Creator of Kirby says that Americanized elements aren’t what overseas fans of Japanese games are looking for.

As the creator of the Super Smash Bros. and Kirby franchises, Masahiro Sakurai is already one of the most celebrated individuals in the video game industry. Already acknowledged by fans and critics as one of the best in the business, now Sakurai has added the Japanese government to his list of admirers, receiving the prestigious Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize from the Agency for Cultural Affairs in a ceremony held on March 11.

▼ Sakurai, dapperly dressed to accept the award

However, Sakurai wasn’t being honored for his accomplishments as a game director, or at least not directly. Instead the award was bestowed upon him in recognition of Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games, his YouTube channel where he discusses the intricacies of game design in easy-to-understand digestible pieces, all with his trademark friendliness. The series, which ran from 2022 to 2024, is not only entertaining but also incredibly educational, as well as inspiring for anyone interested in pursuing a career in the video game industry, and it’s those societal benefits that the Agency for Cultural Affairs was lauding Sakurai for. “Personally, I think it’s [a] really interesting [turn of events],” said the always affable 54-year-old Sakurai while fielding questions after the ceremony. “I mean, I’ve spent all this time working as a game director, but I was given an award for a YouTube channel. It’s fascinating.”

Of course, said YouTube channel is all about making games (plus sometimes fighting against procrastination), so naturally Sakurai was asked to speak on that topic in the post-ceremony interviews, and he this to say when asked about the future of the Japanese video game industry.

“Japanese people should forge ahead with making things Japanese people like. Up until recently, because various games were popular in America, there was an idea that we should make Americanized games, that there was a de facto standard to meet. But there are a surprisingly large number of people overseas who like Japanese games, and what they’re hoping for is not Japanese games that have been Americanized, but the unique fun and enjoyment of games from Japan.”

Ignoring what’s selling well in the world’s largest market might seem like an unwise move for those working in the entertainment field, but Sakurai’s advice is less “don’t do what’s popular” and more an assertation that the best results come from game designers pursing a creative vision that they themselves can genuinely see the fun in, as opposed to chasing trends they wouldn’t otherwise be incorporating into their games. “I think the ideal is to make games in the style that you like, so that other people who like that style can enjoy them,” Sakurai explained.

Again, though, this isn’t Sakurai saying that being stubbornly single-minded is the straightest path to success as a game creator. In a separate interview at the event he was asked if he had a message for young people who want to become game creators, and he said “Create something, then show it to somebody. Have them play it, get feedback, and then make something again,” saying that this process is an absolute must, especially in the early stages of becoming a designer. In other words, it’s important for designers to stay true to your core image of the kind of game they want to make, and also to make sure their design decisions are actually creating the feelings they want to provide players with.

Source: YouTube/文化庁　bunkachannel, YouTube/【entax】編集部 via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Pakutaso
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