Japan's indies rise again

[Administrator]

"Return of the indies," reads the banner outside Kyoto's Miyako Messe, the host location for this year's BitSummit. True enough, the event was back for its third year, but Japanese indies hadn't really gone anywhere. The scene may have been scattered and relegated to the shadows before the BitRider came along and gave it a shot of adrenaline, but the familiar faces in the crowd suggested these indies have always been here.
It was apropos then, late in the afternoon on the opening day, July 11th, that someone watching Triangle Service's Toshiaki Fujino give a presentation about his experiences in the industry might have also spotted Sony Computer Entertainment President of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida listening along, or spied a glimpse of famed Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi.
There have only been a few times, if ever, anyone could've imagined a independent games festival in Japan attracting hordes of fans, international media, and luminaries such as Igarashi, or Mega Man co-designer Keiji Inafune, let alone a high-ranking executive from a major gaming company. It was a testament to how bright the spotlight is becoming.
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