The moniker “MAXD 04” refers to the fourth project produced by the indie studio (commonly abbreviated as MAXD). Founded in 2015 by a trio of former university classmates—Mika Tanaka, Akira Fujiwara, and Diego Alvarez—MAXD set out to blend Japanese aesthetic motifs with Western indie sensibilities. Their earlier releases, such as Pixel Garden and Neon Drift , were praised for their tight controls and evocative art styles, but Sakura Sakurada: The Dog Game marked a decisive turn toward narrative experimentation.