SEGA revealed recently that WWE star Asuka, who also goes by Kana, made a surprise visit to SEGA headquarters in Osaki, Tokyo, where she took an office tour and checked out the SEGA and Atlus offices. Check out the official post down below:
Sonic, Jack Frost And A Sound Studio
SEGA's photos show Asuka in a black SEGA hoodie, throwing up a peace sign next to a statue of Sonic the Hedgehog. Beside Sonic is a statue of Jack Frost, the snowman-like demon from the Megami Tensei series who serves as Atlus' corporate mascot, on a base carrying the Atlus logo. A second shot shows her inside a studio lined with speakers, mixing gear and monitors, next to a grinning SEGA staffer in red glasses.
SEGA's Japanese account posted the news last week, opening with "No explanation is needed for anyone who loves pro wrestling!" and noting that she enjoyed SEGA and Atlus content during the tour. Asuka's own post from the day showed a second Sonic photo, with a SEGA Sammy logo on a neighboring base, and named her guide: Kenji Arai, producer of the arcade racing game Initial D THE ARCADE. "To SEGA headquarters, escorted by Initial D THE ARCADE producer Mr. Arai!" she wrote in Japanese.
An Invite From Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
The visit also included a meeting with Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, a SEGA composer, singer and voice actor who has worked at the company since 1990. Mitsuyoshi wrote and sang the music for Daytona USA, composed for Virtua Fighter 2 and Shenmue, and voices Kage-Maru in Virtua Fighter. His recent credits include "Golden Capital Zone Act 2" in Sonic Superstars and "Reminiscent Mood" in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and he also contributed "Super Sonic" to Initial D THE ARCADE.
After the tour, Mitsuyoshi posted that he had not noticed her SEGA hoodie when they met, said he should have welcomed her in his SEGA jacket, and invited her to eat in the company's staff cafeteria next time. Asuka replied that her wish to eat at the SEGA cafeteria had already leaked, and added that she wants to share a drink there.
Asuka's Gaming Background
Asuka's ties to games go back to before her wrestling career. Kanako Urai worked as a video game journalist, wrote for Xbox Magazine and designed graphics for Nintendo DS games and mobile apps. Microsoft sponsored her, and she wore an Xbox 360 logo on her gear. In 2019, she launched the YouTube channel KanaChanTV, where she posts playthroughs with bilingual English and Japanese commentary alongside lifestyle videos, and in July 2023 she began building her own arcade in Japan.
She has been playable in every WWE 2K game since WWE 2K17, up to WWE 2K26, and she has crossed over into Brawlhalla and Fall Guys. On the wrestling side, she has been away from WWE television since losing to Iyo Sky at Backlash in May, but she remains signed with the company.
What SEGA And Atlus Have Coming Up
Atlus' Metaphor: ReFantazio comes to Nintendo Switch 2 tomorrow, November 12, and SEGA released the Super Monkey Ball Triple Pack on Switch in North America yesterday, bundling Banana Blitz HD, Banana Mania and Banana Rumble on 1 cartridge. In Japan, the Shin Megami Tensei V and V: Vengeance official art book released today, and Atlus designer Masayuki Doi will hold a signing for buyers of the book at SEGA STORE TOKYO on Saturday, November 21.
Atlus is also remaking Persona 4, as covered in PERSONA 4 REVIVAL, A Reimaginging Of Classic RPG, Announced With Reveal Trailer. On the SEGA side, Sonic and other series are headed to streaming, as covered in Sega Partners With Netflix For Crazy Taxi, Sonic, And Stranger Than Heaven Movies And TV Shows.
Which SEGA or Atlus game would you most like to see Asuka play on KanaChanTV after this visit: Initial D, Persona, Yakuza or Sonic?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.