Man I didn't know this guy was so big. I first saw him in Outrage years back and man was he amazing. I didn't realize he was so multifaceted a character. What an unbelievably necessary piece of work you've done Kim, thank you.
Oh yeah dude, I first found out about him from some other movie, but he's a badass. I never knew he was a comedian. It was years before I realized he was one of the guys from mxc hahahaha
When you mentioned this as one of the first time a celebrity was involved in their own game, it reminded me of one of the other times from this era: Douglas Adams' involvement in the Infocom text adventure of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. And it seems there's an interesting parallel, because although HHGTTG is by no means as ridiculous as this game, it is nonetheless noted as one of the hardest and most obtuse games of the era. And that's compared to other text adventures, not games known for being approachable and friendly! An interesting link - two comedians involved in the making of their own games, early in the history of video games, and both creating weird, obtuse and hugely difficult works. Although thankfully Douglas Adams famously loved technology, rather than hating it, and so his result is rather more playable, and remembered much more fondly :)
Takeshi Kitano is one of a kind artist. His movie carrer began with grim Yakuza flicks, then a return of old Beat Takeshi bizarre humour with "Getting Any?", hits stardom with "Hana-Bi" and "Zatoichi" and makes one of the most (if not THE most) beautiful movies about inconditional love, "Dolls".
A Scene at the Sea and Kids Return are absolutely brilliant films. I think more than anything else they truly prove Kitano's incredibly diverse creativity. From light comedy to brutal, cold violence to amazingly heart-felt emotion, he's amazing.
In that respect it makes perfect sense he decided his return to video games would be in Yakuza/Like a Dragon. Like Kitano himself, those games are legendary for how well they can mix comedy, emotion, and brutality.
I think this is the kind of experimental game that would only resurface again with the Dreamcast (and a few MegaCD titles, like Panic!). One of those things super frustrating and weird if you expect a traditional game but which you have to experience in its own terms. Cool stuff, I had no idea Takeshi had done this.
I saw this game for the first time on Game Center CX. Good old Arino played the game from beginning to end. Crazy game. I loved to watch Takeshi's Castle. There's a part in the game that you have to wait an hour in 'real' time to find a map to continue. WHAT!!!
I was expecting to hear you sing the Karaoke part, I'm disappoint! Just kidding, an awesome review as always, I played the game the first time around 18 years ago on an emulator on my old Pentium 133 PC, I had no idea what I was doing, years later I watched the Gamecenter CX episode and realized I had no chance in figuring it out, because I had no idea back then that the Famicom had a microphone on the second controller, nowadays it's pretty common knowledge.
Yet again Kim, you create another interesting and unique episode ! I had never heard about this before, but this was the best way i could have found out about it ! Any chance of a Cardiacs bass cover or two in the future ??/
These days the developers would describe this as an "interactive experience" and would probably be praised by the media for not being another COD clone. Another inciteful review Kim.
That’s the funny thing about artists who get drunk: You’re either Hemingway and you write “The Old Man and the Sea.” Or you’re Takeshi Kitano and you make THIS UNHOLY GODDAMN GARBAGE.
One of his least famous/liked films, that one - I don't think any of his audiences, Japan or Western, got what he was doing there (for various reasons). For someone so famous as a comedian, generally Takeshi's comedy films are...well, odd and easily his films that have the least mainstream appeal of the lot (I suppose that this game is a relative of them, in many ways). It's one of Takeshi's personal favourites though, and is perhaps overdue some kind of re-appraisal. (He still does them, of course. One of the epilogues to this video is that while Takeshi's violent crime dramas were so "WTF" to a Japanese audience back then in the early 90's, as soon as they were accepted they started making plenty of bank...and so he stopped doing them quite as much. Outrage was his first for several years and very much a (successful) attempt at getting a commercial hit.)
I've loved Takeshi Kitano's movies for years but they're nothing like this game at all. They're usually very serious and violent gangster movies. Thanks for making this! Also, there's an officially licensed Nintendo game where you can punch the shit out of your wife and kids? Game of the year!
I finally saw Hanabi/Fireworks. Thought it was ridiculous to be honest but it had some moments. Guess it's not my type of movie or something was lost in translation.
Great stuff. Im off to watch Zatoichi now. Has he lost his mind? Can he see or is he blind? Can he walk at all, Or if he moves will he fall?. Iron Man the samurai
Great video! I love your channel. Would you happen to know more about Hoshi wo Miru Hito? That game is fascinating to me and I've researched it a lot but without knowing Japanese I'm pretty much at a dead end, I suppose.
I don't really, short of what's in articles like the one on HG101 and the like. Even from the little I've played of it, its reputation as the worst RPG ever made is clearly not unwarranted. As a game, it's almost as badly designed as this one!
I played all the way through. It's a turn based RPG that is REALLY hard. The enemies in the starting area can kill you in one hit level hard. And once you very diligently keep saving after every fight to get some XP and are actually killing everything in the area easily, you walk over to the next area and you can't even put a dent into the enemies there. And I found it really entertaining because of that for some reason. It just feels like "you gotta map up or you ain't never gonna see shit son". And hell it's easier then fuckin Super Monkey Daibouken because you can at least tell where you're going, it's not a giant featureless wasteland you're supposed to walk around in until somehow you get where you need to be.
It's actually Lost Word of Jenny. Cause you go around collecting letters. Still a better game then Takeshi's Challenge or Super Monkey Daibouken. As for Hoshi, it kinda grows on you because of just how flat out sadistic, "do or go home" it is. What can you say to a game where the first weapon you can get has a lower attack then your default ?
I think this is one of the times Kim Justice is wrong about something In her past videos she's said "No one sets out to make a bad game on purpose" well IMO it seems like Takashi's Challenge is the acception, this is clearly the case where someone did in fact set out to make a bad game on purpose. Takashi himself even insults the player at the end for wasting there time beating a such a shit game.
With regards to his marriage: he wrote in his book "why i still like woman" (or whatever it's called in English), that he was not the most faithfull of all husbands.
interesting that he hated new technology, but the older technology (of movie cameras) was fine for him. i wonder if his yakuza6 involvement is because AAA games are so much more like cinema now.
Maybe someone could answer this, but is this the same guy who had a failed run as a wrestling manager, and for a time being got NJPW kicked out of Sumo Hall because of the riots he would cause?
9:50 More shows should replace actors who were fired or suspended due to scandals or just simply quit the role by having the role taken over by a guy wearing a giant paper-mâché head.
Eh Jontronish remark about Nintendo license after punching kids and wife... you can get more than 4 hearts by drinking a certain drink at one bar... you don't have to shout for minutes.. only for a while .. I know game research it's hard and you can miss some things .. but but... but truth is truth :D
Takeshi's also an incorrigible racist and homophobe. Ah well. Always glad to hear Thunderstorm! Takeshi was/is legit a fan of wrestling though- his presence in NJPW brought Vader to Japan, and genuine go away heat.
![[FULL] RETROSPECTIVE : Final Fantasy Tactics](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RUBmYqs1jZ0/mqdefault.jpg)
![[FULL] RETROSPECTIVE : Final Fantasy Tactics](/img/tr.png)
Man I didn't know this guy was so big. I first saw him in Outrage years back and man was he amazing. I didn't realize he was so multifaceted a character. What an unbelievably necessary piece of work you've done Kim, thank you.
Oh yeah dude, I first found out about him from some other movie, but he's a badass. I never knew he was a comedian. It was years before I realized he was one of the guys from mxc hahahaha
These documentary style videos are some of my favorite gaming videos on youtube.
When you mentioned this as one of the first time a celebrity was involved in their own game, it reminded me of one of the other times from this era: Douglas Adams' involvement in the Infocom text adventure of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. And it seems there's an interesting parallel, because although HHGTTG is by no means as ridiculous as this game, it is nonetheless noted as one of the hardest and most obtuse games of the era. And that's compared to other text adventures, not games known for being approachable and friendly! An interesting link - two comedians involved in the making of their own games, early in the history of video games, and both creating weird, obtuse and hugely difficult works. Although thankfully Douglas Adams famously loved technology, rather than hating it, and so his result is rather more playable, and remembered much more fondly :)
Takeshi Kitano is one of a kind artist. His movie carrer began with grim Yakuza flicks, then a return of old Beat Takeshi bizarre humour with "Getting Any?", hits stardom with "Hana-Bi" and "Zatoichi" and makes one of the most (if not THE most) beautiful movies about inconditional love, "Dolls".
I now know why all those episodes of Takeshi's Castle had that fake head Takeshi. Finally, I can die in peace :)
A Scene at the Sea and Kids Return are absolutely brilliant films. I think more than anything else they truly prove Kitano's incredibly diverse creativity. From light comedy to brutal, cold violence to amazingly heart-felt emotion, he's amazing.
In that respect it makes perfect sense he decided his return to video games would be in Yakuza/Like a Dragon. Like Kitano himself, those games are legendary for how well they can mix comedy, emotion, and brutality.
The weird stuff is too surreal to comprehend, but I'm glad the man found some peace.
Unpopular opinnion : Takeshi's challenge is just side scroller Yakuza 0.
at least yakuza zero wasn’t made by someone who thought all gamers are 4chan incels, even back then.
I think this is the kind of experimental game that would only resurface again with the Dreamcast (and a few MegaCD titles, like Panic!). One of those things super frustrating and weird if you expect a traditional game but which you have to experience in its own terms. Cool stuff, I had no idea Takeshi had done this.
Kikujiro is easily one of the greatest and one of my favorite movies ever, Beat Takeshi is a great director!
Great way to find out about a game I had never heard about! And a light round of applause for the singing.
I only knew of this game because of JonTron's video, but you've just given me so much more insight on why this game is how it is!
You are too freaking good to us, Kim. I can't wait to sink my teeth in to the story of this strange game.
I had no idea this guy done so much and I seen him in loads of movies, great video Kim well edited.
This entire game has a very Penn and Teller - esque vibe. Almost like Desert Bus, only as an adventure with actual stuff happening.
This is one of those absolutely bizarre games that I can't help but like.
Awesome video kim, its obvious you put in so much work into these.
Very well done video. Thanks for all the hard work.
I saw this game for the first time on Game Center CX. Good old Arino played the game from beginning to end. Crazy game. I loved to watch Takeshi's Castle. There's a part in the game that you have to wait an hour in 'real' time to find a map to continue. WHAT!!!
Well this was a treat! I've been greatly interested of the game, and am a fan of Takeshi's movies, so thank you.
I was expecting to hear you sing the Karaoke part, I'm disappoint! Just kidding, an awesome review as always, I played the game the first time around 18 years ago on an emulator on my old Pentium 133 PC, I had no idea what I was doing, years later I watched the Gamecenter CX episode and realized I had no chance in figuring it out, because I had no idea back then that the Famicom had a microphone on the second controller, nowadays it's pretty common knowledge.
Another great review! Kitano is one of my favourite Japanese directors. Plus those Hisaishi soundtracks...
I'm a big Beat-Takeshi fan didn't know there was a video game related to him.. movies Sonatine, Zatōichi etc are great.
Yet again Kim, you create another interesting and unique episode ! I had never heard about this before, but this was the best way i could have found out about it !
Any chance of a Cardiacs bass cover or two in the future ??/
another fantastic review ! soo much research and trivias/anecdotes ! GG Kim ! again and again ;)
I'll always know him as Vic Romano **smacks Kenny with a fan**
Great video, I always love hearing about this game!
Wow! I had no idea that Zatoichi was the same guy as Takeshi's Castle's host!
One of the most fascinating games ever, cheers for covering it !
amazing documentary... great work
props to you Kim for using Genichiro Tenryu's theme, i didn't expect it to say the least haha
Super awesome and well done! Thank you!
These days the developers would describe this as an "interactive experience" and would probably be praised by the media for not being another COD clone. Another inciteful review Kim.
Incredibly interesting as always.
Is there something Kitano cant do? This guy is such an amazing multitalent.
I love his movies and i read his biography, super interesting dude!
I dunno, I played through Hoshi wo Miru Hito and it's not that bad. It's an absolutely merciless meat grinder but I kinda liked that.
That’s the funny thing about artists who get drunk:
You’re either Hemingway and you write “The Old Man and the Sea.”
Or you’re Takeshi Kitano and you make THIS UNHOLY GODDAMN GARBAGE.
Dig the new intro title! Very informative, great job!
He also made Getting Any? (1995) it was a bit of an shock after seeing stuff like violent cop.
One of his least famous/liked films, that one - I don't think any of his audiences, Japan or Western, got what he was doing there (for various reasons). For someone so famous as a comedian, generally Takeshi's comedy films are...well, odd and easily his films that have the least mainstream appeal of the lot (I suppose that this game is a relative of them, in many ways). It's one of Takeshi's personal favourites though, and is perhaps overdue some kind of re-appraisal.
(He still does them, of course. One of the epilogues to this video is that while Takeshi's violent crime dramas were so "WTF" to a Japanese audience back then in the early 90's, as soon as they were accepted they started making plenty of bank...and so he stopped doing them quite as much. Outrage was his first for several years and very much a (successful) attempt at getting a commercial hit.)
Anova bwiwwiant episode! I'm seriously considering supporting you on patreon. Thanks!
amazing video kim, and i love kitano.
We need Rodney's challenge.
Someone - contact the Dangerfield estate!
I've loved Takeshi Kitano's movies for years but they're nothing like this game at all. They're usually very serious and violent gangster movies.
Thanks for making this!
Also, there's an officially licensed Nintendo game where you can punch the shit out of your wife and kids? Game of the year!
To me it seems transitional: between humor and dark
I finally saw Hanabi/Fireworks. Thought it was ridiculous to be honest but it had some moments. Guess it's not my type of movie or something was lost in translation.
i remember the game center CX episode of this game.... it was weird indeed
aka Vic Romano. It was pretty interesting learning about the man himself. What a nut job.
Great stuff as always
Hi Kim. Are you going to record a backing track for your credit singing at the end?
every time I listen to "Twisted Scrote" being sung at the end, I laugh hard.... : )
oh, and great vid BTW
Great stuff. Im off to watch Zatoichi now.
Has he lost his mind? Can he see or is he blind? Can he walk at all, Or if he moves will he fall?. Iron Man the samurai
"These games, perhaps the very worst known to man..."
I see you've never browsed Steam Greenlight. Good for you. Don't.
Watch Beat Kitano's Brother --- it's an excellent flick!!
Excellent video, thank you!
Wow, those look like great movies.
Great video, though I thought you would mention him in Yakuza 6 early in the vid :P
That music sounds a lot like ALF on the Sega Master System.
Great video! I love your channel. Would you happen to know more about Hoshi wo Miru Hito? That game is fascinating to me and I've researched it a lot but without knowing Japanese I'm pretty much at a dead end, I suppose.
I don't really, short of what's in articles like the one on HG101 and the like. Even from the little I've played of it, its reputation as the worst RPG ever made is clearly not unwarranted. As a game, it's almost as badly designed as this one!
I played all the way through. It's a turn based RPG that is REALLY hard. The enemies in the starting area can kill you in one hit level hard. And once you very diligently keep saving after every fight to get some XP and are actually killing everything in the area easily, you walk over to the next area and you can't even put a dent into the enemies there. And I found it really entertaining because of that for some reason. It just feels like "you gotta map up or you ain't never gonna see shit son". And hell it's easier then fuckin Super Monkey Daibouken because you can at least tell where you're going, it's not a giant featureless wasteland you're supposed to walk around in until somehow you get where you need to be.
To be honest, I thought you had gotten your information from Chrontendo.
It's actually Lost Word of Jenny. Cause you go around collecting letters. Still a better game then Takeshi's Challenge or Super Monkey Daibouken. As for Hoshi, it kinda grows on you because of just how flat out sadistic, "do or go home" it is. What can you say to a game where the first weapon you can get has a lower attack then your default ?
takeshi is like one of the people off chris tarant show in the 90s
I think this is one of the times Kim Justice is wrong about something
In her past videos she's said "No one sets out to make a bad game on purpose"
well IMO it seems like Takashi's Challenge is the acception, this is clearly the case where someone did in fact set out to make a bad game on purpose. Takashi himself even insults the player at the end for wasting there time beating a such a shit game.
what is music at 3:02 and when was it made? Its almost like giana sisters though Im sure it is not related to that at all
With regards to his marriage: he wrote in his book "why i still like woman" (or whatever it's called in English), that he was not the most faithfull of all husbands.
Challenge accepted, I'm gonna speed run it.
Great video!
Great video :)
If you can play it in english on emulation, how do you do the microphone parts?
If it's an emulator on a PC then you can use a microphone?
Kim, you are an international treasure.
ty for having the only decent review of this game lol
He's in Yakuza 6, which is kind of bizarre if he hates electronic things so much.
Maybe he's more able to see the artistic value of games now that they can match the visuals of traditional media
I know you never reply to my music questions but, what's the music at 6:18 ?
Thankies
Knocking the dust out of incredibly funny meme. WOW :3
we need tekashis challenge remake for the switch
This is MOMA grade stuff, this game needs to be in a musuem
i kinda want to see a movie based on this game
so this game was a big fuck you to all gamers , nice XD
Grilled Mormons? LOL
interesting that he hated new technology, but the older technology (of movie cameras) was fine for him.
i wonder if his yakuza6 involvement is because AAA games are so much more like cinema now.
I've heard that he was only involved with Yakuza 6 cause one of the makers of the game was a personal friend of his.
Grilled Mormons? lol.
11:03
legendsoflocalization.com/what-are-grilled-mormons-doing-in-takeshis-challenge/
+OFSheep Well that explains it. Who knew such a question had an answer? Thanks.
good video
Well, that was quite entertaining and informative. Any1 up 4 sum grilled mormons?
Still easier, simpler, and more logical than King's Quest 3.
I don't know how you manged to play as much of this game as you did.
Walkthroughs. And booze.
+Kim Justice hi really enjoyed this video. keep up with the awesome work.
Maybe someone could answer this, but is this the same guy who had a failed run as a wrestling manager, and for a time being got NJPW kicked out of Sumo Hall because of the riots he would cause?
I know this is an old question, but yes. I read a book on the history of New Japan Pro Wrestling, it it talks about Takeshi's time there.
9:50 More shows should replace actors who were fired or suspended due to scandals or just simply quit the role by having the role taken over by a guy wearing a giant paper-mâché head.
what hear abot yakuza 6 i think takeshi is the bad guy in the game
(Insert Jontron reference here).
Eh Jontronish remark about Nintendo license after punching kids and wife... you can get more than 4 hearts by drinking a certain drink at one bar... you don't have to shout for minutes.. only for a while .. I know game research it's hard and you can miss some things .. but but... but truth is truth :D
Not trying to be funny but does he shoot himself at the end of the game too?!
Free my boy Takeshi 69!
Takeshi's also an incorrigible racist and homophobe. Ah well.
Always glad to hear Thunderstorm! Takeshi was/is legit a fan of wrestling though- his presence in NJPW brought Vader to Japan, and genuine go away heat.
Want a comedy game that's a whole lot better than this crappy game? Play Postal 2.
tl:dr beat takeshi hates video games and gamers, this game was his punishment for gamers.
Man, Vic Romano really sucked at making video games!
The game wasn't fun at all. lol.