This latest episode features Assoc. Prof. Bryan Hikari Hartzheim (Faculty of International Research and Education), a leading expert in new media and video game studies, and PhD student Fabian (Graduate School of Economics) discussing the cultural significance and creative innovation behind video games. Through an exploration of “progressive game design” and the influential work of renowned game designer Hideo Kojima, listeners gain fresh insights into how video games shape society, storytelling, and global cultural conversations. Assoc. Prof. Hartzheim also introduces some of the courses he teaches as part of the English-based degree programs in the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS) and Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies (GSICCS), which offer a dynamic and interdisciplinary environment for students and researchers from around the world.

The book this episode is based on:
Hartzheim, B. H. (2023). HIDEO KOJIMA: Progressive Game Design from Metal Gear to Death Stranding. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.Link to the transcript: https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/news/85958

About the Guest:

Dr. Bryan Hikari Hartzheim is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of International Research and Education. He teaches in the English-based degree programs of the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS) and the Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies (GSICCS). He recieved his Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His research areas include aesthetics and art studies, game studies, media industry and production studies, and anime/manga studies.

Link to the transcript: https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/news/85958

Hideo Kojima and the Art of Game Design (Assoc. Prof. Bryan Hikari Hartzheim)