Hello, all!

Allow me to bring to everyone's attention cool tabletop role-playing games from Japan.
Tabletop RPGs have a tiny market share compared to video games, so despite the volume of games written in Japan, relatively few have been able to cross the Pacific with English translations; only, I believe, the five Japanese tabletop RPG's have been translated into English at the time of this post (Maid, Tenra Bansho Zero, Golden Sky Stories, Double Cross, and Ryuutama).

But the tabletop industry has undergone some drastic changes in the last decade, thanks to the indie RPG and self-publishing movements, and it's lead a few intrepid individuals like Andy Kitowski (Tenra Bansho Zero, Ryuutama) and Ewen Cluney (Maid, Golden Sky Stories) to translate games from Japan to share with Western audiences. And we appreciate their efforts – the Ryuutama - Natural Fantasy RPG Kickstarter achieved full funding in its first 5 hours and ended with over 2000 backers!

If you are curious for more check out the info below.


Tenra Bansho Zero - The Japanese Sengoku period taken to 11. You have feudal daimyo right next to giant mecha, cyborg footman, mystical ninja, oni warriors, magical Shinto priest, and living human-like dolls. Practically defines "awesome."


Ryuutama - Think "Hayao Miyazaki's Oregon Trail." As a honobo ( "heartwarming" ) game, the story centers around travel, companionship, and nature. A unique feature of the game is the Ryuujin, or Dragon person, a character controlled by the GM to watch over the player characters from afar and help them at key points.


Golden Sky Stories - Another honobono about playing henge, animal spirits who can take human form. You live in a sleepy rural town in which you make friends with townsfolk and try to help them with their everyday problems. Way adorable.


Maid - You role-play – you guessed it – a maid. The GM plays the master of the household while the players see to her/his needs. Being that this models a maid anime, craziness is compulsory and inevitable, and you're left to pick up the pieces after disasters like giant monster attacks, psychic villains, harem catfights, and falling souffl?s. Normal everyday things.


Double Cross - A super-hero RPG in which players deal with the stress and separation of being superhuman while tending to your own dreams and desires. Modern day Exalted with a Darker than Black feel.

Finally, I'm happy to report that even more translations of Japanese RPGs are in the works. Meikyuu Kingdom the "Cynical Pop Dungeon Fantasy" RPG ?is currently in production by Lanternworks Unlimited, and after Ryuutama's release, Andy and Matt of Kotodama Heavy Industries will begin work on the excellent Shinobigami! It's an exciting time to get into tabletop RPGs, especially from the land of the rising sun. Check out the links I included, and come play!