Forza Horizon 6, set to release on May 19, is just around the corner, and it has already been met with praise thanks to its authentic-feeling Japan-inspired map. While the map is fictional, it draws from many real-life locations and easter eggs, which domestic fans seem to have been excited to see.
Possibly attempting to ride on that wave of hype, an X user used generative AI to “reimagine” what the gameplay of Grand Theft Auto 5 would look like if it was set in a hyper-realistic version of Japan. However, despite the viral post drawing some positive reactions, many users on the Japanese side of X seem to be conflicted about the very idea of a game like that existing. While the consensus is that the country is depicted rather realistically (with some jabs at the uncanny valley look of the AI video), the concept of (hypothetically) setting GTA in Japan was taken as a bit odd, or even scary, among the domestic audience.
I let the GTA car stealing bit slide because it’s just a story of a thug in a bad neighborhood of an unknown city, but seeing it as a story depicted in a culture I’m actually familiar with is appalling.
I wonder why going a bit wild like this makes me feel a slight sense of guilt as soon as the stage is switched to Japan.
Setting aside the discourse on AI generated content itself, many Japanese X users don’t seem to be particularly happy about how the “free roaming” criminal aspect of the game translates to a domestic setting. While of course, the unhinged and violent world of GTA is very much a work of fiction, seeing crimes happen in an environment you’re familiar with (especially if it’s a generally low-crime environment) felt off-putting for many, as one user comments, “It’s a pretty terrifying game when you think about it in a local context. I’m starting to wonder why Americans can enjoy it…” and another says, “I can’t stand such a lawless looking Japan.”
I’m happy that Forza Horizon 6 is set in Japan, so I wonder why I’m not that excited about GTA [hypothetically also being in Japan]. Maybe the fact that it’s set in my home country is making my aversion towards crime increase. For starters, stuff like stealing a car by force and riding off is something you’d never see in Japan. I do get why GTA3 was previously marked as “harmful content” in Osaka and Kanagawa prefectures.
Interestingly (as per the previous post), Japan does have a bit of a “history” with the GTA franchise, as it was a major video game series that ended up facing government restrictions due to its violent and explicit content.
According to ITMedia News, back in May 2005, the Child Welfare Council of the Kanagawa Prefecture designated Grand Theft Auto 3 as “content harmful for minors,” marking the first time since 1992 that a PC game had been deemed harmful by the Japanese government. This means that it was strictly forbidden to sell, distribute or in any way present the contents of GTA titles to minors in Kanagawa, and violators were subject to a fine of up to 300,000 yen. The move was criticized by Capcom, citing “restriction of freedom of expression,” and it directly influenced Japan’s rating board CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization) to establish its D (ages 17 and up) and Z (ages 18 and up only) ratings. It was followed by similar bans of GTA titles in other prefectures, including Osaka in 2007 (Source: 4Gamer).
On the other hand, (and I’m sure you’re thinking the same thing), some domestic gamers reacted to the viral AI-generated post saying, we already have this in Japan, and it’s called the Yakuza series. Some argue that the “Japanese setting” doesn’t really work for the franchise, making the footage look like a new Yakuza installment instead. However, others argue that Yakuza and GTA are fundamentally different when it comes to how they depict crime. Specifically, GTA is seen as directly “enabling” the protagonist to commit crime.
In most scenarios in the Yakuza series, it’s usually the bad guys who openly attack civilians. Of course, there is some collateral damage from fights, like when they end up wrecking convenience stores or using signboards as weapons, so they technically are causing damage to people.
That’s why I have to say once more how outrageous this depiction is.
People are saying that we have the Yakuza series, but in Yakuza, you surprisingly can’t actually commit crimes. The playing character can’t commit burglary, theft and murder of civilians, and it’s clear that the game was built upon Japanese culture and ethics. If there was a hypothetical GTA set in Japan, that could become a huge problem and open up the Pandora’s box, possibly even shaking up the foundations of CERO.
Poking fun at those critical of the crime depicted in the AI footage, some users decided to reference Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s 2018 spin-off Judgement. Specifically, that one scene where Yagami, played by Takuya Kimura, completely destroys a convenience store in a showdown.
Maybe I’m the insane one for accepting that bit where Kimura Takuya goes absolutely ballistic in the convenience store as totally normal.
