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Hideo Kojima book The Creative Gene getting English translation

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

Game designer Hideo Kojima’s book The Gifted Gene and My Lovable Memes, originally published in Japanese in 2019, is getting an English-language translation. Publisher Viz will release the translated book this October under the fittingly lengthy name The Creative Gene: How books, movies, and music inspired the creator of Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid.

The Creative Gene
will consist of a collection of essays written by Kojima that explore his personal inspirations. That includes opinions and reviews of music, films, and books beloved by Kojima. The book will also include a conversation between Kojima and musician/actor Gen Hoshino, whose song “Pop Virus” appears in Death Stranding.

Here’s Viz’s official synopsis of the book:

Ever since he was a child, Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima was a voracious consumer of movies, music, and books. They ignited his passion for stories and storytelling, and the results can be seen in his groundbreaking, iconic video games. Now the head of independent studio Kojima Productions, Kojima’s enthusiasm for entertainment media has never waned. This collection of essays explores some of the inspirations behind one of the titans of the video game industry, and offers an exclusive insight into one of the brightest minds in pop culture.

The Creative Gene: How books, movies, and music inspired the creator of Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid will be released Oct. 12, 2021.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
I’ve purchased a couple music CD’s and a manga (2001 Nights) from viewing his Twitter page. He’s very creative and he shares his inspiration. I wish more game designers did that. He made it seem like you were in his mind, enjoying the medium even further. I’d be willing to buy his book.
 

Arachnid

Member
I'm interested in getting some insight into his creative process. Dude knows how to weave an engaging narrative and emergent moment to moment gameplay.
 
I'm interested in getting some insight into his creative process. Dude knows how to weave an engaging narrative and emergent moment to moment gameplay.
Il give you that he makes really good gameplay. enjoyed death strandings and mgs5 gameplay immensely, but he is shit at writing naratives/stories, even d-list writers in hollywood is better than him, dont get the praise he gets.
 

SCB3

Member
Well it'll be interesting to get inside the head of the Professor behind the monsters at least
 

Beer Baelly

Al Pachinko, Konami President
kurt russell call me snake GIF
 
Cool I am looking forward to this. Death Stranding seemed to have different influences than his usual action movie taste. 1970s sci fi felt like the strongest aesthetic influence on the work, so I wonder if it will feature heavily here.

Everyone praises MGS2 for being prescient about the internet and future of social media and information control, this game deals with many of the same issues. I'm guessing he goes into that here? Has anyone here read the Japanese release?
 

SirTerry-T

Member
I thought Kojima has always made it crystal clear where his influences lie, always nice to find out what makes these "auteur" types tick though.
 
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