’s case, fans gathered after he made an unassuming social media post that happened to reveal his location. Luckily, he was able to explain the situation to the police before things escalated, allowing him and his staff (as well as hundreds of fans) to leave without any penalties. He apologized for his actions, admitting that he never expected so many Chinese fans to show up to meet him.
Kodaka’s popularity in China as of recent has likely been boosted by his activity on Weibo, a Chinese social networking site. Due to his frequent posts and understanding of the Chinese anime and gaming scenes, Kodaka quickly established a significant following on the platform. Kodaka admits that while he initially felt that he had to work hard to promote The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy due to it being a new IP and Tookyo Games going into debt over its development, he never expected that the game would be as well-received and popular as it is now.
The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is available on PC (Steam) and for the Nintendo Switch.
