Kenji Ozawa's New Studio Sasanqua to Publish Surreal Adventure AFANTASIA

Studio Sasanqua, founded by Visions of Mana director Kenji Ozawa after the studio's closure, will publish the surreal narrative adventure game AFANTASIA.

Ever wondered what happens when a director behind a big RPG venture strikes out on his own? Kenji Ozawa, who directed Visions of Mana, has done exactly that with Studio Sasanqua — and the studio's first publishing move is a curious one.

Studio Sasanqua was established by Ozawa following the closure of the studio where Visions of Mana was made. Now, according to the source, the new outfit is set to publish AFANTASIA, a surreal narrative adventure game.

Details are still thin on the ground. We know the genre — surreal narrative adventure — and we know the publisher, but the source doesn't spill the beans on platforms, release timing, or who's actually developing AFANTASIA. So if you're already clearing space on your wishlist, you might want to hold that thought for now.

Still, the pairing is intriguing. Ozawa's background is rooted in a sizable RPG project, and now he's attached to something described as surreal and narrative-driven. That's a pretty different flavour, and it suggests Studio Sasanqua isn't just looking to repeat what came before.

For fans of Visions of Mana, this is one to keep an eye on — not because AFANTASIA is a Mana game (it isn't), but because it's the next professional chapter for a director you already know. For everyone else, it's a new name and a new game to file away.

We'll have to wait for more concrete info before we can tell you when you'll be playing it or where. For now, the takeaway is simple: Studio Sasanqua exists, and AFANTASIA is its first announced publishing project.

What do you think — does a surreal narrative adventure from the Visions of Mana director's new studio sound like your kind of thing? Let us know in the comments.