BB Media Launches Kototane, an AI Game App Designed to Foster Parent-Child Communication

BB Media Inc., a Tokyo-based company specializing in digital content and experience design, released the AI game app Kototane on May 14, 2026, as a project commemorating its 25th anniversary. Developed under the supervision of speech-language-hearing therapists, the app uses a variety of AI-generated images and simple games to encourage natural communication between parents and children. According to a survey conducted by BB Media in February 2026 among 291 parents aged 20 to 49, 77% said they sometimes find conversations or communication with their children difficult. The most common challenges were not understanding what the child wants to say (38%), receiving only short answers such as “I forgot” or “It was fun” when asking about preschool or kindergarten (37%), and not knowing how to teach children to put their feelings into words (27%). Kototane was developed to help address these communication barriers through creative AI-powered play. By encouraging open-ended conversations without fixed answers, the app creates opportunities for parents and children to exchange words naturally and supports children’s language development. It also includes a feature for recording and reviewing conversations during gameplay, which can be used to observe changes in daily communication or as reference material when seeking advice from a third party. The app further encourages continued use by giving users one daily sticker featuring Kotomoji, characters inspired by hiragana. The app was supervised by two speech-language-hearing therapists. Daiki Kurosawa, who specializes in stuttering therapy and has personal experience with stuttering, noted that Kototane is innovative because generative AI can create an endless supply of new learning materials. He said the app can support tailored interaction, such as avoiding certain sounds or practicing specific sounds, and can also be shared easily in online consultations. Haruno Tanaka, who specializes in language development, said that ongoing practice at home is essential for supporting language development. She hopes the app will help children from preschool through early elementary school experience the joy of expressing themselves through play while connecting specialists and caregivers. Kototane offers four games. Character Maker lets children enter words they like and uses AI to generate characters such as princesses, robots, or monsters, helping connect words with images and expand vocabulary. What Is This? shows children unique AI-generated images and invites them to imagine what the images look like, encouraging free expression because there is no single correct answer. Find the Mystery! asks players to compare three AI-generated images and identify strange or unusual details, building observation and explanation skills. Where Is ___? challenges children to find an illustration matching the prompt within a background image and explain their reasoning, supporting logical thinking and dialogue. BB Media says it aims to contribute to broader social communication by supporting parent-child conversations. The company will continue researching tools that use advanced technologies to provide engaging content and services.