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Take a journey through the history of Japanese role-playing games--from the creators who built it, the games that defined it, and the stories that transformed pop culture and continue to capture the imaginations of millions of fans to this day. The Japanese roleplaying game (JRPG) genre is one that is known for bold, unforgettable characters; rich stories, and some of the most iconic and beloved games in the industry. Inspired by early western RPGs and introducing technology and artistic styles that pushed the boundaries of what video games could be, this genre is responsible for creating some of the most complex, bold, and beloved games in history--and it has the fanbase to prove it. In Fight, Magic, Items, Aidan Moher guides readers through the fascinating history of JRPGs, exploring the technical challenges, distinct narrative and artistic visions, and creative rivalries that fueled the creation of countless iconic games and their quest to become the best, not only in Japan, but in North America, too. Moher starts with the origin stories of two classic Nintendo titles, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, and immerses readers in the world of JRPGs, following the interconnected history from through the lens of their creators and their stories full of hope, risk, and pixels, from the tiny teams and almost impossible schedules that built the foundations of the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises; Reiko Kodama pushing the narrative and genre boundaries with Phantasy Star; the unexpected team up between Horii and Sakaguchi to create Chrono Trigger; or the unique mashup of classic Disney with Final Fantasy coolness in Kingdom Hearts. Filled with firsthand interviews and behind-the-scenes looks into the development, reception, and influence of JRPGs, Fight, Magic, Items captures the evolution of the genre and why it continues to grab us, decades after those first iconic pixelated games released. … (more)
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User reviews
Japanese RPGs saved my life. They made my life what it is today. Aidan Moher approaches the games with much the same passion and emotion, and his intimate analysis of the history and very experience of Japanese-influenced role-playing
The amount of research involved is obvious and extensive, but the book never feels stodgy or academic. On the contrary, I felt like I was geeking out with a friend--and I kept feeling the compulsion to share trivia with my own best friend, my husband, when he was nearby. "Hey, did you know that..." He fully appreciated the data points. We've been married over twenty years and as a bride I walked down the aisle to the Final Fantasy theme. We are very much the audience for this book.
This book is a fond nostalgia trip and a must-read for JRPG lovers whether they've been playing for forty years or five months.
This author never had a bad thing to say about a JRPG. The whole thing is pretty much a long love letter to Square-Enix, which created Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. In fact, that’s mostly all the book is. There’s nothing meat and potatoes about it. It’s mostly fluff, describing the JRPG, its context around the release, some trivia, then moving on to the next game. It doesn’t go in-depth with the people who made them or how they got their ideas.
I’m not sure who this book is for or what its purpose is, other than a stroll down memory lane. I don’t know that this book needed to exist–it doesn’t say anything new or bold. Maybe there was just a lack of books about JRPG history? You won’t learn how the sausage is made from this, that’s for sure.