"You're getting so stiff!"
A scene from massage parlour "Love in Heart" played on the screen. A massage girl spoke sexily as she rubbed the protagonist's back. Kitagawa watched the screen with a serious expression, taking notes. Nagoshi and Kikuchi sat beside her, feeling uncomfortable.
"Does this massage salon offer any sexual services?"
"No, just totally normal massages."
"Then why is there a pink effect over it? Could it be no colour other than pink?"
One by one, Kitagawa pointed out the areas in the game where what it depicted may become problematic. She left for Sega as a representative of SCE. In order to protect the PS2's brand image, she needed to make perfectly sure that the depictions of violence and indecency would be of a moral standard fit for the public. It was only natural for her pointers to be tough.
As Kikuchi exchanged words with Kitagawa, he racked his brains to try to figure out how far they could take it but have it remain morally acceptable. And since she was a woman, he was unable to hide his confusion.
"Uh... Would it be bad to show her underwear here?"
"Why her underwear? Would you tell me the intention or necessity behind showing the player her underwear here?"
"Would you rather we pixellate it, or would that not work?"
"Pixellation is even worse!"
What received the harshest criticism was the scene in which a young girl witnesses the scene of a murder.
The protagonist opens the door of a bar and sees several slaughtered people lying dead. The screen is filled with blood... In the corner a girl sits hunched up, trembling. Her brow furrowed, Kitagawa asked, "What is the aim of this scene?"
Kazuma Kiryu, the legendary yakuza, and Haruka, the girl who holds the key.
This is the most important scene of all, showing the first meeting between the two who are to eventually foster a bond.