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A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games

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Available from: 1st May 2025

Description

Welcome to the world of Japanese Role-Playing Games!

Video role-playing games, adapted for computers from their pen-and-paper forebears, have been around since the earliest days of digital gaming. Despite initial similarities to Western games, Japan’s output began diverging in dramatic ways, inspired by its own culture and art, producing a style of game that’s often wildly different from its Western counterpart. From Dragon Quest to Final Fantasy, from Megami Tensei to Pokémon, A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games explores the expansive history of Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs), beginning on 8-bit microcomputers, and following them all the way up to the heavy hitters of the modern era.

Created in collaboration with author Kurt Kalata, A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games is an ambitious project that aims to cover the entire history of Japanese role-playing games from 1982 to 2020. As well as reviews of over 600 games, covering a wide range of sub-genres, including strategy RPGs like Fire Emblem, Rogue-likes such as Mystery Dungeon, and first-person dungeon crawlers like Etrian Odyssey, it includes articles on the genre, its music and art. Overall, the book weighs in at over 370,000 words and contains contributions from a wide selection of fans and journalists, combining to create the ultimate coffee table book on Japanese role-playing games.

A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games is 652 pages in length (our largest book to date) and comes in hardback as standard. The cover features a specially created piece of artwork by Stephanie Sybydlo, which is finished with special pantone inks and metallic silver foil details. Each divider within the book also features a specially created ‘overworld map’ by the guys at Army of Trolls. As with all our books, we use thread-sewn binding for extra durability and print lithographically on high-quality paper to showcase the gorgeous visuals as they deserve.

Let the adventure commence!

Book Specifications

652 pages. 254mm × 203mm. Edge-to-edge high quality lithographic print. Hardback. Sewn binding for enduring quality and the ability to lay flat for ideal double-page image viewing. Silver foil blocked cover and spine. Bookmark ribbon. Shrink wrapped. Free PDF for viewing on the go. Volumetric weight: 3kg.

Games featured

.hack (series) / 3D Dot Game Heroes / 46 Okunen Monogatari (series) / 7th Dragon (series) / 7th Saga, The / Albert Odyssey (series) / Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean / Alcahest / Alliance Alive, The / Alshark / Alundra / American Dream / Anachronox / Ancient Roman / Ar tonelico / Arabian Nights / Arc Rise Fantasia / Arc the Lad (series) / Arcana / Arcus (series) / Aretha (series) / Arfgaldt / Argo / Ash: Archaic Sealed Heat / Aspic / Atelier (series) / Avalon Code / Azure Dreams / Bahamut Lagoon / Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden / Baroque / Baten Kaitos / Baten Kaitos Origins / Battle Chasers: Nightwar / Battle of Olympus, The / Bealphareth / Beyond Oasis / Beyond the Beyond / Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story / Black Onyx, The / Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled / Black/Matrix (series) / Blue Dragon / Blue Reflection / Bodycon Quest I / Bodycon Quest II / Boktai (series) / Borfes to 5-nin no Akuma / Boundary Gate / Brain Lord / Brandish / Brave Fencer Musashi / Brave Prove / Brave Story: New Traveler / Bravely Default (series) / Breath of Fire / Breath of Fire II / Breath of Fire III / Breath of Fire IV / Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter / Brigandine / Burai (series) / Bushi Seiryuuden / Cadash / Caligula Effect, The / Captain Tsubasa (series) / Castlevania (series) / Cave Noire / Chaos Rings / Children of Mana / Chikyuu Senshi Rayieza / Chitei Tanken / Chou Mahou Tairiku Wozz / Chrono Cross / Chrono Trigger / CIMA: The Enemy / Cladun / Cleopatra no Mahou / Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. / Conception (series) / Contact / Cosmic Fantasy (series) / Cosmic Soldier / Cosmic Star Heroine / Courageous Perseus / Criminal Girls (series) / Crimson Shroud / Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII / CrossCode / Cruise Chaser Blassty / Crusader of Centy / Crystal Warriors / Crystalis / Crystar / Curse of Babylon / Danchizuma no Yuuwaku / Dark Cloud (series) / Dark Half / Dark Kingdom / Dark Lord (series) / Dark Rose Valkyrie / Dark Savior / Dark Spire, The / Dark Wizard / Dawn of Mana / Death Bringer / Death end re;Quest / Deep Dungeon (series) / Defenders of Oasis / Demikids (series) / DeSpiria / Destiny of an Emperor (series) / Devil Children (series) / Devil Summoner: Kuzunoha Raidou / Devil Survivor (series) / Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha / Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers / Digan no Maseki / Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei / Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II / Digimon Story (series) / Dinosaur / Disgaea (series) / Dokapon Kingdom / Doraemon: Gigazombie no Gyakushuu / Double Dungeons / Dragon & Princess, The / Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu / Dragon Buster / Dragon Crystal / Dragon Force / Dragon Knight (series) / Dragon Lair / Dragon Master Silk / Dragon Quest / Dragon Quest Builders (series) / Dragon Quest II / Dragon Quest III / Dragon Quest IV / Dragon Quest Monsters (series) / Dragon Quest V / Dragon Quest VI / Dragon Quest VII / Dragon Quest VIII / Dragon Quest IX / Dragon Quest X / Dragon Quest XI / Dragon Scroll / Dragon Slayer / Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes / Dragon Star Varnir / Dragon View / Dream Master / Dungeon / Dungeon Kid / Dungeon Travelers (series) / Dungeons and Dragons / EarthBound / El Dorado Gate / Elder Gate / Elfaria / Elminage (series) / Emerald Dragon / Enchanted Arms / Energy Breaker / Ephemeral Fantasia / Esper Dream / Esper Dream 2 / Eternal Poison / Eternal Ring / Eternal Sonata / Etrian Odyssey (series) / Ever Oasis / Evergrace / Evolution(series) / Exile (series) / Exist Archive / Fairy Fencer F / Famicom Jump (series) / Fantasian / Fantasy Life / Faria / Farland Story (series) / Fatal Labyrinth / Faxanadu / Feda (series) / Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark / Final Fantasy / Final Fantasy Adventure / Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles / Final Fantasy Dimensions / Final Fantasy II / Final Fantasy III / Final Fantasy IV / Final Fantasy Legend, The / Final Fantasy Legend II / Final Fantasy Legend III / Final Fantasy Tactics (series) / Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light / Final Fantasy Type-0 / Final Fantasy V / Final Fantasy VI / Final Fantasy VII / Final Fantasy VIII / Final Fantasy IX / Final Fantasy X / Final Fantasy X-2 / Final Fantasy XI / Final Fantasy XII / Final Fantasy XIII (series) / Final Fantasy XIV / Final Fantasy XV / Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest / Fire Emblem (series) / Front Mission (series) / Funky Horror Band / Gage / Ganbare Goemon Gaiden (series) / Ganso Saiyuuki: Super Monkey Daibouken / Gandhara: Buddha no Seisen / Gdleen / Genesis: Beyond the Revelation / Genma Taisen / Genso Suikoden: Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki / Giten Megami Tensei / Giten Megami Tensei NINE / God Wars / GOD: Growth or Devolution / Gokinjo Boukentai / Golden Axe Warrior / Golden Sun (series) / Golvellius: Valley of Doom / Gran Historia / Grand Knights History / Grand Master / Grandia / Grandia II / Grandia III /Grandia Xtreme / Granstream Saga, The / Great Greed / Growlanser (series) / Guardian Legend, The / Guardian’s Crusade / Guided Fate Paradox, The (series) / Gungnir / Gunman’s Proof / Half-Minute Hero / Hanjuku Hero (series) / Heracles no Eikou (series) / Hero Must Die / Hexyz Force / Hi-Leg Fantasy / Hiouden (series) / Hoshi wo Miru Hito / Hoshigami / Hourai Gakuen no Bouken! / Hydlide (series) / Hyperdimension Neptunia (series) / I am Setsuna / Idea no Hi / Illusion City / Illusion of Gaia / Inazuma Eleven / Infinite Space / Infinite Undiscovery / Izuna (series) / Jade Cocoon (series) / Jaseiken Necromancer / Jeanne D’Arc / Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass / JoJo no Fushigina Bouken / Just Breed / Kabuki Rocks / Kaijuu Monogatari (series) / Kaleidoscope / Kartia / Kasei Monogatari / Kemco JRPGs (series) / Ken to Mahou / Keroro RPG: Kishi to Musha to Densetsu no Kaizoku /Keru Naguuru / Khufu-Ou no Himitsu / Kimi no Yuusha / Kingdom Hearts (series) / King’s Field (series) / Knights in the Nightmare / Koudelka / Kowloon Island / Kumdor no Ken / Kuro no Ken / Kuusou Kagaku Sekai Gulliver Boy / La Pucelle: Tactics / Labyrinth no Kanata / Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk / Lady Sword / Ladystalker / Lagoon / Lagrange Point / Landstalker / Langrisser (series) / Lapis x Labyrinth / Laplace no Ma / LaSalle Ishii no Childs Quest / Last Armageddon / Last Bible (series) / Last Ranker / Last Rebellion / Last Remnant, The / Last Story, The / Legacy of the Wizard / Legaia (series) / Legend of Dragoon, The / Legend of Heroes (Crossbell), The / Legend of Heroes (Gagharv Trilogy), The / Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, The / Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, The / Legend of Legacy, The / Legend of Mana / Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails, The / Legend of Oasis / Legend of the Ghost Lion / Legend of Valkyrie, The / Legend of Xanadu, The / Legend of Zelda, The (series) / Lennus II / Libros de Chilam Balam / Linda3 / Linkle Liver Story / Little Princess / Live-A-Live / Lizard / London Seirei Tanteidan / Lord of the Rings: The Third Age / Lost Dimension / Lost Heroes / Lost Kingdoms (series) / Lost Odyssey / Lost Power / Lost Sphear / Love Quest / Lucienne’s Quest / Lufia and the Fortress of Doom / Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals / Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals / Lufia: The Ruins of Lore / Lufia: The Legend Returns / Lunar: Dragon Song / Lunar: Eternal Blue / Lunar: The Silver Star / Lunatic Dawn (series) / Madou Monogatari (series) / Magic Knight Rayearth / Magic of Scheherazade, The / Magical Starsign / Magical Vacation / Mahou Gakuen Lunar / Majin Eiyuuden Wataru Gaiden / Majin Tensei (series) / Maka Maka / Makai Kingdom / Märchen Veil (series) / Marica: Shinjitsu no Sekai / Mario & Luigi (series) / Marl Kingdom (series) / Mary Skelter (series) / Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru Gaiden / Maten Densetsu: Senritsu no Ooparts / Medabots (series) / Mega Man: Battle Network / Star Force (series) / Mega Man X: Command Mission / Metal Max (series) / Minelvaton (series) / Miracle Warriors / Moldorian / Momotarou Densetsu (series) / Monster Hunter Stories / Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner / Monster Maker (series) / Monster Rancher (series) / Monster World (series) / Moon: Remix RPG Adventure / Mother / Mother 3 / Mouryou Senki Madara (series) / Mugen no Shinzou (series) / Mystaria: The Realms of Lore / Mystery Dungeon (series) / My World, My Way / Mystic Ark / Nakayoshi to Issho / Nanashi no Game / Nemuru Mayu / Neutopia (series) / Ni no Kuni / Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom / Nier / Nier Automata / Nights of Azure (series) / Ningyo no Rakuin / Nora to Toki no Koubou / Nostalgia / Octopath Traveler / Odin Sphere / Ogre Battle (series) / Okage: Shadow King / Okami / Omega Quintet / One Way Heroics / Oni (series) / Oninaki / Operation Darkness / Opoona / Oranda Tsuma wa Denki Unagi no Yume o Miru ka? / Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke (series) / Otaku no Seiza / Paladin / Paladin’s Quest / Pandora’s Tower / Panorama Tou / Panzer Dragoon Saga / Paper Mario / Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door / Parasite Eve / Persona / Persona 2: Innocent Sin / Eternal Punishment / Persona 3 / Persona 4 / Persona 5 / Persona Q (series) / Phantasy Star / Phantasy Star II / Phantasy Star III / Phantasy Star IV / Phantasy Star Gaiden / Phantasy Star Online (series) / Phantom Brave / Pier Solar and the Great Architects / Poibos / Pokémon (series) / Pokémon Conquest / Popful Mail / Popolocrois (series) / Princess Crown / Princess Minerva / Project X Zone / Psychic City / Psychic War / Quest 64 / Racing Lagoon / Radia Senki: Reimeihen / Radiant Historia / Radiata Stories / Rance (series) / Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale / Record of Agarest War (series) / Record of Lodoss War / Record of Lodoss War (series) / Relics / Rent-a-Hero No. 1 / Resonance of Fate / Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure / Riglas / Riviera: The Promised Land / Robopon (series) / Robotrek / Rogue Galaxy / Romancia / Romancing SaGa / Romancing SaGa 2 / Romancing SaGa 3 / Rondo of Swords / Royal Stone / Rudra no Hihou / Rune Factory (series) / Rune Worth (series) / Ryuuki Heidan Danzarb / SaGa Frontier / SaGa: Scarlet Grace / Saiyuki: Journey West / Sakura Wars (series) / Samurai Mech / Sands of Destruction / Samsara Naga (series) / Satomi no Nazo / Screamer, The / SD Snatcher / Secret of Evermore / Secret of Mana / Secret of the Stars / Seiken Densetsu / Seiya Monogatari: Anearth Fantasy Stories / Septerra Core / Shadow Brain / Shadow Hearts / Shadow Hearts: Covenant / Shadow Hearts: From the New World / Shadow Madness / Shadowrun (Mega CD) / Shanghai / Shin Megami Tensei / Shin Megami Tensei if… / Shin Megami Tensei II / Shin Megami Tensei IV / Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse / Shin Megami Tensei NINE / Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner / Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga / Shin Megami Tensei: Raidou Kuzunoha / Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne / Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey / Shining (series) / Shining Force (series) / Shining in the Darkness / Shining the Holy Ark / Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits Bushidou Retsuden / Sigma Harmonics / Silva Saga (series) / Silver / Silver Ghost / Silviana / Skies of Arcadia / Slayers / Sol Trigger / Solid Runner / Soma Bringer / Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood / Sorcerian / Soul Blazer / Soul Nomad & the World Eaters / SoulsBorne (series) / Spy Daisakusen / Square’s Tom Sawyer / Star Ocean / Star Ocean: The Second Story / Star Ocean: Till the End of Time / Star Ocean: The Last Hope / Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness / Star Odyssey / Stella Deus / Stella Glow / Stranger of Sword City / Sudeki / Suikoden / Suikoden II / Suikoden III / Suikoden IV / Suikoden Tactics / Suikoden Tierkreis / Suikoden V / Suiryuushi (series) / Summon Night (series) / Super Chinese (series) / Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars / Super Robot Wars (series) / Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier / Surging Aura / Susano Oh Densetsu / Sweet Home / Sword of Hope, The / Sword of Vermilion / Sword World (series) / Sylvan Tale / Tactics Ogre (series) / Tales of Berseria / Tales of Destiny (series) / Tales of Eternia / Tales of Graces / Tales of Legendia / Tales of Phantasia / Tales of (Portable Entries) / Tales of Rebirth / Tales of Symphonia(series) / Tales of the Abyss / Tales of Vesperia / Tales of Xillia / Tales of Xillia 2 / Tales of Zestiria / Tao: The Way / Tearring Saga / Tengai Makyou (series) / Tenshi no Uta (series) / Tenshi no Present / Terra Phantastica / Terranigma / Thousand Arms / Threads of Fate / Time and Eternity / Time Stalkers / Tir Na Nog (series) / Tokyo / Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE / Tokyo Xanadu / Tomato Adventure / Toushin Toshi (series) / Tower of Druaga, The (series) / Treasure Hunter G / Trials of Mana / Tritorn (series) / Tsugunai: Atonement / TwinBee RPG / Twisted Tales of Spike McFang, The / Undertale / Unlimited Saga / Utawarerumono (series) / Vagrant Story / Valkyria Chronicles(series) / Valkyrie no Bouken / Valkyrie Profile / Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume / Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria / Vandal Hearts (series) / Vanguard Bandits / Vay / Virtual Hydlide / Volfoss / Wachenröder / War of the Dead (series) / White Knight Chronicles / Wild Arms / Wild Arms 2 / Wild Arms 3 / Wild Arms 4 / Wild Arms 5 / Wild Arms XF / Wild Arms: Alter Code F / Willow / Wind’s Seed / Witch’s Tale, A / Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, The / Wizardry (series) / Words Worth / World Court Tennis / World Ends with You, The / World of Final Fantasy / Xak (series) / Xanadu / Xanadu Next / Xenoblade Chronicles / Xenoblade Chronicles 2 / Xenoblade Chronicles X / Xenogears / Xenosaga / Xenosaga Episode II / Xenosaga Episode III / Xerd no Densetsu / Yakuza (series) / Yggdra Union / Yo-kai Watch (series) / Ys Book I & II / Ys III / Ys IV: Dawn of Ys / Ys Origin / Ys V: Ushinawareta Suna no Miyako Kefin / Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim / Ys Seven / Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana / Ys IX: Monstrum Nox / Ys: Memories of Celceta / Ys: The Oath in Felghana / Yume Meikyuu: Kigurumi no Daibouken / Zanki Zero: Last Beginning / Zavas / Zeliard / Z.H.P. : Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman / Zill O’ll / Zwei: The Arges Adventure / Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection

Shipping

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Reprint Updates

This edition may have received minor updates when reprinted. If not specified here, these changes will not be significant, and likely be small text amends.

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 1,440 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 1.4k Total 4 star reviews: 43 Total 3 star reviews: 5 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
100%would recommend this product
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1,440 reviews
  • JE
    james e.
    Flag of United Kingdom
    Verified Buyer
    3 months ago
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Awesome book

    The book is awesome the unboxing experience was amazing im going to buy more books from them

  • SS
    Stuart S.
    Flag of Canada
    Verified Buyer
    5 months ago
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Lovely book, excellent quality!

    High quality work. Was looking into their product for a long time and finally decided to take the plunge. The book looks and feels great! Easy to digest and excellently designed. Quick and easy delivery, A+ service!

  • AM
    Alexander M.
    Flag of United Kingdom
    Verified Buyer
    6 months ago
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Perfect

    Excellent quality book. The contents of the book are a treasure trove of interesting information. A must buy for all JRPG fans.

  • SD
    Steven D.
    Flag of Japan
    Verified Buyer
    6 months ago
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Fantastic

    This book is filled with information I didn’t know about titles I’m familiar with as well as a fair amount of games hadn’t heard of. The production quality of the book is impressive as well. There are some typos here and there, but I don’t really care.

  • PV
    Paolo V.
    Flag of Italy
    Verified Buyer
    9 months ago
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Top service

    Packaging eccellente. Il libro era protetto benissimo

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