LAS VEGAS — Arc System Works Producer Toshimichi Mori has been responsible for the BlazBlue franchise since its inception. A reserved, friendly presence always eager to to chat, Mori had plenty to say about the past, present and future of BlazBlue.

Originally seen as a successor to the Guilty Gear franchise at launch, BlazBlue has evolved over the years into an incredible force of its own. This four-button fighter has some of the wildest characters and playstyles in the genre, an incredibly complicated plotline, fast and furious combat and nearly unmatched depth of gameplay.

BlazBlue isn't always an easy sell in the West © Arc System Works

Culture clash

While Arc System Works fighters have made incredible inroads outside of Japan in recent years, both Mori and his colleague Daisuke Ishiwatari believe the titles still have room to grow in the West. "Personally, I don't think the popularity in the West has reached maximum capacity yet," admits Mori. "That's actually one of the main reasons why we decided to showcase our titles and meet with fans at a dedicated Arc System Works booth at Evo this year."

Marketing anime-based fighting games to Western audiences can be a bit of a challenge — something Mori readily admits. "There is a distinct difference between the way [Arc System Works] games are sold in the United States and Japan. The fighting game community is much more involved in spreading the word about our games in the U.S., and that is something we would like to become more involved in as well."

The universe of BlazBlue is interesting and complex, blending elements of classic fairy tales, time travel, magic, technology, political intrigue and Japanese mythology into a glorious, chaotic, beautiful mess. Mori's inspiration for this one-of-a-kind setting? "Actually, I just created a world combining a lot of the things that interest me," says Mori, "though I admit in hindsight it was probably difficult at times for players to follow along. As I look at creating future titles, I would like to focus more on creating a world and characters that are a bit easier to comprehend."

Like his colleague Ishiwatari , Mori has a difficult time picking a favorite BlazBlue character, but he admits the character he's had the longest relationship with is Hakumen. "That's because I came up with the concept for Hakumen when I was a schoolboy," explains Mori.

Development challenges

Sharp-eyed fans may have noticed a certain BlazBlue logo popping up in the list for upcoming titles on Nintendo Switch that was shown off earlier in the year at one of the new platform's showcase events. When prodded for an update on this inclusion, Mori couldn't say much. "As far as announcements go, I unfortunately can't say much today," says Mori, "but what I will say is that with the introduction of fun competitive games like Arms, I do believe fighting games can definitely find a home on the Switch. Stay tuned!"

Could we see BlazBlue on the Switch in the future? © Arc System Works

Mori spends a lot of time checking out game centers and popping into online lobbies to gauge player reactions, and also follows the Japanese competitive scene. "I don't know players outside Japan all that well, but one player I would really like to support is Galileo. He recently announced that he's going to become a full-time professional player through BlazBlue! That said, I'd like to support all the players competing at a high level, and thank them for their dedication to BlazBlue."

Looking forward

In regards to future developments in the franchise, Mori had one thing he absolutely wanted to make clear. "I know I've said this many times, but one thing I want to make sure I let fans know is that the story of BlazBlue isn't over. While Ragna's saga may have ended [with Central Fiction], there are more stories to explore in this universe." He's extremely proud of both the Arc System Works staff and the players and fans that have carried the franchise this far, and is looking forward to seeing where the franchise goes from here.

As for everyone's favorite Grimalkin, Jubei and the possibility for his appearance as a playable fighter? "I know, I know! I've heard this before! All I can say is that we know the fans are interested. I'm sorry I can't announce anything today, but please, please stand by!"

An Evo surprise