Jojoo

First, regarding your comment that some of these videos do a “~ better job than the games.” What genuinely concerns me is that this kind of statement reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of technological history and chronology. Reacting reflexively to the final output, without any grasp of the process that led there, ends up revealing more about your own approach to learning than about the work itself…and that is something you may want to reflect on. It’s like asking, “Why didn’t they use naval gunfire at the Battle of Artemisium?” or “I was watching WWII footage and wondered why they didn’t just use military satellites for reconnaissance. That would have been far more efficient.” Or, to put it more plainly, it’s exactly like sitting in a revival screening of a pre-1980s film and hearing the couple in the next seat whisper, “Isn’t this kind of lame? They could’ve done it way better with drones and CGI.” That painfully clueless conversation…the kind that makes you quietly sigh and wish they would stop talking…is almost a perfect match (my experience). To begin with, the video you’re pointing to is itself one result of training on visuals we created and stories we designed. While the presentation may appear photorealistic on the surface, the character interpretations diverge significantly from the original, the visual expression still carries a strong sense of inconsistency, and when it comes to language..both spoken and written—the sense of unnaturalness remains noticeable (almost as if the kinds of localization mistakes we humans make had simply been amplified). What can be properly and legitimately evaluated here are the remarkably rapid pace of AI’s technical advancement and the fact that, from a cost perspective, it continues to become increasingly advantageous over time. Those aspects are genuinely impressive and absolutely worth acknowledging. However, that has nothing to do with declaring this a “better job,” nor does it validate the judgment behind that conclusion, or serve as any meaningful assessment of creative ability. We work in a technology-based profession. Given the nature of our industry, its convergence with AI is not a matter of choice but an inevitable trajectory. But watching your reaction reminds me of myself back in 1990, when Photoshop was first released. I excitedly told my older sister…who was already a professional manga artist “See? The age of hand-drawing is over!” as if I had personally discovered or invented Photoshop. Looking back, it feels oddly nostalgic. Ah… I see now. What I’m really looking at here is my past self.

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faturozzi_ retweeted

Katsuhiro Harada

@Harada_TEKKEN

9 months ago

I’d like to share that I’ll be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025. With the TEKKEN series reaching its 30th anniversary—an important milestone for a project I’ve devoted much of my life to—I felt this was the most fitting moment to bring one chapter to a close. My roots lie in the days when I supported small local tournaments in Japanese arcades and in small halls and community centers overseas. I still remember carrying arcade cabinets by myself, encouraging people to “Please try TEKKEN,” and directly facing the players right in front of me. The conversations and atmosphere we shared in those places became the core of who I am as a developer and game creator. Even as the times changed, those experiences have remained at the center of my identity. And even after the tournament scene grew much larger, many of you continued to treat me like an old friend—challenging me at venues, inviting me out for drinks at bars. Those memories are also deeply precious to me. In recent years, I experienced the loss of several close friends in my personal life, and in my professional life I witnessed the retirement or passing of many senior colleagues whom I deeply respect. Those accumulated events made me reflect on the “time I have left as a creator.” During that period, I sought advice from Ken Kutaragi—whom I respect as though he were another father—and received invaluable encouragement and guidance. His words quietly supported me in making this decision. Over the past four to five years, I’ve gradually handed over all of my responsibilities, as well as the stories and worldbuilding I oversaw, to the team, bringing me to the present day. Looking back, I was fortunate to work on an extraordinary variety of projects—VR titles (such as Summer Lesson), Pokkén Tournament, the SoulCalibur series, and many others, both inside and outside the company. Each project was full of new discoveries and learning, and every one of them became an irreplaceable experience for me. To everyone who has supported me, to communities around the world, and to all the colleagues who have walked alongside me for so many years, I offer my deepest gratitude. I’ll share more about my next steps at a later date. Thank you very much for everything. 【Postscript】 Although I will be leaving the company at the end of 2025, Bandai Namco has asked me to appear at the TWT Finals at the end of January 2026, so I expect to attend as a guest. For 30 years I kept saying, “I’ll do it someday,” and never once performed as a DJ at a tournament event. So instead, I will be releasing—for the first and last time—a 60-minute TEKKEN DJ-style nonstop mix (DJ mix), personally edited by myself, together with this announcement. Listening to it brings back many memories. Thank you again, sincerely, for all these years. ‘TEKKEN: A 30-Year Journey – Harada’s Final Mix’ by Katsuhiro Harada 1 is on #SoundCloud https://t.co/PUFOWt3R6M December 8, 2025 - The Final Day of TEKKEN’s 30th Anniversary - Katsuhiro Harada [日本語版 (Japanese version)] このたび、2025年末をもちまして、私はバンダイナムコを退職することにいたしました。長く携わってきた『鉄拳』シリーズが30周年という大きな節目を迎え、ひとつの区切りとして最もふさわしい時期であると考えたためです。私の原点は、日本のゲームセンターや、海外コミュニティの小さな講堂やコミュニティセンターで、まだ小規模なトーナメントをサポートしていた時代にあります。アーケード筐体を自ら運び込み、「鉄拳もぜひ遊んでみてほしい」と声をかけながら、目の前の参加者と向き合った日々。あの場で交わした言葉や空気が、私という開発者の核を形作りました。時代が変化しても、あの経験が自分の中心にあります。そしてトーナメントシーンが大きく成長した後も、皆さんは旧知の友人のように私に声をかけ、会場で対戦したり、バーで『一緒に飲もう』と誘ってくれました。それらもまた、大切な思い出です。ここ数年間、私生活においては友人達との死別があり、仕事においては、私が尊敬する多くの先輩方の引退や逝去に触れてきました。そうした出来事の積み重ねが、私に『開発者として残された時間』について考える契機を与えました。その過程で、私がもう一人の父親のように敬愛する久夛良木健さんにも相談し、貴重な助言と励ましのお言葉をいただきました。この言葉もまた、今回の決断を静かに後押しするものとなりました。そして、この4〜5年をかけて私の担ってきたすべての業務やストーリーや世界観、そして責務をチームに段階的に引き継ぎ、今日に至ります。振り返れば、VR作品（サマーレッスンなど）や『ポッ拳』、ソウルキャリバーシリーズをはじめ、自社他社問わず数多くのプロジェクトに携わる機会に恵まれました。いずれのプロジェクトも新しい発見と学びに満ち、かけがえのない経験となりました。これまで支えてくださった皆様、世界中のコミュニティの皆様、そして長年ともに歩んできた仲間たちに深く感謝申し上げます。次の歩みについては、改めて皆様にお伝えいたします。これからも、どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。 +あとがき 2025年末をもって退職致しますが、2026年1月末のTWT FINALには顔を出してほしいと会社からお願いされていることもあり、FINALにはゲストとして顔を出すと思います。これまで30年間『いつかやるよ』と言い続けてやってこなかったトーナメントイベントでのDJですが、その代わりとして“最初で最後のDJ風60分ノンストップ鉄拳ミックス（私による初編集DJ mix）”も、今回のポストに合わせて公開します。 ‘TEKKEN: A 30-Year Journey – Harada’s Final Mix’ by Katsuhiro Harada 1 is on #SoundCloud https://t.co/PUFOWt3R6M 様々な思い出が蘇ります。改めて皆さんありがとうございました。 2025年12月8日 - 鉄拳30周年最終日 - Katsuhiro Harada

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