Hey there! I'm Yoshinori Ono, CEO at Lasengle.
Welcome to my blog and thanks for dropping by!
We're right smack in the heart of the holiday season. In Los Angeles, the weather is warmer than Tokyo, and you can get by comfortably with just a light shirt during the day.
Last month, I headed out to Los Angeles for the Fate 20th Anniversary Showcase at NeueHouse Hollywood.
I spent an amazing day celebrating the Fate series' 20th anniversary milestone with the fans. The venue was packed with their passionate enthusiasm, you could really feel the love for the Fate series everywhere.
Opening the event, Aniplex's CEO Iwakami kicked things off by expressing his heartfelt thanks to all the fans who've supported the series.
The stage then welcomed special guests Ayako Kawasumi, Kana Ueda, and Noriko Shitaya for a talk show. These much-loved cast members shared cherished memories and behind-the-scenes stories, filling the room with warmth and laughter that had everyone completely enthralled.
As I watched, it struck me how Fate is not only a creation of Nasu and Takeuchi, but something that's grown through this connection between the cast, staff, and fans. Sitting there, I was reminded yet again of just how meaningful the storytelling in this series truly is.
The highlight of the event was the world premiere of Fate/strange Fake. The talk show before the screening featured Saber's voice actor Yuki Ono, series directors Shun Enokido and Takahito Sakazume, and character designer Yuki Yamada. They shared insights into the creative process, and the crowd was even treated to a live painting demonstration by Yamada.
During the screening, the energy in the room was electric with cheers and excited cries of "Wow! So cool!" echoing throughout. You could feel the creative team's passion and vision in every frame.
Once it finished, the room erupted with thunderous applause. In that moment, I knew that the Fate series is still growing, and still touching people's hearts in new ways. Fate/strange Fake brings something fresh and exciting to the series, and I honestly can't wait for its release!
The event reminded me how the Fate series has become something bigger than entertainment. It's deeply woven into the cultural fabric and daily lives of so many people. The excitement, dokidoki, and passion that's built up over these 20 years has created connections among fans that go beyond the works themselves, and it just keeps growing.
At Lasengle, we're all about taking on new challenges to share the magic of the Fate series with even more people. We live for those moments that make fans' eyes light up and their hearts race. Together, we're pouring our creative energy into creating unforgettable stories through Fate/Grand Order.
And, if you're a student who dreams of making games with us at Lasengle, we've got great news! We're currently hosting information sessions for students graduating in 2026.
To learn more about Lasengle and what we do, please check out our website and social media channels. We'd love to have you join us on our journey!
Now, time for a game review. It's been a while, but I want to tell you about a great game I played recently.
So for blog #41, let's take a look at Fights in Tight Spaces.
Fights in Tight Spaces is a deck-building turn-based strategy game.
But, it's a deck-building game with a twist. Fights in Tight Spaces uses this format and transforms the player into both the star and director of your own action movie. It's like choreographing and performing in your own fight scenes.
You play as an agent--a mysterious operative who infiltrates criminal and mafia organizations. You find yourself facing down multiple thugs in tight quarters, from dingy bars and bustling kitchens to packed bike storage rooms.
Your character, known only by a numerical codename, cuts a classic figure in a crisp suit and tie. But don't let the formal attire fool you--with cards like "Punch" and "Kick" at your disposal, you'll pull off moves that would make any suave suited spy jealous.
The agents and enemies are all designed as silhouettes without detailed faces or expressions. This is a nice element that makes it easy for you to turn each encounter into a scene from your favorite action movie. But you can't just throw punches randomly and hope to win: Fights in Tight Spaces is a seriously well-crafted strategy game.
What makes the tactical gameplay so addictive is how it's not just about attack cards like "Punch" and "Kick", but how you use these with positioning cards like "Move," "Reposition Enemy," and "Push" to orchestrate the perfect fight scene. Every decision matters. You have to consider attack power, range, cost, and positioning.
Like a chess puzzle, you need to read your opponents' moves and string together sequences:
"Start with a jab"
"Follow up with a straight punch"
"Grab the staggering enemy and shift position"
"Land a spinning kick from behind to make enemies crash into each other"
"Finish it by grabbing their head and slamming it into the kitchen counter!"
You build these combo sequences by playing your cards and choosing your actions carefully.
As you get deeper into the game, you start thinking like a real fight choreographer. You're using every bit of the environment to your advantage--making enemies shoot each other, bouncing them off walls, using those tight spaces to create perfect action sequences. Just like chess, you're planning several moves ahead.
After clearing a stage, you can watch a replay, and this is where things get really fun. Once you strip away the card interface, your fight scenes flow together like something straight out of an action movie. You don't need to watch replays to progress, but who can resist seeing their own awesome moves? You'll catch yourself going "Whoa, that was cool!!" again and again.
But there are times when it doesn't all go to plan. When you pull off an amazing combo: launching an enemy with a spectacular kick, countering another one sneaking up from behind with a punch, and finishing them off with a wall slam. But just when you think "Nailed it!", BAM! Some minor henchman shoots you from behind cover and then it's game over.
That's the thing about Fights in Tight Spaces--not every attempt ends up being movie-perfect. But those "Oh no..." moments in the replays are like watching behind-the-scenes bloopers. They just make me want to watch my attempts even more, both the successes and the fails.
And that's it for now. Thanks for reading.
The next game is calling my name so gotta go--till next time!
Yoshinori X（Twitter）