Seiran Island, a tropical eden where people are free to act on their desires under a uniquely libertine law. But even here in paradise, there are those who work in the shadows to bring it down…

United, these misfits stand side by side as the secret society NLNS.
As their founder and head honcho, I, Junnosuke Tachibana,
won’t stop until we’ve crushed this crazy law once and for all!

I’ve even found a benefactor in this crusty old rich guy, name unknown…
He’s hooked us up with a secret base and a buttload of cash already.
In return, he wants us to find someone and “protect her at all costs.”
Apparently, she holds the key to our mission’s success…?

In which case, there’s only one thing to do: locate this mystery girl.
And all while keeping the SHO off our scent, too…

Make no mistake! I’ll stop that law in its tracks, just wait and see!

1) Congratulations on NUKITASHI’s international release! Hamedori-kun is finally going global and making his worldwide debut. First of all, what are your thoughts on the big announcement?

Hello! I’m Nagatosachi, a project planner at Qruppo. All of us on the development team are excited for the game’s Steam release. NUKITASHI has a whole lot of “Japanese aesthetic” built in, including plenty of cultural motifs and wordplay, so I was honestly surprised when we first started talks about adapting it for overseas. At the same time, there’s something very appealing about knowing your work could potentially reach a wider audience, beyond those who can read it in Japanese.

2) What do you hope to achieve with this global release?

Honestly, I just hope that no one gets mad at us.

3) The NUKITASHI series went on to become an unprecedented hit in Japan. How did it first get picked up?

It all started with us pitching our idea to publishers–we were all still just students back then. In Japanese, NUKITASHI’s full title can be translated to What’s a Flat-Chested Girl like Me to Do on an Island Straight out of a Porn Game? but back then, it was more like What’s a Fugly Girl to Do on an Island Straight out of a Porn Game?

Someone who happened to be there at the time–and who is still very much at Qruppo today, only a good few rungs higher up–commented to us something along the lines of, “Could we not say ‘fugly’…?” And so we ended up changing it to its current name.

4) What was the response like when it first came out in Japan?

I don’t think there was much of a response until we released the demo version. NUKITASHI was actually a so-called “death march” project, so our memory of the time leading up to and just after its release is pretty much a blur. But then the demo versions sold out pretty quickly, which meant the full version would be next, and with all the positive messages coming in, I remember having this vague, fuzzy feeling of being over the moon.

5) Honestly, though, how many copies did you guys sell?

I’ll leave that to your imagination. If you’re imagining us selling some insane amount, it’s probably fewer than that, and if you’re picturing us not really selling all that many, chances are it’s going to be more… Let’s just say that thanks to our consumer base, we are still able to create games with enough leeway to keep focusing on the finer (and for some, unimportant) details.

6) During development, did you ever think that an overseas version might be released?

I’m willing to bet no one on this planet even thought that, let alone anyone working on the game. I think there are still more than a few Japanese fans who can’t believe this is now a real thing. Even when we got the news that NUKITASHI had been approved by Steam, the development team members had trouble wrapping their heads around it. Heck, some of their minds are still a little bit blown.

7) Who’s your favorite character in the game?

All of them, but my absolute favorite would have to be Hamedori-kun. Hamedori-kun has been around since the beginning of the project, though I’m not even sure when we first came up with the mascot concept. What I do remember is a conversation we had among the team members where someone was like, “What if the town had one of those janky-looking mascot characters?” to which someone suggested, “Well, how about ‘Hamedori-kun’?” The name almost suggests some type of local bird, but also sex tapes or just filming people in the act–so it’s something like “Mister Sex Tape.” Or “Miss Sex Tape,” as the case may be.

Hamedori-kun is just so cute and animated. And there’s just something about those cold, dead-fish eyes…

8) What’s your favorite scene?

Every scene has a special place in my heart. Having said that, we often only realize that a scene is particularly popular or interesting after receiving feedback from players. (It’s sometimes the things we least expect, too, and/or for completely unexpected reasons!) If you find a scene in NUKITASHI you’re particularly fond of, please let us know.

9) The game’s story has been highly praised for its combination of comedy and more serious themes. Are there any aspects of NUKITASHI that you found particularly rewarding to work on?

NUKITASHI wasn’t designed in an especially sane or logical way, so I’m not exactly sure where that comes from. If anything, the writing was more “pantsed”–a type of fever dream that more or less told itself.

But if I had to choose one aspect, it would have to be the characters. I think the fact that Junnosuke and the others are still alive and going so strong years later has been particularly satisfying for the whole team.

10) For readers outside Japan who have yet to experience NUKITASHI, what audience would you most recommend this game to?

If you’re even a little interested in playing NUKITASHI, then I highly recommend it. It’s the kind of game that’s fun to take on alone, but also a blast with others watching. The game’s story is extensive, though, so be sure to play at your own pace, and stretch your legs from time to time.

11) Please tell us about an aspect of Japanese culture you feel proud of and would like your overseas fans to know about.

I went to California as a child, and I remember the oranges there were super sweet and delicious. I’ve also heard about all the amazing food that’s on offer in China, although I’ve yet to visit myself. In Japan, we have our soba noodles and sushi, but the most exquisite of them all is the traditional Japanese onahole. The history of onaholes in Japan runs deep, with the world’s first onahole–the azumagata–being invented in the Edo period (1603-1868). In recent years, we have electric types available that automatically vibrate and vacuum-suck, too.

12) What are your plans for NUKITASHI from here? Is there anything you can share with us about the future of NUKITASHI?

There are plenty of things I’d announce if we could, but it’s still too early at this point. If you’ve played the game and like the world of NUKITASHI, please don’t forget about the characters that live there–even long after you’ve cleared the game.

13) Finally, is there anything else you’d like to share with your overseas fans, who are excited about NUKITASHI’s international release?

Hello, lovely to meet you. We never thought we would be talking to you like this. We didn’t bring you a greeting gift, but please enjoy this game we worked our butts off making several years ago instead. That and we sincerely hope that you become a NUKITASHI fan, too. Have fun on Seiran, everyooone!

Overseas Fans Q&A

1) Who’s your favorite character and why is it Misaki?

Yes, it’s true. My favorite character is actually Misaki Hotori.

Japan’s national sport is sumo wrestling, the origins of which can be traced back to mythical times. Being born in such a country, it was perhaps inevitable that we would gravitate towards a big-boned beauty like Misaki, who is affectionately referred to as “fat c*nt” and “deadweight” in the game.

There are other characters besides Misaki who we are really fond of, too: Junnosuke, Asane, Nanase, Hinami, Hamedori-kun… The list goes on. Though we may come from different cultures, we hope that overseas gamers will come to love NUKITASHI’s characters as much as we do.

2) Hello, what were the feelings the team had while working and when they finished?

When it comes to when we finished, I don’t remember much about that time at all.

All of us had been working on programming for days on end without sleep. When I started my commute home that day with the finished product in hand, I was so dazed that I caught the wrong train several times. Later, when I crawled into bed and said to myself, “I finally get to sleep now,” a sense of freedom washed over me all at once. The feeling was akin to ejaculation, even, and perhaps the only reason I am still making games today is that I want to experience that feeling again. The more suffering, the better it feels. You know, like perverted sex.

3) How did you come up with the premise for the game?

NUKITASHI started out as a proposal for a game called What’s a Fugly Girl to Do on an Island Straight out of a Porn Game? One particularly glorious culture that has taken root in Japan is that of erotic CG art collections. (Does FANZA ship outside Japan? If they do, please check them out for all your favorite titles!) One popular genre is the concept of “no-holds-barred, free-for-all sex with hot women.” For example, it could be about obtaining a special sex permit, entering an exclusive sex zone, or conveniently learning the art of sexy hypnosis.

But what if, among all those hotties, there was an ugly girl thrown into the mix? What would she think? Would she have a bad time? And so that’s how we first came up with the premise for NUKITASHI.

Below is an excerpt from our pitch document at the time.

Synopsis

Kouka Island is a small islet somewhere in the Sea of Japan. Due to its exceptionally hot days and cool nights, it is famous for its breathtaking autumn views. But even here on this beautiful island, the local population has been slowly dwindling, and the situation is growing worse each year. Who was it who, among all the moaning and suffering, somehow got the idea to suggest it? Who started it all by saying something like “Let’s revitalize this town through sex!”? And who was it that doubled down? Who were the numbskull adults who actually followed through on that harebrained plan…? “Article 1: This law hereby establishes that lewd and lascivious fornication on this island is A-OK.” That’s right. On Kouka, wanton fcking is officially OK. This is now an island where neither guys nor girls can turn down doing the dirty. Walk down any street here today and you’ll see people screwing left, right, and center. Yet I’m the only one here who’s not a part of that. Why? Because I’m fugly and unfckable to all. “Wait, then you’re one of those Anti-Copulation activists, right?”No, it’s not like I’m against this law. I’m all for it, honestly. “Then, starting today, you’re one of us! I’ll introduce you to our wacky members!” It’s just that I’m so fugly that no one ever approaches me. “This is Girl A, a total hottie, just… not in a hot way!” “I just keep on getting passed up…” I can’t approach anyone at all, on account of how I’m such an ugly, insecure dweeb.“This is Girl B. She’s always being mistaken for a guy!” “I’m so tired of getting hit on by girls…” So I had hopes for this island. I mean, it’s like something straight out of a porn game. “This is Girl C, who’s reeeally averse to sex and innuendo!” “Jeez, just talking about it makes me wanna crawl up and die… It’s so embarrassing!” Although, I can’t help feeling excited at the thought that something might still happen…. “Then there’s me… the guy with ED! Nice to meet ya!” The truth is, I’m not NOT interested in sex–far from it, okay?

I’m glad we changed the title.