Dragon Quest from that day, and me now: A day when the 40-year adventure and my 50 years of life seemed to overlap.

Are there any games that were popular when you were a child that you loved?

When I was in elementary school, Mario and Dragon Quest were released and became popular. They were incredibly popular, and I remember well how I played them and became obsessed. In short, they are games I love.

Last year, Mario celebrated its 40th anniversary, and just the other day on May 27th, Dragon Quest celebrated its 40th anniversary. Before I knew it, I realized that the time of my own life and the history of those games were quietly overlapping.

I feel that before I knew it, they had become like beloved siblings or irreplaceable comrades-in-arms that have walked with me through most of my life.
While I am excited about the announcement of the new Dragon Quest XII and the new Monsters game featuring Bianca and Flora from Dragon Quest V (I remember struggling with myself over who to choose as a bride!), I am a little sad that I don't own a Switch 2 or a PS5.

My first encounter was when I was in the fifth grade of elementary school.
I still remember well having Dragon Quest I bought for me at a store on its release day.
Akira Toriyama's character designs and the fantasy world view, which was still rare at the time.
And I was amazed by Koichi Sugiyama's music.
I never imagined that this series would become something that would accompany me through the milestones of my life.

When I sent in the included survey postcard, I started receiving postcards with information about new releases.
I felt like I knew the information faster than anyone else, and as a child, I was proud of that.
I have bitter memories of II through IV, but the sense of accomplishment when I cleared them was exceptional.

When I was in junior high school, I read a manga about the secret story behind the creation of Dragon Quest, and I became interested in the world of game development.

After that, I got busy with school and work, and there was a period when I drifted away from Dragon Quest.
I returned to the adventure again around the time of the release of VIII, but because of my daily life, the adventure remained unfinished.

I returned in earnest during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I played Dragon Quest XI, and the quest that takes you through the worlds of the successive series made me feel strange, as it was a mix of works I knew and works I didn't.
That was the trigger for me to start collecting old game consoles and series titles and playing them again.

I cleared Dragon Quest V/VI (SFC), VIII (PS2), and XI (PS4), and I also played through the FC/SFC versions of I-III and the FC version of IV, relying on my memory and walkthrough sites, sometimes using tricks and collecting rare monsters and rare items.
It was so much fun that I naturally found myself convinced as to why this series has been loved for so many years.

There are many spin-off works like Heroes, Monsters, and Torneko, and I hope to play them little by little from now on.

It is truly a pity that Akira Toriyama-sensei and Koichi Sugiyama-sensei have passed away.
However, I am filled with the desire to tell everyone involved in Dragon Quest, including Mr. Horii, 'Thank you for the memories and my youth.'

A bit late, but congratulations on your 40th anniversary.
I look forward to many more adventures in the future.