Hanjuku Hero
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
-exclusive series of real-time strategy
video games. It is directed by Takashi Tokita
and published by Square Enix
(formerly Square
). The series contains four main titles and a spinoff game, Egg Monster Hero (2005). The main titles are Hanjuku Hero (1988), Hanjuku Hero: Aa, Sekaiyo Hanjukunare...! (1992), Hanjuku Hero Tai 3D (2003), and Hanjuku Hero 4: 7-Jin no Hanjuku Hero (2005). The series is known for its humor, and is centered on Lord Almamoon, the protagonist who must save his country from danger in each game.
Virtual Console
in 2007
.
Although the game did not receive a stand-alone soundtrack album release, a bonus disc of 17 tracks from the game was included in the soundtrack album to Hanjuku Hero VS 3D.
characters.
The game was re-released on the WonderSwan Color in 2002. This version features a graphical overhaul and twelve new summons.
A soundtrack album for the game, titled Divertimento Hanjuku Hero, was released by NTT Publishing on January 21, 1993. It features four orchestral renderings of songs from the soundtrack, and 42 tracks from the original soundtrack. It has a duration of 51:53.
. A limited edition of the game was released alongside the standard edition, and included merchandise such as playing cards, an egg monster sheet, and a sketchbook. The game sold 151,000 copies the week of its release. A soundtrack album for the game, titled Hanjuku Hero VS 3D OST, was released by DigiCube on June 25, 2003. It features two discs of tracks from this game, totaling 58 tracks and 1:50:27, and a bonus disc of tracks from the original Hunjuku Hero game, 17:57 long and with 17 tracks. Additionally, a single for the game's theme song was released by DigiCube on April 23, 2003, with the theme song "Fight! Hanjuku Hero", the song "Without Yolk...", and instrumental versions of the two, totaling 16:02 in duration.
in Japan on March 24, 2005, and was the first game Square Enix published for that console. The game plays using the stylus for the most part. The stylus is used to drag Egg Monsters towards the enemy. A mobile phone
version of the game became available in Japan on June 6, 2005. The game was apparently intended for a North American release.
The player takes the role of the series' main character, the young Lord of the Almamoon Kingdom. While the Lord has the power to summon powerful monsters out of a magical egg, he is usually found slacking off, since the world is at peace and there's nothing to do. Because the young Lord's stupidity is continuing to accelerate, Sebastian, his minister and educator, takes him to an island to train him back into shape. But unbeknownst to the Lord and his tutor, trouble is heading their way.
It was the 141st best-selling game of 2005 in Japan, selling 92,096 copies.
The game contains two types of battles: 100 on 100 battle using a mix of 2D and 3D, and three-on-three party-based Egg Monster vs. Egg Monster battles.
Composers Nobuo Uematsu
and Kenji Ito
did the soundtrack of the game. Uematsu has a cameo appearance
within the game along with Tsuyoshi Sekito
and Kenichiro Fukui
, both of whom are members of his band The Black Mages
as "Nobuo Uematsu and the Hanjuku Mages." The limited edition of the game came with a two-disc soundtrack album for the game, titled Hanjuku Hero 4 -The 7 Heroes- ~Sound Collection~. The album contains 43 tracks and covers a duration of 1:51:42.
has scored the Hanjuku Hero Tai 3D a 32, Egg Monster Hero a 33, and Hanjuku Hero 4 a 33 on the magazine's 40-point scale.
Hanjuku Hero Tai 3D was the second best-selling game the day of its release at 49,904 copies. The game sold over 169,000 copies during 2003. Egg Monster Hero debuted on the Japanese Dengeki
sales charts at number 6 during the week of its release and stayed in the top 50 until the week of May 31, 2005. The game has managed to sell approximately 92,096 copies of November 2008. Media Create
sales data suggests that Hanjuku Hero 4 sold around 42,819 copies by the week ending June 5, 2005.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
-exclusive series of real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
video games. It is directed by Takashi Tokita
Takashi Tokita
is a Japanese video game developer working for Square Enix. He has worked there since 1985, and has worked as the lead designer for Final Fantasy IV as well as the director of Parasite Eve and Chrono Trigger.-Biography:...
and published by Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
(formerly Square
Square Co.
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
). The series contains four main titles and a spinoff game, Egg Monster Hero (2005). The main titles are Hanjuku Hero (1988), Hanjuku Hero: Aa, Sekaiyo Hanjukunare...! (1992), Hanjuku Hero Tai 3D (2003), and Hanjuku Hero 4: 7-Jin no Hanjuku Hero (2005). The series is known for its humor, and is centered on Lord Almamoon, the protagonist who must save his country from danger in each game.
Hanjuku Hero
is the first game in the series. It was re-released on the WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in 2007
2007 in video gaming
-Events:*March 14: Microsoft announces Games for Windows - Live, a version of Xbox Live for the Windows platform. The service launched on May 8.*March 27: Microsoft announces the new "Xbox 360 Elite" stock-keeping unit . The revision comes with a bigger hard drive and the ability to output HDMI...
.
Although the game did not receive a stand-alone soundtrack album release, a bonus disc of 17 tracks from the game was included in the soundtrack album to Hanjuku Hero VS 3D.
Hanjuku Hero: Aa, Sekaiyo Hanjukunare...!
is the second game in the series. The Egg Monsters featured in the game are parodies of Final Fantasy IVFinal Fantasy IV
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1991 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game was originally released for the Super Famicom in Japan and has since then been rereleased for many other platforms with varying modifications. An enhanced remake with 3D graphics...
characters.
The game was re-released on the WonderSwan Color in 2002. This version features a graphical overhaul and twelve new summons.
A soundtrack album for the game, titled Divertimento Hanjuku Hero, was released by NTT Publishing on January 21, 1993. It features four orchestral renderings of songs from the soundtrack, and 42 tracks from the original soundtrack. It has a duration of 51:53.
Hanjuku Hero Tai 3D
is the first title in the series to be in 3D3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
. A limited edition of the game was released alongside the standard edition, and included merchandise such as playing cards, an egg monster sheet, and a sketchbook. The game sold 151,000 copies the week of its release. A soundtrack album for the game, titled Hanjuku Hero VS 3D OST, was released by DigiCube on June 25, 2003. It features two discs of tracks from this game, totaling 58 tracks and 1:50:27, and a bonus disc of tracks from the original Hunjuku Hero game, 17:57 long and with 17 tracks. Additionally, a single for the game's theme song was released by DigiCube on April 23, 2003, with the theme song "Fight! Hanjuku Hero", the song "Without Yolk...", and instrumental versions of the two, totaling 16:02 in duration.
Egg Monster Hero
is a role playing game spinoff of the Hanjuku Hero. Egg Monster Hero was released on the Nintendo DSNintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
in Japan on March 24, 2005, and was the first game Square Enix published for that console. The game plays using the stylus for the most part. The stylus is used to drag Egg Monsters towards the enemy. A mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
version of the game became available in Japan on June 6, 2005. The game was apparently intended for a North American release.
The player takes the role of the series' main character, the young Lord of the Almamoon Kingdom. While the Lord has the power to summon powerful monsters out of a magical egg, he is usually found slacking off, since the world is at peace and there's nothing to do. Because the young Lord's stupidity is continuing to accelerate, Sebastian, his minister and educator, takes him to an island to train him back into shape. But unbeknownst to the Lord and his tutor, trouble is heading their way.
It was the 141st best-selling game of 2005 in Japan, selling 92,096 copies.
Hanjuku Hero 4: 7-Jin no Hanjuku Hero
is the latest game in the series. It was released in a normal edition as well as a limited edition titled which contained a lunch box and promotional items.The game contains two types of battles: 100 on 100 battle using a mix of 2D and 3D, and three-on-three party-based Egg Monster vs. Egg Monster battles.
Composers Nobuo Uematsu
Nobuo Uematsu
is a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community...
and Kenji Ito
Kenji Ito
, also known by the nickname , is a Japanese video game composer and musician. He is best known for his work on the Mana and SaGa series, though he has worked on over 30 video games throughout his career as well as composed or arranged music for over 15 other albums, concerts, and plays...
did the soundtrack of the game. Uematsu has a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
within the game along with Tsuyoshi Sekito
Tsuyoshi Sekito
is a Japanese video game composer, arranger, and musician who has been employed at Square Enix since 1995. As a composer, he is best known for scoring the video games Brave Fencer Musashi and The Last Remnant...
and Kenichiro Fukui
Kenichiro Fukui
is a Japanese video game composer and musician. Before working at Square Enix, he was employed at Konami. He is an arranger and a keyboardist in the band The Black Mages, formed in 2003. Additionally, Fukui arranged Angela Aki's "Kiss Me Good-Bye" from Final Fantasy XII. In October 2007, he left...
, both of whom are members of his band The Black Mages
The Black Mages
The Black Mages were a Japanese instrumental rock band formed in 2002 by Nobuo Uematsu, Kenichiro Fukui and Tsuyoshi Sekito - three composers for Square Enix. The band arranged Uematsu's Final Fantasy video game series-based compositions in a rock style often similar to progressive metal, achieved...
as "Nobuo Uematsu and the Hanjuku Mages." The limited edition of the game came with a two-disc soundtrack album for the game, titled Hanjuku Hero 4 -The 7 Heroes- ~Sound Collection~. The album contains 43 tracks and covers a duration of 1:51:42.
Reception
Review scores of the Hanjuku Hero series have been fairly good. The Japanese magazine FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
has scored the Hanjuku Hero Tai 3D a 32, Egg Monster Hero a 33, and Hanjuku Hero 4 a 33 on the magazine's 40-point scale.
Hanjuku Hero Tai 3D was the second best-selling game the day of its release at 49,904 copies. The game sold over 169,000 copies during 2003. Egg Monster Hero debuted on the Japanese Dengeki
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
sales charts at number 6 during the week of its release and stayed in the top 50 until the week of May 31, 2005. The game has managed to sell approximately 92,096 copies of November 2008. Media Create
Media Create
is a Japanese company that "gathers and analyzes data from the digital entertainment industry, specifically focusing on the Japanese console gaming market...
sales data suggests that Hanjuku Hero 4 sold around 42,819 copies by the week ending June 5, 2005.