Human Corporation (ヒューマン株式会社) was a Japanese video game developer and publisher founded in 1983. The company produced games for a number of platforms, including home consoles, portable consoles, and personal computers. Human declared bankruptcy in 2000 and disbanded. Its former members went on to form new companies including Nude Maker, Sandlot, Spike, and Grasshopper Manufacture. Originally, the company were two different entities known as TRY Corporation and Communicate, Inc. until the two merged into one as Sonata. The company then changed their name into Human Corporation in 1989 and later started a division called Human Creative School, where their students would start out developing video games. One example of their efforts was for the Famicom game Egypt. In addition, the company also had an in-house sound team known as HELP. The company is known for originating the popular Fire Pro Wrestling series, as well as other sports games such as Formation Soccer and Final Match Tennis, and racing video games such as Human Grand Prix and Fastest 1. They are also known for developing the first music rhythm video game, Dance Aerobics (1987), the 3D open world game Mizzurna Falls (1998), and some early horror games including the Twilight Syndrome and Clock Tower series.

History

On November 1, 1999, Human Corporation began to negotiate restructure with Tokyo Hachiōji district court over the approximately 4 billion yen outstanding debt. As part of the deal, the game creator school subsidiary was to be transferred. At the same time, the rights for the Fire Pro Wrestling series, Twilight Syndrome series, and Bakusou Dekotora series went to Spike Co., Ltd. In January 2000, Human Corporation declared bankruptcy for failing to negotiate for a restructuring deal over the 3.79 billion yen (as of November 1999) outstanding debt. Former Human members went on to form different development teams including Nude Maker, Sandlot, and Spike, and notable member Goichi Suda formed his own company, Grasshopper Manufacture, with former members.

Games

Developed by Human Entertainment

Arcade

Famicom Disk System

Game Boy

Nintendo Entertainment System

Nintendo 64

PC Engine

PC (Windows)

PlayStation

Sega Saturn

Sega CD

Sega Mega Drive (Genesis)

Super NES (Super Famicom)

TurboGrafx-16/Duo/PC Engine

WonderSwan

Published by Human Entertainment

Arcade

Dreamcast

Game Boy

Nintendo 64

TurboGrafx-16/Duo/PC Engine

PC (Windows)

PlayStation

Saturn

Super NES

WonderSwan

In popular media

In the 1993 tokusatsu series Denkou Choujin Gridman, episode 9 "The Fiendish Brainwashing Strategy," the building, classrooms and offices of Human Creative School are used as set for this episode.