※This is a repost of an article originally published in February 2022.
NEEDY STREAMER OVERLOAD
In January, "Needy Streamer Overload" was released, and to my delight, it became a beloved work for many.
200,000 copies sold in just two weeks—what a joy! As the numbers grew, so did the things I needed to do. I’ve found myself even busier than before launch—what a happy kind of chaos. Having work is a blessing.
I plan to keep pushing forward for the sake of KAngel and Ame-chan.
Actually, maybe I should start calling her "KAngel-san" now…
Anyway, without spoilers, I’m going to share some stories about the development process and some behind-the-scenes bits. Otaku love writing long texts about their favorite works!
↑Honestly, you'd get a much clearer picture reading the pre-release interview that my brilliant editor compiled, rather than my messy ramblings!
↑This is the interview we did when we hit 1 million copies sold. It’s spoiler-free, so give it a read!
About the Project
This game was my idea—no secrets there.
Some of you might wonder, "What exactly does a planner do?" Honestly, I used to think it was just some fancy credit you see in anime openings.
To put it simply, the planner is "the one who starts it all."
They create a document pitching a concept —"I want to make this kind of game!"—and present it to the higher-ups to get their approval.
Basically, it’s the job of a dreamer showing adults their fantasy and convincing them it’s worth funding.
I had always vaguely wanted to make a bishoujo game. So when I got a chance to talk with someone in indie games (specifically, our producer Mr. Saito), I suddenly thrust a PowerPoint in front of him and declared, "I want to make this!!!!"
To be blunt, the quality was trash-tier. I have zero sense for layout or design. But I guess he saw the passion and momentum. He picked up this half-baked plan, poured time and money into it—our producer is a madman.
While I was able to pay it back in sales in the end, if it had flopped, he would’ve taken the biggest hit—not me.
The pitch document was more like a rant than a proposal. But when you suddenly hand someone something that wild, maybe they’ll get curious enough to go along with it.
My luck was having great allies. More than anything, a proposal needs to make people think, "This is worth investing in." If they don’t believe there’s a high chance of recovering the money and turning a profit, you’re doomed—especially if you're working from a shaky draft with a half-baked team.
If I fail alone, fine. But dragging others down with me? That kind of despair is seriously scary.
So, when asked, "Why would this be popular?" I told them I’d ask Ohisashiburi-san to do the character design and Aiobahn for music. Of course, I’d write the script myself. If it’s a game I want to make, the story has to come from me.
承認欲求女子図鑑 新装版 | にゃるら, お久しぶり | 趣味・実用 | Kindleストア | Amazon
I’d already worked with Ohisashiburi-san on my book, and Aiobahn’s a friend. With such a star team, there’s no way we wouldn’t get attention.
As long as the content lived up to the hype, we were sure to succeed. I made my case with charts and my silver tongue—and they both gladly joined the project. I owe them so much for the art and BGM quality.
I also contacted Nennai-san, known for making some spicy pixel-art games I loved.
We’d never interacted before—not even mutual follows. He was incredibly kind to hear out a punk like me… After that, the producer brought in engineers and we had endless meetings, slowly shaping my half-baked proposal into a real game.
A Girl with the Best Face Ever
Once the project started moving, the game still existed only in my head.
To align everyone’s vision, I asked Ohisashiburi-san to design the character. I firmly believed that among today’s young illustrators, she draws the most beautiful girls. So I explained the game’s concept and said, "I want KAngel to have this kind of vibe!"
She came back with several design drafts. Even though my ramblings were the only source, she instantly delivered incredible design that blew my mind.
From there, we had to trim them down to get closer to the Ame-chan in my head—it was both a joy and a heartbreak. Every time we rejected a draft, I could hear the wails of fallen Ame-chans in my brain.
I’ve said this in other notes, but I’m a huge fan of characters like the ones written by AngoSakaguchi...
—"horrible personalities that are forgiven because they’re insanely beautiful."
In recent anime, I was obsessed with Milky Amaguri (though she hadn’t debuted at the time—I felt like we got outplayed during our delays!). I believe in girls who live for their own kawaii.
Maybe I’m drawn to the sense that I’m in the presence of a higher being, one too beautiful to understand with human logic. I think I’m just looking for something to worship.
Her cuteness has now reached fans across the world via Steam.
Truth, Goodness, and Beauty (真善美)
With the concept in place, the next step was the content.
Let’s talk about "Shin-Zen-Bi 真善美" (Truth, Goodness, and Beauty).
Truth is functional game mechanics. Goodness is a clean and satisfying story. Beauty is the intangible stuff—elements that aren’t mechanical or narrative.
I think big-name developers should focus on Truth. I’m not interested in simplistic, tidy stories (Goodness). So naturally, I aimed for Beauty.
The indie space on Steam—with its low prices and focus on creator vision—is what allowed us to prioritize personality and aesthetics.
I said this in the interview, too: Director Takeshi Kitano’s films are prime examples of Japanese cinema fully committed to "Beauty." Watch "Sonatine," seriously!
Even though I didn’t explicitly say this to the team, they seemed to share the vision. That’s how we ended up with things like:
"a visually striking vaporwave UI," "a purposely convoluted OS-style interface," and "a story that unfolds on a desktop."
My love for the vaporwave ED of Star Twinkle Precure was a big influence here. Sunday morning anime for children's always blows otaku expectations out of the water.
In short, making a game that everyone enjoys with a big team and budget is the job of well-established companies. Our tiny team had one winning strategy:
build a completely new game system packed with wild gimmicks and dazzle people with artistic flair.
My Feelings Toward Bishoujo Games
I’ve always loved bishoujo games. On Steam, we had a senior—"Doki Doki Literature Club." And of course, I’m totally obsessed with all the Literature Club girls.
If I couldn’t present a distinct direction from DDLC, then releasing in the same genre would’ve been meaningless. Paying homage is fine, but being a watered-down copy would be the worst.
It was hell. How could I make something that both sets itself apart from past masterpieces and justifies creating it in today’s world? I nearly went insane figuring it out. I even had the team pull all-nighters to play DDLC for research. I poured all my life experiences into the project.
I was also heavily influenced by "Lain" and its source, R.D. Laing.
In my opinion, this is the most brutal moment in creation: when you realize "Hey, wouldn’t it be faster just to read/play that old classic?" If you even think that for a second, you’re probably right. Most people quit then. But this project would’ve ended if I gave up. Fighting that pressure was tough.
Only players can judge if we succeeded. But I personally think we pulled out something that shows what bishoujo games can be in the modern era. And the team output it all at the highest possible quality—full marks to them.
↑I’ve written endlessly about my feelings on bishoujo games in this post, so check it out if you’re interested.
・Delays, Launch, and What’s Next
As long-time note readers know, this game was delayed multiple times. My mental state during that period? Completely wrecked.
↑Like that. It’s a sign of excitement, so I don’t blame the users at all. Worse than complaints is being forgotten.
But it did give me the inspiration for one of the routes in the game (players who finished it will know what I mean). Stress can be fuel for creativity.
Still, I never want to delay a project again…
Now I get how devs feel when they have to release a clearly unfinished game.
I saw them as alternate-universe versions of me—teams who ran out of stamina and had to cut their losses.
Producer, team—thank you for sticking with me. I didn’t even realize how much you all were quietly supporting my mental health. I’m truly grateful.
Thank you for reading my rambling thoughts.
When the producer asked, "Want to do a next project?" I answered, "Right now, I’m interested in ●●●." He replied, "That’s definitely out of our league, lol!"
Once things calm down, I want to try new things. And we have to keep riding the wave—KAngel’s charm has only just begun to reach the world. Thankfully, we’re getting lots of offers. She’s a superstar!
Once things settle, I’ll probably spend a few months reading and watching stuff, then maybe start planning something new when the time is right.
🙏BLESS🙏
By the way, Aiobahn’s musical sense and KOTOKO’s vocals are amazing. Making the MV was pure joy. I want to write more lyrics. I couldn’t even listen to it during the delay—it scared me too much.
But now, I can finally enjoy watching KAngel’s para-para dance without hesitation…
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