Podcast: Hideo Kojima & the Art of Game Design

Waseda University released the second episode, “Hideo Kojima and the Art of Game Design”, of season two of its English language podcast series “Rigorous Research, Real Impact” on October 7, 2025. This latest episode features Assoc. Prof. Brian Hikari Hartzheim (Faculty of International Research and Education), a leading expert in new media and video game studies, and PhD student Fabian (Graduate School of Economics) discussing the cultural significance and creative innovation behind video games. Through an exploration of “progressive game design” and the influential work of renowned game designer Hideo Kojima, listeners gain fresh insights into how video games shape society, storytelling, and global cultural conversations. Assoc. Prof. Hartzheim also introduces some of the courses he teaches as part of the English-based degree programs in the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS) and Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies (GSICCS), which offer a dynamic and interdisciplinary environment for students and researchers

from around the world.

All podcast episodes are available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

Season two will feature eight knowledgeable Waseda researchers casually conversing with

Waseda PhD students about their recent, rigorously conducted research in the humanities/social

sciences, their thoughts on working in Japan at Waseda, and the merits of the English-based

degree programs they are a part of. Short 15-minutes episodes will cover a range of themes that

include translanguaging in the Japanese sociolinguistic context, territorial disputes in Northeast

Asia, and hybrid peacebuilding. It’s the perfect choice for international listeners considering

attending university in Japan, current students contemplating further study in graduate school,

and researchers looking to make the move to Japan and work for a university that stresses the

importance of interdisciplinary approaches.

Episode Release Schedule

One episode released every two weeks.

*Please note the schedule is subject to change.

■Episode 3（Release date: 2025/10/21）：

Professor Alexander Bukh (Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies)—

“Social Construction of Territorial Disputes in Northeast Asia”

■Episode 4（Release date: 2025/11/04）：

Associate Professor Jack Seddon (Faculty of Political Science and Economics)—

“Market Makers: The Politics of Market Design”

■Episode 5（Release date: 2025/11/18）：

Associate Professor Megumi Kagawa (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Hybrid Peacebuilding: Local Voices in Conflict Resolution