Summary
- Sakana AI has added new-generation models Namazu and Fugu to its chatbot service, Sakana Chat
- The models specialize in Japanese culture and support vibe coding, letting users create games and apps from text descriptions alone
- Attaching an Excel file lets the system automatically generate charts and draft reports
Two new models named after fish
Tokyo-based Sakana AI has added two new-generation models to its chatbot service, Sakana Chat. Their names are Namazu (catfish) and Fugu (pufferfish) — a naming convention that follows the company's own name, "Sakana," which means "fish" in Japanese.
Sakana AI introduced the new models as being "deeply versed in Japanese culture," and said they enable vibe coding — the recently popular approach where, instead of writing code directly, users describe what they want in words and AI builds a game or app for them. According to the company, ideas ranging from kanji-learning worksheets to a goldfish-catching game can be turned into working results this way.
What's going on here
A day earlier, on August 12, Sakana AI had already teased a robot-fish project called "MECHA FISH" with a preview image. The image carried the caption "in development (開発中)" alongside the subtitle "THE FUTURE OF AUTONOMOUS SHOALING." This ties into the company's expansion of RSI Lab on August 10, when it positioned physical AI as the next frontier of recursive self-improvement. The Namazu/Fugu announcement, by contrast, is on the software side — a generational update to the chatbot models rather than the robotics effort.
Vibe coding is a concept that has spread this year beyond the developer community to general users. It lets people describe requirements in natural language, without programming knowledge, and have AI immediately generate a working result — a trend led by coding tools like Cursor and Lovable. Sakana AI appears to be differentiating itself by bringing this approach into chatbot form and tailoring it specifically to Japanese-language users.
What was shown
The released example images show a screen where an Excel file named "受注詳細_サンプルデータ.xlsx" is attached. Alongside a message suggesting that uploading a spreadsheet turns it into insight, the images show the Namazu model handling everything from data analysis to document creation.
How it can be used
Sakana AI presented two concrete use cases in this announcement.
The first is learning content creation. By simply describing an idea in words to Sakana Chat, users get an immediately usable result. For example, during summer break, a parent could create and solve arithmetic drills with their child right in the browser, or instantly build a kanji-learning game.
The second is business data analysis. According to the company, simply attaching an Excel file is enough to complete everything from chart creation to a draft report. Given its strength in Japanese-language processing, the feature appears aimed at practical document work at Japanese companies.
Details such as how to access the service, pricing plans, and supported countries were not clearly specified in this announcement.
The announcement at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| New models | Namazu (catfish), Fugu (pufferfish) |
| Service | Sakana Chat |
| Key feature | Vibe coding (text-to-game/app generation) |
| Example uses | Kanji drills, goldfish-catching game, Excel analysis and reporting |
| Target users | Japanese-language users, Japanese business settings |
Why it matters
For users seeking a Japanese-specialized AI chatbot, there's now another option for instantly creating learning games or business materials without programming knowledge. In particular, the workflow of pasting in Excel data and getting analysis results back could translate into real time savings for professionals who spend hours on repetitive reporting tasks. The fact that Sakana AI rolled out its robot-fish project and this chatbot model update in the same week suggests the company is trying to expand its presence simultaneously in both software and physical AI.
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