Ogre Run
@ogre-run.bsky.social
Research: Japanese Role-Playing Games and Media
Blog: https://ogrerun.com/
Contact: [email protected]
Support: https://www.patreon.com/OgreRun
Blog: https://ogrerun.com/
Contact: [email protected]
Support: https://www.patreon.com/OgreRun
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Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke and the Limits of Mortality | Ogre Run
Get more from Ogre Run on Patreon
www.patreon.com
The only guarantee in life are taxes, dungeon-crawling, and death. My new article on Alfa System and MARS Corporation’s OreShika is now live! Free to read on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/ore-no...
Nihon Falcom's Xanadu Next is an incredible game. Charming art direction, a tight battle system coupled with rewarding exploration, and just long enough to not overstay its welcome, it's just a really engrossing dungeon crawler. Plus, a great bonus dungeon for real masochists!
December 24, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Nihon Falcom's Xanadu Next is an incredible game. Charming art direction, a tight battle system coupled with rewarding exploration, and just long enough to not overstay its welcome, it's just a really engrossing dungeon crawler. Plus, a great bonus dungeon for real masochists!
Following Andes, here are my own J-Drama recommendations.
Wounded Angels (1974): Two bumbling and broke gangsters with hearts of gold moonlight as private detectives for a syndicate with dubious morals and an eye for profit.
Wounded Angels (1974): Two bumbling and broke gangsters with hearts of gold moonlight as private detectives for a syndicate with dubious morals and an eye for profit.
December 23, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Following Andes, here are my own J-Drama recommendations.
Wounded Angels (1974): Two bumbling and broke gangsters with hearts of gold moonlight as private detectives for a syndicate with dubious morals and an eye for profit.
Wounded Angels (1974): Two bumbling and broke gangsters with hearts of gold moonlight as private detectives for a syndicate with dubious morals and an eye for profit.
Reposted by Ogre Run
gonna make some jdrama recommendations in this thread for folks curious about the medium. most of these aren’t streaming officially, though…
December 23, 2025 at 7:19 PM
gonna make some jdrama recommendations in this thread for folks curious about the medium. most of these aren’t streaming officially, though…
While I understand why publishers were formerly wary of how commercially successful visual novels and various simulation games (dating, military, business, raising) could be abroad, Sega should absolutely re-release the original Sakura Wars tetralogy. Time has shown that the audience exists.
Official Christmas-themed Sakura Shinguji from the "Sakura Wars" series illustrated by Yukihisa Fujita.
[サクラ大戦]
[サクラ大戦]
December 23, 2025 at 2:45 PM
While I understand why publishers were formerly wary of how commercially successful visual novels and various simulation games (dating, military, business, raising) could be abroad, Sega should absolutely re-release the original Sakura Wars tetralogy. Time has shown that the audience exists.
Reposted by Ogre Run
The only guarantee in life are taxes, dungeon-crawling, and death. My new article on Alfa System and MARS Corporation’s OreShika is now live! Free to read on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/ore-no...
Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke and the Limits of Mortality | Ogre Run
Get more from Ogre Run on Patreon
www.patreon.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:13 PM
The only guarantee in life are taxes, dungeon-crawling, and death. My new article on Alfa System and MARS Corporation’s OreShika is now live! Free to read on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/ore-no...
The only guarantee in life are taxes, dungeon-crawling, and death. My new article on Alfa System and MARS Corporation’s OreShika is now live! Free to read on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/ore-no...
Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke and the Limits of Mortality | Ogre Run
Get more from Ogre Run on Patreon
www.patreon.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:13 PM
The only guarantee in life are taxes, dungeon-crawling, and death. My new article on Alfa System and MARS Corporation’s OreShika is now live! Free to read on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/ore-no...
Reposted by Ogre Run
This includes what appears to be a story set in the Jerusalem setting of Roads to Lord (1984), Tsukuda Hobby’s genre-defining TTRPG that predates Sword World. Furthermore, readers are encouraged to participate in the narrative by mailing in their own created characters and choice of actions!
December 15, 2025 at 10:18 PM
This includes what appears to be a story set in the Jerusalem setting of Roads to Lord (1984), Tsukuda Hobby’s genre-defining TTRPG that predates Sword World. Furthermore, readers are encouraged to participate in the narrative by mailing in their own created characters and choice of actions!
Witch on the Holy Night (Type-Moon, 2012).
December 22, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Witch on the Holy Night (Type-Moon, 2012).
Bruno writes so eloquently and with such depth on the most fascinating games and their creators.
My Inconcludable Tripitaka article aside, this may have been the best work I've submitted all year. It exacted nearly two of my decades to finally make the reclusive author's acquaintance and garner an above-middling result. I pledge to polish it to a mirror finish during my retirement years.
I've been known to source new data on obscure games. The Book of Watermarks is different. It's an obscurantist work of fiction. As extensive as my analysis may be, I can't bring myself to put in words what makes it so, nor can I comment on the reason why. shorturl.at/OAUcQ
December 21, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Bruno writes so eloquently and with such depth on the most fascinating games and their creators.
A delightful film. Kojima has been expressing his reverence for Oshii for decades now. More recently, he invited Oshii to his “Brain Structure” podcast where the two talk about cinema and games: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFS...
December 20, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A delightful film. Kojima has been expressing his reverence for Oshii for decades now. More recently, he invited Oshii to his “Brain Structure” podcast where the two talk about cinema and games: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CFS...
Reposted by Ogre Run
Games about, by, and starring women are successful, historically significant, and a lot of fun to play. In a just world this article on Angelique Special would be one of hundreds on the series:
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2025/02/21/a...
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2025/02/21/a...
Angelique Special: A monumentally important game that’s consistently overlooked
Released on the SNES in 1994, Angelique dared to ask a simple question that is sadly still considered controversial today: “What if we made a game for women?”. Not a game starring a wom…
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Games about, by, and starring women are successful, historically significant, and a lot of fun to play. In a just world this article on Angelique Special would be one of hundreds on the series:
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2025/02/21/a...
kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/2025/02/21/a...
Reposted by Ogre Run
Last month, SB Creative announced they’ll be localizing Jonathan Green’s historical overview of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, You are the Hero. Just as in the U.S. and the U.K., in Japan, these original gamebooks were part of the 1980s RPG boom: www.4gamer.net/games/758/G0...
名作ゲームブック「ファイティング・ファンタジー」シリーズの歴史をまとめ上げた書籍「You are the Hero」日本語版の受注生産が決定
SBクリエイティブは本日（2025年11月29日），イギリス発祥のゲームブック「ファイティング・ファンタジー」シリーズの歴史をまとめた書籍「You are the Hero」の日本語版を，完全受注生…
www.4gamer.net
December 18, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Last month, SB Creative announced they’ll be localizing Jonathan Green’s historical overview of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, You are the Hero. Just as in the U.S. and the U.K., in Japan, these original gamebooks were part of the 1980s RPG boom: www.4gamer.net/games/758/G0...
Mediascape announce Cantarella: Dominion of Qualia, a dungeon-crawling RPG centered around killing and recruiting aberrations. Seems like there’ll be narrative choices, build variety, and perma-death: store.steampowered.com/app/4077880/...
Cantarella: Dominion of Qualia on Steam
Kill, devour, and command the aberrations. In a mad tower where even life itself is consumed as a resource, rewrite fate through choice and sacrifice in this dark occult, post-apocalyptic RPG built ar...
store.steampowered.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Mediascape announce Cantarella: Dominion of Qualia, a dungeon-crawling RPG centered around killing and recruiting aberrations. Seems like there’ll be narrative choices, build variety, and perma-death: store.steampowered.com/app/4077880/...
Reposted by Ogre Run
In light of discussions as to what constitutes an independent game, here are some game programs that appeared in the November 1982 issue of Technopolis, written by who I have to strongly presume is Nasir Gebelli of Final Fantasy fame.
December 19, 2025 at 7:24 AM
In light of discussions as to what constitutes an independent game, here are some game programs that appeared in the November 1982 issue of Technopolis, written by who I have to strongly presume is Nasir Gebelli of Final Fantasy fame.
In light of discussions as to what constitutes an independent game, here are some game programs that appeared in the November 1982 issue of Technopolis, written by who I have to strongly presume is Nasir Gebelli of Final Fantasy fame.
December 19, 2025 at 7:24 AM
In light of discussions as to what constitutes an independent game, here are some game programs that appeared in the November 1982 issue of Technopolis, written by who I have to strongly presume is Nasir Gebelli of Final Fantasy fame.
Last month, SB Creative announced they’ll be localizing Jonathan Green’s historical overview of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, You are the Hero. Just as in the U.S. and the U.K., in Japan, these original gamebooks were part of the 1980s RPG boom: www.4gamer.net/games/758/G0...
名作ゲームブック「ファイティング・ファンタジー」シリーズの歴史をまとめ上げた書籍「You are the Hero」日本語版の受注生産が決定
SBクリエイティブは本日（2025年11月29日），イギリス発祥のゲームブック「ファイティング・ファンタジー」シリーズの歴史をまとめた書籍「You are the Hero」の日本語版を，完全受注生…
www.4gamer.net
December 18, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Last month, SB Creative announced they’ll be localizing Jonathan Green’s historical overview of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, You are the Hero. Just as in the U.S. and the U.K., in Japan, these original gamebooks were part of the 1980s RPG boom: www.4gamer.net/games/758/G0...
Reposted by Ogre Run
Great article on the perception of JRPG's in the West, and the 'prestige' awarded (not to mention the actual awards) to Expedition 33
New article! I write at length on the history of JRPG reception in the West, Clair Obscure, and genre expectations: ogrerun.com/2025/12/14/a...
“Anime RPG Trash” or Clair Obscur and Genre Trouble
There is a specter haunting Japanese Role-Playing Games.
ogrerun.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Great article on the perception of JRPG's in the West, and the 'prestige' awarded (not to mention the actual awards) to Expedition 33
Reposted by Ogre Run
Brilliant article, though I will never, in all my days, understand why JRPGs are denigrated by so many. Maybe it's my love of stories, since many JRPGs have a narrative focus, but I've always thought the genre was viewed too harshly and dismissively by people.
New article! I write at length on the history of JRPG reception in the West, Clair Obscure, and genre expectations: ogrerun.com/2025/12/14/a...
“Anime RPG Trash” or Clair Obscur and Genre Trouble
There is a specter haunting Japanese Role-Playing Games.
ogrerun.com
December 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Brilliant article, though I will never, in all my days, understand why JRPGs are denigrated by so many. Maybe it's my love of stories, since many JRPGs have a narrative focus, but I've always thought the genre was viewed too harshly and dismissively by people.
Thread for keeping track of J-Drama actors I run into.
Here’s Akira Nakao, known for his role as Uchiyama in the live-action GTO (1998), playing the police chief in episode 25 of Tantei Monogatari (1979).
Here’s Akira Nakao, known for his role as Uchiyama in the live-action GTO (1998), playing the police chief in episode 25 of Tantei Monogatari (1979).
December 16, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Thread for keeping track of J-Drama actors I run into.
Here’s Akira Nakao, known for his role as Uchiyama in the live-action GTO (1998), playing the police chief in episode 25 of Tantei Monogatari (1979).
Here’s Akira Nakao, known for his role as Uchiyama in the live-action GTO (1998), playing the police chief in episode 25 of Tantei Monogatari (1979).
Reposted by Ogre Run
New article! I write at length on the history of JRPG reception in the West, Clair Obscure, and genre expectations: ogrerun.com/2025/12/14/a...
“Anime RPG Trash” or Clair Obscur and Genre Trouble
There is a specter haunting Japanese Role-Playing Games.
ogrerun.com
December 14, 2025 at 5:40 AM
New article! I write at length on the history of JRPG reception in the West, Clair Obscure, and genre expectations: ogrerun.com/2025/12/14/a...
This includes what appears to be a story set in the Jerusalem setting of Roads to Lord (1984), Tsukuda Hobby’s genre-defining TTRPG that predates Sword World. Furthermore, readers are encouraged to participate in the narrative by mailing in their own created characters and choice of actions!
December 15, 2025 at 10:18 PM
This includes what appears to be a story set in the Jerusalem setting of Roads to Lord (1984), Tsukuda Hobby’s genre-defining TTRPG that predates Sword World. Furthermore, readers are encouraged to participate in the narrative by mailing in their own created characters and choice of actions!
The featured image is from SOLDIERS DesireWing (Tokumeikibou, 2025), a contemporary freeware RPG made in Rm2k3.
December 14, 2025 at 11:15 PM
The featured image is from SOLDIERS DesireWing (Tokumeikibou, 2025), a contemporary freeware RPG made in Rm2k3.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (Atlus, 2003).
December 14, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (Atlus, 2003).
New article! I write at length on the history of JRPG reception in the West, Clair Obscure, and genre expectations: ogrerun.com/2025/12/14/a...
“Anime RPG Trash” or Clair Obscur and Genre Trouble
There is a specter haunting Japanese Role-Playing Games.
ogrerun.com
December 14, 2025 at 5:40 AM
New article! I write at length on the history of JRPG reception in the West, Clair Obscure, and genre expectations: ogrerun.com/2025/12/14/a...
The Tragedy in the Devil-Mask Village (Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, 1978)
December 11, 2025 at 5:51 PM
The Tragedy in the Devil-Mask Village (Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, 1978)