Preparing for 2027

This month, we marked the end of the second phase of the Drillimation Danmaku Universe with the release of Touhou Meishuugeki ~ Cursed Sweeper and Bewildering Parallel. Three months ago, an epic milestone in American history was celebrated with the 250th anniversary of independence. That’s two and a half centuries of triumph and progress across all industrial sectors, including the entertainment industry. Around that same time, we have found our social media golden age with reels and short-form vertical video.

Back when this year began, Drillimation Systems was in crisis. Touhou Chouhatsuyou ~ Burgeoning Tresses of Longevity had left the studio shaky. In just six months, we were able to use Cursed Sweeper and Bewildering Parallel to return ourselves to the dignity and pride we were once known for. When one year goes bad, the next one gives opportunities for resilience. I will never go back to where we were last year. We have learned our lesson.

Today, there are rules to be followed about what players want. We used that to restore our spirit, win back the crowds, and our social media platforms are roaring like never before. By cutting back the hair set from Yuugiku Kanbe’s scent, we have become respected again, perhaps never like before. After years of market research, we will continue producing short-form content well into the next year.

Burgeoning Tresses of Longevity had the lowest reception when the beta launched last March. Today, it holds a mostly positive rating on Steam, with praise for its free price and soundtrack. Even when critics didn’t like something but the players did, it’s a critical dissonance. What a difference that is. A short time ago, we thought we would be dead, but we’re rising to be hot again.

More people are now viewing our shorts than playing our games. Think about that. We mostly abandoned photo posts, which saw their viewership fall and fall. With the pivot to short-form video, we are winning again. We weren’t used to having mass crowds until you came along on Instagram and YouTube. We will win bigger than ever. We have a goal of amassing 500,000 views through YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels by the end of 2027. When we put out a big winner, that goal will come closer and closer. We have been losing since 2023 until things were reversed over the summer.

We stood there. I thought we were going to have to abandon Instagram because of the dire situation, but experimenting with shorts was what everyone was doing. Think of it—since July we have only put out short-form video on social media. I thought we deserved the high engagement. I want to thank you all who have been following along for the past year.

America was so close to emerging triumphant in the Winter Olympics in Italy back in February. When the World Cup returned to North America for the first time in over three decades, we were expecting America to take home their first title, but it was Spain that claimed it. When we head to the Paldea Region for the 2030 World Cup, we will see if Spain can win it for a second time in a row, but that’s no guarantee. Our next eye in two years is the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, and we are hoping we can become triumphant again like what they did in Paris four years prior.

2026 was a year dedicated to the resilience and spirit of the country. Even in times of challenge at home and abroad, we have shone our spirit very brightly. One of the worst things I had ever seen was the historic blizzard back in January and its associated cold wave that lasted until February. Heck, even our first Anime Fest that year in Pittsburgh was during that snap. We all remember what happened when somebody’s perfume triggered the hotel’s smoke detectors and forced us out into the sub-zero temperatures. Everyone was grateful death did not strike that day. I could have called in first responders to the situation, but nope.

We watched from a distance and couldn’t believe what we saw at every Anime Fest we went to this year. I recently discovered another local anime convention in the Erie area this past weekend called Hazard Con. It took place at the very location where the brand-new Erie Anime Fest settled in. It’s a shame that I missed it, but I hope to try again next year if I’m accepted. The only difference is it’s a multi-day event.

Every generation of fans has stepped forward to promote the advancement of Japanese popular culture in all corners of the globe. We will encourage the next generation to do the same. It will build a land where every person has the chance to reach higher and go further. This is our commitment to the artists who came before us. This is the promise to keep for the rest of this decade and the next.

Everything we’ve done and achieved has been the work of myself. I built Drillimation Systems under the influence of Japanese culture. We ventured out on all fronts, passing through unforgiving wildernesses, settling any problems on our minds, and raised our media empire to heights that we have never before seen. We wired the globe and captivated our players across. When we need to work our miracles, we know who to ask. When we get stuck, we ask that person how to overcome our challenges. There is no frontier too vast for us to conquer, no dream too bold for us to chase, and no horizon too distant to run to.

The Drillimation Danmaku Universe will never end, and will continue writing the chapters that define what a game studio is supposed to be. Phase Three will be bigger, brighter, bolder, and more glorious than ever before.