Recently, we met Shinsuke Umeda, President of IzanagiGame, at ChinaJoy 2026 and discussed many interesting topics in an exclusive interview. The central focus was his new game, Akihabara Lost, for which he serves as director and producer.
In terms of theme, it uses Akihabara, the "mecca of Japanese subculture," as its stage, with each character possessing a unique "Akihabara" vibe. In terms of gameplay, it blends multi-perspective visual novel elements with high-quality live-action footage. Moreover, the demo released beforehand cuts off at just the right cliffhanger. All things considered, I'm quite excited to see how the final product turns out.
Thus, before the official release, we contacted Shinsuke Umeda, Director and Producer of Akihabara Lost, to ask some questions about the game itself. If you're curious about the title, feel free to check out this interview.
Shinsuke Umeda, Director and Producer of Akihabara Lost
Below is the full interview:
Q: Looking back at the initial planning, are there any differences between the final released version of Akihabara Lost and the original concept?
A:There are no differences. We only began production after thoroughly perfecting the script structure and the content we wanted to convey from the very beginning.
Q: The most important system in Akihabara Lost is Zapping between characters (referring to freely switching characters to experience events happening simultaneously from different perspectives). How did the team design these Zapping nodes—such as when they appear and where they are unfrozen?
A:When reviewing the story flowchart, we repeatedly confirm whether the interactions between characters are balanced and if the game is engaging enough—this is the core consideration in our design process.
Q: Regarding the core selling point that "one character can change another character's fate," what efforts did the team put into the scriptwriting? Are you satisfied with the final presentation?
A:We believe that as players progress through each character's storyline, the direction will be influenced by choices made in other characters' routes—this is the most interesting aspect of the ensemble cast Zapping gameplay experience, and we poured our utmost dedication into it. I believe the final product has achieved what we envisioned. As players progress through each character's storyline, the direction will be influenced by choices made in other characters' routes—this is the most interesting aspect of the ensemble cast Zapping gameplay experience, and we poured our utmost dedication into it. I believe the final product has achieved what we envisioned.
Q: The game features a 360-degree panoramic imaging system. How did the development team approach designing this playable experience? What roles does it serve within the game?
A:It allows players to immerse themselves more deeply in each character's subjective perspective, which I believe is its greatest effect. Additionally, there are various hidden mechanisms within the 360-degree camera sequences, so please experience them firsthand in the game.
Q: Akihabara Lost features numerous branches and BAD ENDs. How does the development team hope players perceive these BAD ENDs? Do they provide new information or even become part of understanding the truth?
A:Regarding BAD ENDs, the game becomes more interesting if players think about "why they reached this ending." BAD END scenes are collectible, so we hope everyone will view all of them.
Q: As a mystery work, does Akihabara NO BREATH that players will deduce certain answers on their own before the truth is revealed? In other words, did the development team consider adhering to certain "fair play mystery" rules during the creative process?
A:We consciously adhere to the principle of "fair play mystery," but above all, we hope everyone plays through to the end. That's all we can reveal for now.
Q: In the actual plot design, how is the pacing arranged between the "daily life" segments and the "mystery" segments?
A:Players can witness the daily lives of various professions, such as idols, food columnists, shrine maidens, and game streamers. At the same time, we deliberately ensured that each character has heart-pounding developments during their respective time slots.
Q: Regarding the use of "live-action footage" versus "sequential still images," how does the team decide whether a scene should be filmed as video or left for player interaction? What are the respective advantages and disadvantages of each?
A:Video footage can lead to passive viewing, so it's more important to present it as still photos for players to read, incorporating choices and Zapping to create interactive fun. The advantage of still photos is that they stimulate imagination, while video offers high information density—the key is to let them complement each other. Rather than focusing on their individual drawbacks, we believe that combining entertainment experiences impossible to achieve with either still photos or video alone is what makes this work possible.
Q: After the live-action actors began filming, were there any unexpected performances that added value to the game?
A:Yes. For example, in the scene where Moe Kurosu runs, Misato Ugaki sprinted with such intensity that the cameraman couldn't keep up, resulting in a very dynamic shot. We communicated thoroughly with the actors for every scene, incorporating their own ideas into the performances throughout. Akihabara Lost is a work completed collectively by everyone involved, including the actors.
Q: Without spoilers—within the full game, are there any specific moments, characters, or plot designs that the development team is particularly eager to see players react to?
A:We look forward to Everythinggj, but especially the climax in the latter half and the final scene—please be sure to play until the end. Also, on a side note, we're very eager to see players' reactions to the partner character, Saburo Himanda.
Q: After the demo was released, what feedback did the development team receive from players? Were any additional adjustments made to the full version based on this feedback?
A:Based on player feedback, we continued adjusting various detailed option settings right up until the very end.
Q: Since Akihabara Lost targets a global audience while being rooted in the otaku culture context of "Akihabara," are there any elements that might be difficult to handle during localization? For instance, are there Japanese expressions that are hard to explain in the Chinese localization?
A:Japanese otaku culture is quite widespread in China, and I feel that similar nuances and atmospheres can be conveyed to Chinese players without barriers. Otaku culture transcends borders—that's how it is.
Q: Finally, please share what Akihabara Lost aims to convey to players.
A:I personally love Chinese games and Chinese players. It would make me very happy if everyone plays our heartfelt creation, Akihabara Lost, all the way to the end.