t takes time for great gaming minds to emerge -- especially in Japan. Most game company employees have years of higher education behind them and their love of games is secondary to their jobs. Every once in a while, though, you'll see the story of a low-level employee in one of those companies who bands together with some coworkers to create a game on their own time. While that title may not make much of an initial dent in the industry, it could lead to a promising career making games and respect from fans and executives alike. This is one of those stories.

Grasshopper Manufacture Inc. (GHM) is a game company buried in Tokyo, just like so many other modest developers. Most gamers know of Grasshopper because of cross platform hit Killer 7 and, more recently, its new Nintendo DS RPG Contact. The company has built its reputation on producing rich, involving "adult" games -- another way of saying bizarre, confusing and even vulgar at times.

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