（NOTE: This post appeared on the Japanese Bayo Blog on October 28, 2009.）

Hideki Kamiya here… I bought an iPod touch thinking, “I can use this to screw around on the internet while laying in bed!” So I hopped into bed all excited only to find out that it doesn’t support the security settings on my router, and I am too lazy to change the settings. Thus, I am in bed laying like a sea otter with my heavy laptop on top of me. BTW – Why is the theme to Ōedo Untouchables (Ōedo Sōsamō) so damn cool? I’ve got it on heavy rotation.

It seems that silver members can finally download the Bayonetta demo, so I think lots of people are playing it now. However, lately I’ve been hearing a lot of comments that say “skipping these cutscenes is a pain in the butt!” We put selecting skip into the pause menu to make sure someone wouldn’t accidently skip the cutscenes, but there is also a “Quick Skip” in the game as well, so those playing over and over can access the skip function faster. (Please figure out the command yourself though.) Also, I’ve been hearing people say that the “Item Window” when you get a new item is annoying. The thing is, you only see it the first time you get that item, and there aren’t that many items that even trigger that window, so those of you who are going to play the hell out of the game don’t have anything to worry about in the final version.

What else… Oh yeah… There have been a lot of questions about secrets in the game. I’m sure that if we revealed all of these before the game came out, it would have a positive knock-on effect for sales of the game (LOL); however, for all of those looking forward to playing the game themselves, let’s keep the secrets of the game secret.

So I didn’t report this one to you all in a timely manner, but the other day, Hashimoto and I went to film the “Famitsu Live Special -Bayonetta-!” It was aired on October 10, so I think some of you may have watched it. However, for those of you who didn’t catch it, it should be being rebroadcast on famitsu.com around the time this blog is posted. I hope you get a chance to check it out.

Hashimoto and I have really never been apart of a live broadcast before, so we were worried beforehand about what the heck we were actually going to be doing. However, looking back, we were relaxed and able to talk freely for the entire session, thus it was a fun filming experience. I’m sure there were tons of people watching from home, but since I couldn’t see their faces or their reactions, compared to a stage event, I was rather settled down for this one. Of course, this was also thanks to the Famitsu editorial staff, as well as all the other people involved in the program’s production, creating a relaxed environment for the filming.

I’d especially like to thank the host of the show, Iccho Mori-san! Iccho-san was on a show during E3 and came to the SEGA booth for an E3 report. That show ended up with him becoming the genius behind the “Ahh… Bayonetta! Bayonetta! Bayonetta!” meme. (LOL) Thus, I’ve been really wanting to meet him. For the filming this time, he came wearing the exact same clothes he was wearing for the E3 report, and I was really impressed by his enthusiasm. Even during filming, he helped us not sound like dunces, and I am really happy he was able to create such a welcoming atmosphere for our conversation. He is truly a pro, you know… Comparing the two is a bit insulting, but our Bayo TV show is crappy by comparison… LOL. While filming, we were able to see the chat comments of people watching the show in real-time, as they were being played on a monitor one after another, and I was affixed to that screen the entire time. At first there were some pointed comments; however, the second half of the show was livelier, and I think we were able to jive with the viewers.

I’ve reached a point where I am able to share my thoughts on things on blogs or in magazine interviews; however, words on the page can have a different nuance, and video can be edited, so there are times when they tend to invite misunderstanding. Yet, with this filming, people were able to see me just talking, and it was truly refreshing. As an adult, there are plenty of times where you “can’t say that,” but since I’m just a big kid, I like to push the limits with my real thoughts as much as possible (LOL). If I get another chance like this, you can believe that I will be more than happy to take that opportunity.

Oh yeah… The web radio show that Hashimoto and I were on, Gaming Dinner Table (Game no Shoku) is in the process of being aired now. In all four parts, Hashimoto and I were pretty much ourselves on this program as well, so if you are interested, please give it a listen.

Finally, since we seem to be plugging shows, on Bayonetta’s release day in Japan, 10/29/2009, I will be appearing live on a web game show called Geccha, so I will be heading to Tokyo. As of writing this, I have no idea what the show will be about, but since it is the release date and all, I want to do my best to make it a fun program (from an amateur’s point of view, of course).

So as we close in to the Japanese release, there is lots of stuff going on, so please check out The Gates of Hell section on the official Bayonetta website, as it is being updated daily. (NOTE: This content is in Japanese.)

Until next time!