BlazBlue 10th Anniversary



The BlazBlue series celebrates its 10th anniversary on November 20, 2018, exactly ten years after the release of BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger in Japanese arcades in 2008. To celebrate, BlazBlue staff launched a special website for the anniversary one year prior on November 20, 2017 as part of the "BlazBlue 10th Anniversary Project" (「BLAZBLUE」10周年アニバーサリープロジェクト).

Website
The website features a history of BlazBlue, a directory all the characters of the BlazBlue series and its spinoffs, creator's comments, and community contests. Information was released slowly over the course of the year.

The character popularity poll and the illustration contest both ran from the website's opening on November 20, 2017 until January 31, 2018. During this time, anyone could vote once a day on a character or illustration of their liking. Intermediate results for the popularity poll were released once during the monthly Arcnama on December 15, 2017 and once on the poll's page on January 22, 2018.

On January 22, 2018, the website received its first huge update, which switched out the splash image, opened up the 4-panel comic contest, added a section outlining the history of the BlazBlue series, and released the 2nd intermediary results for the character popularity poll.

On March 3, 2018, the website was updated to include results for the character popularity poll and illustration contest, as well as a new splash image to celebrate Ragna's birthday.


 * Splash Images

Popularity Poll

 * See the final results at Polls/BlazBlue 10th Anniversary Character Popularity Poll

Creator's Comments
Toshimichi Mori 01 Producer Toshimichi Mori Producer of the BlazBlue series. Illustrator of the first and third installments of the series. Weaving tales across 10 years, a new challenge. 森 利道 Thanks to everyone, BlazBlue is able to welcome its 10th anniversary. I think this is due to everyone's support, as well as the diligence of the staff who tackled this project. Let me first express my gratitude: really, thank you very much.

When we first started planning [for BlazBlue], I had just transferred to Arc System Works; the CEO Kidooka's first words for me were, "Make content that will continue for 10 years." To be honest, at that time I thought, "That's absurd..." but I very strongly wanted to be able to make a work of my own, so I decided to push onward. And now, we actually have created content that's continued on for ten years.

In these ten years, all sorts of things have happened.

Of course there have been the games, but there have also also been novels, the web radio, manga, anime, stageplay; many, varied genres all depicting BlazBlue. The challenge of these has been to open up the connection with the audience, not just by widening our reach but also--to me, and to Arc System Works--by providing an exciting experience.

Now once again, a new challenge stands before us. Although the curtain has fallen on the story of "Ragna the Bloodedge" in the world of BlazBlue, the "Story of the Azure" still continues. I myself also want to keep continuing onward; I would be happy if everyone would accompany me.

Yuuki Kato 02 Designer Yuuki Kato Illustrator of the second and fourth installments of the BlazBlue series. Battle image boards, released for the first time! 加藤 勇樹 Congratulations on BlazBlue's 10th anniversary! I've said a lot about the character designs in other places, so I'll write about something that I haven't really talked about before.

Here's some image boards of battle scenes that haven't been released elsewhere; let's continue while looking at them!



This was around when Ragna's hakama portion was still being decided. Taokaka hasn't changed much since her design here.



Jin's design was also still all over the place.





Noel and Carl's designs were solidified pretty quickly. Maybe because they were stuffed full of wild ideas from Mori-P?



Litchi's first draft had the feeling of a [stereotypical] Chinese girl (lol) It's nostagic. Looking back like this, my old work is really bad isn't it! lol

Even though these drawings are so embarrassing, I think everyone can have a laugh at them being able to lead to today's BlazBlue!

So, until next time~

Arc System Works Co., Ltd. Designer Yuki Kato

Daisuke Ishiwatari 03 Composer Daisuke Ishiwatari Sound director for all of the BlazBlue series. <div style="">Giving variety to the BlazBlue soundtrack. <div style="">石渡 大輔 To MoriMori, the release and marketing staff, and all of BlazBlue's fans, congratulations on reaching BlazBlue's ten-year anniversary. I'm overjoyed that, with everybody's help, this celebration-worthy event could be welcomed.

I play the role of the composer, but BlazBlue's production has taught me much about being a creator.

Until that point, I had been writing mostly rock music, but this work included an unusual variety of concepts. I had to desperately look for things I hadn't expressed before, and connect them with everything I learned from going beyond the framework of composition.

If you reach out your hand, someone will take it. Perhaps it will open up new perspectives. If I had given up, I wonder where I would be now.

Such an experience has also had a great effect on my own game production.

If I were to speak honestly, producing Guilty Gear while also composing for BlazBlue filled my schedule, and I was often extremely busy. It wasn't rare for me to think "Someone, please switch with me."

But now, having had a chance to meet once again with all the fans of BlazBlue, I would gladly welcome that cliff's edge.

I give congratulations for these ten years, but I also look forward to BlazBlue's next ten years with everyone.

Arc System Works Co., Ltd. Composer Daisuke Ishiwatari

<h4 style="">Takeshi Yamanaka <div style="">04 Director <span style="">Takeshi Yamanaka <div style="">Director from the first installment's console version until the second installment's arcade version. <div style="">Wishing to cut open a new age for fighting games. <div style="">山中 丈嗣 Congratulations on reaching the 10th anniversary of the BlazBlue series. Thanking the development staff is a given, but I also believe that more than anything, this is due to the support and passion shown by all the fans. I extend my heartfelt thanks.

I had the role of production director from the time of the console version of BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (afterwards, CT) until the NESiCA x Live version of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II (afterwards, CS2). Looking back to around the time when development for Guilty Gear 2's update was cooling down, Mori-P said "I'm completely lost when it comes to [computer] networking. I'll give up responsibility and leave you the position of director for the console version, Yamanaka-kun, so please do as you like." Starting with that EXCITING offer, I became involved with the BB series.

● Foremost thoughts about the CT era At a time before we'd prepared for the spectation function [in the software design], Mori-P threw out "You can spectate [matches]!" at an event. We somehow managed to [finish the feature] in time so we can laugh about it now, but at the time our main programmer Iguchi said, "Man, making rash decisions like that...." and I remember feeling a murderous intent and breaking out in cold sweat.

● Thoughts about the CS era I participated not only in the management of the release, but also in the overall project's planning and promotion. The knowledge and experience I gained during this time became the foundation of my current style of doing things. I feel like I learned an unusually large amount through it.

● Thoughts about the CS2 era The arcade industry of the time was shifting from a "single-payment system" to a "revenue share system." In response to and accompanying this revenue share (card system), I planned out the means and methods of the Player's Guild. The hectic rush of the time left a lasting impression on me.

It was something like that. In any case, from the depths of my heart I wanted to cut open a new age for fighting games, so I became Mori-P's hands and feet and thought every day only about how to continue recklessly onwards, even while fumbling around.

We have now welcomed the end of the story surrounding Ragna the Bloodedge. However, soon BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle will release, and furthermore (although it's not a fighting game) BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War and more will bring about new developments.

So while being grateful for and celebrating these ten years, I also hope that with everyone's support, the series can continue on to 15...20 years. We'll be relying on everyone’s passion this time as well.

Arc System Works Ltd., Co. Fighting Game Line Producer Takeshi Yamanaka

<h4 style="">Takumi Iguchi <div style="">05 Director & Programmer <span style="">Takumi Iguchi <div style="">Main programmer for the first installment and director of the second installment of the BlazBlue series. <div style="">Creating from scratch a completely new fighting game engine. <div style="">井口屋 タクミ BlazBlue's already reached its tenth year.... Thinking that it's been a long time is proof that I've aged.

Starting from the top, thank you very much to all the fans for cheering on and supporting BlazBlue. And also, for this tenth year, congratulations to everyone related to [the production of] BlazBlue, including myself.

Going back to a little more than 10 years ago when we reviewed the game engine that was used to make Guilty Gear, I was named main programmer for the huge project of building a completely new engine from scratch. I was still young and overflowing with ambition back then, so I approached it with a "Let's do this!" attitude; months later during release, after literally drowning in desperation at crunch time, [my] hatred for the schedule and the world's absurdities was....

Moving to a better train of thought, I would like to tell the me at my wits' end, that that very BlazBlue series would become such a huge series.

Afterwards, I participated in [producing] BlazBlue: Continuum Shift as a director, and although I've left the BlazBlue series now, with Arc System Works' fighting games in my background, I'm still proud of having helped such a definitive series get off the ground even today.

Then once more in closing, to the fans of BlazBlue who continued cheering it on for ten years, Arc System Works, and we staff, wish to answer your desire for the series to continue, and look together to the future.

Arc System Works Ltd., Co. Director & Programmer Takumi Iguchi

<h4 style="">Ryouhei Endo <div style="">06 Director <span style="">Ryouhei Endo <div style="">Taking on the position of director from the second until the third installment of the BlazBlue series. <div style="">Anyway, try what you'd like to try. <div style="">遠藤 良平 Congratulations on BlazBlue entering its 10th year!

To the fans, and to the players, thank you very much. I pray the increase in fans and players for this tenth anniversary will continue onward to the twentieth anniversary♪

Speaking of which, I also thought I should reminisce a bit. I'd be happy if you'd read it and consider that these sorts of things have happened too.

First, let me start with my relationship to BlazBlue.

During production for BlazBlue: Continuum Shift's console release, I participated as a planner. Then in the middle of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II I took over as a director, and was in charge all the way through BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend, BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma, and BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend.

Now, while I was in charge, you could say BlazBlue just happened to perfectly match with the times, and those not just within the company but also those outside seemed to have an "anyway, try what you'd like to try" sort of attitude.

For example, for the arcade version's location test, we went all over the place to Osaka, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and so on even though in the past we'd been holding them exclusively within the Tokyo region. I went to observe the Osaka location test myself, and before the store even opened there were already more than fifty people lined up. I remember feeling like crying [in happiness] that morning.

And, when we first started up the Players Guild website targeted towards arcade-goers, since it was pretty much a first for the company as a whole, [technical] support released it directly along the reasoning that [they] were already familiar with the [inner workings of the] game. However, like hell itself, from the very first day several hundred incidents came in at once, and [we] had to keep working all the way through the New Year.

Since we were going to work through the New Year anyway, we thought to send out emails to registered players in the Guild saying "Happy New Year!", but it ended with us stressing the mail servers beyond their limits; the bitterness still remains....

We also started up a new broadcast to succeed BlazBlue Radio, "Burugeki" (lit. [Blaz]Blue Play).... When we actually went through with it, instead of [being just] PR, it began to have its own story, and in the end Rachel's home was burned down. It really makes one want to see a continuation....

In 2012 there was also "BlueRevo" (BlazBlue Revolution). The qualifiers were held in various game centers, and ASW staff held interviews in the Kanto region as well. The deciding tournament took place at Differ Ariake. I was able to clearly feel the passion of the competitors!

And in November, having somehow managed to focus on its release, BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma went live!

As a director, this was a title I'd been involved with from the very beginning, and before I'd realized it, the decreasing budget (from being used up), detailed schedules, and whatnot one by one became sources of joy.

Together with the console release [of BBCP], [BlazBlue] also expanded into all sort of other genres, like the novelizations, comics, and anime. The ArcNama livestream also began broadcasting around then.

We also continued with [live events] and collaborations with various games, which I believe helped lead up to the BlazBlue that we have today.

Speaking of which, the Xbox One release of BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend allows up to 64 people to stay in a single room of the online lobby! through unspeakable means powered by the programmers' tears, I recall.

BlazBlue was then passed from me to Director Ishikawa, who polished it into BlazBlue: Central Fiction and BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle.

To all the fans and all the players, please look forward to BlazBlue's continuing evolution! Let's celebrate the 20th anniversary together!!

Arc System Works Ltd., Co. Director Ryōhei Endo

<h4 style="">Tatsunori Ishikawa <div style="">07 Director & Programmer <span style="">Tatsunori Ishikawa <div style="">Lead programmer for the third installment and director of the fourth installment of the BlazBlue series. <div style="">Works that let one realize the depth and enticement of fighting games. <div style="">石川 辰則 Congrats, the BlazBlue series' 10th anniversary!

I believe this series of fighting games was able continue for a decade due to the many fans who supported it. Of course, this includes those fans who played the game themselves, but it also includes the many fans who preferred to create content, as well as their collaborators, all of whom I wish to express my gratitude to.

I entered the company [ASW] in 2006, and at that time BlazBlue was at a period where it was just beginning to gain momentum. The greater half of my achievements as a game creator were due to this project, for which I harbor strong emotions about.

In the beginning, I participated as a programmer, and I'm currently involved as director of the series. However, when I first started out in game development, I was in a situation where I didn't know left from right, and I went through some hard times.

I suppose the job that stuck with me most clearly out of all that was the time spent on making BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma. Up until then I'd been a regular programmer, but for this one, I was the lead programmer.

This title also tackled more innovation than usual. I was deeply involved in the Online Lobby in particular, working on everything from the technical specification to the implementation itself.

It began with talk like, "For the console version, we want create the feeling of being at an arcade." I worked closely with the planner on the specifications.

However, the real troubles began after we had completed the specifications, with its implementation.

"Huh? Isn't this impossible?"

We could do it if it was just speaking with and playing against other players in the same location, but we'd fallen into the situation where it seemed impossible to allow one to play against another in the same way that players on opposing machines at an arcade would.

There was talk of reconsidering the technical specifications, but being so involved in the implementation myself, I struggled with the desire to make it work somehow. Eventually, with knowledge, diligence, and experience, we were able to follow through with the specifications.

As a result, the online lobby was popular with the users and became standard to implement in ASW's fighting games; I realized then that failing to give up did have an effect.

Many players who were new to the BlazBlue series also tried out [BlazBlue at that time]. I myself cannot claim to have been particularly good at fighting games in the beginning, and I think it was a work that let [players] realize the allure and depth of fighting games.

We have reached a turning point when it comes to the BlazBlue series, but I think from now on, the series will continue to expand in various forms.

For example, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is a work created for a similar reason to when we were making BlazBlue ten years ago, when we wanted to bring the allure of fighting games to an even wider audience.

The competitiveness of a fighting game is an important facet to take into account, but the original purpose of games "to entertain" should not be forgotten.

Without forgetting to thank the many fans who've supported us these ten years, I believe works that align with everyone's expectations will continue to be made from now on and hope that everyone will support us along the way.

Arc System Works Ltd., Co. Director & Programmer Tatsunori Ishikawa

<h4 style="">Yuki Sugiyama <div style="">08 Designer <span style="">Yuki Sugiyama <div style="">Developing the BlazBlue series' character graphics, drawing avatar art, and supervising the art for CGs. <div style="">Here are some production materials for CGs! <div style="">杉山 友希 Congratulations on reaching BlazBlue's 10th anniversary! To all the users who cheered on BlazBlue and allowed the series to continue this far, and more than anything, that everyone is able to enjoy this 10th anniversary, I can't even begin to express my gratitude.

For this series, I worked on the graphics for the characters and the arcade mode ending [art], as well as the character avatar art for the console versions' story modes, and I also supervised the CGs.

Now then, since this is a special commemoration site, let me present some production materials.







This is Tsubaki's ending for BlazBlue Chrono Phantasma's arcade mode. Based on materials like images 1 and 2, the staff conversed back-and-forth, back-and-forth, until we produced this. To see how it ends from here, please take a look at the console version, which should be easily within reach!



Here we have a CG from the story mode of BlazBlue: Central Fiction's console release. (The rough layout was provided by Kato-san.)

When we first began production and heard about Producer Mori's grand plans for the story, I remember being surprised like, "Even though it's a fighting game???" I wonder if everyone was surprised when they played through it as well. It was also shocking that a large part of the graphics were all-out fights, but I thought that the action scenes were probably another part of BlazBlue's charm.

Please continue to support the BlazBlue series and Arc System Works in the future!



Here's a bonus production secret. The characters spelling out Bang's name in his arcade mode in BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, were actually written by Ishiwatari-san! All-out war!

Arc System Works Ltd., Co. Designer Yuki Sugiyama

<h4 style="">Katsura Muramatsu <div style="">09 Designer <span style="">Katsura Muramatsu <div style="">Creating the backgrounds of the BlazBlue series. <div style="">Born from all that hard work was what could properly be called 2.5D <div style="">村松 桂 Congratulations on 10 years of BlazBlue. And, to all the fans, thank you.



Ten years ago, I drew the backgrounds for 2D fighting games in 2D. That being so, being told the game we were about to make would be in HD, and furthermore to make the backgrounds 3D shocked me so much I remember falling out of my chair.

Would turning 2D with a hand-drawn feeling into 3D polygons capture the [same sense] for the users? How can a 2D fighting game's background display a special sense of space through 3D, something that the whole backgrounds team wracked their brains over. Furthermore, there were cases where someone unused to such high resolution would became dizzy from it and be unable to look at the screen at all.

After about a year of trail and error, the result of that hard work was the transformation of BlazBlue's backgrounds into a combination of 2D drawings and 3D depth, something that could properly be called 2.5D.



I drew all sorts of creatures to decorate the backgrounds with.

The white dog in the stage of Bascule is a Samoyed. It barks following a very simple script, and perhaps because of its clamorous voice became a conversation topic overseas. I remember being happy [when I first heard] that they call it hypedog.

On the Hanging Gardens stage, creatures resembling monkeys are gathered in the treetops. This was because I saw a picture of one of the staff members' cat's backside decorating the top of a desk, and the cat's precious jewels looked like a mouth at a glance, so I drew eyes and it became a face. My memory goes along those lines....



Aside from the backgrounds, I also designed Arakune's bugs. One time, Mori-P said, "We have a character whose setting is that they house bugs within their body; would it be possible to create a story out of those bugs?" and I thought I'd give it a try. After being told, "If it's "bug" we're speaking of, that's three "insects" (虫) stacked together to make "bug" (蟲)," I felt like I could make it work. Between making backgrounds I would draw all sorts of bugs, and it was a bit like doodling in a notebook during class. I overdid it, and when I submitted the bugs, some with settings and details and some without, it was exhilarating.

Of those, the bug named Tartar appeared in Story Mode and even in the anime, and I'm extremely grateful that it was able to act in many ways. Even in BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, it has a role as a character that'll give gifts when talked to.

With that, please look forward to the continuing BlazBlue series. Thank you for reading.

Arc System Works Ltd., Co. Designer Katsura Muramatsu

<h4 style=";font-weight:normal;">Notes

Theater Cafe & Dining STORIA GGxBB Cafe
The Guilty Gear x BlazBlue collaboration cafe was opened at Theater Cafe & Dining STORIA in Ikebukuro, running originally between May 4 and May 31, 2018, but it was extended two weeks until June 15, 2018.

Attendees were given one trading card and one luncheon mat at random for each collaboration cafe food or drink item that was ordered. The exclusive merchandise that was sold were based on the results of the 10th anniversary popularity poll.


 * Schedule


 * Product Lineup

Theater Cafe & Dining STORIA BlazBlue Cafe
BlazBlue Cafe was a cafe hosted in collaboration with Theater Cafe & Dining STORIA in Ikebukuro between Oct 15 and Nov 20, 2018.

Attendees were given one trading card at random for each collaboration cafe food or drink item that was ordered, and for every ￥1000 spent they would receive one stamp on a stamp card. After obtaining three stamps, customers could choose one luncheon mat to take home.


 * Schedule


 * Product Lineup

GraffArt Shop with A3MARKET in P'Parco
On July 7, 2018 in collaboration with the GraffArt Shop with A3MARKET in P'Parco, a series of merchandise was released for BlazBlue.

SuperGroupies
On September 12, 2018, SuperGroupies announced a series of watches in collaboration with BlazBlue: Central Fiction. One month later on October 15, they announced a follow-up lineup of bags and smartphones cases.

GamSyrup
An accessory line in collaboration with GamSyrup was announced during the October 2018 episode of the ArcNama Regular Broadcast, on October 19. The lineup includes themed rings and necklaces with character crests based on the top ten characters in the 10th anniversary popularity poll.