Takii Noame, a Japanese indie game developer known for creating yuri visual novels, has recently announced a delay in the release of their latest project. This decision stems from challenges they’ve faced in receiving earnings from previous games released on Steam. The problem appears to be rooted in domestic banks declining to process international transfers from their publisher.
Takii Noame is the mind behind the adult-oriented Ne No Kami series, which consists of two titles, as well as the all-ages Watamari series, currently featuring one game with a forthcoming (now delayed) sequel. Both series are distributed worldwide on Steam by Sekai Project.
The developer explained that recent enhancements in international bank transfer screenings—implemented to combat money laundering and similar activities—prompted their bank, SBI Shinsei Bank, to request documentation regarding their transactions. After providing the necessary paperwork, the bank concluded that “part of the revenue was linked to adult-oriented (yuri) content” and refused to process the transfers. Takii Noame confirmed this rejection via a phone call.
Subsequently, the developer requested their publisher to attempt transferring only the proceeds from their all-ages Steam games (the newer Watamari series) through Japan Post Bank. Despite another screening and documentation request, this effort was also denied. Japan Post bank did not specify a reason for the rejection, leading Takii Noame to label the decision a “mystery” due to the absence of adult content.
The developer has been working to resolve this issue for the past month. Recently, they managed to open an account at a different bank and receive international transfers from their publisher, albeit in limited amounts. “Currently, not only am I unable to receive revenue from past titles, but I’m also facing a situation where even revenue from new releases won’t reach me, so this has become my top priority,” they shared on X. As a result, they have postponed the launch of Watamari Part 2 – A Fake Marriage?, originally scheduled for August, by two months.
The problem of adult game developers in Japan facing financial exclusion by banks has been a growing concern recently, with various banks involved in nearly every instance. Indie creators and studios such as Ren, Mousou no Mayu, and Nupuryu have reported similar issues, with blocked income often accompanied by tax complications.