Jisogi: Anime Studio Tycoon

Overview

Jisogi is a new worker-placement board game from Esper Game Studio, designed by Eisuke Gou and Senkawa Teien. It’s an anime-inspired tycoon game that dives into the high-stakes world of anime production, where players manage a studio striving to release a hit show. In Jisogi, players assign staff members (cards placed on their Studio board) to specific actions, which vary based on each staff member’s skills. The goal is to create an original anime made up of three key script elements: Setting, Plot, and Twist. Once completed, players earn resources and points based on the anime's technical level and alignment with rotating trend genres, reflecting their popularity. The title, Jisogi, is drawn from 自転車操業 (jitenshasōgyō), a Japanese phrase meaning “operating like a bicycle”—a metaphor for the struggle to keep momentum in a business. This challenging tycoon-style game lets players hustle to bring their dream anime to life against intense competition and limited resources.