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Interview:Nintendo Power October 2005 (view source)
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At DigiPen, I spent two intense years studying the theory and technique of CG animation. But that wasn't all I learned – I also studied how to communicate in the uniquely North American way! Here's what I mean: In Japanese culture, it's customary to think that if you state your opinion, you may alienate someone and make them uncomfortable; but in Canada during my studies, I really needed to learn how to be comfortable with saying exactly what I was thinking, then listening very carefully to their response. In those days, I really learned my ability to communicate – and even debate! – with others without feeling like I was starting a battle. Not so easy when you've grown up in Japan! Of course, picking up English during my stay in Canada was challenging and valuable as well. While I wasn't rolling in cash while I was in Vancouver, I gained a precious treasure of experience while I was in that beautiful city. Little did I know that all of that life experience would add up to a career in character creation someday!<br><br> | At DigiPen, I spent two intense years studying the theory and technique of CG animation. But that wasn't all I learned – I also studied how to communicate in the uniquely North American way! Here's what I mean: In Japanese culture, it's customary to think that if you state your opinion, you may alienate someone and make them uncomfortable; but in Canada during my studies, I really needed to learn how to be comfortable with saying exactly what I was thinking, then listening very carefully to their response. In those days, I really learned my ability to communicate – and even debate! – with others without feeling like I was starting a battle. Not so easy when you've grown up in Japan! Of course, picking up English during my stay in Canada was challenging and valuable as well. While I wasn't rolling in cash while I was in Vancouver, I gained a precious treasure of experience while I was in that beautiful city. Little did I know that all of that life experience would add up to a career in character creation someday!<br><br> | ||
When I graduated from the DigiPen Institute of Technology, I wanted to get a job in North America at an animation studio like Pixar. It was my dream to work on a production like the Wallace and Gromit series on a movie like The Nightmare Before Christmas. As it turned out, I applied to only one Japanese company – Nintendo. I'd lived near Nintendo in Kyoto since I was 12 years old, and I'd always loved the Mario-world characters that the company created. I'd always felt a deep connection to Nintendo. I sent my animated short, "OneBigBanana, | When I graduated from the DigiPen Institute of Technology, I wanted to get a job in North America at an animation studio like Pixar. It was my dream to work on a production like the Wallace and Gromit series on a movie like The Nightmare Before Christmas. As it turned out, I applied to only one Japanese company – Nintendo. I'd lived near Nintendo in Kyoto since I was 12 years old, and I'd always loved the Mario-world characters that the company created. I'd always felt a deep connection to Nintendo. I sent my animated short, "OneBigBanana," which had been my DigiPen graduate project, to Nintendo as part of my application. Must have been received well, since I got a position! So off I went again – back to Japan.<br><br> | ||
Truth be told, I'd never been into video games, though I'd grown up surrounded by them. My father worked for a game company, so consoles had always been in our home. I think I first connected with console gaming with the Super NES… possibly with the release of Glory of Hercules III, which was sadly never released in North America. It was an RPG which really made an impact on me. It was the story of a hero who lost his memory and went on a quest with his friends to beat an evil power that destroyed a world; during their journey, they heard about many sad, tragic events caused by the evil forces, which just fueled their vengeance. In the end, the hero confronted the evil, which was surprisingly connected to the hero himself, he atoned for his own sins by carrying heavy rocks to rebuild the world. At that time, I was deeply moved – and quite surprised – by how much video games could create such a range of emotional expression. Again, who could have imagined that such rich experiences would lend themselves to a career at Nintendo?<br><br><br><br> | Truth be told, I'd never been into video games, though I'd grown up surrounded by them. My father worked for a game company, so consoles had always been in our home. I think I first connected with console gaming with the Super NES… possibly with the release of Glory of Hercules III, which was sadly never released in North America. It was an RPG which really made an impact on me. It was the story of a hero who lost his memory and went on a quest with his friends to beat an evil power that destroyed a world; during their journey, they heard about many sad, tragic events caused by the evil forces, which just fueled their vengeance. In the end, the hero confronted the evil, which was surprisingly connected to the hero himself, he atoned for his own sins by carrying heavy rocks to rebuild the world. At that time, I was deeply moved – and quite surprised – by how much video games could create such a range of emotional expression. Again, who could have imagined that such rich experiences would lend themselves to a career at Nintendo?<br><br><br><br> | ||