visual novels

A new tool called Kanmaps lets teams build product roadmaps laid out like videogame skill trees, with features branching off one another instead of a linear timeline. The project was shared on Hacker News by its maker, drawing early attention and upvotes from the developer community. Commenters are reacting to the unusual visual metaphor for planning software work.

A French-language interview with researcher Julien Bouvard explores a new book on Japanese popular cultures, covering visual novels, the figure of the emotional boy, melodrama, and an unexpected connection to Proust. The book's co-author shared the conversation on Journal du Japon, drawing modest but genuine interest among readers of manga, games, and Japanese media studies.