If we are to fret about the future of the genre then we must understand its history beyond the confines of localized titles.
Yes, JRPGs Are Vibrant, Experimental, Forward-Thinking, and Ever Evolving – A Response to Polygon
Preview: Hiroki Azuma – Japan’s Database Animals
While Azuma's book concerns itself with otaku, there is indeed room for the application of Azuma's theories beyond the otaku subject.
Unlimited SaGa and the Perils of Akitoshi Kawazu
As development of Unlimited SaGa neared, Akitoshi Kawazu would be approaching the height of his executive powers at Square.
Preview: Translation: RPG Legends ~ The 1990s Edition Vol. 3 – Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke
The following article on Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke (Alfa System, MARS Corporation, 1999) comes from the last of these books, RPG Legends: 90s Edition Vol. III
7: Molmorth no Kihetai and the End of Childhood
Few games truly ask players to think about the consequences of their own actions in relation to time.
Preview: Otaku are Dead, Long Live Otaku
In the 21st century, what does it even mean to be an otaku?
Am I Using A.I. to Write? A Response Towards a Concerned Reader
On being a human writer in the age of A.I.
Preview: Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke
The titles that are fondly remembered—and that have influenced the perception of JRPGs abroad—only comprise a mere fraction of the games which were actually produced.
“Anime RPG Trash” or Clair Obscur and Genre Trouble
There is a specter haunting Japanese Role-Playing Games.
Gunparade March and the JRPG at the Turn of the New Millennium
Here, players can eternally live out their teenage post-apocalyptic fantasy. But, this dream can only last so long and Gunparade seems aware of that. Partake in its social system to learn the truth of the war and see the cracks in the world.