Have you had to increase your staff at all? It seems like you're doing more games more frequently than you used to.

MM: Yeah, that's true, but as I told you, we are focusing on the early stage of the game, so it requires the power [at that time]. Especially, it's kind of a very rapid type of power. So, we can't spend a year to make the prototype. So every time, I am trying to find new talent to make my ideas obvious. This is our current staff -- this kind of company.

For some people, like Dewi-san, or other people, these [versatile] working trans-project type of people are helping our job. But, some certain people are working on certain parts, like graphics, or programming. So these people are [changing] every time.

Yeah. Contracted, specific for projects.

MM: Sometimes many people come back for [another NanaOn-Sha] game, and sometimes they have another job.

So, with this style of model, can you only work on small games, or will you ever do a large console production again?

MM: I think both. A big company doesn't realize that that kind of [development] style is good, even for them. So many old-style Japanese companies [concentrate on] how many employees they have. This kind of thing is important for a big company, especially for the open market company.

Yeah. Openly traded company. Some companies in the U.S. now are doing things like this -- it's somewhat similar. They have small core staff, and when they are ready to make a game, they make the prototype, and the first of every kind of asset -- and things like that -- and then they outsource and contract. But it seems like the hardest thing is managing the other people. So how are you working with that?

MM: Yeah. Yes. It's a very good question. That is the point. Currently, the similar people who have long experience -- you know, [at] a company -- already had their own company right now. So already they picked NanaOn-Sha.

But a new company, of course they are the new owner of the company, but some parts are invested by us from NanaOn-Sha, and of course they are an independent company, so they are working as they like, basically. But if we have kind of a big project, so we are sharing the mission.

Of course, these kinds of people had a more educated experience with NanaOn-Sha, so they know our company very much. So, they are controlling the production, but it looks exactly like NanaOn-Sha's work. So, they are kind of manager of the production. So we can have this relationship with them, and very tight, very precise communication.

Right. So the easiest to work with are the companies that you know well already. Yeah. But what about when you outsource to Texas? Do you have people on staff whose job it is to manage outsourced development? Do you have project managers in NanaOn-Sha, that are in charge of making sure that contract companies do the job right?

MM: Yeah, actually. NanaOn-Sha is just three people. Just us.

Oh. OK.

MM: So, controlling the production is basically my mission, as a general producer. But we are helping each other to keep good relations with [the companies we work with].

It seems really difficult to manage a larger production with that style of work.

MM: It's very difficult. (Sighs) It's very difficult.