Meet Kensuke Imura, CEO of Gagex

Few games capture feelings of nostalgia and calm quite like the Hungry Hearts series, where the delicious meals you cook also tell a story. Since the first game’s release in 2017, Gagex’s Hungry Hearts series has captured millions of players’ attention with its cozy atmosphere, chatty characters, and appetizing recipes.

We were keen to have a chat with Gagex’s CEO, Kensuke Imura, to learn more about the inspirations behind the Hungry Hearts series, along with what’s currently in the works at the studio.

Kensuke Imura: Having grown up with Nintendo’s Famicom (NES) console, game development was a natural progression for me. When I was young I vaguely envisaged it as a future career path, but only took concrete steps toward it after graduating university and working as a company employee for several years.

It wasn't until founding Gagex in 2011 that I was able to create what could truly be called my own original work.

After building my career at a major game publisher, I came to feel like I wanted to create something that I could call my own work, using my own funds, and within my own scope of risk.

I was pondering whether there might be any uniquely interesting projects that felt quintessentially “Gagex” when the idea for Showa Candy Shop struck me. There's an expression in Japanese that describes it best: “天啓を得た” “to receive divine inspiration”.

It was a time filled with happiness and hope for me, and I still feel that way today. We released Hungry Hearts Ramen: Soulful Bowls in 2025, which features a small ramen shop in the Showa era, with the goal of telling stories that reflect the time period and evoke those feelings of nostalgia.

We do this through letting players combine toppings and soups to create new ramen dishes. I hope players are able to savor the heartwarming stories that unfold through this nostalgic establishment.

I don't know. Perhaps it's because everybody gets hungry!

I don't think it has changed significantly. I find that I continue to be conflicted by the same thing– caught between the desire to progress and the desire to remain unchanged.

I keep telling myself, in the immortal words of Bruce Lee: “Don't think, just feel.” Just kidding. I close my eyes, recall those days, and make my choices from there.