ZENAIM INSIDE STORY is a column project that conveys the appeal of the brand through the project members involved in the ZENAIM gaming gear brand.

Focus Person
Takayuki Yamazaki
Representative of pdc_designworks
ZENAIM KEYBOARD PRODUCT DESIGNER

Born in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture in 1972. Former designer at Honda Technical Research Institute. Utilizing his experience working on hit products such as Ape, Zoomer, and GROM, he established pdc_designworks in 2012. With a broad perspective and a variety of hobbies, he is active not only in industrial design centered on car design, but also in fashion, modeling, DJing, consulting, magazine serialization, and design education activities for companies and students, with the theme of "making people smile."

"floating design" is the most important feature of ZENAIM design

The most distinctive feature of the ZENAIM KEYBOARD product design is the "floating design". When I was first approached about this project, I honestly thought, "The keyboard design is just going to be what it is..." and I was very worried.

I thought that adding a decorative design to differentiate it from other products and make it "ZENAIM-like" would not fit with the brand's concept. So, I had no choice but to go in the direction of stripping away the elements, and I arrived at a design that I named the "floating design," in which only the keyboard and panel appear to float slightly. 

There are various reasons for adopting this design, but I thought that by emphasizing only the minimum functional parts (i.e. the parts that are used) and dedicating the rest to supporting roles, it would create a more refined and solid impression. So I settled on this shape.

The design was inspired by katana, Japanese Samurai sword

We went through a lot of trial and error to bring the "floating design" to life. It's a "MADE IN JAPAN" product, and we were inspired by "Zen (Zen Buddhism)" from the brand name. As we worked out the concept together as a team, we wondered if we could incorporate the uniquely Japanese idea of ​​"Nihondo" (traditional culture) like "Judo" or "Kendo" into the game's worldview. And so, although it may sound cliché, I had an idea to incorporate the concept of "Bushido." I wanted players to hold a MADE IN JAPAN keyboard and take on the battlefield with the spirit of a samurai and pride as a Japanese.

So how do we translate this abstract concept into reality? In order to convey the concept to everyone as a concrete object, I need to express it in terms of an existing object that everyone recognizes. And so, the idea that immediately came to mind was the "Japanese sword." Its dignified appearance, its shape specialized for its purpose, and even the tiny decoration that expresses the identity of its owner all seemed to fit the philosophy of this keyboard and the ZENAIM brand concept, and so the design was put together.

A particular key point is the top panel, which is symbolic of the floating design. By making the top panel, which supports the overall impression of the keyboard, thin with sharp edges, it appears to float clearly, and if we can express this as the mechanism supporting the keys, we thought that it would look different from other keyboards and give off a unique aura.

The other thing is that we "concealed" the design team's slightly crazy passion for development, and deliberately gave it a simple, dignified, "quiet" appearance. We wanted it to not be too noisy when placed on a desk, and even when lit up, it would have a graceful expression. In my mind, the world of gaming gear is "sparkly," "neon," "very stimulating," "uplifting," and "makes you guzzle energy drinks," but I thought that ZENAIM's true potential could be expressed if it exuded an aura of making green tea, drinking a cup to calm your mind, and then saying "Now," and taking on a battle. That's how we ended up with this shape.

For becoming a best teammate for player

As a designer, I think of this keyboard as "not the main character, but rather as a companion to highlight you and help you win on the battlefield."

So I hope you will cherish it for a long time. Just as you regularly maintain a Japanese sword by removing oil with a white cotton, I hope you will enjoy caring for your ZENAIM KEYBOARD as well. In the future, we will also be providing improved after-sales care, such as maintenance and switch replacement, so I hope you will take it with you to the battlefield as your companion.