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A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games


Welcome to the world of Japanese Role-Playing Games!

Video role-playing games, adapted for computers from their pen-and-paper forebears, have been around since the earliest days of digital gaming. Despite initial similarities to Western games, Japan’s output began diverging in dramatic ways, inspired by its own culture and art, producing a style of game that’s often wildly different from its Western counterpart. From Dragon Quest to Final Fantasy, from Megami Tensei to PokémonA Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games explores the expansive history of Japanese role-playing games, beginning on 8-bit microcomputers, and following them all the way up to the heavy hitters of the modern era.

Created in collaboration with author Kurt Kalata, A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games is an ambitious project that aims to cover the entire history of Japanese role-playing games from 1982 to 2020. As well as reviews of over 600 games, covering a wide range of sub-genres, including strategy RPGs like Fire Emblem, Rogue-likes such as Mystery Dungeon, and first-person dungeon crawlers like Etrian Odyssey, it includes articles on the genre, its music and art. Overall, the book weighs in at over 370,000 words and contains contributions from a wide selection of fans and journalists, combining to create the ultimate coffee table book on Japanese role-playing games.

A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games is 652 pages in length (our largest book to date) and comes in hardback as standard. The cover features a specially created piece of artwork by Stephanie Sybydlo, which is finished with special pantone inks and metallic silver foil details. Each divider within the book also features a specially created ‘overworld map’ by the guys at Army of Trolls. As with all our books, we use thread-sewn binding for extra durability and print lithographically on high-quality paper to showcase the gorgeous visuals as they deserve.

Let the adventure commence!

Now Available at https://www.bitmapbooks.co.uk/products/a-guide-to-japanese-role-playing-games

Restock expected in October.

Please note that this title is not included with Patreon pledges!

Book specifications
Standard edition: 652 pages. 254mm × 203mm. Edge-to-edge high quality lithographic print. Hardback. Sewn binding for enduring quality and the ability to lay flat for ideal double-page image viewing. Silver foil blocked cover and spine. Bookmark ribbon. Shrink wrapped. Free PDF for viewing on the go.

Collector’s edition: 652 pages. 254mm × 203mm. Edge-to-edge high quality lithographic print. Hardback. Heavy-board slipcase, embossed with metallic silver foil details. Sewn binding for enduring quality and the ability to lay flat for ideal double-page image viewing. Silver foil blocked cover and spine. Bookmark ribbon. Shrink wrapped. Free PDF for viewing on the go.

Games featured include:
.hack / 3D Dot Game Heroes / 46 Okunen Monogatari / 7th Dragon / The 7th Saga / Albert Odyssey / Alcahest / The Alliance Alive / Alshark / Alundra / American Dream / Anachronox / Ancient Roman / Ar tonelico / Arabian Nights / Arc Rise Fantasia / Arc the Lad / Arcana / Arcus / Aretha / Arfgaldt / Argo / Ash: Archaic Sealed Heat / Aspic / Atelier / Avalon Code / Azure Dreams / Bahamut Lagoon / Barkley, Shut Up and Jam / Baroque / Baten Kaitos / Battle Chasers / The Battle of Olympus / Bealphareth / Beyond Oasis / Beyond the Beyond / Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon / The Black Onyx / Black Sigil / Black/Matrix / Blue Dragon / Blue Reflection / Bodycon Quest / Boktai / Borfes to 5-jin no Akuma / Boundary Gate / Brain Lord / Brandish / Brave Fencer Musashi / Brave Prove / Brave Story / Bravely Default / Breath of Fire / Brigandine / Burai / Bushi Seiryuuden / Cadash / The Caligula Effect / Captain Tsubasa / Castlevania / Cave Noire / Chaos Rings / Children of Mana / Chikyuu Senshi Rayieza / Chitei Tanken / Chou Mahou Tairiku Wozz / Chrono Cross / Chrono Trigger / CIMA / Cladun / Cleopatra no Mahou / Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. / Conception / Contact / Cosmic Fantasy / Cosmic Soldier / Cosmic Star Heroine / Courageous Perseus / Criminal Girls / Crimson Shroud / CrossCode / Cruise Chaser Blassty / Crusader of Centy / Crystal Warriors / Crystalis / Crystar / Curse of Babylon / Danchizuma no Yuuwaku / Dark Cloud / Dark Half / Dark Kingdom / Dark Lord / Dark Rose Valkyrie / Dark Savior / The Dark Spire / Dark Wizard / Dawn of Mana / Death Bringer / Death end re;Quest / Deep Dungeon / Defenders of Oasis / Demikids / DeSpiria / Destiny of an Emperor / Devil Children / Devil Survivor / Devil Summoner / Digan no Maseki / Digital Devil Monogatari / Digimon Story / Dinosaur / Disgaea / Dokapon Kingdom / Doraemon / Double Dungeons / The Dragon & Princess / Dragon Ball Z / Dragon Buster / Dragon Crystal / Dragon Force / Dragon Knight / Dragon Lair / Dragon Master Silk / Dragon Quest / Dragon Slayer / Dragon Star Varnir / Dragon View / Dream Master / Dungeon / Dungeon Kid / Dungeon Travelers / Dungeons and Dragons / Earthbound / El Dorado’s Gate / Elder Gate / Elfaria / Elminage / Emerald Dragon / Enchanted Arms / Energy Breaker / Ephemeral Fantasia / Esper Dream / Eternal Poison / Eternal Ring / Eternal Sonata / Etrian Odyssey / Ever Oasis / Evergrace / Evolution / Exist Archive / Fairy Fencer F / Fantasian / Fantasy Life / Faria / Farland Story / Fatal Labyrinth / Faxanadu / Feda / Fell Seal / Final Fantasy / Fire Emblem / Front Mission / Funky Horror Band / Gage / Ganbare Goemon Gaiden / Ganso Saiyuuki: Super Monkey Daibouken / Gandhara: Buddha no Seisen / Gdleen / Genesis / Genma Taisen / Genso Suikoden / Giten Megami Tensei / God Wars / GOD / Gokinjo Boukentai / Golden Axe Warrior / Golden Sun / Golvellius / Gran Historia / Grand Knights History / Grand Master / Grandia / The Granstream Saga / Great Greed / Growlanser / The Guardian Legend / Guardian’s Crusade / The Guided Fate Paradox / Gungnir / Gunman’s Proof / Half-Minute Hero / Hanjuku Hero / Heracles no Eikou / Hero Must Die / Hexyz Force / Hi-Leg Fantasy / Hiouden / Hoshi wo Miru Hito / Hoshigami / Hourai Gakuen no Bouken! / Hydlide / Hyperdimension Neptunia / I am Setsuna / Idea no Hi / Illusion City / Illusion of Gaia / Inazuma Eleven / Infinite Space / Infinite Undiscovery / Izuna / Jade Cocoon / Jaseiken Necromancer / Jeanne D’Arc / Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass / JoJo no Fushigina Bouken / Just Breed / Kabuki Rocks / Kaijuu Monogatari / Kaleidoscope / Kartia / Kasei Monogatari / Kemco JRPGs / Ken to Mahou / Keru Naguuru / Khufu-Ou no Himitsu / Kimi no Yuusha / Kingdom Hearts / King’s Field / Knights in the Nightmare / Koudelka / Kowloon Island / Kumdor no Ken / Kuro no Ken / Kuusou Kagaku Sekai Gulliver Boy / La Pucelle: Tactics / Labyrinth no Kanata / Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk / Lady Sword / Ladystalker / Lagoon / Lagrange Point / Landstalker / Langrisser / Lapis x Labyrinth / Laplace no Ma / LaSalle Ishii no Childs Quest / Last Armageddon / Last Bible / Last Ranker / Last Rebellion / The Last Remnant / The Last Story / Legacy of the Wizard / Legaia / The Legend of Dragoon / The Legend of Heroes / The Legend of Legacy / Legend of Mana / Legend of Oasis / Legend of the Ghost Lion / The Legend of Valkyrie / The Legend of Xanadu / The Legend of Zelda / Lennus II / Libros de Chilam Balam / Linda3 / Linkle Liver Story / Live-A-Live / Lizard / London Seirei Tanteidan / Lord of the Rings: The Third Age / Lost Dimension / Lost Heroes / Lost Kingdoms / Lost Odyssey / Lost Power / Lost Sphear / Love Quest / Lucienne’s Quest / Lufia / Lunar / Lunatic Dawn / Madou Monogatari / Magic Knight Rayearth / The Magic of Scheherazade / Magical Starsign / Magical Vacation / Majin Tensei / Maka Maka / Makai Kingdom / Märchen Veil / Marica / Mario & Luigi / Marl Kingdom / Mary Skelter / Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru Gaiden / Maten Densetsu / Medabots / Mega Man Battle Network/Star Force / Mega Man X: Command Mission / Metal Max / Minelvaton / Miracle Warriors / Moldorian / Momotarou Densetsu / Monster Hunter Stories / Monster Kingdom / Monster Maker / Monster Rancher / Monster World / Moon: Remix RPG Adventure / Mother / Mouryou Senki Madara / Mugen no Shinzou / My World My Way / Mystaria: The Realms of Lore / Mystery Dungeon / Mystic Ark / Nakayoshi to Issho / Nanashi no Game / Nayuta no Kiseki / Nemuru Mayu / Neutopia / Ni no Kuni / Nier / Nier Automata / Nights of Azure / Ningyo no Rakuin / Nostalgia / Octopath Traveler / Odin Sphere / Ogre Battle / Okage: Shadow King / Okami / Omega Quintet / One Way Heroics / Oni / Oninaki / Operation Darkness / Opoona / Oranda Tsuma wa Denki Unagi no Yume o Miru ka? / Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke / Otaku no Seiza / Paladin / Paladin’s Quest / Pandora’s Tower / Panorama Tou / Panzer Dragoon Saga / Paper Mario / Parasite Eve / Persona / Phantasy Star / Phantom Brave / Pier Solar and the Great Architects / Poibos / Pokémon / Pokémon Conquest / Popful Mail / Popolocrois / Princess Crown / Princess Minerva / Project X Zone / Psychic City / Psychic War / Quest 64 / Racing Lagoon / Radia Senki: Reimeihen / Radiant Historia / Radiata Stories / Rance / Recettear / Record of Agarest War / Record of Lodoss War / Relics / Rent-a-Hero No. 1 / Resonance of Fate / Riglas / Riviera: The Promised Land / Robopon / Robotrek / Rogue Galaxy / Romancia / Romancing SaGa / Rondo of Swords / Royal Stone / Rudra no Hihou / Rune Factory / Rune Worth / Ryuuki Heidan Danzarb / SaGa / Saiyuki / Sakura Wars / Samurai Mech / Sands of Destruction / Samsara Naga / Satomi no Nazo / The Screamer / SD Snatcher / Secret of Evermore / Secret of Mana / Secret of the Stars / Seiken Densetsu / Seiya Monogatari / Septerra Core / Shadow Brain / Shadow Hearts / Shadow Madness / Shadowrun / Shanghai / Shin Megami Tensei / Shining / Shining Force / Shining in the Darkness / Shining the Holy Ark / Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits Bushidou Retsuden / Sigma Harmonics / Silva Saga / Silver / Silver Ghost / Silviana / Skies of Arcadia / Slayers / Sol Trigger / Solid Runner / Soma Bringer / Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood / Sorcerian / Soul Blazer / Soul Nomad & the World Eaters / SoulsBorne / Spy Daisakusen / Square’s Tom Sawyer / Star Ocean / Star Odyssey / Stella Deus / Stella Glow / Stranger of Sword City / Sudeki / Suikoden  / Suiryuushi / Summon Night / Super Chinese / Super Mario RPG / Super Robot Wars / Super Robot Taisen OG Saga / Surging Aura / Susano Oh Densetsu / Sweet Home / The Sword of Hope / Sword of Vermilion / Sword World / Sylvan Tale / Tactics Ogre / Tales of Berseria / Tales of Destiny / Tales of Eternia / Tales of Graces / Tales of Legendia / Tales of Phantasia / Tales of (Portable Entries) / Tales of Rebirth / Tales of Symphonia / Tales of the Abyss / Tales of Vesperia / Tales of Xillia / Tales of Zestiria / Tao: The Way / Tengai Makyou / Tenshi no Uta / Terra Phantastica / Terranigma / Thousand Arms / Threads of Fate / Time and Eternity / Time Stalkers / Tir na Nog / Tokyo / Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE / Tokyo Xanadu / Toushin Toshi / The Tower of Druaga / Treasure Hunter G / Trials of Mana / Tritorn / Tsugunai / TwinBee RPG / The Twisted Adventures of Spike McFang / Undertale / Unlimited SaGa / Utawarerumono / Vagrant Story / Valkyria Chronicles / Valkyrie no Bouken / Valkyrie Profile / Vandal Hearts / Vanguard Bandits / Vay / Virtual Hydlide / Volfoss / Wachenröder / War of the Dead / White Knight Chronicles / Wild Arms / Willow / Wind’s Seed / A Witch’s Tale / The Wizard of Oz / Wizardry / Words Worth / World Court Tennis / The World Ends with You / World of Final Fantasy / Xak / Xanadu / Xanadu Next / Xenoblade Chronicles / Xenogears / Xenosaga / Xerd no Densetsu / Yakuza / Yggdra Union / Yo-kai Watch / Ys / Yume Meikyuu / Zanki Zero / Zavas / Zeliard / Z.H.P. / Zill O’ll / Zwei.