TOKYO — "The spaghetti Western, one of film's most popular genres, is set in the United States but was directed by Italian filmmakers. Looking at a subject from the outside clearly opens up new angles that can make it more appealing."
Kim In, art director at Dynamis One, gave that answer when asked how the studio's new title "Astrae Oratio," or Asora, can compete in Japan, the home of subculture content. He spoke in an interview on the 18th at Tokyo Game Show 2026 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
Kim pointed to "KPop Demon Hunters," a film made by a U.S. animation studio that set a fresh lens on a Korean backdrop and went on to score a global hit. "We also have the strength of being able to convey the appeal of the subculture genre through a new perspective, one that sets us apart from Japanese studios," Kim said.
Asora, developed by Dynamis One with NCSoft handling global publishing, held its first playable demo at the Tokyo Game Show a day earlier. Lines of local visitors waiting to try the demo build stretched through the large booth NCSoft set up on its own.
Japan, with its long history and vast market, is regarded as having some of the world's most demanding and knowledgeable subculture audiences. That is why the developers put unusual effort into detail. "We paid particular attention to historical accuracy so that local players would not feel anything out of place," Kim said. "We did on-site reporting to build a natural setting, and Japanese developers inside the studio also ran a detailed verification process."
Set in a fictional Tokyo of 1989, Asora puts front and center a retro sensibility meant to stir a faint nostalgia in local players. "We focused on adding refined direction and effects so that the mood of the past comes through without feeling dated," said Lim Jong-kyu, game director at Dynamis One. "To convey the feel of that era intuitively, we are also reviewing collaborations with real brands."
Kim added that the studio is weighing various partnership options on the music side as well. "Just as the group NewJeans drew a big response in Japan by paying homage to the Japanese classic 'Aoi Sangosho,' we are thinking about ways to stir nostalgia musically," Kim said. Building on a solid story and a distinctive visual style, the studio is also considering expanding the intellectual property into animation, comics and other secondary works.
The developers also expressed confidence in the game's technical polish and in the team's chemistry. "What sets Asora apart is that we have delivered visuals and control quality on mobile that match what you would expect on PC," Lim said. "Because the core team — scenario, art, planning, programming — has worked together for years, the narrative and visual direction mesh organically with the game systems overall, and that is producing a highly polished result."
