ESP Software

Established to support prominent Japanese developers, the publisher focused heavily on Sega Saturn and PlayStation releases during the late 1990s. This era was defined by the 1997 launches of Grandia, Silhouette Mirage, its promotional Silhouette Mirage [Demo], Slayers Royal, and Maho Gakuen Lunar. These titles, alongside 1998's Gungriffon II, its Gungriffon II [Limited Edition], and the shoot-'em-up Radiant Silvergun, established the company's reputation for handling high-quality genre pieces. Within the broader ecosystem of these releases, they helped secure the financial and operational footing that allowed the publisher to transition into major anime-based adaptations, most notably anchoring their legacy within the Hajime no Ippo franchise.

By managing the distribution of these specific 1997 and 1998 titles, the company fostered close relationships with development studios like Game Arts and Treasure. The success of Grandia and Radiant Silvergun in particular proved the viability of niche, high-concept games, paving the way for the publisher's later specialization in sports and anime adaptations under the Hajime no Ippo banner.