We spoke with Akira Yamato and Bill Litshauer about the story behind the 1999 original, and the new remaster.
You’d be forgiven for never having heard of 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X, a horizontally scrolling shoot’em up for the Sony PlayStation that was only released in Japan back in 1999. The game is notable for the way the story is presented – every stage is framed as an episode of a fictitious episodic anime series from the seventies, named Geppy-X.
The game contains an enormous amount of hand-drawn animation, and ended up filling a whopping four discs when it was originally released. This was completely unheard of for anything that wasn’t a huge role-playing game.
The movie sequences didn’t just feature 8,000 frames of hand drawn animation, but voice overs from iconic voice actors like Akira Kamiya, Shō Hayami, Shūichi Ikeda, Ichirō Nagai and Gorō Naya. And the soundtrack included artists like Isao Sasaki, Akira Kushida and Hironobu Kageyama, known for iconic anime themes from the nineties.
This July, publisher Bliss Brain will release a remastered version of Geppy-X, developed by American emulation experts Implicit Conversions. They got access to the original Betacam master tapes thanks to original developer Akira Yamato, who’d held on to them all these years, and instead of the original resolution of 320×240 and 15 frames per second, we now get to see the video in its original glory running at 24 frames per second.
The developer also added subtitles in eight new languages, as well as features such as saving and loading, the ability to rewind if things go badly for you and a rapid fire option. Filters and extra modes are also included.
Earlier this year, we were able to send some questions over to the developers. We spoke with Implicit CEO Bill Litshauer, as well as Akira Yamato from the original development team. This means we were able to find out more about the history behind the original release, as well as the development of the remaster.
Here is our Q&A:
Bill Litshauer
How did this project get started?
We believe there is a treasure trove of retro Japanese games that have not been released to Western audiences, so we’re constantly on the lookout for opportunities. We were introduced to Nagasawa-san by a colleague in the game industry who is also a big fan of Japanese games. When we found out that it would be Geppy-X, we were thrilled! Our team went to the Tokyo Game Show in the fall of 2025, and we had the opportunity to meet Nagasawa-san in person to discuss how we might work together. We began production a few weeks later!
How do you approach a project like this – what do you focus on, what do you consider improving, et.c.?
Our goal is to revive as many classic games as possible. We want to preserve their history, but also offer modern enhancements to improve the gameplay.
At the same time, we know that some people prefer games exactly as they were. So when we evaluate a game for enhancements, when possible, we offer a toggle so that the player can decide.
For example, this new version of the game has HD videos. After we saw the community’s reaction to the announcement trailer, we heard many requesting that we add support to view the original videos as well. Based on that feedback, we implemented the toggle.
We also worked closely with Bliss Brain, as they had many great suggestions – like the addition of a rapid fire button, which makes it easier to repeatedly shoot just by holding down a button.
Were there any particular challenges that had to be overcome for 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X?
The main challenges we had to overcome were related to localization and video replacement.
For localization, loading all the images in the game, categorizing them, and reverse engineering the image formats so that we could replace them in the emulator dynamically was definitely a challenge.
Since we introduced several new languages, the game also required a significant amount of localization QA, in addition to the usual functional testing.
For video, it took some effort for us to ensure we could properly support rewinding the gameplay while also supporting the HD video replacements. For example, we had to deal with edge cases like, «what if I rewind the game midway through a video?» What would the user expect to see? How do we generate the thumbnail and return to the same spot accurately?
What is the underlying emulation technology like, and how flexible is it?
The game uses our Syrup Engine and our PlayStation emulator (Pancake). This allows us to port games to modern consoles quickly and efficiently. In fact, right before we met with Bliss Brain at Tokyo Game Show in 2025, we thought it would be cool to show him a demo of his game in action, right on the spot. With only an hour to spare, our Co-Founder, Robin, grabbed the ROM and loaded it into our emulator and we were able to demonstrate it in person on his laptop. The part that took the longest was to download the content over slow WIFI!
Without any source code, Syrup allows us to introduce modern enhancements, like the interactive game manual, trophies/achievements, improved controls, localization, CRT filters, save states, rewind, and more, to classic games. It also allows us to port to all of the modern platforms, like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series, and PC (Steam, GOG, and MS Store).
Now that the game will become available in the West for the first time, how do you think it will be received by Western audiences?
Geppy-X is not only a fun shoot-em-up, but it plays like a TV show from the 70’s. This adds to the already unique charm of the game, allowing it to stand out from many other existing SHMUPs. It’s fun to play, it has a great sense of humor, and it’s fun to watch all the cut-scenes. We think Western audiences will have a blast playing it.
Additionally, compared to the time when it was released, there are even more fans of anime in the west, thanks to channels like Cartoon Network and other streaming services. This has led to increased exposure to classic Japanese shows. So we feel that fans of anime will also really enjoy the game, especially since so much love and care were put into the original game.
Akira Yamato
What inspired you to create a parody of a classic anime series?
During an internal planning meeting, the idea originally came about because someone thought it would be fun if the player’s mecha could combine and transform into three different forms.
When thinking about the idea of three forms of combining and transforming, Getter Robo was the first thing that came to mind, so Geppy Robo (which was the working title) was designed as a parody closely resembling it.
When the game was at a stage where it was somewhat functional and playable, we showed it to Dynamic Planning, the copyright holder of Getter Robo, and they pointed out several areas that they found too similar to their product. Geppy Robo could have been released with just minor adjustments to the parts they pointed out, but development was halted by upper management.
Years later, I was asked to create Geppy Robo again.
Although I was part of the planning staff for Geppy Robo, I didn’t fully grasp the story’s theme or the overall concept of the game, so I decided to create the new project from scratch, while retaining the essence of the earlier Geppy Robo. Looking back, the game lacked a distinct narrative, and I’ve actually never even seen a script. It probably didn’t exist. It’s difficult to understand now, but at the time, a strange idea prevailed in some Japanese game development studios: That scripts and stories weren’t necessary for games; in fact, they were a hindrance. Our studio was no exception.
Geppy Robo had a certain old-school robot anime feel to it, but it felt a little too lacking in direction to evoke the desired sense of nostalgia in the type of players we were going for, who were primarily robot anime fans. Because of that, we didn’t just want to base our story on 60s and 70s robot anime, but also draw on live-action films, kaiju and tokusatsu shows, as well as the social climate of 1970s Japan – the overall culture of the time.
Much of Japanese manga and anime culture is based on the social themes of the 1960s and 70s: The Pacific War and the subsequent two defeats of the leftist Anpo protests [against the security treaty with the United States], as well as women’s liberation and advancement in society.
I believe that the entertainment culture of the 60s and 70s, including robot anime, is undeniably a significant aspect of Japanese Showa history. The creators of that time were keenly aware of these social issues and embedded them into the themes of their stories. In our new project, we focused on firmly incorporating the awareness of these creators of that time into the story’s themes.
We then changed the title to Geppy-X and obtained approval from Dynamic Planning.
After the initial cancellation of Geppy Robo, I think that by restarting our new project from the narrative construction stage, we were finally able to make the game themed around the 70s.
Are there any interesting behind-the-scenes stories?
In the production of Geppy-X, I was the only staff member in charge of planning. Therefore, I had to handle everything myself: the script, storyboards, stage design, and enemy boss character design.
On top of that, regarding the music, while it was a given that we’d have to get Isao Sasaki to perform the theme song, I wanted all the other stages to be built around vocal tracks as well. In children’s superhero shows, it’s common for battle scenes to feature not only battle music but also insert special songs with lyrics. For Geppy-X, that was, of course, a necessity.
I spoke to several music producers, but their reactions were negative. That’s when Sound AMS came to my door, so I asked them if I could compose all the stage songs with a 70s feel. I then sent them a few simple melody lines, and the production manager told me, «You’re probably the only one who can seriously create such old-fashioned, strange songs. You should compose the music yourself.» So I worked frantically to composed most of the lyrics and music on my own.
While all that was going on, I spotted a sales representative from Aoshima Bunka Kyozai Co., Ltd. visiting our company for another matter. I approached the sales representative and pleaded, «Please let us include your combining robot Atlanger in a guest appearance in our game!» To my great delight, they readily agreed.
Atlanger and other original plastic robot models from Aoshima Bunka Kyozai Co., Ltd. are super famous characters that every child from the 70s knows. It was a truly wonderful coincidence.
This game was released on four discs. Was it difficult to fit such a large amount of video content into the game? Also, was it difficult to get approval for such a large-scale game project in the first place?
The story, which branches into three different paths in the latter half, naturally requires a massive amount of animation. In addition, we had to include a lot of other video content, such as CG movies.
Initially, we were prepared for a two-disc release. When we actually started production and calculated the capacity, it became clear that even four discs might not be enough.
For that reason, there were quite a few situations where we had to significantly cut down on the story. In particular, the «movie version» stage, which depicts what happens after the main game, and the extra mode featuring the sub-characters as protagonists, had their stories scaled down.
In 1999, a game with that many discs was unthinkable unless it was a major RPG. Since I pursued a strong narrative focus from the start of production, this was my responsibillity. However, without a story of the same magnitude as Geppy-X, it would have been difficult to recreate the feel of the 70s.
What aspects of the original version are you particularly proud of or satisfied with?
In terms of the script, direction, and lyrics, I think I was able to do a very good job of incorporating the culture and social climate of 1960s–70s Japan into the story’s themes, and making it work as a (fictional) robot anime program.
I am incredibly grateful to the in-house staff who decided to adapt my story, which was perhaps too long for an action game, into a game without changing it. Also, many ideas from staff members across departments contributed to various details within the game, making it rich and vibrant. Since there were many people of the same generation in the company, I think it was a very good production environment.
The animation quality, which hasn’t aged at all after more than 25 years, is thanks to the character designers, mechanical designers, and the top-class animation team of the time. Furthermore, some animators who actually worked on the original 70s anime that served as the inspiration also participated, creating animation with a level of accuracy that exceeded my expectations and captured the atmosphere of the 70s.
The production experience of Geppy-X represents an irreplaceable, precious experience in my life.
The animation was entirely shot on analog 35mm film and then edited in an editing studio using the same process as a television anime program. As a result, we got a massive amount of videotape that were incorporated into the game. Since the video master remained as a digital videotape, I kept it hidden at home, hoping that one day in the future, there might be an opportunity to show the animation in a higher quality.
Now, with the remastering of Geppy-X, I can finally show you the master tape quality.
As this game is being released in the West for the first time, how do you think it will be received by Western players?
I believe the core of Japanese manga and anime culture was formed in the 60s and 70s.
For those of us familiar with modern manga and anime, 70s robot anime might now be considered kind of «classic.» Classical works often have aspects that feel strange to us today. I think that this «gap» in perception is also part of the fun of Geppy-X. I hope players will enjoy the various differences between the 60s and 70s and the present day.
In any case, I think it’s a game that many people can easily enjoy playing. Geppy-X does not demand precise controls; its purpose is to let players relive Japanese 70s anime programs by acting as the characters. As you go through the branching storylines, you’ll discover something new each time. There are modes where you can use sub-characters as your own mecha, and routes set in alternative worlds.
I hope that as you play this game repeatedly, you’ll enjoy the illusion that there was actually a TV anime called Geppy-X in the past.
We’d like to thank both Akira Yamato and Bill Litshauer for taking their time to answer our questions. You can follow the game on Steam or the official website.
Below, you will find the original Japanese language answers given to us by Akira Yamato:
70 年代アニメ番組のパロディを作ろうと思ったきっかけは何ですか？
社内の企画会議で「自機が3種類に合体変形できるのは楽しいよね」ということで、『ゲッPロボ(仮題)』が企画されました。
3種類の合体変形といえば、やはり『ゲッターロボ』が最も強く想起されますので、『ゲッPロボ』もそれに寄せたパロディ色の強いゲーム内容になっていました。
ある程度ゲームが動いて見せられる段階に、『ゲッターロボ』著作元のダイナミック企画さんにお見せして、何点か似すぎている箇所を指摘していただきました。
『ゲッPロボ』は指摘された部分を小修正すればそのまま発売できたのですが、上層部の判断で開発が中止されました。
後年になって、私が『ゲッPロボ』の再度の製作を依頼されました。
『ゲッPロボ』では企画スタッフの一員ではありましたが、物語テーマやゲームの全体像をよく把握していませんでしたので『ゲッPロボ』のエッセンスは引き継ぎつつ、ゼロから企画を作ることになりました。思えば『ゲッPロボ』にはこれといった物語性が与えられておらず、実際のところ脚本も見たことありません。おそらく存在しませんでした。
今となっては理解に苦しむことですが、当時の日本のいくつかのゲーム製作現場においては、ゲームに脚本や物語は必要ではない。むしろ邪魔である、といった奇妙な考えが支配的であり、私たちの現場もそのような状態でした。
『ゲッPロボ』には古いロボットアニメの雰囲気はそれなりにありましたが、ロボットアニメファンが中心となるだろうプレイヤーに「懐かしい！」と感じてもらうには、少し演出不足に感じられました。
そこで、60～70年代のロボットアニメのみに限らず、実写映画や怪獣特撮番組や社会の世相など、日本の70年代の文化全般をテーマに物語を製作しました。
その上で作品タイトルを『ゲッP-X』と改め、ダイナミック企画さんにも了承を得ました。
日本の漫画アニメ文化の多くは、60～70年代の社会をテーマに物語が製作されています。太平洋戦争と、その後の安保闘争(左翼運動)の、二度の敗戦。
女性の解放と社会進出。
そういった社会的課題を、当時の製作者たちは敏感に感じ取り、物語テーマに託していました。『ゲッP-X』では、そういった当時の製作者達の問題意識をしっかりと物語テーマに組み込むことに注力しました。
60～70年代のロボットアニメをはじめとする娯楽表現文化は、それ自体がまぎれもなく日本の昭和史の大きな一面と考えています。
『ゲッPロボ』の一度目の開発中止を経て、ゲームの企画を物語の構築から始めることで、ようやく本作は70年代をテーマにできたのかな、と思っています。
何か興味深い裏話はありますか？
『ゲッP-X』の製作では、企画を行うスタッフは私一人しかいませんでした。したがって脚本、絵コンテ、ステージデザイン、敵ボスキャラデザインは、全て私がやる必要がありました。
その上で音楽は、主題歌をささきいさおさんにお願いするのは当然として、その他のステージも全て歌入りの音楽で構成したいと考えました。
子供向けヒーロー番組の戦闘シーンでは、戦闘の音楽だけではなく、歌詞のついた特別な劇中歌が流れるのが常です。『ゲッP-X』にとってそれはもちろん、必然だったのです。
何人かの音楽製作の人と話してみましたが反応はネガティブでした。そんな時にSound ams さんが営業に来られたので、全ステージを70年代の雰囲気の歌で構成したい、とお願いしました。
その際に私の方で何曲か簡単なメロディラインを作って送ったところ、製作担当者から「こんな古めかしい奇妙な曲を大真面目に作れるのはお前ぐらいだ。そっちで曲を作れ」と言われ、死に物狂いで大部分の作詞作曲を行いました。
そんな大騒ぎをしている最中に、別件でアオシマ文化教材社さんの営業さんが来社されていたのを目ざとく見つけた私は、当の営業さんに「御社コンテンツの合体ロボット アトランジャーを友情出演させてください！」と、頼み込みました。
なんとうれしいことに、快諾してくださいました。
アトランジャーをはじめとするアオシマ文化教材社のオリジナルロボットプラモデルは、70年代当時の子供たちならば知らない者はいない、超有名キャラクターです。
本当にうれしい偶然でした。
本作は4枚組ディスクで発売されましたが、これほどの映像量を収めるのは大変でしたか？また、そもそもこのような大規模なゲームの企画承認を得るのは難しかったのでしょうか？
後半で３通りに分岐する物語は、アニメーションの量も当然膨大なものになります。
その他にもCGムービーなど多くの映像を収録しなければならず、当初はディスク2枚組を覚悟していました。
実際に作り始めて容量を計算してみると、ディスク4枚でもまだ足らないかもしれない、となりました。
そんな理由で、物語部分を大幅に削らねばならない場面も結構ありました。
特にゲーム本編のその後を描く『映画版』ステージや、サブキャラ達を主人公にしたエキストラモードは物語が縮小されています。
1999年当時は大作RPG作品でもなければそんなディスク枚数のゲームはあり得ません。
これは製作開始時に物語性を追求した私の責任です。
とはいえ、やはり『ゲッP-X』ぐらいの物語分量でなければ、70年代の再現は困難だったでしょう。
オリジナル版で特に誇りに思っている点、満足している点は何ですか？
脚本や演出、作詞において、日本の60～70年代の文化や世相を、しっかりと物語テーマに組み込み、(架空の)ロボットアニメ番組として成立させた点は、とても良い仕事をさせていただいたと思います。
私が書いた、アクションゲームにしては長大に過ぎる物語を、そのままゲーム化しようと判断してくれた社内スタッフには感謝しかありません。
また、ゲーム内の様々なディティールについて、部署の垣根を越えて社内スタッフが多くのアイデアを出してくれて、ゲームを彩り豊かなものにしてくれました。
ちょうど同年代の多い会社でしたので、とても良い製作環境だったと思います。
25年以上経っても全く見劣りしないアニメーションのクオリティも、キャラクターデザイン、メカニカルデザインさん達自らをはじめ、当時のトップクラスの作画陣のおかげです。
また、中には70年代当時にパロディ元となった原作のアニメの作画に実際にかかわっていたアニメーターさんも参加してくれて、想像以上に精度の高い70年代の雰囲気のアニメを製作してくれたりしました。
『ゲッP-X』の製作体験は、私にとってかけがえのない、人生の宝石のような製作体験でした。
そうして製作されたアニメは、全てアナログな35ミリフィルムで撮影され、その後編集スタジオでアニメ番組と同じ工程で編集しています。
結果、膨大な量のビデオテープの形に仕上げたものをゲームに取り込んでいます。
映像のマスターがデジタルビデオテープとして残りましたので、いつか将来、より綺麗なかたちでアニメ映像を見せられる機会があるかもしれない、あったら良いな、と思ってマスターテープは私が自宅に隠し持っていました。
今回、『ゲッP-X』をリマスターするにあたって、ようやくマスターテープ画質を皆さんにお見せすることができました。
このゲームが初めて欧米で発売されるにあたり、欧米のプレイヤーからどのように受け止められるとお考えですか？
日本の漫画アニメ文化の根幹は、60～70年代に作られたと考えます。
現代の漫画アニメに慣れ親しんだ私たちにとって、いまや70年代ロボットアニメは『古典』の一種かもしれません。
古典作品は、現代の私たちにとっては、どこか奇妙に感じる部分があるものです。
そんな意識の「ズレ」もまた『ゲッP-X』の楽しさだと思います。
60～70年代と現代との間の様々なズレを楽しんでいただけたらと思います。
ともあれ。ゲームとしては多くの人が気楽に楽しんでプレイできるゲームになっていると思います。
『ゲッP-X』は、シビアな操作性を要求するゲームではなく、キャラクターを『演じる』ことで日本の70年代のアニメ番組を追体験するのが目的のゲームです。
分岐する物語を周回していくうちに、何かしら新しい発見があったりする。
サブキャラを自機として使えるモードや、異世界設定のルートが出て来たりする。
そうやって繰り返し遊んでいくうちに、あたかも昔『ゲッP-X』というテレビアニメが実際にあったかのような、そんな錯覚を楽しんでくれたら幸いです。