[Developer’s Story #2] How Natsumi Was Born

It actually took more than twenty years for the story of Miracle Detective to reach its current form.

Some time after I started working as a full-time adult, when I finally had a bit more mental and emotional breathing room, I decided to continue writing an original story I had loved working on since my student days.

At the time, I had no intention of publishing it anywhere. But for the first time, I found myself thinking: “Wouldn’t it be nice if someone else could read this?”

Compared to when I first started writing stories, the internet had grown, social media had become widespread, and there were suddenly far more places where individuals could share what they created. That change probably planted the seed.

I saw unknown creators posting incredibly skilled illustrations, or novels polished enough to feel commercially viable. At the same time, I also saw people sharing unfinished works, or projects that were clearly still rough, yet openly showing them, discussing them, and improving through feedback.

To be honest, I felt a little jealous.

If I’m being even more blunt, I also had this strange confidence that “Surely the story I’m writing deserves more recognition than this.”

Anyone who creates things might recognize this feeling— that small but persistent desire to be seen and acknowledged.

In reality, that fragile sense of confidence was shattered very quickly. The story I quietly released into a corner of the internet passed by unnoticed, without ever truly reaching anyone.

That particular work no longer exists anywhere on my computer. But the protagonist of that story was a girl named Natsumi Higasaki.

Back then, Natsumi was different from the “Nacchan” who appears in Miracle Detective today— her age and personality weren’t the same. But her vivid red hair, and her talent for naturally stepping into other people’s hearts, were already there.

I liked how her name sounded. From that point on, she began appearing again and again— sometimes as a protagonist, sometimes a heroine, sometimes a supporting character—in many of the stories I wrote.

As I absorbed the things I was interested in at the time—the books I read, the movies I watched— Natsumi took on many forms. Sometimes she was a student, sometimes an adult woman, sometimes a police officer, and at one point, even a pilot of a giant robot.

But no matter the setting, one thing never changed. She was always bright, forward-looking, loved by others, and acted with genuine care for the people around her.

About five years after she was first born as a character, Natsumi began to take on a role where she possessed a mysterious power— struggling with it, yet still choosing to move forward in life.

Watching her wrestle with the question of who she was, and who she wanted to become, felt uncomfortably close to my own feelings.

Over time, I found myself no longer just writing her story, but searching for her happiness. Thinking about her future began to overlap with how I thought about my own.

As someone who might love her—and be loved by her in return— I created a boy named Kotaro Mochizuki. Like her, he took on many forms across different stories, always walking close by her side, never too far away.

Yes—Miracle Detective is a story about Natsumi Higasaki searching for happiness. And beside her walks Kotaro Mochizuki.

I’m genuinely looking forward to discovering what kind of ending awaits them.

In the next developer note, I’d like to talk about how Miracle Detective eventually became a mystery adventure game. If this behind-the-scenes story interested you, I’d be very happy if you joined me again next time.