https://automaton-media.com/en/author/emmett-harris/ AUTOMATON is a website that covers the Japanese gaming world. We bring you the news on video games from Osaka and Tokyo. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:38:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-automaton-sitelogo-120x120-1-32x32.png https://automaton-media.com/en/author/emmett-harris/ 32 32 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/bizarre-japanese-property-listing-includes-a-three-story-building-stuffed-with-manga-for-under-12000/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/bizarre-japanese-property-listing-includes-a-three-story-building-stuffed-with-manga-for-under-12000/#respond Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=68962 An old manga library in Japan has been listed on a real estate website for just under $12,000, and it's actually filled with books. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/bizarre-japanese-property-listing-includes-a-three-story-building-stuffed-with-manga-for-under-12000/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/pr/this-japanese-visual-novel-is-a-time-bending-mystery-that-offers-a-chilling-look-into-an-ai-dominated-future-a-look-at-dusk-index-gion/ https://automaton-media.com/en/pr/this-japanese-visual-novel-is-a-time-bending-mystery-that-offers-a-chilling-look-into-an-ai-dominated-future-a-look-at-dusk-index-gion/#respond Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=68895 Our impressions of Bushiroad's suspense visual novel Dusk Index: Gion. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/pr/this-japanese-visual-novel-is-a-time-bending-mystery-that-offers-a-chilling-look-into-an-ai-dominated-future-a-look-at-dusk-index-gion/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/zero-programing-required-rpg-development-tool-bakin-gets-live2d-support/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/zero-programing-required-rpg-development-tool-bakin-gets-live2d-support/#respond Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:34:17 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=68845 SmileBoom's RPG Developer Bakin now has a free Live2D ToolKit for importing Live2D models.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/zero-programing-required-rpg-development-tool-bakin-gets-live2d-support/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/800-dragon-quest-music-box-sells-out-in-less-than-24-hours/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/800-dragon-quest-music-box-sells-out-in-less-than-24-hours/#respond Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=67956 One of Square Enix's premium pieces of merch for Dragon Quest's 40-year anniversary shocked fans with its price tag, but it didn't stop it from selling out.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/800-dragon-quest-music-box-sells-out-in-less-than-24-hours/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/jirai-kei-yuri-visual-novel-menhera-maiden-puts-you-at-the-mercy-of-three-landmine-girls-as-an-international-student-researching-japanese-culture/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/jirai-kei-yuri-visual-novel-menhera-maiden-puts-you-at-the-mercy-of-three-landmine-girls-as-an-international-student-researching-japanese-culture/#comments Fri, 01 May 2026 02:41:59 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=66016 Menhera Maiden, the debut title from developer MOONHERA, is a yuri romance where all the heroines are jirai-kei menhera girls. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/jirai-kei-yuri-visual-novel-menhera-maiden-puts-you-at-the-mercy-of-three-landmine-girls-as-an-international-student-researching-japanese-culture/feed/ 1 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-psychological-horror-visual-novel-lets-you-step-into-the-role-of-a-teacher-visiting-the-homes-of-mentally-unstable-hikikomori-girls-in-your-class/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-psychological-horror-visual-novel-lets-you-step-into-the-role-of-a-teacher-visiting-the-homes-of-mentally-unstable-hikikomori-girls-in-your-class/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=65932 The psychological horror visual novel Spring at Dawn, I Am a Monster is set to be released on Steam sometime later this year.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-psychological-horror-visual-novel-lets-you-step-into-the-role-of-a-teacher-visiting-the-homes-of-mentally-unstable-hikikomori-girls-in-your-class/feed/ 1 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/a-prefecture-in-japan-will-offer-single-people-money-to-use-matchmaking-apps/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/a-prefecture-in-japan-will-offer-single-people-money-to-use-matchmaking-apps/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=65359 Kochi prefecture, which launched the initiative, is one of the least populous prefectures in Japan.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/a-prefecture-in-japan-will-offer-single-people-money-to-use-matchmaking-apps/feed/ 1 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/tomonobu-itagakis-former-collaborator-reminisces-about-the-late-game-creators-life-including-that-one-time-they-were-held-at-gunpoint-by-the-los-angeles-police/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/tomonobu-itagakis-former-collaborator-reminisces-about-the-late-game-creators-life-including-that-one-time-they-were-held-at-gunpoint-by-the-los-angeles-police/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=64979 In a recent interview Kengo Aoki shares some of his memories with late Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden director Tomonobu Itagaki.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/tomonobu-itagakis-former-collaborator-reminisces-about-the-late-game-creators-life-including-that-one-time-they-were-held-at-gunpoint-by-the-los-angeles-police/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/developers-who-crowdfunded-340k-game-budget-are-seeking-legal-action-after-platform-fails-to-pay-out-over-half-the-amount-raised/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/developers-who-crowdfunded-340k-game-budget-are-seeking-legal-action-after-platform-fails-to-pay-out-over-half-the-amount-raised/#comments Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=64430 Skeleton Crew Studio, the team behind the upcoming Shibuya Scramble Stories, has yet to receive over half of the funds it raised.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/developers-who-crowdfunded-340k-game-budget-are-seeking-legal-action-after-platform-fails-to-pay-out-over-half-the-amount-raised/feed/ 2 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/great-games-almost-never-sell-just-because-theyre-great-gnosia-producer-talks-about-the-importance-of-having-a-good-business-lead-rather-than-just-focusing-on-raw-creativity/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/great-games-almost-never-sell-just-because-theyre-great-gnosia-producer-talks-about-the-importance-of-having-a-good-business-lead-rather-than-just-focusing-on-raw-creativity/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=64167 In a recent interview, Gnosia producer and director Toru Kawakatsu talks about the importance of "business sense" in game development.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/great-games-almost-never-sell-just-because-theyre-great-gnosia-producer-talks-about-the-importance-of-having-a-good-business-lead-rather-than-just-focusing-on-raw-creativity/feed/ 10 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/megami-tensei-original-writer-says-inspiration-for-digital-devil-storynovels-came-about-during-his-time-working-at-toshiba/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/megami-tensei-original-writer-says-inspiration-for-digital-devil-storynovels-came-about-during-his-time-working-at-toshiba/#respond Tue, 24 Mar 2026 16:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=63951 In a recent X thread, Megami Tensei original author Aya Nishitani talks about how he came up with the franchise's "devil summoning" concept.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/megami-tensei-original-writer-says-inspiration-for-digital-devil-storynovels-came-about-during-his-time-working-at-toshiba/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japans-bizarre-caveman-simulator-tail-of-the-sun-was-inspired-by-the-power-of-humanity-and-resilience-of-people-affected-by-the-kobe-earthquake-according-to-its-director/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japans-bizarre-caveman-simulator-tail-of-the-sun-was-inspired-by-the-power-of-humanity-and-resilience-of-people-affected-by-the-kobe-earthquake-according-to-its-director/#respond Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=62695 In a recent interview Tail of The sun director Iida Kazutoshi discussed the background of the retro cult classic.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japans-bizarre-caveman-simulator-tail-of-the-sun-was-inspired-by-the-power-of-humanity-and-resilience-of-people-affected-by-the-kobe-earthquake-according-to-its-director/feed/ 0