When did you start the development for Pinkie Distortion?
Kanon: I thought of the idea about a year ago, but the actual production started about the beginning of this year in 2010.
Ah, so the entire production time was just this year?
Kanon: Yeah, just 2010.
Were there any other concepts that you toyed with as far as the story or the design before you decided on a Visual Kei band for the game?
Kanon: The story started with wanting to expose more people to Harajuku and Visual Kei, so since it started from there, of course the story was going to based around Harujuku and Visual Kei.
During the creative process when you started developing the game itself were there any changes you had to make to the concept to fit the game in the production?
Kanon: Nothing really. Nothing that comes to mind especially.
For the characters, did you develop all of the characters yourself?
Kanon: Yes, more or less, I consulted the staff a little bit and talked, but it was mostly my creation.
When you were creating the characters, were there any favorite characteristics you wanted them to have to give them depth? For example, the singer is very happy and outgoing and the bassist always looks dark and moody.
Kanon: They all have a different face outside from the public face, they all have a different, more hidden side to them. That story slowly unfolds as you play the game, so it’s not just the surface, you do get some depth with the characters. As the story evolves, you see it. Maybe at the beginning, you just see happy characters, but as you play the game you do get to see more depth to the characters.
Does that correlate to how a band actually works – you hit roadblocks, high points, low points, that kind of thing?
Kanon: I incorporated some of my experiences into this story as well, some of the band’s experiences.
The lite version is available now on iTunes. When the full version is released, is it going to be serial, will you be adding more to it, or will it be a one time download?
Kanon: It’s going to be a game that should stand on its own, but it’s going to continue with the same characters if there is a Pinkie Distortion 2 to continue with the story in one.
Assistant: To add information, we haven’t decided how to add the next series. Do you mean like one download?
Yes.
Assistant: Maybe we’ll have to do separate downloads.
Kanon: Yeah, so it’ll be a full game on it’s own that’s complete, and it should have a satisfactory ending, but if there’s a two, it will catch up on that one.
Do you see yourself producing more things like that as far as video games, or doing something else in other parts of entertainment.
Kanon: Yes, of course. I want to have Pinkie Distortion realized in various medias. Maybe a Pinkie Distortion manga, a musical — maybe an anime too.
Story cut games like this are available as console games. Do you see yourself producing something for a bigger media to do a video game like that?
Kanon: If I ever the resources, time, if I’m able to.
Our thanks to Kanon and Sony for the opportunity!
Interview by: Ali W.