Editing Kanezaka

{{Infobox map
| name = Kanezaka
| image = Kanezaka.jpg
| theme = {{Audio|Kanezaka Theme 1.ogg}} 
| narrator = {{Audio|Athena - Now traveling to Kanezaka.ogg}}
| type = Deathmatch
| location = {{flag|jp}} [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]
| terrain = Traditional town center
| releaseDate = 2021-01-12
| availableModes = Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Bounty Hunter, Custom Games
}}
'''Kanezaka''' is a [[Arcade|Deathmatch]] map for ''[[Overwatch|Overwatch 2]]''. It was released on January 12, 2021, making it the 32nd [[Maps|map]] added to the game. 

==Description==

Savor the sights of Kanezaka, a quiet town nestled in the shadow of [[Hanamura]] and the site of the newest team Deathmatch map. During your visit, cuddle up at the [[Cat Café]], check out [[Mochi’s Pottery Workshop]], drop by [[Tora no Sumika]] (the local bar), or simply stroll down the streets and enjoy the ambience.<ref>2021-01-13, [https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/kanezaka-challenge/ Kanezaka Challenge]. ''Play Overwatch'', accessed on 2021-01-13</ref>

==Background==

Located in [[Japan]], Kanezaka is a quiet area that straddles tradition and modernity. Weathered wooden buildings and a Shinto shrine guarded by solemn stone foxes border the bustle of a high-rise cityscape that trickles into the town proper.<ref name = "NextStop">2021-01-19, [https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/news/23609156/next-stop-kanezaka/ NEXT STOP: KANEZAKA]. ''Blizzard Entertainment'', accessed on 2021-01-27</ref> Much of its economy is kept afloat by tourism&mdash;people will come in by train, partake in the town's good and services, and then leave come nightfall.<ref name = "Correspondence"/> It regularly celebrates the [[End of Summer Festival]] and the [[Fox Festival]].<ref name="Yokai" /><ref name = "KirikoCinematic">''[[Kiriko (animated short)|Kiriko]]''</ref>

Kanezaka is located on the banks of a river, within range of a port.<ref name = "Yokai"/>

===History===
Kanezaka's history goes back hundreds of years, into Japan's feudal period. Centuries ago, the villagers supplied [[Shimada clan|Shimada]] soldiers with the rice that kept them fighting and grew the famous Shimada peach, a source of pride for the clan. At one point, a rival clan attempted to burn the village under the cover of a fireworks festival, hoping to divide and ambush the Shimada in the Kanezaka orchards. However, the Shimada deployed their full might to render aid to the villagers and made short work of their rivals.<ref name = "Yokai">''[[Yōkai (short story)|Yōkai]]''</ref>

Following the death of [[Sojiro Shimada]] and the disappearance of his heirs [[Hanzo]] and [[Genji]], the village fell under the control of the ruthless [[Hashimoto clan]], which has used violence and blackmail to extort money from residents for twelve years.<ref name = "Correspondence"/> People closed their shops early because of them&mdash;while tourists were told it was because of tradition, in reality, it was because the town was no longer safe after dark.<ref name = "Yokai"/>

In recent times, the Hashimoto's demands have increased, which has led to more vicious abuses as punishment for missed payments. Over the last few months, shipments of Hashimoto contraband went missing. Hashimoto men were badly beaten or robbed when returning from their rounds, and messages painted in bright colors started to appear before they were quickly painted over. But these anti-Hashimoto vigilantes, known as the [[Yōkai (group)|Yōkai]], were just as quick to disappear as they were to attack, and the people of Kanezaka suffered reprisals in their place.<ref name = "Correspondence">2021-01-11, [https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/news/23608156/ CORRESPONDENCE POST FOR TOSHIRO YAMAGAMI]. ''Blizzard Entertainment'', accessed on 20201-01-13</ref>

During [[Null Sector|Null Sector's]] attack on [[Tokyo]], Hanzo visited Kanezaka out of intuition but unexceptionally reunited with [[Toshiro Yamagami]] and [[Kiriko]]. It had been fourteen years since Hanzo left the Shimada, and two years since he [[Dragons|reunited]] with Genji. He later fought against the [[Second Omnic Crisis|omnics]] alongside Kiriko. It is revealed by Toshiro to the captive Hanzo that Kanezaka's current subtle order was maintained by the informant blacksmith inside the Hashimoto, his wife [[Asa Yamagami]] organizing the town order, and his daughter Kiriko with the Yōkai restraining the Hashimoto.<ref name="WhereHonorLives2">''[[Where Honor Lives]]''</ref>

==Gameplay==
{{Stub-section}}
Characters such as [[Ashe]], [[Pharah]], and [[McCree|Cassidy]] shine on the map due to its vertical elements.<ref name="NextStop" /> 

==Known locations==
{{Quote|Most of our favorite places are kept alive thanks to the tourists who delight in visiting quaint old towns such as ours. They eat ice cream from the cat café and burn their yen at the arcade or the new shopping mall [[Toshiro Yamagami|you]] have yet to behold.|[[Asa Yamagami]]}}

*[[Cat Café]]
*[[Gozan Ramen]]
*[[Kanezaka Mall]]
**[[Flamingo]]
*[[Mochi's Pottery Workshop]]
*[[Pachimari FunFun! Arcade]]
*[[Tetsuzan Shrine]]
*[[Tora no Sumika]]
*[[Virtual Travel Agency]]
*[[Yamagami Blades]] (shut down)

==Known Residents==

*[[Kiriko Kamori]]
*[[Asa Yamagami]]
*[[Toshiro Yamagami]] (formerly)
*Mr. [[Yoshida (handyman)|Yoshida]]
*[[Ichiko]]
*[[Kenta]]
*[[Nobuto]]
*[[Ryōta]]
*[[Sakura]]
*[[Yui]]
**[[Mochi]] (pet)

==Development==

Kanezaka began as a FFA experiment by [[Morten Hedegren]], after he was hired by [[Team 4]]. They were so impressed that they made it a full-fledged map. Contextual storytelling was worked into the map's design, including Easter eggs and foreshadowing for ''[[Overwatch 2]]''.<Ref>2020-12-17, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJY_JnSkMrc&t Developer Update | Kanezaka | Overwatch]. ''YouTube'', accessed on 2021-01-27</ref> Much of the map was designed via Zoom meetings due to Covid-19. Daily meetings were held where screenshots were shared.

Hedegren took inspiration from the real world when designing the map; this was present in the map from its conception. Specifically, he took inspiration from Kyoto and Tokyo, specifically the districts of Ikebukuro and Shimokitazawa in the case of the latter. Artist [[Thiago Klafke]] took inspiration from ''Ghost in the Shell'' and ''Akira'' when working on the map, and also relied on Google Maps. [[Fabien Christin]] worked on the city portion of the map, taking inspiration from Japan, which he visited in 2019. A goal in designing the map was to take it feel true to Japan, while also making it new to ''Overwatch''.

Some of the map's buildings came from the story team, while others were at the discretion of the art team.<ref name = "NextStop"/> 

The map was made available via the PTR in December 2020, and was fully released in January of the following year.

==Trivia==
* ''Kanezaka'' (鉄坂) means "Iron Hill."
*A billboard advert on the map features [[Brit]], a [[Heroes#Cut Heroes|cut hero]] from the original ''Prometheus'' project that later became ''[[Overwatch]]''.

==References==
<references/>

{{MapNav}}
[[Category: Cities]]
[[Category: Maps]]