The story behind Keith Courage

[Arkhan Asylum]

So really,  who the fuck came up with turning Wataru into Keith Courage?

Does anyone know, or have interviews/stories about it?

I just want to know what prompted them to turn a like 9 year old kid into a 45 year old with a mullet, wearing paintball armor.

They could have done so much better with the naming.

They could have just called it Alphaman, Alphaknight, or anything that sounded cool as fuck.

and then draw him in his full getup instead of a halfassed motocross suit with a toy lightsaber.


what the fuck.


I like the game alot, but what the fuck lol.  Its so stupid.


and why is he posing like Bender at the end of The Breakfast Club? 

[Michirin9801]

According to this article with interviews: https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/225466/stalled_engine_the_turbografx16_.php
which is a pretty good read might I add,  they've done it to appease their big boss at the time, whose name was Keith... Not sure about the extra details you ask about though...

[DragonmasterDan]

So really,  who the fuck came up with turning Wataru into Keith Courage?

Does anyone know, or have interviews/stories about it?

I just want to know what prompted them to turn a like 9 year old kid into a 45 year old with a mullet, wearing paintball armor.

They could have done so much better with the naming.

They could have just called it Alphaman, Alphaknight, or anything that sounded cool as fuck.

and then draw him in his full getup instead of a halfassed motocross suit with a toy lightsaber.

Besides Westerners lack of familiarity with Wataru, If they kept it as is there may have been licensing issues from Sunrise. So at least from a packaging perspective they tried to adapt it.

[turboswimbz]

NEC American side shit the bed all day long the Japan side did little about it.  This is what happens when you leave it up to a bunch of people from Chicago to handle anything.    .  All kidding aside it was clearly "video game and marketing people" who thought they had to be different and knew better.  Following stereotypes, they are hilarious now as they were then.

If they had just kept the PC engine design, and only changed the logo life would have been so much better.

I've though about this so much, I am working on a redesign of the artwork and such, in a "what could have been" way.  hind sight is 20/20 but it'd still be cool to reimagine it!

[PukeSter]

Keith courage was boring and repetitive either way. But I guess it was a pack in since it was a 1st party game.

Those who want a less shitty version with excellent level design need to check out Momotaro katsugeki. Highly recommended

[Gypsy]

I'd think Dan is right that they had to change it in some way due to licensing.

NEC American side shit the bed all day long the Japan side did little about it.  This is what happens when you leave it up to a bunch of people from Chicago to handle anything.    .  All kidding aside it was clearly "video game and marketing people" who thought they had to be different and knew better.  Following stereotypes, they are hilarious now as they were then.

If they had just kept the PC engine design, and only changed the logo life would have been so much better.

Yeah, back then it couldn't be that people wanted stuff as close to the source material as possible. It was the age of heavily cut/edited films and mangled box art.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Besides Westerners lack of familiarity with Wataru, If they kept it as is there may have been licensing issues from Sunrise. So at least from a packaging perspective they tried to adapt it.

Right but how did we arrive at 40 year old with a mullet in hockey pads?

They basically turned him into a super hero you see at the dentist or some shit, lol.

[ToyMachine78]

If they had just kept the PC engine design, and only changed the logo life would have been so much better.

I love the look and design of the TG16, aside from one controller, and only RF out. It was a black sexy beast.

With CD player attached however, it looks wonky. It reminds me of a Klingon warship lol.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I don't mind the TGs design, but I don't understand why they made it the way they made it.  It makes little sense outside of the whole "bigger is better" thing.


Color wise, the Black/Orange setup was pretty tight, though.

[turboswimbz]

Color wise, the Black/Orange setup was pretty tight, though.

Picture a nice black/orange coregrafx like set up for the TG-16.  woulda been nice.  IMO anyway. 

Bigger would have been fine too if they added another controller port.

[Arkhan Asylum]

what would have been tight is if they made the IFU a doublestack like MegaDrive+CD model 1

You could put the CD on top.  Since the HuCards slide in a slot, you'd only need to have exposed a bit to get your cards in/out, and get your fingers in there too.

We would have had basically a Gamecube sized setup.

Way to fuck that one up, guys.

[DragonmasterDan]

They basically turned him into a super hero you see at the dentist or some shit, lol.

Well Captain Colgate is a hard act to follow.

[Gredler]

Did someone say hockey pads??? Where, I don't see them.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I said it, just making fun of how doofy he looks



And then there's shit like this

How is he in that suit.

What are his legs doing?

Is he just sitting indian style in that thing?


They went through all that trouble to get a comic, and they called it the dumbest thing ever, lol.

The comic style they were emulating basically dictates that you are *something*Man, or *really cool name*

Alphaman, Novaman, anything like that would have been cool.

You've got shit like Gambit, Cyclops, Venom, Spiderman, Deadshot, Cloak, Dagger, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Human Torch, Galactus, etc.   The names all sound cool.

there's a reason its not "Peter Parker in Spider Zones"

It sounds stupid.

"Bruce Banner in Angry Zones", lol.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Besides Westerners lack of familiarity with Wataru, If they kept it as is there may have been licensing issues from Sunrise. So at least from a packaging perspective they tried to adapt it.

Right but how did we arrive at 40 year old with a mullet in hockey pads?

They basically turned him into a super hero you see at the dentist or some shit, lol.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Captain Novolin's fuckin sidekick ,lol

[ClodBusted]

"Bruce Banner in Angry Zones", lol.

I want that to happen.

[SignOfZeta]

The real question is why they went with this game at all.

I don't think licensing issues were a problem. If they were then simply changing the name and leaving all the very recognizable graphics wouldn't be enough to get you out of that problem.

[NecroPhile]

Like already mentioned, the name was changed because nobody in NA knew what Watura was.  The reason it's such a dumb name and has derpy art is the same reason almost all the US games had crappy art: amateur hour marketing peeps.

[DragonmasterDan]

The real question is why they went with this game at all.

I don't think licensing issues were a problem. If they were then simply changing the name and leaving all the very recognizable graphics wouldn't be enough to get you out of that problem.

I know at least other publishers have had issues using the actual Japanese art on the outside of the packaging without paying additional royalties. This was at least partly responsible for some of the bizarre and hideous cover arts we saw in the 80s and early 90s.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Like already mentioned, the name was changed because nobody in NA knew what Watura was.  The reason it's such a dumb name and has derpy art is the same reason almost all the US games had crappy art: amateur hour marketing peeps.

Reminds me of this one Keith Apicary turbo thing where he's like YOURE SOME GUY NAMED WHAT ARE YOU


I wish we had a time machine to go back and sit in on the brainstorming session for this game.

Packing in Bravoman would've been a better move, I think.

[LostFlunky]

Shitty artwork wasn't limited to the TG16 - so we can't really claim victim status on this one.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Yeah, the difference is, Megaman wasn't a pack-in launch title.  The NES was already fuckin butts by the time Megaman rolled around.

Turbo launched with Keith, lol.

Its like running out the gate at a track meet, and tripping over your shoes immediately.

[NecroPhile]

Even worse, it's like tripping because you intentionally tied your shoes thinking it was a good idea.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Even worse, it's like tripping because you intentionally tied your shoes thinking it was a good idea.

IF I TIE MY FEET TOGETHER, THEY WILL WORK IN PERFECT UNISONNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.

I AM UNSTOPPABLEEEEEEEEEE

[DragonmasterDan]

Shitty artwork wasn't limited to the TG16 - so we can't really claim victim status on this one.

[Arkhan Asylum]

We got the worst USA art ever.

At least CF2's is sort of funny.  It looks like a 12 year old drew it, but it's at least... accurate still?

[LostFlunky]

I went back and read the comic again. 

Aside from the stupid names (B.A.D and N.I.C.E.), the artwork and plot aren't that bad...

I think the real issue is the way they drew KC's face.  If they had given him a face like Ken or Joe from Gatchaman, it probably would have worked.  Instead they went for the 1960's 'Mighty Hercules' look and it sucks.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I went back and read the comic again. 

Aside from the stupid names (B.A.D and N.I.C.E.), the artwork and plot aren't that bad...

I think the real issue is the way they drew KC's face.  If they had given him a face like Ken or Joe from Gatchaman, it probably would have worked.  Instead they went for the 1960's 'Mighty Hercules' look and it sucks.

Exactly.  His face is stupid looking.   That combined with the corny ass names is just stupid.

Were they trying to appeal to kids? 

If that were the case, UH, they could have just used Wataru, since it already did that...

Instead we got Captain Alphamullet.

[SignOfZeta]

The real question is why they went with this game at all.

I don't think licensing issues were a problem. If they were then simply changing the name and leaving all the very recognizable graphics wouldn't be enough to get you out of that problem.

I know at least other publishers have had issues using the actual Japanese art on the outside of the packaging without paying additional royalties. This was at least partly responsible for some of the bizarre and hideous cover arts we saw in the 80s and early 90s.

This explains nothing. So you had to use new art, get another artist. The US has thousands upon thousands of artists. Look at all the record albums and book covers and toys and whatever, sure, almost every one of them is terrible compare to anything involving the graphic arts because Japan is way ahead of everyone on that but the US version of the debut Pink Lady album doesn't look like shit so why do all these video games? There was NOBODY in my 12th grade art classes that would make something like the Mega Man 1 cover.

[DragonmasterDan]

This explains nothing. So you had to use new art, get another artist. The US has thousands upon thousands of artists. Look at all the record albums and book covers and toys and whatever, sure, almost every one of them is terrible compare to anything involving the graphic arts because Japan is way ahead of everyone on that but the US version of the debut Pink Lady album doesn't look like shit so why do all these video games? There was NOBODY in my 12th grade art classes that would make something like the Mega Man 1 cover.

This is more of a general question of "Where on Earth did they find the people who drew this video game covers in America and who thought these were good ideas for box art?". I suspect people in charge of packaging at a bunch of Video Game publishers said things like "Hey, my son made a great art project. It's on the fridge. I bet he could draw a guy exploring a dungeon" but we'll never know if they simply found the most inept professional illustrators around, or it was the work of family and friends of those in charge.

[spenoza]

I actually like the Dungeon Explorer box art. It just looks heavily stylized.

[DragonmasterDan]

I actually like the Dungeon Explorer box art. It just looks heavily stylized.

Quite frankly it looks like Napoleon Dynamite drew it and left out drawing him looking at a Liger.

It's stylized, but it's not a style I appreciate.

[Arkhan Asylum]

It looks like when children draw humans, and its all fucked up.

I used to draw arms coming out of heads because I didn't understand what a body was apparently.


SOME of the USA art isn't awful, but generally still blows compared to the JP ones.

China Warrior was pretty OK.    In some ways, it was better than the PCE one since the PCE one is just electro-brucelee standing looking fuckin jacked.

The Turbo one at least kind of depicts what the game is, and the color choices are actually pretty nice.

but, Ballistix is a good example of what art SHOULD have looked like.

There were plenty of those kinds of artists around back then.


Look at the D&D books from back then.   That stuff would have been perfect for Dungeon Explorer.

[Gypsy]

The real question is why they went with this game at all.

I don't think licensing issues were a problem. If they were then simply changing the name and leaving all the very recognizable graphics wouldn't be enough to get you out of that problem.

I know at least other publishers have had issues using the actual Japanese art on the outside of the packaging without paying additional royalties. This was at least partly responsible for some of the bizarre and hideous cover arts we saw in the 80s and early 90s.

This explains nothing. So you had to use new art, get another artist. The US has thousands upon thousands of artists. Look at all the record albums and book covers and toys and whatever, sure, almost every one of them is terrible compare to anything involving the graphic arts because Japan is way ahead of everyone on that but the US version of the debut Pink Lady album doesn't look like shit so why do all these video games? There was NOBODY in my 12th grade art classes that would make something like the Mega Man 1 cover.

Heh. Yeah there is good US art out there but it sure af wasn't on video games in the late 80s/early 90s for the most part.

[CrackTiger]

The Dungeon Explorer art is at least stylized. CF2 is just awkward and amature looking.

[SignOfZeta]

Yeah, DE is clearly an actual piece of something. It's not failing at anything, that's what they were going for. I have no problems with it.

[Psycho Punch]

This is more of a general question of "Where on Earth did they find the people who drew this video game covers in America and who thought these were good ideas for box art?". I suspect people in charge of packaging at a bunch of Video Game publishers said things like "Hey, my son made a great art project. It's on the fridge. I bet he could draw a guy exploring a dungeon" but we'll never know if they simply found the most inept professional illustrators around, or it was the work of family and friends of those in charge.

I got a feeling that this was a combination of clueless japanese management assigned by nepotism plus someone pocketing money from the package art department.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I got a feeling that this was a combination of clueless japanese management assigned by nepotism plus someone pocketing money from the package art department.

wat? lol.

[LostFlunky]

Now would be a good time to point out that the Atari releases for the 2600 had amazing art. Further to Zeta's point, it was quite possible in the 70's and 80's to produce good art.  It wasn't a question of talent or locality, it was a question of terrible choices...

Arkhan brought up Ballistix - the art was already around for almost 10 years when it was used on the TG16 game and had already been used on a book cover and an album cover...

[Arkhan Asylum]

Now would be a good time to point out that the Atari releases for the 2600 had amazing art. Further to Zeta's point, it was quite possible in the 70's and 80's to produce good art.  It wasn't a question of talent or locality, it was a question of terrible choices...

Arkhan brought up Ballistix - the art was already around for almost 10 years when it was used on the TG16 game and had already been used on a book cover and an album cover...

yeah. 

Boris Vallejo was around for art, too.

There was honestly no excuse for the dumb that transpired on many of these game's box arts.

[Phase]

Hey I got an idea guys.. I like Kieth Courages art so much, let's make a pack in poster with KC and some other generic characters. Make sure we add Dick Tracy, Dinosaurs and the Devil! Kids love that stuff.. oh don't forget Baseball... have a player yelling sports for sports games. Bring the Kieth art down to two colors so he blends in. Add checkers and small screen shots from our games!!!

[seieienbu]

I always thought Cosmic Fantasy 2's art wasn't exactly bad but instead was intentionally trying to look like Science Fiction artwork from the 70s.  It looks more dated than inept to me.

And as mediocre as Keith Courage is, I still vastly prefer it to Altered Beasts.

[ToyMachine78]

I think KCs art is better than most. He looks pretty stupid, but at least it was hand drawn. Many look like they were created in Corel with clip art.

[Psycho Punch]

I got a feeling that this was a combination of clueless japanese management assigned by nepotism plus someone pocketing money from the package art department.

wat? lol.

It was 2 in the morning for me when I wrote that message.

[johnnykonami]

We got the worst USA art ever.

At least CF2's is sort of funny.  It looks like a 12 year old drew it, but it's at least... accurate still?

DE is so painfully generic but now when I look at it I wonder if it was more ineptitude or rather some misguided attempt at evoking cubism?  Whether or not the style was intentional, it doesn't get me pumped for exploring dungeons.

[LostFlunky]

DE is so painfully generic but now when I look at it I wonder if it was more ineptitude or rather some misguided attempt at evoking cubism?  Whether or not the style was intentional, it doesn't get me pumped for exploring dungeons.

I don't get why the warrior is so much bigger than everyone else... And why are they glowing?

[Arkhan Asylum]

I think KCs art is better than most. He looks pretty stupid, but at least it was hand drawn. Many look like they were created in Corel with clip art.

The art isn't bad.  You're right on that, but,... he still looks like an idiot.

It's like a comic you see on the back of a cereal box that you got at the dollar store.

[Arkhan Asylum]

also, Dungeon Explorer looks like a Styx cover band's album cover.

[xcrement5x]

Any art that gets people to talk about it could be considered to be serving its purpose ;)

I think DE looks odd but yeah, it seems to have a particular "style" that isn't too off putting though.