Human Entertainment

Human Entertainment, formally Human Corporation, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher whose work helped define several console genres during the late 1980s and 1990s. The company originated in 1983 from the combination of earlier businesses known as TRY Corporation and Communicate, Inc. After operating under the name Sonata, the organization adopted the Human Corporation name in 1989. It subsequently became known in the international games market as Human Entertainment. Human worked across arcade machines, home consoles, handheld systems and personal computers. Its output covered wrestling, association football, tennis, Formula One and other racing games, simulation, action, adventure, horror and strategy. The company's most enduring creation was the Fire Pro Wrestling series, a wrestling franchise recognized for technical match systems, extensive customization and a strong following in Japan. Other sports series, including Formation Soccer and Final Match Tennis, established Human as a prolific maker of genre-focused games rather than a publisher tied to one platform or one property. The company also pursued more experimental projects. Dance Aerobics, released in 1987, is often identified as an early music-rhythm game and used a specialized exercise mat as part of its play concept. Human's horror and suspense work included Clock Tower and Twilight Syndrome. Its 1998 PlayStation title Mizzurna Falls is associated with an early form of open-world 3D adventure design, while The Firemen, SOS and related projects demonstrated an interest in rescue scenarios and environmental hazards. The company also developed retail-management simulations such as The Conveni and The Drug Store, licensed and media-related games, and a range of arcade and console sports titles. Human supplemented its internal development structure with Human Creative School, a game-development education division. Students and trainees were involved in projects including the Famicom title Egypt, while the company's internal sound group operated under the name HELP. This combination of commercial production and training made Human an important workplace and learning environment for Japanese game creators. By the end of the 1990s, Human faced serious financial difficulty. On November 1, 1999, it began restructuring negotiations with the Tokyo Hachioji District Court concerning approximately four billion yen in debt. A restructuring proposal included transferring the game-creator school subsidiary. Rights to several important properties, including Fire Pro Wrestling, Twilight Syndrome and Bakusou Dekotora, were transferred to Spike. Human ultimately filed for bankruptcy in January 2000 after restructuring negotiations failed, with reported outstanding debt of approximately 3.79 billion yen as of November 1999. The company then disbanded. Human's influence continued through its former staff and intellectual property. Former employees helped establish or staff companies including Nude Maker, Sandlot, Spike and Grasshopper Manufacture. The company's games therefore remained significant both as individual products and as part of the personnel and creative history of Japanese game development. Some titles were released or published after the bankruptcy, but Human itself is no longer an operating company.

Human Entertainment was founded in Japan in 1983. Its corporate origins lay in two earlier entities, TRY Corporation and Communicate, Inc., which merged as Sonata. The company adopted the name Human Corporation in 1989 and later used Human Entertainment as its business identity in the video game market. During the 1980s and 1990s, Human developed and published games for a wide range of systems, including Nintendo and Super Famicom hardware, PC Engine, Mega Drive, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, WonderSwan, arcade platforms and Windows computers. Its catalog included both original properties and licensed products. The company was particularly active in sports software, producing wrestling, football, tennis, basketball, baseball and Formula One games. Fire Pro Wrestling became its best-known series, while Formation Soccer, Final Match Tennis and Human Grand Prix represented other recurring sports and racing lines. Human also developed projects outside conventional sports categories. Dance Aerobics, released in 1987, is commonly described as one of the earliest music-rhythm games. The company developed the Clock Tower and Twilight Syndrome horror and suspense series, as well as the rescue-oriented The Firemen and SOS, also known as Septentrion. Its PlayStation adventure Mizzurna Falls, released in 1998, used a freely explorable 3D setting and is frequently discussed as an early open-world game. Other projects included retail and business simulations such as The Conveni and The Drug Store, tactical and strategy titles, visual and investigative adventures, and licensed games based on Japanese entertainment properties. The company also maintained an educational and training operation called Human Creative School. The school provided a route for students to participate in game production; Egypt for the Famicom is cited as one example associated with this effort. Human additionally had an internal sound team known as HELP. The organization consequently served not only as a commercial game studio and publisher but also as a training ground for developers, designers and other specialists. Financial problems became decisive near the end of the decade. On November 1, 1999, Human entered restructuring negotiations with the Tokyo Hachioji District Court concerning debt reported at approximately four billion yen. The restructuring arrangement contemplated transferring the game-creator school subsidiary. Rights to several commercially important franchises, including Fire Pro Wrestling, Twilight Syndrome and Bakusou Dekotora, went to Spike during this period. The restructuring effort did not succeed. Human declared bankruptcy in January 2000, with debt reported at approximately 3.79 billion yen as of November 1999, and the company disbanded. A number of former employees subsequently formed or joined new development organizations. Companies associated with former Human personnel included Nude Maker, Sandlot, Spike and Grasshopper Manufacture; notable creator Goichi Suda established Grasshopper Manufacture with former Human members. Human's products and creative legacy continued after dissolution through later releases, reissues, rights holders and the careers of former staff. Its history is therefore important not only for its individual franchises but also for the role it played in the development of Japanese console game culture and the movement of experienced personnel into the next generation of independent studios.

• 2000

  Bankruptcy and dissolution

  [1]Human Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Human declares bankruptcy after unsuccessful restructuring negotiations and disbands.

• 1999

  Restructuring negotiations begin

  [1]Human Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Human begins court-related restructuring negotiations over substantial debt, while selected intellectual-property rights are transferred to Spike.

• 1998

  Mizzurna Falls expands Human's experimental 3D work

  [1]Human Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Human releases Mizzurna Falls for PlayStation, an exploratory 3D adventure associated with early open-world design.

• 1995

  Clock Tower reaches the Super Famicom

  [1]Human Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Human releases Clock Tower for the Super Famicom, establishing a major entry in its horror and suspense portfolio.

• 1989

  The company adopts the Human Corporation name

  [1]Human Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  The organization formerly operating as Sonata changes its name to Human Corporation.

• 1987

  Dance Aerobics introduces an early rhythm-game format

  [1]Human Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Human releases Dance Aerobics for the Nintendo Entertainment System, a title often identified as an early music-rhythm game.

• 1983

  Human's predecessor organization is established

  [1]Human Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org

  Human's corporate history begins with the formation of the organization that would later become Human Corporation and Human Entertainment.

A prolific Japanese multi-platform developer and publisher known for technically distinctive sports games, influential wrestling titles, experimental adventure and horror projects, and a broad late-1980s-to-1990s console portfolio.

• Professional wrestling video game series · 1989

  Fire Pro Wrestling

  Human's signature franchise, Fire Pro Wrestling built its identity around technical wrestling mechanics, timing, grappling and extensive match customization. The series appeared across multiple Japanese platforms and became the company's most recognizable intellectual property. Rights were transferred to Spike during Human's restructuring, allowing the property to continue outside the original company.

• Horror adventure game series · 1995

  Clock Tower

  Clock Tower is Human's best-known horror and suspense property. The games emphasize investigation, vulnerability and pursuit rather than conventional action, and were released on systems including the Super Famicom, PlayStation, Windows and WonderSwan. The series helped establish Human as a developer of atmospheric Japanese horror games.

• Horror and investigative adventure series · 1996

  Twilight Syndrome

  Twilight Syndrome comprises suspense and supernatural investigation games set around contemporary Japanese urban legends and unsettling incidents. Human released entries including Twilight Syndrome: Search, Twilight Syndrome: Investigation and Moonlight Syndrome. Rights to the series were transferred to Spike during Human's financial restructuring.

• Association football video game series · 1990

  Formation Soccer

  Formation Soccer was Human's recurring football series, appearing on PC Engine, Super Famicom, PlayStation and related platforms. Entries used domestic and international football themes, including Human Cup and J.League editions, and formed one of the company's central sports-game lines.

• Tennis video game series · 1991

  Final Match Tennis

  Final Match Tennis and its later Super and Hyper editions represented Human's tennis output. The games were released across PC Engine, Super Famicom and PlayStation platforms, contributing to the company's reputation for accessible but mechanically focused sports software.

• Formula One racing video game series · 1992

  Human Grand Prix

  Human Grand Prix was a Formula One racing line developed for Japanese consoles. It was part of a wider portfolio that also included F1 Pole Position, Fastest 1 and related racing titles, demonstrating Human's interest in licensed or real-world motorsport formats.

• Action and rescue video game series · 1994

  The Firemen

  The Firemen placed players in emergency-response scenarios involving fires, rescue operations and hazardous environments. Its Super Famicom release and PlayStation sequel The Firemen 2: Pete & Danny showed Human's willingness to build action games around unusual professional settings rather than conventional combat.

• 3D adventure game · 1998

  Mizzurna Falls

  Mizzurna Falls is a PlayStation adventure game released in 1998. It is notable for presenting a freely explorable 3D town and an investigation structured around time and location, making it an important example in discussions of early open-world game design.

• Rhythm and exercise video game · 1987

  Dance Aerobics

  Dance Aerobics was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987 and used an exercise-oriented control format. It is frequently cited as one of the earliest music-rhythm video games, preceding the later expansion of rhythm and peripheral-based fitness software.

• Retail-management simulation · 1996

  The Conveni

  The Conveni series simulated the operation and expansion of Japanese convenience-store businesses. Human released multiple entries and editions for PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Windows and other platforms, adding a management and commercial-simulation dimension to its better-known action and sports catalog.

• 2000

  Bankruptcy and company dissolutionOther

  Background

  Court-supervised restructuring negotiations did not produce a viable agreement.

  Action taken

  Human Corporation declared bankruptcy in January 2000 and ceased operations.

  Aftermath

  Former employees went on to establish or join companies including Nude Maker, Sandlot, Spike and Grasshopper Manufacture.

  Source

• 1999

  Human enters restructuring negotiationsStrategy

  Background

  Human faced approximately four billion yen in outstanding debt and began negotiations with the Tokyo Hachioji District Court on November 1, 1999.

  Action taken

  The proposed restructuring included transferring the Human Creative School subsidiary and arranging the transfer of selected game rights to Spike.

  Aftermath

  The restructuring effort failed, and Human later filed for bankruptcy and dissolved.

  Reported outstanding debt. Approximately 3.79 billion yen as of November 1999 (November 1999)

  Source

• 1999

  Transfer of selected franchise rights to SpikeM&A

  Background

  Human's financial restructuring required measures concerning its intellectual property and corporate assets.

  Action taken

  Rights to Fire Pro Wrestling, Twilight Syndrome and Bakusou Dekotora were transferred to Spike Co., Ltd.

  Aftermath

  The properties continued outside Human after the company's bankruptcy and dissolution.

  Source

1. 1Human Entertainmenten.wikipedia.org