Q: What was the original inspiration behind Kodama, and how did Japanese folklore become the foundation of the game's world and story?
A: I've been interested in Japanese folklore and art since studying at the Academy of Fine Arts. What fascinated me most was how Japanese spirits, deities, and supernatural creatures are rarely portrayed as purely good or evil. Instead, they're layered and complex, making them feel surprisingly human despite being mythical.
When I began tattooing, I naturally gravitated toward large-scale Japanese artwork. That passion led me to study Japanese folklore more deeply, eventually publishing a small book on the subject. I became fascinated by the stories, symbolism, and cultural history behind these legendary figures.
So when it came time to create Kodama, setting it within that world felt like the most natural choice. It allowed me to build on years of research and a subject I'm genuinely passionate about.
Q: Kodama features a fully hand-drawn art style. What were some of the biggest challenges and rewards of creating every visual asset by hand?
A: Drawing has always been second nature to me. It's something I've done for as long as I can remember, and over the years that skill has grown through 14 years of tattooing and developing three different games.
One of the reasons I love creating art is because the process itself is rewarding. It's one of the few activities where I completely lose track of time. Coding and composing music have a similar effect on me.
That said, I wanted Kodama to be as visually rich and beautiful as possible. Every environment, character, creature, animation, and detail has to be drawn by hand. Even producing the demo required an enormous amount of artwork, so managing the sheer volume of art is easily one of the biggest development challenges.
Q: The game emphasizes precision platforming. What design philosophies guided the movement mechanics to ensure they feel responsive and satisfying?
A: My goal was to make movement feel smooth, rewarding, and enjoyable. I've spent countless hours refining it alongside an amazing group of playtesters, constantly adjusting the smallest details until everything felt right.
One question guided much of the design: What would platforming look like in real life?
That led me to study activities like skateboarding, freerunning, and acrobatics. Those disciplines inspired mechanics such as rail grinding and pole sliding, helping create traversal that feels fluid and natural.
Q: Can you tell us about the process of balancing platforming challenges with combat encounters throughout the adventure?
A: The core gameplay loop revolves around platforming, combat, and exploration.
Platforming is the primary focus, with plenty of optional challenges designed for experienced players. At the same time, I wanted the main path to remain approachable so players of all skill levels can enjoy the adventure.
Playtesting has been absolutely essential. As a developer, it's easy to focus on mechanics you personally enjoy, but not everyone wants an extremely punishing precision platformer. Working with a diverse group of playtesters has helped find a balance that welcomes newcomers while still providing optional late-game platforming challenges for players looking to push their skills.
Q: Many players love fluid movement systems. How did you develop abilities such as dashing, sliding, stomping, and dodging so they work seamlessly together?
A: Honestly, it comes down to testing, testing, and even more testing.
I also spend time studying other games in my Steam library. I'll often play them on my Steam Deck while paying close attention to how movement abilities work together. Those observations help me fine-tune Kodama's mechanics so every ability feels smooth and satisfying when combined.
Q: The Kami play a major role in the game. Which figures from Japanese folklore inspired these gods, and how closely do they follow traditional mythology?
A: Many characters are loosely inspired by Japanese mythology, including creatures like the Tengu and the Kodama—the forest spirits that inspired the game's title.
I do take creative liberties because Japanese mythology can be wonderfully strange at times. As for the Kami players awaken throughout the adventure, many are inspired by my favorite deities and spirits. In fact, several tattoo designs I've created over the years have even found their way into the game.
Q: How do the abilities granted by the awakened Kami change the way players explore the world and approach combat?
A: As a huge fan of metroidvanias, I wanted abilities to do more than simply unlock new areas.
Beyond traditional upgrades like double jumps and air dashes, every ability is designed to serve multiple purposes. Inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto's philosophy that good mechanics should solve several problems at once, each new power contributes to exploration, combat, traversal, and even puzzle-solving.
Q: What were some of the key influences from classic action-adventure and platforming games that helped shape Kodama's gameplay?
A: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has been a huge inspiration. I absolutely loved how fluid its movement feels.
That said, I'm not interested in making an overly punishing experience. While I enjoy certain Soulslike elements, players shouldn't expect mechanics like corpse runs or losing their currency after death.
Ultimately, Kodama combines ideas from many games I love into something that feels unique.
Q: The environments are incredibly colorful and detailed. How did you approach world-building to make each region feel unique while remaining connected to the folklore theme?
A: Every game begins with asking what its world should look like.
My previous metroidvania, Super Roboy, took place in a gritty, post-apocalyptic setting. For Kodama, I imagined a colorful Japanese-inspired spirit world filled with nature and wonder.
Players can explore lush forests, rocky mountains, canyons, ancient temples, and other mystical locations. I wanted every area to have its own identity while still feeling like part of one connected world.
Q: Enemy design is an important part of any action-platformer. What inspired the creatures and spirits players will encounter?
A: Many enemies draw inspiration from Japanese folklore, although my animation style is probably influenced by the cartoons I watched growing up.
At the same time, I don't feel obligated to follow mythology exactly. Sometimes creating an original creature simply makes for a better visual design or gameplay experience. As long as it fits the world and is fun to encounter, I'm happy to take creative liberties.
Q: The game proudly states that no AI-generated art was used. Why was it important to take a fully handcrafted approach?
A: Creating art has always been part of who I am.
As someone working in a creative profession, I'm strongly opposed to generative AI replacing artistic work. I believe it diminishes the effort, craftsmanship, and humanity behind creative expression, whether that's visual art, music, literature, or other forms.
One reason I've spent significantly more time creating detailed backgrounds for this project is to make a statement. I wanted players to immediately recognize that this world was built by human hands.
That's why one of the first things players see is a reminder that this game was created without AI-generated artwork. It's something I truly believe is worth celebrating.
Q: What aspect of Kodama's development took the longest to perfect, and why was it so important?
A: Without question, movement.
I spent an incredible amount of time adjusting tiny details—raising a jump by a fraction of a second, slightly increasing running speed, or tweaking acceleration and directional changes.
Those adjustments may seem insignificant on paper, but they completely change how a game feels. Since movement is something players interact with every second they play a metroidvania, it needed to feel fluid and responsive. I kept refining it until both my playtesting team and I were completely satisfied.
Q: Are there any hidden details, folklore references, or secrets that fans of Japanese mythology should keep an eye out for?
A: Absolutely.
The world is filled with references and easter eggs inspired by Japanese deities and yokai. Those influences appear throughout the environments, characters, and countless small details.
Players familiar with Japanese mythology will recognize many of these references, while newcomers can still enjoy the world without needing prior knowledge.
Q: As players prepare to experience Kodama, what do you hope they'll remember most after finishing the adventure?
A: The greatest reward as a game developer is simply seeing players have fun.
I hope people enjoy the fluid movement, the handcrafted backgrounds, and the animation work. More than anything, I hope the game reminds players that handmade art still matters.
Creating something that feels personal, carefully crafted, and unmistakably human is incredibly important to me. If players leave not only entertained but also with a greater appreciation for handcrafted games, that would mean everything.
