Game creator: Sega's Morio Kishimoto
Memorable Games
He broke through with speed. He admired Sonic, who made the world his ally.
When I was developing arcade games, Sonic the Hedgehog was released by SEGA. I tried out just one level at an event venue and was surprised by how pop, stylish, and unique the game was.
At the time, many companies were trying to make games like Nintendo's Mario series, but this game came out like a comet, sticking to the rule of speed and breaking through with a single breakthrough. That looping thing is incredibly original, isn't it?
Moreover, the main character, Sonic, is cool and stylish. Before I knew it, the character's popularity in the West was on par with Mario and Mickey Mouse. I admired Sonic because he didn't pander to the absolute champion, but stood up as a counter. I had a special attachment to him, so when Sammy, where I was working, was going to merge with Sega and there was talk of me being transferred, I negotiated, saying, "I'll do it if I can join the Sonic team." And so, I was lucky enough to be able to infiltrate the main castle.
It took more than 15 years from then until we made Sonic Frontier. After I transferred, I didn't think at all about using the experience I had gained from working on arcade games. Sonic Team is a god-level team that excels at creating Sonic. I thought it would be difficult to propose the best product unless I adapted to that culture.
However, while I was able to absorb my previous companies within five years, there was a huge amount to absorb at SEGA, and it took a while before I felt I could compete in my own way. The crystallization of that was Sonic Forces. Then, I decided to take on the challenge next time, and served as director for Sonic Frontier. What I valued was the vision. I would be happy if you could realize what kind of vision I had by playing the game.
I'm always thinking about what makes a fun game. Movies are just something you watch, novels are just something you read, and roller coasters are just something you ride, but games are the only medium where you can place your alter ego in the story and control it. Since games are entertainment that gives you the weapon of an alter ego, I'm always thinking about what the pinnacle of that is.
I like to surprise people, so I want to constantly subvert their expectations. Now that our users' standards are high, I want to create something that exceeds their expectations while also subverting them.
Kishimoto's masterpiece
Sonic Frontier (2022)
Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007)
