Face it Japan, Microsoft is not going to give up. And the recent release of Blue Dragon is just fueling the fire. Sure, it's not getting Dragon Quest launch numbers (or even Love and Berry DS), but it's a start. A solid one at that! Earlier this week, we had an opportunity to pick the brain of Microsoft's Hees Kyung, the Global Product Manager for Blue Dragon. What did we learn? Even after a rocky first year for the 360 in Japan, Microsoft is not backing down. What Hees Kyung had to say about the company's chances in Japan after the jump. Brian Ashcraft

KOTAKU: So, how important is Blue Dragon for the 360's success in Japan?

HEES KYUNG: We believe that Blue Dragon will be a key driver in console adoption and establishing more credibility in Japan, and this gives us an ability to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the market and our partners. RPGs are adored in Japan, and we hope that our efforts to create culturally-relevant content continues to pave the way for our partners to build more trust in our ability to offer great content to Japanese consumers.

K: Sure, RPGs are adored, but what's Blue Dragon's appeal?

HK: Blue Dragon has a tremendous appeal to gamers around the world who want to experience a true, next-gen RPG. The game offers a unique battle system never before seen with the use of "shadows" and a deep, compelling storyline. Japanese consumers have strong affinity toward the art style of Akira Toriyama, but a uniquely compelling visual resulting from the perfect combination of realistic environments and anime-style characters warrants the wide acceptance of gaming enthusiasts from all over the world.

K: And with the game reaching #2 on Famitsu's Most Wanted list, there seems to be great interest in the title. It seems like it is reaching that wider audience. What's the mood there regarding this?

HK: We are totally stoked about the news! This is a clear indication that despite the challenges associated with being in a genre occupied by well-established franchises, we can expect Blue Dragon to drive blockbuster-level excitement in Japan.

K: There has been a lot of focus on how the 360 is doing in Japan. Why? I mean, is Japan really that important?

HK: We are committed to Japan for the long run, and titles like Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey from Hironobu Sakaguchi are important in our efforts to establish credibility around Xbox 360 in the market. This has helped us to receive overwhelming support from third-party publishers that are willing to develop more games for our platform to be successful not only in Japan, but also in the US and the rest of the world. Words can't describe how serious we are about Japan, but I think Japan plays an important role in helping us to be the market leader worldwide.

K: So then, what is Microsoft's goal for Japan?

HK: Continue to deliver great games for Xbox 360!

K: But with two new, domestic consoles just launched here in the region, do you still think there's a chance for the 360 to gain lost ground?

HK: Microsoft provides a choice for our consumers. For example, this holiday season we'll have nearly 110 games for Xbox 360 in Japan, many of which have great online features. This is in addition to Xbox Live and many accessories that enhance the gaming experience, and if consumers want to jump into HD-DVD, we have that as well. So at the end of the day, when consumers think about which console to buy in order to get the most value and variety of offerings, we hope their choice is Xbox 360.

K: In closing, you're the Global Product Manager. What's the big picture?

HK: While the expectation is that Blue Dragon will become a key platform driver in Japan and Asia, we have to keep in mind that games like Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey will contribute to the growth and diversification of the Microsoft Game Studios portfolio, and this has a significant bearing in the West. In many ways, Blue Dragon sets the bar for next-gen RPGs, and we hope expand this title beyond Japan to let many RPG enthusiasts around the world experience one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2007.