Q&A With Shiro and the Coal Town’s Akira Nagashima

Over the last thirty years, Crayon Shin-chan has received dozens of interactive adaptations. But it wasn’t until the property embraced the tranquil charms of Kaz Ayabe’s Boku no Natsuyasumi series, that the feeling of childhood bliss was fully realized. Recently, we sat down with the game’s producer, Akira Nagashima, to discuss 2021’s Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation and Shinosuke’s imminent next outing- Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town. 

Tech-Gaming: As evidenced by his 34-year-long legacy, Shin chan is a character that has resonated with generations of readers, viewers, and game players. What do you think are some of the reasons for his enduring popularity?

Akira Nagashima: The characters, including the protagonist Shinosuke, may seem to live ordinary lives, but each one lives true to their values. They appear to be enjoying life, and we, the audience, are free to decide which character we relate to. By tracing their forward-looking way of living, I believe we also begin to feel joy ourselves.

T-G: The presence of natsukashii is often evident in your works. Is this accidental or are you drawn to games that depict warm memories of the past?

Nagashima: That might indeed be the case. In fact, many of the titles I’ve worked on often feature “engawa” (a traditional Japanese veranda). The engawa is similar to a wooden deck commonly found in old Japanese homes, and Shiro and the Coal Town will be the fifth title where it appears. While I mentioned it being like a wooden deck, an engawa serves multiple purposes. It may look like just a hallway, but it can function as a bench, a table, and sometimes even as an entrance, making it a highly versatile feature. The engawa is also a place where families and neighbors come together to share moments. Even though I’ve never lived in a house with an engawa, I’ve always admired it since childhood, imagining it as a place of warm gatherings. This longing for old things seems to be a habit I’ve had for a long time. If I had access to a time machine, I would definitely choose to visit the past.

T-G: You worked with Kaz Ayabe for Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation -The Endless Seven-Day Journey. What were some of your prominent memories of your collaboration?

Nagashima: The project for Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation began because Mr. Ayabe kindly responded to my one-sided love call. I found Mr. Ayabe to be someone full of childlike curiosity, yet with an extraordinary sensitivity to the world around him. Even while walking together, his focus would land on things most people wouldn’t notice. I’m sure he’s always imagining the story behind whatever catches his attention. Mr. Ayabe is someone who can thoroughly design how people will feel. During the development of Shiro and the Coal Town, the emphasis we placed on prioritizing the player’s experience was greatly influenced by him.

T-G: The Shin chan games avert traditional antagonism, delivering tranquil experiences that celebrate the simple joys of life. What’s the secret to maintaining a player’s interest when direct conflict is eschewed?

Nagashima: I have no intention of denying the idea of good versus evil in my creations. In fact, I’d like to challenge that structure at some point in the future. However, for this game, from the planning stage, the concept was “slow life x adventure story.” When thinking about how we could differentiate this from Mr. Ayabe’s previous work, we came up with the following flavor. But to combine these two opposing elements—slow life and adventure—an antagonistic story structure didn’t quite fit. It’s hard to imagine someone enjoying a slow life while feeling motivated to defeat enemies.

T-G: What was one of the most challenging elements faced during the creation of Shiro and the Coal Town?

Nagashima: This ties into my previous answer, but it was balancing the narrative with the gameplay. As the script progressed through multiple drafts, there were naturally more scenes and dialogues necessary for storytelling, which could slow down the game’s pacing. On the other hand, too little narrative made the game feel more like a mechanical task. Striking the right balance between these two aspects was the hardest part.

T-G: Coal Town whisks its protagonist between the rural Akita countryside and into a municipality right out of the Showa era. What were some of the motives behind comparing the two settings?

Nagashima: The theme we focused on while creating this game was “contrast.” In today’s world, with the advancement of technology and changes in ideology, our lives have become convenient and efficient. But at the same time, there’s a sense of loss, as if we’ve forgotten something important from the past. I wanted to depict that “contrast.” To set the stage opposite to the everyday world where Shinosuke lives, we conceptualized a town modeled after the era when the fossil fuel industry thrived. We were particular about the visual and sound design to evoke a sense of slight disconnection from reality while still maintaining a relatable feeling.

T-G: Coal Town offers a beautiful recreation of the Akita prefecture, with scenery depicting paddy fields, picturesque hillsides, and the occasional waterfall. How difficult was it to transform striking settings into navigable 3D setting for Shin chan?

Nagashima: We visited Akita several times for location scouting to solidify the imagery we wanted to depict. We designed the game’s settings using the photos we took as references. However, combining those fragmented images into a cohesive world, while integrating the necessary game functions, was challenging. The background art, which was also a feature of the previous game, took a tremendous amount of effort. Since each piece was hand-drawn by a large team of art staff, individual differences in brush strokes and color usage were inevitable. Unlike in a film, where cuts can be used to avoid inconsistencies, in a game where the background seamlessly connects as the characters move, even minor discrepancies can feel jarring. Adjusting these fine details was incredibly tough, and I want to express my sincere thanks to the art staff for sticking with it until the end.

T-G: What is one understated quality you hope players pull from Shiro and the Coal Town?

Nagashima: One major factor is that the previous game, Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation, was developed out of respect for Kaz Ayabe’s Boku no Natsuyasumi. We aimed to create a game that would feel fresh from a child’s perspective, while also evoking a sense of nostalgia for adults who were once children. In a world where many games are violent, Shiro and the Coal Town is a game designed to be enjoyed slowly and in a relaxed manner. I hope many people will get a chance to play it.