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Katsuhiro Otomo's Short Peace Project Gets U.S. Release on PS3

Namco Bandai Games revealed on Thursday that it will release all four anime shorts in Katsuhiro Ōtomo's Short Peace omnibus project, as well as the fifth part, the Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day 2D-scrolling action game, on the PlayStation 3 in the West this spring. Namco Bandai Games will release the four anime and the game only on the PlayStation Network.

Short Peace is an compilation of four short films: Otomo's Combustible, Shuhei Morita's Tsukumo (Possessions), Hiroaki Ando's Gambo, and Hajime Katoki's Buki yo Saraba (A Farewell to Weapons) with an opening by Kōji Morimoto. The anthology film opened in 25 theaters across Japan on July 20, and a home video release shipped on January 16 with the game.

Gōichi Suda or "Suda 51" (No More Heroes, Lollipop Chainsaw, Liberation Maiden, Killer is Dead) and Yōhei Kataoka (Tokyo Jungle) are overseeing the development of the game. Suda 51 is handling the game's scenario, and Kataoka is directing the game and handling the game design and artwork. Daisuke Uchiyama is serving as chief producer, and Makoto Asanuma is serving as executive producer.

The game's story centers on a woman named Ranko Tsukigime, the only daughter of the head of the "Tsukigime Enterprise" underground conglomerate that controls the rented parking lot business. Ranko is a normal, brazen high school girl who spends time with her best friends Moeko and Kirara during the day, and at night she works as an assassin. One day Ranko stakes out her target as normal, but a "demon" from an opposing organization sneaks up on her. Players control Ranko as she escapes from the opposing organization, and as she kills her enemies with "effects."

The game features character designs by Yuusuke Kozaki, Akihiko Yoshida, Tadayuki Nomaru, Daisuke Sajiki, and Rie Suzuki. Akira Yamaoka is the sound director, while Tetsuya Yoshinaga and Hiroyuki Nakatsuka are serving as the main designer and programmer, respectively.

Namco Bandai Games' European division had registered the "shortpeace-game.com" domain in October.