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IGN Otaku Update is IGN India’s original column series exclusively dedicated to covering the animanga fandom and market.
Anime and gaming have become increasingly connected, with companies looking for new ways to turn popular series into interactive experiences. CTW is a Japanese internet and video game company that has taken a particular approach through its G123 platform, bringing anime IPs to browser-based games that players can access without downloads or lengthy setups. The company also works closely with Japanese IP holders, with a focus on keeping the characters, stories and settings faithful to their original works.
One of its latest projects is The Apothecary Diaries: Palace Chronicles, a simulation game based on the popular anime and manga. Instead of turning Maomao’s story into a conventional action game, the title focuses on investigation, gathering medicinal ingredients, solving cases and developing her medical office within the Imperial Court. For this edition of IGN Otaku Update, I spoke with Ryuichi Sasaki, CTW Founder and CEO about the game, the company’s approach to adapting anime IPs, the appeal of browser gaming, its work with production committees in Japan, and how it sees the global anime audience evolving.
Rayan Sayyed: For our readers who are discovering CTW for the first time, could you give us a quick rundown of who CTW is and what makes your approach to anime gaming unique?
Ryuichi Sasaki: CTW is a company focused on bringing anime IPs into browser-based games through our G123 platform. What makes our approach a bit different from other anime gaming platforms is how simple we try to make access. Players can jump in instantly from almost any device – laptop, PC, or mobile – without needing to download anything or go through an account sign-up just to start playing. We want it to feel as frictionless as possible so people can move straight from curiosity to actually experiencing the game.
Another key part of what we do is our close work with anime IP holders in Japan. We collaborate directly with licensors to make sure each game stays faithful to the original work, from character portrayal to worldbuilding, while still adapting it into an interactive format.
We also work across a wide range of IPs, from long-standing classic series to more recent popular titles, which allows us to connect different generations of fans through the same platform. Overall, our goal is to make it easy for anyone – whether they’re longtime fans or completely new – to discover and enjoy these anime worlds in an interactive way.
The Apothecary Diaries Palace Chronicles is bringing in a wave of fans who love the anime and manga but have never encountered your games before. There seems to be some genuine confusion about what kind of game this actually is. Could you break it down clearly: what is The Apothecary Diaries Palace Chronicles, and what can players expect when they sit down to play it?
The Apothecary Diaries: Palace Chronicles is a newly released simulation game available on G123. Designed to stay true to the anime’s story and atmosphere, the game puts players in the role of Maomao as they gather medicinal ingredients, conduct research, solve cases, and interact with familiar characters from the series within the setting of the Imperial Court.
As players progress, they’ll help Maomao expand her medical knowledge through consultations, investigations, and herb gathering, while tackling the various mysteries and challenges that arise throughout the palace and the red-light district. Along the way, players can develop the medical office, strengthen relationships with key characters, and steadily grow Maomao’s influence.
What makes The Apothecary Diaries so unique is that its appeal comes less from action and combat and more from curiosity, observation, and problem-solving. That’s why we felt a simulation game was the perfect fit for the series. Rather than focusing on fast-paced battles, the game lets players experience Maomao’s daily life, build her reputation over time, and immerse themselves in the world that fans have come to love.
At the same time, we’ve designed the game to be approachable for a wide audience. Existing fans can enjoy spending more time with Maomao and the cast, while newcomers and casual players can easily jump in and experience the charm of the series through intuitive, easy-to-pick-up gameplay.
CTW has built a strategy around what’s aptly described as the “late bloomer” effect — the delayed surge in an anime’s popularity after its initial run. How did you identify this pattern, and when did you realise it could be turned into a competitive advantage?
It didn’t come from a single moment, but from years of observing the anime ecosystem. We’ve seen that franchises don’t just peak when they first air—they often come back into focus through streaming platforms, anniversaries, sequels, remakes, or even new generations of fans discovering them for the first time.
Because of that, we don’t view IPs as having a short commercial window. Instead, we see them as long-term communities with ongoing engagement, and that perspective plays a big role in how we evaluate licensing opportunities. Our browser-based platform also gives us the flexibility to move quickly and make games easily accessible, so we can respond when interest in a franchise resurfaces. When combined with fan engagement signals and broader market demand, it helps us decide where and when to invest.
At the end of the day, our focus is simple: bringing beloved anime worlds to fans in an accessible way and giving them more ways to enjoy the stories and characters they care deeply about.
How does CTW decide which anime IPs to pursue? What does an ideal IP look like on paper before you greenlight a game?
When selecting an anime series for development on G123, our starting point is always a deep respect for the original work and its fan community. We look for IPs that have a strong emotional connection between audiences and their characters, as that connection is what helps create an authentic and engaging game experience.
From there, we evaluate how well the series’ world, story, and characters can translate into an interactive format. IPs with rich casts, compelling lore, and passionate fan bases tend to perform especially well in a live-service environment, where we can continuously introduce new content, events, and character interactions that keep players engaged while remaining faithful to the spirit of the original series.
We also consider the breadth of an IP’s appeal across different markets, geographic regions, and audience demographics. Anime has become an increasingly global form of entertainment, and we look for franchises that have the potential to resonate with fans across multiple countries and cultures. While every title has its own unique audience, we believe the strongest opportunities often come from IPs that can connect with both dedicated fans and new players, creating communities that span different regions and generations of anime viewers.
Ultimately, we look for titles that combine passionate fandoms, strong interactive potential, and broad audience appeal. By bringing those elements together, we can create experiences that not only honor the original IP but also introduce it to new audiences around the world
Being part of anime production committees is a significant step beyond just licensing as you’re invested in the creative ecosystem itself. What does that participation actually look like in practice, and how does it shape your relationship with an IP?
As a company, we actively participate in anime production committees in Japan for both feature films and television series. Through these committees, we invest directly in productions and receive a share of the revenue generated from film and television royalties. These relationships are particularly important because they position us as a true stakeholder within the anime ecosystem, alongside IP owners, publishers, and production studios. By participating at the committee level, we are not simply licensing content—we are helping support and fund the creation of it, which strengthens our long-term partnerships and aligns our interests with those of the creators and rights holders.
Browser-based gaming occupies a space that many in the industry overlook in favour of mobile apps or console titles. Why do you believe H5 gaming is an underappreciated format, and what does it offer that other platforms don’t?
We believe great games should be easy to enjoy, without unnecessary barriers. By running directly in the browser, G123 games let players jump in almost instantly – no downloads, no lengthy installations, and no need for high-end hardware. Whether someone is on a PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, they can focus on playing rather than setup.
Beyond accessibility, the browser-based model allows us to foster a more dynamic and responsive environment for our community. Instead of navigating the rigid, delayed update pipelines of traditional app stores, we can roll out new content, patches, and quality-of-life features seamlessly. This agility means that when players provide feedback, we can rapidly implement improvements, ensuring the gameplay experience is always evolving to deliver exactly what users want without forcing them through disruptive update cycles.
Ultimately, this platform strategy is the engine behind CTW’s core mission: delivering premier gaming experiences and bringing beloved Japanese anime worlds to a global audience. The H5 format empowers us to break down traditional hardware and platform barriers, ensuring that fans everywhere can instantly connect with the stories and characters they love, exactly when they want to.
There’s sometimes a perception gap where browser games are seen as “lesser” compared to app-based games. How do you push back against that perception, both with players and within the industry?
Our strategy continues to evolve alongside both player expectations and advancements in technology. Our focus has always been on creating engaging, interactive experiences for anime fans and finding new ways to connect them with the worlds, stories, and characters they love.
Browser gaming is an important part of that vision because it allows us to reach players with greater accessibility and convenience. At the same time, ongoing advancements in H5 and browser technologies continue to expand what is possible from both a gameplay and technical perspective. However, while technological progress is important, we believe the foundation of any successful game remains the player experience. Our approach is to combine the accessibility of browser gaming with continuous innovation in technology and game design, allowing us to deliver experiences that are fun, immersive, and true to the anime IPs our players are passionate about.
As the market continues to evolve, we see significant opportunities to further enhance the browser gaming experience and introduce new ways for anime fans to engage with their favorite franchises.
Gacha mechanics have become one of the dominant monetisation models in the anime gaming space. Why do you think the gacha route resonates so strongly with anime fans specifically, and what is it about that model that keeps players engaged over time?
We believe gacha appeals to anime fans because of the deep emotional bonds they form with characters. Rather than just following a story, fans champion their favourite personalities and watch them grow. Gacha brings this experience into our games, giving players interactive ways to collect and connect with the characters they admire. With diverse casts and constant updates like new illustrations and special events, we provide fans with fresh ways to stay linked to their favourite franchises for the long term.
For us, gacha is a secondary tool for discovery and excitement, not our primary goal. Our main focus is always the joy players find in the worlds and characters we build; gacha simply enhances that experience. Ultimately, our priority isn’t the pursuit of rarity, but helping fans strengthen the ties they have to the stories and characters they love.
From a design perspective, how do you balance the gacha experience so that it feels rewarding and fair rather than frustrating, especially for fans coming in purely out of love for the IP?
Our philosophy is that monetisation should support enjoyment, not create frustration. The primary purpose of the game is to provide fans with a fun and engaging way to interact with the characters, stories, and worlds they love, and any monetization system should reinforce that experience rather than detract from it.
For us, the most important thing is that fans who come to the game because they love the IP can enjoy it without feeling pressured to spend money. Free-to-play players should be able to make steady progress, spend time with their favorite characters, and experience the story and world that drew them in. We believe the core experience should be rewarding and accessible regardless of whether a player chooses to make purchases.
When it comes to gacha systems and other forms of monetisation, our focus is on creating a healthy balance between progression, rewards, and long-term engagement. We want players to feel excited by the opportunities available in the game and motivated to continue playing, while ensuring that the experience remains enjoyable over time. Achieving that balance is important not only for player satisfaction but also for building a sustainable community around the game.
Ultimately, our goal is to create an environment where players choose to invest because they value the experience, not because they feel they have to. By keeping the focus on fun, engagement, and respect for the player, we can build stronger relationships with our audience and support the long-term success of the game.”
At the end of the day, we want players to support the game because they’re having fun and want to spend more time in the world of the series – not because they feel like they have no other choice.
The Japanese anime market now derives over 56% of its revenues from overseas. How has that shift changed the way CTW thinks about which markets to target and how to build games for them?
The growth of international markets has changed how we look at making games. In the past, people often saw Japanese and global fans as different groups. Today, anime is loved everywhere, and fans around the world enjoy the same shows at the same time. Because of this, we focus on a global audience from the very beginning when we choose and develop new projects.
Our market evaluation extends beyond mere population metrics or revenue forecasts. The most important thing we look for is how much fans love a series. Since anime fans are everywhere, some series actually have bigger or more active communities outside of Japan than inside it.
Our G123 browser platform helps us reach these fans easily. Most games require app store approvals and different versions for different regions, but our browser games can be played by anyone, anywhere, right away. This lets fans from all over the world play together at the same time.
We also know that talking to other fans is a big part of being an anime fan. We include features like in-game chat so players from different countries can connect and share their love for a series. We don’t just want to release games; we want to build places where the global anime community can meet. While we still pay attention to local cultures and languages, our main goal is to keep fans together rather than split them up by region. We want fans worldwide to enjoy the same series as one community. As anime stays popular globally, we want to help Japanese creators connect more deeply with their international fans.
Rayan Sayyed is the deputy editor for IGN India who writes and speaks on pop culture, spanning from games, anime, manga to films and everything in between. You can reach out to him at rayan_sayyed@ign.com, or find him on Instagram @rayansayyed and Twitter/X @rayanaver
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