Yoichi Erikawa Co-Founded Koei in 1978, originally a chemical company. Making video games was just a hobby of his, but then he developed Nobunaga's Ambition in 1983, and his employees liked it so much, the company decided to publish it. Nobunaga's Ambition won award after award in Japan, and became Japan's top game in that year as a #1 seller. He then turned the company into a game studio and used the name "Kou Shibusawa" as his game developing alias (similar to Koei's Eiji Fukuzawa). He is best known for producing and designing games in Koei's Historical simulation series of games and their World War Series of games. Today is is still at Koei producing games. He was the president of the company at one time, but stepped down to produce games again. He is still an adviser to the board of directors.