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Greetings

  • 桐山 孝司 Takashi Kiriyama
    Professor, Department of New Media
    Dean, Graduate School of Film and New Media
    Tokyo University of the Arts

    The 6th Game Course Exhibition

    As we celebrate the opening of GEIDAI GAMES 06, we are delighted to showcase a diverse array of works created by students from the Game Course. This exhibition presents graduation projects, first-year works, and the results of collaborative projects both within and outside the university, highlighting the expanding scope of the program.

    At Tokyo University of the Arts, we have long explored the potential of games as a form of artistic expression. In recent years, game production techniques and creative expressions have merged with fine arts, music, film, theater, and other disciplines, giving rise to new artistic forms. This year’s exhibition features innovative projects, including an experimental transformation of the main visual into a playable game on the exhibition website, as well as interactive storytelling and games that emphasize physical engagement.

    Furthermore, advancements in generative AI are transforming the game development process. Last year’s exhibition showcased AI-assisted programming and voice recognition interfaces. However, a key challenge remains: how to maintain authorship and originality while utilizing AI. The Game Course will continue to explore the possibilities of game creation in the AI era.

    International collaboration is also being strengthened. Through our joint program with USC, students from Japan and America work together, fostering dialogue among creators from diverse cultural backgrounds. Moving forward, we aim to broaden our global partnerships and further explore game expression from an international perspective.

    Game expression and production methods are evolving every day. The Game Course is committed to exploring both technological innovation and artistic expression while continuously shaping new forms of games. We hope this exhibition will serve as a platform for contemplating the possibilities of games and inspire future creative endeavors.

  • 岡本 美津子 Mitsuko Okamoto
    Vice President
    Professor, Department of Animation
    Graduate School of Film and New Media
    Tokyo University of the Arts

    Department of Animation - Game Course

    Since 2019, Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo Geidai) has been offering a small seminar called the Game Research Seminar (commonly known as the Game Course) within the Graduate School of Film and New Media’s departments of Animation and New Media. Together with Associate Professor Maki, I am involved in the Game Course on the Department of Animation side. In this course, even students specializing in game development undergo a curriculum that extensively covers animation and movies as a whole.

    First, they must pass the highly specialized entrance examination for the Department of Animation. After admission, during the first semester of their first year in the master's program, they rigorously study animation through in-depth lectures and practical training in both 2D and stopmotion animation. Additionally, they take courses that may seem unrelated to games at first glance, such as lectures on film and visual media delivered by leading visual creators and USC faculty, as well as courses on music and sound in visual works. It is only in the latter half of the academic year that they officially join the Game Course and begin working on their own projects. However, throughout the development process, they must participate in critique sessions (midterm presentations), where they receive rigorous feedback from the animation faculty. They are frequently asked questions such as: "What is the theme of this work?," "What makes this expression new and interesting?," and "How does the story unfold?"

    The Tokyo Geidai Game Course Exhibition is celebrating its sixth edition this year, and some student works have received high international recognition. Particularly, we often hear comments such as "Geidai’s games have stunning visuals" and "The storytelling is compelling." While games inherently comprise multiple elements, including gameplay experience, UI, and programming, we believe that visual expression and narrative are crucial components that greatly influence the quality of a game. These elements are also core to film and animation, fields that we have thoroughly explored in our education and research.

    Currently, Tokyo Geidai is planning to establish a new department within the Graduate School of Film and New Media, further expanding the existing Game Course. In this new major, we aim to continue providing education that emphasizes the richness and appeal of visual media from the perspectives of animation and film, as well as fostering an integrated approach between the fields of animation and games.

GAMES

Thesis Projects

M1 Projects

Affiliated Projects

Tokyo Geidai×USC Collaboration Project

  • Sandbox

    HelmetHeist

    Nami Tanji (Geidai), Chen Yin (Geidai), Xueqing “Nora” Liao (USC), Miles Gonzales (USC), Qingyi “Lisa” Liu (USC)

  • Sandbox

    SHIBA SLAY

    Natsuki Onodera (Geidai), Xuening Kang (Geidai), Zhixuan Xiao (USC), Samuel Tang (USC), Bernice Wang (USC)

  • Megane Inu

    Megane Inu

    Yuki Kimura (Geidai), Daigo Sakane (Geidai), Jason Allen (USC), Qianlin “Aria” Qin (USC), Yicong “Alex” Wu (USC)

  • Megane Inu

    UFO Farm

    Shinobu Shishikura (Geidai), Yuki Tsuneyoshi (Geidai), Olivia Sooha Han (USC), Peilin He (USC), Tamia Chatmon (USC)

Event Outline

Date & Time
March 22nd 11am - 6pm, March 23rd 10am - 5pm
Venue
Tokyo University of the Arts Ueno Campus Factory Complex Building
12-8 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, TOKYO 110-8714 JAPAN
Google map
Transportation
JR About a 10 min. walk
From either “Ueno (Park exit)” or “Uguisudani” stations.
Subway About a 15 min. walk
From “Ueno” station on the Ginza and Hibiya subway lines.
About a 5 min. walk
From “Nezu” station on the Chiyoda subway line.
Keisei
Electric Railway		 About a 15 min. walk
From “Keisei-Ueno” station on the Keisei electric railway.
Toei Bus About a 3 min. walk
From “Yanaka” bus stop on the Toei Bus(26 Kameido-Ueno Park).
“Megurin” About a few min. walk
From “5-1.Tokyo Geijyutsu Daigaku (Tokyo University of the Arts)”
The Touzai Megurin(East-West Route)
*Megurin: Taito city circlar route bus.
Admission
Free entry; no booking required
Organized by
Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media
Cooperation
University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts
SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.
City of Yokohama Sports, Culture and Dynamic City Development Bureau
Tokyo Geidai ArtDX Projects
Tokyo University of the Arts COI-NEXT
Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media
Takashi Kiriyama   Mitsuko Okamoto   Yuichi Matsumoto   
Nahomi Maki   Asako Eguchi   Ryoya Usuha
keita Kanai   Noriko Yoshino   Isamu Kubota   Yoriko Nishikawa
Credits
Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media
Takashi Kiriyama   Mitsuko Okamoto   Nahomi Maki   Asako Eguchi   Ryoya Usuha   Noriko Yoshino   Isamu Kubota   Yoriko Nishikawa
Tokyo University of the Arts International Initiatives Planning Sectio
Yuri Hagiwara
SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.
Takashi Tokita
University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts
Andreas Kratky   Peter Brinson
Site Supervisor
Yuichi Matsumoto
Key Visual
PAN Yu   Wang Siyi   Wang Yixue   MISAHARU (Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media)

GEIDAI×USC

Tokyo Geidai Graduate School of Film and New Media University of Southern California

In 2023, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology selected our proposal of “STEAM-Driven Japan-U.S. Joint Program for Innovative Visual Media Creators” for the Inter-University Exchange Project with U.S. universities.


First selected in 2018 for the preceding national project, Tokyo Geidai Graduate School of Film and New Media and the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts have since been jointly exploring methods to improve games and media education for both faculty and students. The new round will welcome the addition of USC School of Engineering to augment technological innovation and to pursue a well-rounded STEAM education in the visual media arts.


To launch the new round of partnership, in 2023, the schools organized a one-day game jam that began with a meeting of the students in Los Angeles. The project will continue in Tokyo in March 2024 during the Tokyo Geidai exhibition period.

Messages from USC

  • Andreas Kratky/アンドレアス・クラッキー
    Andreas Kratky アンドレアス・クラッキー
    Distinguished Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts
    Media Arts + Practice Division, Interactive Media & Games Division
    University of Southern California

    The collaboration of Tokyo Geidai students with USC students is by now a beautiful tradition. Every year, students from both Universities come together to create games in a collaboration across the Pacific and across cultures. The results have been amazing in the past – and this year we see another exciting iteration of this collaboration, which further extends the possibilities of what can emerge in this particular setting. Marked by a unique curiosity and sensitivity for each other’s experiences and creative ideas, the results of these collaborations have, each year, transcended what can be done in game design and what both institutions are good at. The games are small projects, resulting from a short phase of collaboration, but they are full of ideas, innovative approaches, and artistic imagination. We are fortunate that this opportunity to create together has been able to continue for seven years and I would like to express my gratitude to our friends and colleagues from Tokyo Geidai for their vision and tenacity to make this happen.

  • Peter Brinson/ピーター・ブリンソン
    Peter Brinson ピーター・ブリンソン
    Distinguished Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts
    Interactive Media & Games Division
    USC School of Cinematic Arts

    Even though we now find ourselves deep into the 21st century, we continue to ponder how games augment our attempts to make meaning of our reality and of ourselves. Art has always played this role, and we wonder if the newest forms will do so in an improved way. To compare, it seems like we read novels because they let us feel what it is like to be another person. On the other hand, narrative films help us see what we believe matters most. Music hits a deep and nameless instinct in our being. And games, they are about trying our best.


    Games let us practice the joys and hardships of working towards our goals, of bettering ourselves.


    We have all heard someone say what they would do if they suddenly became wealthy – they would sit on a beach and never work again. But that is not what we would do, or at least what we want. We humans are anticipation machines. We yearn for little delightful surprises every day. And we feel such surprises will happen if we work towards any imagined outcome – especially if those efforts feel like play, whether we believe we are gaming or not.

GEIDAI × Industry

  • Industry Involvement in Academia

    Up until the end of the academic year 2019, one mentor from the Square Enix Group was assigned to each student. A new practice was implemented in 2020 where one mentor, Producer Takashi Tokita from Square Enix, gives guidance to all of the students and their projects comprehensively. Also aTokyo Geidai Visiting Professor, Tokita continues to provide advice that is on the mark and eye-opening.

  • 時田貴司/Takashi Tokita
    時田貴司 Takashi Tokita
    SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD, Creative Studio 5, Producer
    Visiting Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts
    Tokita began creating games in 1984 as a part-time job while pursuing theater. He has participated in games production as a designer, planner, director, and most recently, as producer. His main projects include FINAL FANTASY IV, LIVE A LIVE, Chrono Trigger, the Hanjuku Hero series, and Nanashi no Game.

    GEI-MU: The Infinite Dream World

    This year marks the 6th anniversary of GEIDAI GAMES!
    In an elementary school, it would be the year of graduation. And in these six years, the realm of digital creativity has continued to expand at an accelerating pace, particularly with the rise of AI.
    Plus, just like video streaming, anyone can now create and share their works, and it's become the norm for independent and small-scale productions to reach vast audiences.

    Visuals, sound, thought, action, reaction.
    The core of a game is to experience its world through this chain of elements. But the greatest allure of games is that they let you complete one, no matter which element you start from.
    Please experience “GEI-MU,” a universe where you can encounter, feel, and step into diverse worlds, immersing yourself in the free-spirited, endlessly evolving assertions and values of creators.
    I am also looking forward to encountering new worlds!

EVENT

Talk Event: "Creating Games in an Art University"

Date
Saturday, March 22, 6:00PM - 7:30PM
Venue
Geidai Shokuryo Club:University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, Ueno Campus
Speakers
beauties INFINITY   Game Course Students   Ryoya Usuha (Moderator)

The exhibition will feature a talk event with game developers from Joshibi University of Art and Design and Tokyo Geidai Game Course students. Together they will explore their creative works and activities, as well as share their experiences of creating games within the context of an art university.

Guest Profile

  • beauties INFINITY
    beauties INFINITY
    Nanako Ishihara
    Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 2002. Expected to graduate in 2025 from the Department of Fine Arts at Joshibi University of Art and Design with a concentration in sculpture.

    Komugi Otsuka
    Born in Tokyo in 2002. Expected to graduate in 2025 from the Department of Cross-Disciplinary Art and Design at Joshibi University of Art and Design, specializing in Media Art and Design.
  Download exhibition catalog PDF
  Download exhibition catalog PDF