During a recent appearance at a video game convention, NieR: Automata creator Yoko Taro addressed complaints and jokes from some fans online saying that the enigmatic creator hasn’t put out any big new games in years. According to Taro, it’s not from lack of trying, but instead due to frequent cancellations.
As reported by Automaton Media and 4Gamer, over the weekend in Korea, Yoko Taro (who always wears a mask in public) and Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya took part in a panel discussion at G-CON 2025. The two game makers talked about game development, design, and their creative processes. At one point, the two game developers were asked to share some information on their latest game projects, and while Kamiya mentioned work was going well on the previously announced Okami sequel, Taro didn’t have much to share because his projects kept getting canceled.
“I often get told stuff like ‘Why aren’t you making a new sequel to NieR?’ or ‘Yoko Taro isn’t doing anything,’ but that’s because recently, a lot of projects I was involved in got discontinued midway through development,” said Taro.
“I’ve actually been working on some stuff, it’s just that it never ended up seeing the light of day. I got paid for it, so I personally have no issues with that, but people seem to think that I haven’t been doing anything just because none of the work I’ve done is being released.”
Taro wasn’t too sad about all the canned projects, though, explaining that he is staying optimistic and telling the convention-goers that he’d rather fail many times if it leads to making something good rather than releasing a bunch of not-so-great games.
“I don’t view [the cancellations] as a negative thing,” explained Taro. “I believe that if I’m going to release something weird, I’d be better off not releasing anything at all.”
Tekken 8 has been out since January 26 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. While you might be tempted to jump straight into its online matches, which you’re not prepared for—trust me—you should check out the game’s story mode first. Not only does it introduce you to many ofTekken 8‘s characters and themes, but it also sets up a bombastic, relentlessly over-the-top narrative about breaking the chains that hold us back. And it’s a great way to acclimate yourself to some of the game’s new mechanics. This is a story mode you shouldn’t miss. – Levi Winslow Read More
The fall season is fast approaching and with it comes a new lineup of games for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Keeping in line with last month’s diverse catalog of PS Plus offerings, September’s list features role-playing games, first-person shooters, and gorgeous story-driven games coming to the service on September 19.
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First up is Nier: Replicant ver.1.22474487139, the 2021 remaster of Square Enix’s cult-classic 2010 action-RPG, Nier: Gestalt. Summarizing this predecessor to creator Yoko Taro’s later mega-hit Nier: Automata is a bit of a tall task considering its many twists, turns, and multiple endings. All you need to know is you play as a nameless protagonist as he and his party of outcasts battle against hordes of otherworldly monsters to save his kidnapped sister. The game is chock full of anime-esque weapons and even more (slightly clunky) anime-inspired combat and its soundtrack unequivocably fucks.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim – 13 Stories Trailer | PS4
Another big get in September will be the sci-fi time-traveling with mechs (!) saga 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Developed by Vanillaware, 13 Sentinels follows a group of high school students who summon giant mechs to defend their city from invading kaiju. 13 Sentinels plays like a mix between a tactical tower defense game and a 2D side-scrolling adventure game with lovely background art. If that’s a sufficient elevator pitch for you, I would advise keeping a notepad on hand because the game has a bunch of mind-blowing twists that’ll make your brain whirl.
PS Plus Line-Up For September 2023
Here’s everything else coming to PS Plus in September:
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
Star Ocean The Divine Force
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
Unpacking
Planet Coaster: Console Edition
This War of Mine: Final Cut
Cloudpunk
Contra: Rogue Corps
Tails Noir
Call of the Sea
West of Dead
Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness
PAW Patrol The Movie: Adventure City Calls
And here are the additional games coming for PlayStation Premium members (it’s mostly more Star Ocean):
During an Anime Expo interview, I spoke with creators Yoko Taro (NieR Automata), Atsushi Ohkubo (Fire Force), Hiroyuki Seshita (Ajin), and the mononymous Jin (Kagerou Project) about how they came together to make the upcoming animesci-fi death-game anime, KamiErabi GOD.App.
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In KamiErabi GOD.App high school students will compete in a series of death games for the chance to be crowned as the new god of their world. While the premise of KamiErabi GOD.App. is narratively similar to The Future Diary, its creators say its world is even crazier.
“I mean, it really is crazy. The world we’re in is already crazy. I mean, it’s super crazy. And what we’re doing is we basically just matched perfectly the world that we’re living in,” director Seshita told Kotaku. “From the very beginning, we were saying, ‘Okay, let’s make it so that [the anime feels like] there’s weird going on from the get-go. And every single time we worked on this, we tried to make sure that we infused it with some craziness because that matches our world.”
Despite KamiErabi GOD.App’s death-game premise, Seshita said the anime fits better in the fantasy genre. You can check out the trailer.
Fuji TV / Slow Curve
How KamiErabi GOD.App’s creators got together for the anime
While the premise of the anime promises to be a wild ride, what’s even crazier is the collaboration between the folks working on the show, given their busy schedules. When I asked how the quartet came to team up for the anime, Taro, who the others credited as the one who officiated their collaboration, said it all happened over drinks.
“When I understood that Seshita-san was going to be involved—I really was a fan of his work—I said at least we can go have a drink and see what happens,” Taro said.
Taro hand-waved being called the leader on KamiErabi GOD.App, saying each creator’s “strong individual characteristics” helped in equal measure in the planning process for the anime. Taro credited Seshita’s experience making video games with computer graphics and 3D animation as well as his coordinating large production teams as the force that kept each creator grounded.
“If we hadn’t all been in this situation where we were kind of looking for something different or transitional in our careers, maybe [KamiErabi GOD.App] wouldn’t have happened, but I think it was great,” Taro said. “We were all kind of doing things in our separate ways. After we all got together and really joined forces, it all kind of came together in a kind of miraculous way.”
Jin and Ohkubo were told to be bold and go crazy on KamiErabi GOD.App
Taro credited Seshita’s guidance as a critical part of their collaborative creative process in helping character designer Ohkubo and series composer Jin, young “passionate” artists who are used to creating on their own, by instructing them to go all out on making their new anime series a bold and provocative new experience for viewers.
“For me, [working on KamiErabi GOD.App] was actually this feeling of total irresponsibility. Like literally, I didn’t feel the pressure of responsibility at all. It was just pure fun,” Ohkubo said. “But if we didn’t have the ass-whipper [Seshita] to be responsible and get the team whipped into shape, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Jin, who wrote and on the music for the Kagerou Project on his own, said the producers wanted his role on the project to assist in shaping KamiErabi GOD.App into a show that shape and make it into an anime “was going to work.” However, when Seshita approached him, Jin said he requested that he put 100% of his being into creating something “really bold and daring” that would surprise people.
“The thing is that even if someone in Japan says to you, ‘Okay, do whatever you want, right? Anything goes. Anything is fine.’ They usually don’t mean it. However, in my case, I literally took them at their word. I said, ‘literally anything goes. I’m gonna do whatever I want,’” Jin said. “And when I did, I was told by the director and the producer that they were kind of surprised, saying ‘Wow, this is kind of sugoi.’”
Up until the last second of working on KamiErabi GOD.App, Jin said he had to push his limits while working on the anime to ensure that it would meet both his and his fellow creators’ expectations.
“The momentum that we had as a team plus the individual characteristics that we brought, I think, is what made this successful,” Jin said.
KamiErabi GOD.App is slated to release on Crunchyroll in October.
Kotaku is covering everything at Anime Expo 2023, including big announcements at panels and exclusive one-on-one interviews with the industry’s biggest creators. Whether you’re a seasoned anime fan or a newbie, you can keep up with all things Anime Expo 2023 here.
If, like me, you’re making your way toward Anime Expo, the self-proclaimed “largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America” this coming weekend (yes, the Otaku of Kotaku will be there!), you may be feeling overwhelmed. But fear not! If you have no earthly idea what must-see events the great congregation of weebs has in store for you or how to make the most of your precious time during the expo, here’s a helpful guide to all the biggest panels at the four-day convention.
Disney’s New Post-Apocalyptic Anime Proves The Mouse Has Good Taste
Anime Expo, which takes place from July 1 to July 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, revealed a cavalcade of anime trailers and info on highly anticipated series like Chainsaw Man, Mob Psycho 100, and Trigun Stampede during last year’s event. This year’s convention is looking to maintain that energy with many must-see events as well. While the offerings at this year’s expo include listening to live music from DJ Diesel (that’s Shaq btw), samurai sword training, and discussing the LGBTQ+ themes in Sailor Moon, this list will only cover where and when big-name anime studios will host panels and chat with visitors.
It should also be noted that, while last year’s expo ultimately did require proof of covid vaccination or a negative test result, this year those requirements have been dropped, according to the event’s health and safety guidelines.Anime Expo, however, “strongly recommended” attendees get vaccinations and/or booster shots before attending and wear face masks while inside the Los Angeles Convention Center. Without further ado, here’s your definitive itinerary guide to the biggest panels at Anime Expo.
Image: Anime Expo /Kotaku
July 1
Welcoming Ceremony
Where: Main Events
When: 10:30-11:20 a.m.
Bungo Stray Dogs Panel
What’s Happening: Bungo Stray Dogs creator Kafka Asagiri talks about how he went about crafting the popular mystery manga series.
Where: JW-Platinum
When: 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead World Premiere
What’s Happening: The world premiere of the anime adaptation of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, which premieres on Hulu and Netflix on July 9.
Where: Petree Hall
When: 12:30-1:50 p.m.
Bandai Namco Panel
What’s Happening: Bandai Namco Filmworks, known for making anime like Mobile Suit Gundam and Cowboy Bebop, reveals news on its upcoming anime shows “and more.”
Where: Panel Room 408 AB
When: 2-2:50 pm
Netflix J-Content Presentation
What’s Happening: Netflix provides new info on anime like Pluto, Pokémon Concierge, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, and the final season of Beastars featuring producers of those respective shows during its “From Japan to the World” presentation.
Where: Main Events
When: 3:15-4:05 p.m.
Toho Panel
What’s Happening: Toho hosts a lineup of panels featuring industry professionals from anime series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy x Family, and My Hero Academia.
Where: Petree Hall
When: 2:30-3:50 p.m.
Screenshot: Trigger / Kotaku
Studio Trigger Panel
What’s Happening: Studio Trigger is presenting the world premiere of the first episode of its upcoming series Delicious in Dungeon and a first look at a new anime from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners director, Hiroyuki Imashi.
Where: Main Events
When: 1:45-2:35 p.m.
Mappa Panel
What’s Happening: Mappa CEO Manabu Otsuka and producer Makoto Kimura will discuss behind-the-scenes info on its upcoming anime shows.
Where: JW Marriott Ballroom
When: 3-3:50 p.m.
The Ancient Magus Bride Season 2 Panel
What’s Happening: Studio Kafka will be hosting live drawing, cosplay, and behind-the-scenes discussion events as well as the premiere of Ancient Magus Bride season 2’s first episode.
Where: Panel Room 408 AB
When: 3:30-4:50 p.m.
Spy x Family Panel
What’s Happening: Crunchyroll is hosting a panel with voice actor Takuya Eguchi, who plays Loid Forger in Spy x Family’s Japanese cast.
Where: LA Convention Center Main Events Hall
When: 5-5:50 p.m.
Mashle: Magic and Muscles Panel
What’s Happening: Voice actors Chiaki Kobayashi and Alek Le, the Japanese and English voices of protagonist Mash, respectively, discuss the first season of the anime.
What’s Happening: World premiere of NieR: Automata creator Yoko Taro’s new anime KamiErabi GOD.app by Studio Bones.
Where: 403 AB
When: 10-11:30 a.m.
Mappa x Crunchyroll Panel
What’s Happening: Mappa discusses and gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at popular anime titles like Jujutsu Kaisen.
Where: JW-Platinum
When: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Dark Horse Manga Panel
What’s Happening: Dark Horse reveals new releases and answers questions about manga series like Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Mob Psycho 100, and Berserk.
Where: 408 AB
When: 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
Screenshot: Production I.G. / Adult Swim / Kotaku
Production I.G x Wit Panel
What’s Happening: Production I.G and Wit present information about shows like the highly anticipated anime adaptation of horror creator Junji Ito’s Uzumaki.
Where: Main Events
When: 12-12:50 p.m.
Warner Bros. Japan Anime Panel
What’s Happening: Warner Bros. hosts panels for the new seasons of Record of Ragnarok and Bastard!!!- Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy.
Where: 408 AB
When: 1-2:20 p.m.
Undead Unlock Panel
What’s Happening: TMS Entertainment gives fans a first look at the anime adaptation of Undead Unlock featuring the Japanese voice actors for Shen and Fuuko Izumo.
Where: Main Events
When: 1:30-2:20 p.m.
Studio Bones 25th Anniversary Panel
What’s Happening: Studio Bones president Masahiko Minami and Cowboy Bebop character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto reveal new info on their upcoming cyberpunk anime, Metallic Rouge, as well as discuss some of their earlier work.
Where: JW-Platinum
When: 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Yoshitaka Amano Panel
What’s Happening: A panel with legendary Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano, featuring a live drawing, a discussion of his work, and the announcement of an upcoming anime project
Where: Petree Hall
When: 2:40-3:30 p.m.
Jujutsu Kaisen Panel
What’s Happening: Crunchyroll hosts a panel discussing behind-the-scenes info on the previous and upcoming season of Jujutsu Kaisen with the team behind the show.
Where: Main Events
When: 3-3:50 p.m.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Panel
What’s Happening: Aniplex producer Yuma Takahashi and the Japanese voice actors for Demon Slayer’s Tanjiro Kamado and Muichiro Tokito discuss the anime’s latest season, the Swordsmith Village Arc.
Where: Main Events
When: 4:30-5:50 p.m.
VIZ Official Industry Panel
What’s Happening: Masakazu Morita,the Japanese voice actor for Bleach’s Ichigo Kurosaki, joins Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead artist Kotaro Takata to discuss the upcoming seasons of their shows.
Where: 408 AB
When: 4:30-5:20 p.m.
SEGA Presents: Dragons of Japan
What’s Happening: RGG Studio hosts an hour-long panel about the upcoming Like a Dragon game featuring producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto, and the English and Japanese voice actors for Kiryu Kazuma.
Where: Petree Hall
When: 5:30-6:20 p.m.
Premieres
July 3
Persona 5 Tactica Panel
What’s Happening: Atlus West and Persona 5 Tactica voice actors give fans a closer look at the upcoming turn-based spin-off.
Where: Petree Hall
When: 10-10:50 a.m.
Warner Bros. Japan x Wit Studio Panel
What’s Happening: Warner Bros. Japan and Wit Studio reveal a “mysterious brand-new anime project” that it promises will blow fans’ minds. It’s apparently an isekai show.
Where: JW-Platinum
When: 10-10:50 a.m.
Aniplex of America x A-1 Pictures Panel
What’s Happening: Aniplex of America and A-1 Pictures reveal their lineup of anime for 2023 and some behind-the-scenes production info.
Where: Petree Hall
When: 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Panel
What’s Happening: Viz Media celebrates the release of the second part of Bleach’s final season with Masakazu Morita, the Japanese voice actor for Ichigo Kurosaki.
Where: Petree Hall
When: 1:30-2:50 p.m.
Crunchyroll Industry Panel
What’s Happening: Crunchyroll announces new info about new and upcoming anime to the streamer.
Where: Petree Hall
When: 3:30-4:50 p.m.
Hi-Fi Rush Panel
What’s Happening:Hi-Fi Rush game director John Johanas and voice actors discuss developing Tango Gameworks’ rhythm action game.
Where: 403 AB
When: 3:30-4:20 p.m.
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 Panel
What’s Happening: Aniplex Producer Masami Niwa and Yamada voice actor Koki Uchiyama talk about the rom-com gaming anime’s first season.
Where: JW-Platinum
When: 4:30-6 p.m.
Persona 3 Reload Panel
What’s Happening: Atlus West gives players a behind-the-scenes peek at the remake of its beloved RPG series.
Where: Petree Hall
When: 7-7:50 p.m.
Shin Megami Tensei 35th Anniversary
What’s Happening: Atlus looks back on the past games and gives players a “glimpse into the future” of its RPG series.
Where: 411
When: 7-8:20 p.m.
Premieres
Screenshot: Toei Animation / DandeLion Animation Studio / Kotaku
July 4
Undead Unlock Auditions
What’s Happening: TMS Entertainment and Bang Zoom! Studios host open auditions for visitors to land a role in its upcoming anime, Undead Unlock.
Where: Main Events
When:10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Horimiya: The Missing Pieces Panel
What’s Happening: Crunchyroll hosts a panel for the rom-com spin-off of Horimiya featuring the anime’s director and Izumi Miyamura voice actor Kouki Uchiyama and a sneak peek at the first episode.
Where: 408 AB
When: 10:30 a.m.-11:20 a.m.
Closing Ceremony
Where: Main Events
When: 4-5 p.m.
Premieres
Kotaku is covering everything at Anime Expo 2023, including big announcements at panels and exclusive one-on-one interviews with the industry’s biggest creators. Whether you’re a seasoned anime fan or a newbie, you can keep up with all things Anime Expo 2023 here.
