Open-ended adventure game Boku no Natyasumi is noted for its cozy nature. Instead of being a legendary hero, a grizzled warrior or an anthropomorphic animal, the player takes on the role of an ordinary boy spending his summer vacation away from the city. A few years ago, the formula of the charming cult series was applied to the popular series Crayon Shin-chan, creating Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation The Endless Seven-Day Journey in 2021. The game received positive reviews and has sold over 500,000 copies.
Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation also inspired the sequel, Shin chan: Hiro and the Coal Town, which launched in Japan and Asia on Nintendo Switch earlier this year. It's coming to the West soon and on Steam on October 24. Ahead of its release, Anime Trending got the chance to ask producer Akira Nagashima a few questions about Hiro and Coal Town via email.
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Where did the idea of having two settings for Shin chan: Shira and Coal Town come from? What inspired the setting of Coal Town?
Akira Nagashima: The main theme I focused on when creating this work was “contrast”. The era we live in today, with the advancement of technology and changing ideas has brought us an extremely convenient and efficient lifestyle. But at the same time there is also a feeling of loneliness, as if we have forgotten something important that existed in the past. I want to describe this “contrast”.
As a counterpoint to the everyday world where Shinnosuke and his friends live, I envisioned a fictional town modeled after a time when the fossil fuel industry was thriving. To give the images a feeling that is not completely divorced from reality but is just a little different, we paid a lot of attention to the images. In Mizonokuchi, the town I live in, there is a bar district that still retains the atmosphere of the Showa period, carried over from the black market after World War II. I love this bustling area where you can feel the enthusiasm of the people so maybe it influenced the setting.
Coal Town was recognized with an Award of Excellence in the Visual Arts category at CEDEC 2024 and was nominated in recognition of its combination of cel-shaded characters with anime-style background art. What are the game's visual achievements that you feel most proud of?
Akira Nagashima: We are very happy that many people praise the image. Shading models carried over from the previous game have been refined by our development team to allow for more refined expressions and combined with background art created by experts who have supported the anime industry Japan has long been able to achieve very high-quality image results. One of our main goals was to create an environment where Shin-chan, who is famous in both television and film, could exist seamlessly in the game world. Every time I see comments on social media like “It feels like watching a movie”, I feel happy that we did this challenge.
Try this anime and 3D cel-shaded style combination for the first time 2D Wallpaper with Issho ni Asobo Koupen-chan. What drew you to this particular visual style?
Akira Nagashima: You are well informed! We also tested it in Issho ni Asobo Koupen-chan. That game was also set in a traditional Japanese house. We created many artworks that gave a lively and seasonal feel, such as wind chimes and engawa, inserted between events. The experience we gained there is also reflected in this work.
I've been surrounded by TV anime since I was a child, and as a student, I was determined to create anime myself. This visual style is an original landscape in my memory and it is something I greatly admire.
Image source: IGN YouTube channel
How did the background art process for Shira and Coal Town compare to its predecessor, Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation The Endless Seven Day Journey?
Akira Nagashima: The process didn't change much, but for this piece we incorporated more distorted expressions to create the feeling of an alternate world.
I have a strong creative relationship with Takashi Nakamura, who was in charge of the background art for Issho ni Asobo Koupen-chan and Me and the Professor during Summer Vacation, and we were excited to discuss the sketches of me late at night. The idea of using hand-drawn curves for distorted expressions also arose from this time. Sadly, Nakamura passed away before completing Me and the Professor during Summer Vacation, but his spirit lives on in the art of Hiro and Coal Town.
In one of your production notes from the special art book, you said that finding a studio to draw anime backgrounds was difficult because bookings at the time were so high—in some cases, can last up to a whole year. After months of searching, YAP Ishigaki Production finally offered support, despite their busy schedule. When did this quest take place, and what impact did its timing have on the development of the game?
Akira Nagashima: It was an extremely difficult challenge. While I can't go into detail, we were in a desperate situation without a background painter for about six months after development began. At that time, we did not anticipate the growth in demand for animation worldwide due to the rise of video streaming platforms, so we were completely unprepared. We listed every possible art company and kept making offers, and YAP Ishigaki Production stepped in and said that if they tried their best, they could manage. They worked tirelessly until the very end, with the final artwork being completed just before the main version of the game was finalized.
For Shira and Coal Town, the developer has switched from Star Factory to hand, with Millennium Kitchen's Kaz Ayabe-san (creator of Boku no Tsuyasumi) still involved but as a supervisor. Additionally, you take on roles such as planning, scriptwriting, and character planning in addition to production. What circumstances led to these changes?
Akira Nagashima: The simple answer is that everyone is busy with schedules that overlap with other projects. Ayabe-san may have worked on Natsu-Mon [:20th Century Kid] To be honest, we never expected the previous game to be successful enough for us to make a sequel so soon, so I regret not being able to secure a longer schedule. At that time, I accepted that I would have to shoulder everything since Ayabe-san would not be able to fully participate.
Cart racing is one of the activities in Coal Town. How did this feature become part of the game?
Akira Nagashima: When we decided to set the game in a mining town, the idea of a cart running through the town was part of the idea. Just as the transportation system in tourist towns seems unique in those places, I feel that transportation will be a key factor in this job. Since this is a town where streetcars run regularly, streetcar racing would be a popular activity. I think the hand, with its action game playing skills, also plays an important role in its inclusion.
Image source: Steam
You are credited as one of the designers of the Trolley Machine — do you have any interesting stories to share about your creations?
Akira Nagashima: We received many design sketches from the staff, but the most special for me was the focus on creating a product design rooted in the world of the game. We explore the history of cart racing, imagine how cart bodies evolved to prioritize speed, and consider safety features. Inspired by F1 racing and bobsleigh, I sketched out various designs, one of which was used as the final design.
Ayabe-san said that you approached him because of Me and the Professor during Summer Vacation. Why do you feel the Boku no Natyasumi structure would be suitable for IP Shin-chan?
Akira Nagashima: At that time, I was directing [Crayon Shin-chan:] Otetsudai Daisakusen, so I was constantly thinking about new game concepts. I'm filtering everything I see through the lens of “Could this turn into a Shin-chan game?” One day, I played Attack of the Friday Monsters! and that impressed me-if I replaced the characters with Crayon Shin-chan it would be interesting. I felt like I was hit by a bolt of lightning, and from there, I quickly came up with the idea that would be the basis for OraNatsu. [Tôi và Giáo sư trong kỳ nghỉ hè].
How was the reception compared to the previous season? Did the game affect the development of Coal Town?
Akira Nagashima: It affects every aspect of development. From the moment the decision was made to develop, Shira and Coal Town were positioned as OraNatsu's successors, and everyone had that expectation. The pressure is great when we have to decide what to continue and what to innovate.
Ayabe-san also described Coal Town as “perfectly” your title and praised it as “the emergence of a new rival.” What would you say is the difference between your respective styles and the identities of the two games?
Akira Nagashima: I am humbled by Ayabe-san's words. I used to admire him unrequitedly, but through working together, I realized that we share common ground for the things we find interesting. We discussed many things and I felt like our interests didn't differ much. However, I think our styles are a bit different. I believe Ayabe-san is much more romantic than me. He creates worlds that feel like fairy tales, full of comfort. On the contrary, I think I lean more towards realism.
Image source: Steam
Me and the Professor Summer Vacation shipped more than 500,000 units worldwide. How do yourself and Neos Corporation rate the game's performance outside of Japan?
Akira Nagashima: All the participants, including me, were very surprised. We will continue to strive to create works that surpass this achievement.
Now that Shin chan: Shira and the Coal Town is about to be released in the West, what message do you want to send to overseas gamers?
Akira Nagashima: We developed this game to bring a sense of freshness from a child's perspective and nostalgia for adults who were once children. In an age full of violent games, Shira and the Coal Town offers a slow, relaxing experience. I would be happy if more people played and enjoyed it.