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Boss Fight Books #17
Katamari Damacy
The universe falls into chaos. The moon and the stars vanish from the night sky. The son of a fickle deity must restore balance to the cosmos… by pushing a sticky ball around and picking up every toothpick, tree, and skyscraper in its path. A plotline this wild could only describe “nah… nah nah nah nah nah nah nah” Katamari Damacy, the irresistible little cult game turned cultural juggernaut.
But the 2004 release of Katamari almost didn’t get the ball rolling. Reviewers worldwide weren’t sure how to classify it and initial sales numbers were low. Those who actually played it, though, were won over by its novel gameplay, goofy surrealism, and catchy soundtrack. Pushed into the mainstream by its passionate fans, Katamari remains one of the best video game examples of pure anarchic fun.
Based on new interviews with Katamari creator Keita Takahashi himself, game designer and writer L. E. Hall explores the unlikely story of the game's development, its unexpected success, and its lasting cultural impact. Along the way, she uncovers Katamari’s deep roots in Japanese culture, in contemporary art, and in the transformative power of play itself.
But the 2004 release of Katamari almost didn’t get the ball rolling. Reviewers worldwide weren’t sure how to classify it and initial sales numbers were low. Those who actually played it, though, were won over by its novel gameplay, goofy surrealism, and catchy soundtrack. Pushed into the mainstream by its passionate fans, Katamari remains one of the best video game examples of pure anarchic fun.
Based on new interviews with Katamari creator Keita Takahashi himself, game designer and writer L. E. Hall explores the unlikely story of the game's development, its unexpected success, and its lasting cultural impact. Along the way, she uncovers Katamari’s deep roots in Japanese culture, in contemporary art, and in the transformative power of play itself.
160 pages, Paperback
First published June 20, 2017
22 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 1, 2018
I think I just had unreasonable expectations for this book. It's one of my favorite games. The book was very late to be delivered which also made me long for it even more. While I learned some neat stuff in it, it didn't quite have what I'd come to love from a lot of the other Boss Fight Books, like Chrono Trigger. Many of the other books were deeply personal, talking about how the games brought them closer to their siblings or helped them deal with being trans or blew them away. This one felt like it was at a bit more of a distance compared to the best of the books in this series.
That said, 3 stars in GR means "liked it" and I did indeed like it. It was neat to learn about the Japanese stereotypes that the King of all Cosmos was subverting, the way the game was somewhat of a tribute to the old rubber suit TV shows (like the one that became Power Rangers in America, but more like the ones from the 70s), the way that Takahashi's brain as an artist and sculptor affected the game he created. It was incredible how there were so many reasons this game shouldn't have happened, including because of Japanese business culture. And yet it came out and it's one of my favorite games and it opened space in the video game world for quirky games when everyone was going for ever more realistic graphics and (often) violence (not that there's anything wrong with that, one of my favorite games is Team Fortress 2).
That said, 3 stars in GR means "liked it" and I did indeed like it. It was neat to learn about the Japanese stereotypes that the King of all Cosmos was subverting, the way the game was somewhat of a tribute to the old rubber suit TV shows (like the one that became Power Rangers in America, but more like the ones from the 70s), the way that Takahashi's brain as an artist and sculptor affected the game he created. It was incredible how there were so many reasons this game shouldn't have happened, including because of Japanese business culture. And yet it came out and it's one of my favorite games and it opened space in the video game world for quirky games when everyone was going for ever more realistic graphics and (often) violence (not that there's anything wrong with that, one of my favorite games is Team Fortress 2).
October 28, 2025
This is the first book I've read in the Boss Fight Books series, so I'm unsure if I picked a bad one or if the overarching goal of the series is to just assert that good games are good.
Do not expect many details of the development of Katamari Damacy. As far as this book is concerned, ideas are things that magically transform into games. Interesting details that allude to any sort of challenge during development - such as needing to communicate with multiple teams in different cities during the early 2000s, or the release deadline being pushed forward - are only mentioned in passing between long stretches gushing about how great of a designer Keita Takahashi is. I understand someone not wanting to interview someone in a language they don't speak, but the lack of diverse voices from people who worked on the game shows in how one-note and uncritical the writing often feels. Ultimately, the book's attempt to not portray Takahashi as an auteur fails miserably.
The uncritical view lays bare the agenda this book is trying to push. I disliked the barrage of hasty generalisations (sometimes without citation) lobbed at the games industry, escalating to a cartoonish good original games vs. evil sequels dynamic. The author/editor had no sense of self-reflection to examine the massive case of survivorship bias on display or that they are overstating the commercial performance of these games, at least compared to their contemporaries.
I will say, I did learn a few new things about Katamari. But to get there I had to go through a lot of fluff, glazing and the uninteresting answers that you can find in any interview Takahashi has given over the past decade. Moreover, we seem to have forgotten that between faceless corporations and brilliant auteurs, that there are the people who actually make things happen, and pretending that they don't exist to fit some narrative about yearning for true uncompromised creative vision is borderline offensive.
Do not expect many details of the development of Katamari Damacy. As far as this book is concerned, ideas are things that magically transform into games. Interesting details that allude to any sort of challenge during development - such as needing to communicate with multiple teams in different cities during the early 2000s, or the release deadline being pushed forward - are only mentioned in passing between long stretches gushing about how great of a designer Keita Takahashi is. I understand someone not wanting to interview someone in a language they don't speak, but the lack of diverse voices from people who worked on the game shows in how one-note and uncritical the writing often feels. Ultimately, the book's attempt to not portray Takahashi as an auteur fails miserably.
The uncritical view lays bare the agenda this book is trying to push. I disliked the barrage of hasty generalisations (sometimes without citation) lobbed at the games industry, escalating to a cartoonish good original games vs. evil sequels dynamic. The author/editor had no sense of self-reflection to examine the massive case of survivorship bias on display or that they are overstating the commercial performance of these games, at least compared to their contemporaries.
I will say, I did learn a few new things about Katamari. But to get there I had to go through a lot of fluff, glazing and the uninteresting answers that you can find in any interview Takahashi has given over the past decade. Moreover, we seem to have forgotten that between faceless corporations and brilliant auteurs, that there are the people who actually make things happen, and pretending that they don't exist to fit some narrative about yearning for true uncompromised creative vision is borderline offensive.
April 12, 2022
Perfection.
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na Katamari Damashi
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na Katamari Damashi
If you know, you know.
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na Katamari Damashi
Na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na Katamari Damashi
If you know, you know.
April 8, 2023
Basically an in-depth behind-the-scenes history of Katamari Damacy and a profile of Keita Takahashi. Great resource for critics and those who want all the Katamari trivia. I only took off a star because at times it’s very much a list or account of a bunch of facts and there’s not much of a personal tone to the writer’s style. If you want a less journalistic style, this is not the Boss Fight book for you.
October 21, 2019
La fabulosa historia de un juego extraño que nunca he tocado. Un compendio de ideas que me dio suficiente para anotarme el juego, explorarlo un día y ver qué emociones provoca. Me gusto mucho este libro, es un buen ensayo y una excelente investigación sobre Katamari.
August 4, 2025
Nimble, delightful backstory to a nimble, delightful game.
December 23, 2019
пять звёзд, но только если вам уже интересно всё, что связано с Katamari Damacy
August 2, 2019
(click the image below to watch the video review)
I’m reviewing all of the Boss Fight Books releases, so subscribe to my YouTube channel to be sure you don’t miss future reviews.
Boss Fight Books come in two flavors with degrees of overlap between them. The biography style and the memoir style. The biography styling being less personal and more objective.
This book is a straightforward telling of Katamari Damacy's creation and lineage, and in being so it falls neatly into the biography style with almost no personal stories to compliment the timeline. It works here, and the book is very enjoyable, but given the author’s experience in interactive game design, I would have loved for that experience—and the resulting opinions and insights—to dovetail with the history a bit more.
But that's my only criticism. The book does it’s job as a map of the game’s creation very well. It relies heavily on interviews with and talks by the game's creator Keita Takahashi, and his story is a fascinating one. His is an atypical origin story, coming not from the world of game design but instead from the world of physical sculpture. However, he never seemed to pay much mind to the high-Art baggage that so often comes along with being a physical artist. Hall writes that at GDC, the Game Developers Conference, in 2005 Takahshi reflected on the formal fine arts scene, and how those types of creators are typically perceived by society.
“People who are artists and writers are certainly admired, but I always wondered if they really are contributing anything to society...I was young and perhaps I was too pure. But I couldn’t see how sculpture can tie into our lives.” (pg 17)
Takahashi wasn't interested in art for art’s sake. He wanted to be seen as a designer rather than an artist. This lead to a somewhat difficult road into the videogame industry. After landing a job at Namco, he had trouble integrating into a development team where his creativity was welcomed. Ultimately he did find his place and eventually out came Katamari Damacy, an incredibly strange and surreal game where the player character grows the size of a sphere by rolling over and absorbing everyday objects like dominos, fence posts, trees, and eventually entire buildings.
Perhaps most interesting of all about this book, perhaps only to me personally, I understand, is where the book touches on Katamari Damacy's inclusion in the Architecture and Design department of the Museum of Modern Art, and in doing so mentions the considerations that must be made when deciding how museum-goers experience an exhibited game (of 110). This made me question the legitimacy of a video game museum, which is hard for me to do considering I’ve twice visited, and loved visiting, the National Videogame Museum in Frisco, Texas. But if what’s being exhibited is an experience, how can that experience truly be conveyed? Do you need a museum tour guide to speak about the game’s story and mechanics? Given that games require interactivity, does any representation that’s not interactive discount the narrative a museum is meant to document? If so, would this very book be a support or a hindrance if accompanying a playable version of the game in a museum. Ultimately, I do feel games should be respected, and if the trappings of a museum are a way to encourage respect then sure, build a million video game museums. But I will argue that a museum isn’t an ideal environment to experience a game.
L.E Hall’s book is a really great documentation of Katamari Damacy. Fans of the game or fans of the game’s creator should absolutely buy the book from Boss Fight Books and read it.
I’m reviewing all of the Boss Fight Books releases, so subscribe to my YouTube channel to be sure you don’t miss future reviews.
Boss Fight Books come in two flavors with degrees of overlap between them. The biography style and the memoir style. The biography styling being less personal and more objective.
This book is a straightforward telling of Katamari Damacy's creation and lineage, and in being so it falls neatly into the biography style with almost no personal stories to compliment the timeline. It works here, and the book is very enjoyable, but given the author’s experience in interactive game design, I would have loved for that experience—and the resulting opinions and insights—to dovetail with the history a bit more.
But that's my only criticism. The book does it’s job as a map of the game’s creation very well. It relies heavily on interviews with and talks by the game's creator Keita Takahashi, and his story is a fascinating one. His is an atypical origin story, coming not from the world of game design but instead from the world of physical sculpture. However, he never seemed to pay much mind to the high-Art baggage that so often comes along with being a physical artist. Hall writes that at GDC, the Game Developers Conference, in 2005 Takahshi reflected on the formal fine arts scene, and how those types of creators are typically perceived by society.
“People who are artists and writers are certainly admired, but I always wondered if they really are contributing anything to society...I was young and perhaps I was too pure. But I couldn’t see how sculpture can tie into our lives.” (pg 17)
Takahashi wasn't interested in art for art’s sake. He wanted to be seen as a designer rather than an artist. This lead to a somewhat difficult road into the videogame industry. After landing a job at Namco, he had trouble integrating into a development team where his creativity was welcomed. Ultimately he did find his place and eventually out came Katamari Damacy, an incredibly strange and surreal game where the player character grows the size of a sphere by rolling over and absorbing everyday objects like dominos, fence posts, trees, and eventually entire buildings.
Perhaps most interesting of all about this book, perhaps only to me personally, I understand, is where the book touches on Katamari Damacy's inclusion in the Architecture and Design department of the Museum of Modern Art, and in doing so mentions the considerations that must be made when deciding how museum-goers experience an exhibited game (of 110). This made me question the legitimacy of a video game museum, which is hard for me to do considering I’ve twice visited, and loved visiting, the National Videogame Museum in Frisco, Texas. But if what’s being exhibited is an experience, how can that experience truly be conveyed? Do you need a museum tour guide to speak about the game’s story and mechanics? Given that games require interactivity, does any representation that’s not interactive discount the narrative a museum is meant to document? If so, would this very book be a support or a hindrance if accompanying a playable version of the game in a museum. Ultimately, I do feel games should be respected, and if the trappings of a museum are a way to encourage respect then sure, build a million video game museums. But I will argue that a museum isn’t an ideal environment to experience a game.
L.E Hall’s book is a really great documentation of Katamari Damacy. Fans of the game or fans of the game’s creator should absolutely buy the book from Boss Fight Books and read it.
March 2, 2021
Everyone I know who has played Katamari Damacy ranks it among their favorite games of all time. There's a beautiful simplicity to the concept that feels unique to the medium. The vibe is optimistic, the music is incredible, the art direction is fun and unique.
Hall's exploration of the original game's genesis and aftermath is interesting. Maybe this is just my self-selected interests rearing their ugly heads, but most media criticism I read these days is openly subjective. This makes sense to me: Objectivity is long dead, after all, and always has been. Hall's book, then, takes a decidedly more historical approach than I was expecting, and it's ultimately better for it. Learning about the history of Keita Takahashi (Katamari's creator) honestly provided me better insight into how and why this game resonated so much with me. Hall's descriptions of the gameplay feel almost anthropological, which now seems like the only way to describe such a thing as "gameplay" anyways. And, despite the sometimes clinical style, Hall's love of the game does shine through after all.
I smiled quite a few times while reading this. If you have any love for Katamari at all, give it a read! (And if you don't have that love for Katamari yet... play it! Bookmark the soundtrack on youtube! It's good!)
Hall's exploration of the original game's genesis and aftermath is interesting. Maybe this is just my self-selected interests rearing their ugly heads, but most media criticism I read these days is openly subjective. This makes sense to me: Objectivity is long dead, after all, and always has been. Hall's book, then, takes a decidedly more historical approach than I was expecting, and it's ultimately better for it. Learning about the history of Keita Takahashi (Katamari's creator) honestly provided me better insight into how and why this game resonated so much with me. Hall's descriptions of the gameplay feel almost anthropological, which now seems like the only way to describe such a thing as "gameplay" anyways. And, despite the sometimes clinical style, Hall's love of the game does shine through after all.
I smiled quite a few times while reading this. If you have any love for Katamari at all, give it a read! (And if you don't have that love for Katamari yet... play it! Bookmark the soundtrack on youtube! It's good!)
November 5, 2018
This book chronicles the "pre-birth" of one of my favorite games - Katamari Damacy. A fun read about a gem of a game that almost did not happen, made by a non-game designer, that never should have made it outside of Japan. Against all odds, we have Katamari, it's music, humor, and quirky fun on almost every platform, in one shape or another.
Author L.E. Hall digs deep with exclusive interviews with the genuine genius behind the game, Keita Takahashi, as well as notable industry insights. Do not miss out on this book - just like playing a level of Katamari Damacy, this book is a quick and fun read, leaving you wanting even more. Or just do what I did: as soon as you finish the book, go roll up a bunch of stuff in your favorite version of the game.
Author L.E. Hall digs deep with exclusive interviews with the genuine genius behind the game, Keita Takahashi, as well as notable industry insights. Do not miss out on this book - just like playing a level of Katamari Damacy, this book is a quick and fun read, leaving you wanting even more. Or just do what I did: as soon as you finish the book, go roll up a bunch of stuff in your favorite version of the game.
April 26, 2019
This had some pretty solid and interesting quotes from Katamari creator about art, the importance of fun, the offering an alternative to traditionally violent/grueling/gun games of the time. The success of Katamari Damacy and the creator's vision shows the importance of respecting art as art and not trying to homogenize everything. Katamari is fairly unique in its story - it's not often a new IP in games that is weird and total opposite from what everyone is doing is actually supported by the company. Seeing that journey was definitely interesting and I wonder how many other games haven't lucked out with one higher up supporting the vision and pushing it along that are just as good as Katamari, which is still one of the best games of all time.
March 29, 2021
This is a fun little book that explores the background of Katamari's creator, and how he came to the idea of a game so unlike everything else at the time. It's one of my "lesser favorite" games, one I don't play all the time but always enjoy when I do. It's fun to read about how it came to be.
The latter half of the book isn't as strong, which mostly talks about sales and sequel games. It wasn't as engaging as the game's creation, and reads more like a school paper than a book. (Introduction -> research with citations -> conclusion.) But it's still an enjoyable read, and now I want to break out the game again.
The latter half of the book isn't as strong, which mostly talks about sales and sequel games. It wasn't as engaging as the game's creation, and reads more like a school paper than a book. (Introduction -> research with citations -> conclusion.) But it's still an enjoyable read, and now I want to break out the game again.
December 29, 2018
This was a fun read giving insight into design and history around one of my favorite games. Laura E Hall does a great job compiling many of Keita Takahashi’s interviews (and does some new ones) about how and why he designed Katamari the way he did. I particularly appreciated the discussion around Japanese cultural context that non-Japanese players like myself may miss or not understand, like how the King of All Cosmos both fits with and juxtaposes gender and sexuality tropes in Japanese media. After all these years, We (still) ♥️ Katamari
May 19, 2022
I spent the first two decades of the millennium under a rock w.r.t games, and I really didn't miss much. But if one game can change my mind, it has to be Katamari Damacy.
The book is a decent narrative of how Katamari came to be, plus descriptions of the game itself and some cultural analysis which I could take or leave, but some might appreciate. The quotes from the creator are valuable, not so much in originality or insight, but in their wide-eyed freshness and artistic integrity, which shine through in the game itself.
The book is a decent narrative of how Katamari came to be, plus descriptions of the game itself and some cultural analysis which I could take or leave, but some might appreciate. The quotes from the creator are valuable, not so much in originality or insight, but in their wide-eyed freshness and artistic integrity, which shine through in the game itself.
July 14, 2020
So far from the books I’ve read in this series, this release is the most direct documentary text on the creation of a game. It’s less about the author and their experiences with the game as many of the past have been and more about referencing interviews, curating historic facts and producing a very thorough examination of the games creation to its lasting impact in culture.
The best I could ask for for one of my all time favorite games.
The best I could ask for for one of my all time favorite games.
November 27, 2022
comprehensive exploration of the history, structure and legacy of one of the best games of the last twenty years. Covering everything from the excellent soundtrack to the design philosophies of designer Keita Takahashi, this is a short but satisfying read. I didn't really learn anything new, beyond some of the details around how the project was first developed, but it was fun and inspiring to revisit the whole process...and sad to read about its half-life as a franchise for milking.
September 30, 2025
I really enjoyed this, I have no real knowledge of the game itself beyond some 10 hour playtime between sessions. The intersection between art and gaming, as well as Namco’s more realistic 00’s output says a lot about their earlier 80’s design and those that drew from that lineage to create new yet familiar ideas. Katamari Damacy is Pac-man yet Pac-man is Katamari Damacy
November 19, 2018
This book brings back the joys of the first night I spent playing this in my would-be little brother’s apartment late at night in NYC with a 6-pack of Kolsch. Or introducing the game to countless friends who would buy a PS2 for sole purpose of this game. And so many other memories. Endless joy.
April 22, 2019
I wish this book was longer!!!
What I mean with this is that it feels like it brushes the surface of what Katamari Damacy is about, and i wish there was more to read on the subject matter. Good bibliography I’ve saved for later too. Would love to delve further into the themes touched in this book.
What I mean with this is that it feels like it brushes the surface of what Katamari Damacy is about, and i wish there was more to read on the subject matter. Good bibliography I’ve saved for later too. Would love to delve further into the themes touched in this book.
October 23, 2018
On the short side, but some great context on the creation of the game, and the environment it was released in.
January 4, 2019
A great read about a unique game's development.
January 9, 2019
Na nananana katamari damacy.
I wish this book had been longer and talked more about the levels of game play but I found it interesting and learned a few things.
I wish this book had been longer and talked more about the levels of game play but I found it interesting and learned a few things.
March 4, 2019
I was kind of hoping for more. "Katamari Damacy might not have happened, but it did, please play it".
June 11, 2019
An enjoyable read about the creation of Katamari Damacy. It’s well-researched and well paced, with a nice blend of history and appreciation for this wonderfully strange game.
February 29, 2020
Well paced book smartly centered around interviews with the creator and the story of this wacky game getting made in the first place, without unnecessary fluff
March 22, 2020
I wish it had more information on the music.
June 13, 2020
Brilliant insight, history, making of and afterwards.
June 30, 2020
“Can we maintain a sense of playfulness, caring, and punk rock dedication to our visions?”
March 10, 2021
I was expecting more from this book. I was hoping for more insight into how the game was created. I’m still glad that I read the book and the bibliography is amazing.
September 9, 2022
A short trip into the history of Katamari and its impact on weird games.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews