During his days at Human Entertainment, Inc., Hifumi Kouno was responsible for Clock Tower, Clock Tower 2, Mikagura Shojo Tanteidan, and Neko Zamurai. After striking out on his own, Kouno has designed and directed games in a wide variety of genres, including Steel Battalion and Steel Battalion: Line of Contact. Clock Tower (SFC/PSX) Clock Tower 2 (PSX) Steel Battalion (Xbox) Steel Battalion: Line of Contact (Xbox)  A fan once told me, "The reality in your games is what makes them appealing." Until now, I had always planned for that to be my identity. However, lately I've come to think that it's time to give everyone a bit more of a window into my dreams. Just as we were enchanted by Galaxy Express 999 or Star Trek as children, now is the time to throw open the curtains to just as big a dream. The dream began as an idea to rise away from the blood thirsty world and into space. The vast expanse of space is rife with Darwinism, and its raison d'etre may be even more blood thirsty. Should the setting be a star system? We could certainly make things realistic within those confines; however, they would still be too small. So then it should be galactic? Hmm. Coming and going from multiple galaxies would certainly fit the scale. Nope. We need to be able to visit every corner of space. Further... No, even further... We needed to go to the unseen ends of the universe. The drive to explore the unknown has always been a catalyst of human development. So how do we tap into that desire? If the main character is a mere human, there is no way he could emerge victorious by his own hands. He'd need to build a ship to transport himself amongst the stars. But he'd only be able to create something small. Becoming lost in the vastness of space, he should meet new people and experience new adventures, growing along with his ship in the process – from destroyer to cruiser, battleship to super-battleship. And he should be able to customize the interior, from the bridge to the cabin modules. There should be an infinite number of ships, each a different combination of exterior, interior, and personnel. And your numerous encounters should lead to an increase in skilled crew. Indeed. That is the very appeal of a battleship – the gathering of many lives locked together on a common voyage. If a game had all those elements, then it would live up to my definition of a "space battleship". One day, Inaba-san came to visit, and I laid this concept out for him. He immediately told me to run with it. I fired off a mail to mecha designer Junji Okubo. He's always loved science fiction, so he was immediately on board. My next target was character designer Sawaki Takeyasu, who enjoyed the idea and gave me his OK. My old crew from Steel Battalion had formed the core for a new journey. Now, my team and I are locked in battle, fighting to squeeze this enormous world onto a tiny DS.