Irem's Kazuma Kujo forms new company

Developer Kazuma Kujo has left R-Type publisher Irem to form a new company named Granzella, where he is already planning to create new titles.

Kujo left Irem after new Bumpy Trot (aka Steambot Chronicles) and Zettai Zetsumei Toshi (aka SOS: The Final Escape/Disaster Report) titles were both cancelled, the latter as a result of sensitivities over the 2011 earthquake disaster.

Granzella is based in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture and was formed in April of this year, according to information on the official website, as translated by Andrisang.

The CEO of the new company is Tsuyoshi Nagura, with its area of business described as "planning, production and sales of consumer game software".

Earlier in the week the news had been hinted at by PlatinumGames' Atsuhi Inaba, who claims to greatly respect Kujo as a creator. Whether there is likely to be any business collaborations between the two is unclear.