What if the best way to learn Japanese was a game you actually want to play? Join the Japan America Society of San Diego for a free online conversation with Julian Rice, the indie developer behind Shujinkou® (主人公), a 3D dungeon role-playing game (RPG) that blends classic Japanese RPG gameplay with Japanese language learning.
Born in Taipei, but raised in San Diego, California for over 10 years, Julian first began studying Japanese while attending high school in Taiwan before going on to study linguistics, computer science, and Japanese at UCLA. Julian's own struggles with language shaped how he designed Shujinkou, the first major commercial title developed by Rice Games. In Shujinkou, players use orbs marked with hiragana, katakana, and kanji to fight enemies, and the game’s elemental system draws on the kanji for the days of the week. This is a real game first, with different modes for people to enjoy regardless of whether they want to learn Japanese or just play a fun game!
In this session, Julian will share how he approached designing a fun and entertaining game around language learning, what he has learned about motivation and engagement, and how computer games can make Japanese more approachable for new language learners. Which came first: the game or the lesson? Come find out.
Speaker: Julian Rice, Founder & CEO, Rice Games
Julian Rice is the founder and CEO of Rice Games Inc. and the director, producer, designer, and programmer of Shujinkou® (主人公). Based in Tokyo, he studied Linguistics & Computer Science and Japanese at UCLA, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship. While developing Shujinkou and growing Rice Games, he also worked as a full-stack engineer at BizReach Inc. in Japan. Shujinkou has earned a 90 Metacritic score, an RPGFan Editor’s Choice award, and a Best Hidden Gem nomination at the New York Game Awards. Julian has also spoken at Waseda University about game-based Japanese learning and continues to develop new ways for players to engage with Japanese language and culture through video games.
Schedule:
5:00-5:05 PM: Opening remarks, Andrew Silberman, President, Japan America Society of San Diego
5:05-5:35 PM: Presentation, Julian Rice, Founder & CEO, Rice Games
5:35-5:45 PM: Moderated discussion, D'Juan Mercado, Vice President, Japan America Society of San Diego
5:45-5:55 PM: Audience Q&A
5:55-6:00 PM: Closing remarks, Andrew Silberman
Location:
Zoom
Cost:
Free