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Yoko Taro

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Template:Japanese name

Yoko Taro
Yoko wearing a mask in 2018
Born (1970-06-06) June 6, 1970 (age 54)
Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Occupation(s)Video game director, scenario writer
Years active1994–present
Notable work
TitlePresident and CEO of Bukkoro
SpouseYukiko Yoko[1]
Websitebukkoro.com

Yoko Taro (横尾 太郎, Yokoo Tarō, born June 6, 1970) is a Japanese video game director and scenario writer. Starting his career at the now-defunct game company Cavia, his best-known work was on the action role-playing video game series Drakengard, and its spin-offs, Nier and Nier: Automata. Yoko was born in Nagoya, Aichi, and studied at the Kobe Design University in the 1990s. While he did not initially intend to pursue a career in video games, after working at Namco and Sony, he joined Cavia and became the director and scenario writer for the first Drakengard game. He has since worked extensively on every game in the series (except Drakengard 2), and on mobile titles, after becoming a freelancer after Cavia's absorption into AQ Interactive.

Critics have noted Yoko's unconventional game design and writing style. One of the main aspects of his work is exploring the darker aspects of people, such as why they are driven to kill each other, although he typically does not share a common opinion on his story's dark natures. His writing technique, described as "backwards scriptwriting", involves outlining the ending of the story first and building the narrative backward from that point. Due to his disdain for being photographed, he generally wears a mask when giving interviews or presenting games.

Early life and education

Yoko Taro was born Nagoya, Aichi, on June 6, 1970.[2] Yoko's parents were often absent at their jobs, so he was mostly raised by his grandmother, who left a strong impression on him.[3] During his youth, he heard about an incident that would influence his later work as a scenario writer: while an acquaintance was in a shopping street with a group of friends, one of them who was walking along a high building roof slipped and died from the fall. The scene as Yoko heard it was initially "horrifying", but included a humorous element as well.[4] He studied at Kobe Design University and graduated in March 1994.[2][5] He is married to Yukiko Yoko, an illustrator who worked on Taiko no Tatsujin series and also did work on Drakengard 3.[1][2]

Career

Initially not intending to pursue a career in video games, his first job a month after graduating was as a 3D CGI designer for Namco.[2][6][7] In 1999, he joined Sugar & Rockets Inc., a now-defunct second-party developer owned by Sony Computer Entertainment. In 2001, a year after Sugar & Rockets' consolidation by Sony, Yoko got a job at Cavia.[2] While working at Cavia, he became involved in the creation of Drakengard. While the game's co-producer Takuya Iwasaki intended to take the director's role, he was busy with other projects, so Yoko was asked to take up director's duties.[8] He also helped create the scenario and characters, as well as co-writing the script with Sawako Natori.[9][10][11] During its production, Yoko was unhappy with the amount of changes asked for by the game's advisory board. It got to the point where he decided he would not work on another Drakengard.[12] He was later involved in the production of Drakengard 2, being credited as a video editor while also remaining as one of the game's creative staff.[2][13] Mostly tied up with another project during production, his original concept for the game as an arcade-style game with dragons in space was vetoed and he had creative clashes with the game's new director Akira Yasui.[13]

After Drakengard 2 was completed, Yoko started work on a third entry in the series. As the game developed, the initial concept was developed to the point where the game was rebranded as Nier, a spin-off from the series. Despite this, Yoko continued to consider it the third entry in the series.[14] After Nier was released and Cavia was absorbed into AQ Interactive, Yoko left the company and pursued an independent career.[15] During this period, he took an unknown role in the development of Square Enix's social game Monster × Dragon.[16] The majority of his freelancer work involved social mobile games.[17] Many years later, Yoko teamed back up with multiple staff from the production of Drakengard and Nier to create a true second sequel to Drakengard, determining through questionnaires that the main appeal to the fanbase was the dark stories.[14] After the completion of Drakengard 3, Yoko "went back into unemployment".[18] After that, he began writing a short-term special column for Famitsu titled "Taro Yoko's Circle of No Good Thinking".[19] In 2015, Yoko announced that he had started his own company called Bukkoro, staffed by Yoko, his wife Yukiko, and Hana Kikuchi, novelist and scenario writer for Nier and Drakengard 3.[1]

Yoko has stated his intense dislike of interviews. His reason, according to his Famitsu column, was that he feels video game developers are not entertainers or commentators on their work and that he thinks the subjects they talk about in interviews would be overly boring to those reading or listening.[20] When he does give interviews, he prefers to wear a mask to avoid being photographed, and in a video interview concerning Drakengard 3, he used a glove puppet.[21] He has also stated that he likes to be blunt when stating his opinions, as he feels that video game fans deserve truth and honesty.[11]

Game design

Yoko is noted for creating games with a dark, disturbing or unusual atmosphere. This was stated as the main reason he was brought in to work on Monster × Dragon.[16] His writing method, which he has not seen in other works of fiction, is called "backwards scriptwriting".[7] He described it as starting with the ending first, then working backwards from there.[7] He then creates central plot points that form emotional peaks in the narrative, adds details, then scatters them through the narrative so the player can build a suitable emotional connection.[7] He uses a secondary method called "photo thinking" in conjunction with his scriptwriting method.[22] Yoko describes it as a method of visualizing and keeping in order events and emotional peaks throughout the story.[22] He cited his inspiration for this method as The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci by Jonathan Spence.[22] He is keen in experimenting with the video game format, feeling that many conventions of the video game market inhibit developers' creative freedom.[7][21] Many of his games reflect his own feelings about death and his socratic questioning of the concept.[4] Yoko also considers food an important tool in creating a game, stating that he thinks that types of food from across the world can help him get a feel for the people the game is being aimed at.[23]

Yoko was influenced in his style for the Drakengard series by many games of the day: a commonality he noted was that the player got gradings for their performance after killing dozens or hundreds of enemy units in a "gloating" manner.[21] Because the concept of enjoying killing seemed insane to him, he designed the first game's main protagonists to be insane. He also wished to explore what drove people to kill each other.[21] Later, for Nier and Drakengard 3, Yoko explored the idea of a terrible event where both sides believed they were doing the right thing. For Nier, he took direct inspiration from the September 11 attacks and the War on Terror.[21][24] Another direct influence on Nier was of the gameplay of the God of War series, which both he and the game's producer Yosuke Saito admired.[25] He has stated his dislike for the "plain and forgettable" type of female video game character: he demonstrated his dislike for this and the stereotypical role-playing video game romance in Furiae, an important character in Drakengard.[8] Another character he has been greatly involved in creating is Zero, Drakengard 3's protagonist: while creating her, he felt it would be interesting to create a character who was formerly a prostitute as it was a character type that was fairly rare in video games.[26] In general, Yoko does not consider his writing to be as dark as others see it, while admitting that he deliberately incorporates dark elements.[4][27] A notable influence on the gameplay of his titles was the classic shoot 'em up Ikaruga; it directly inspired the dragon flight sequences of Drakengard and bullet hell sections in Nier; and informed Yoko on the synchronization of gameplay with the music.[28]

Works

Video games

Year Title Role
1996 Alpine Racer 2 Background designer
1998 Time Crisis II
2000 Chase the Express Planner
2001 Phase Paradox Game designer, visual design
2003 Drakengard Director, scenario writer
2005 Drakengard 2[2] Video editor
2010 Nier[7][29] Director
2011 Monster × Dragon[30] Scenario supervisor
2012 Demons' Score[31] Co-director
2013 Drakengard 3 Creative director, scenario writer
2017 NieR: Automata[32][33] Director, scenario writer
SINoALICE[34] Creative director
2019 Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers[35] YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse scenario writer
TBA NieR Re[in]carnation[36] Director

Books and manga

Year Title Role
2013 Drag-on Dragoon: Utahime Five[37] Supervisor
Drag-on Dragoon: Shi ni Itaru Aka[37]
2014 Drag-on Dragoon 3: Story Side[38]
Thou Shalt Not Die[39] Creator, writer
2018 NieR:Automata: Long Story Short
NieR:Automata: Short Story Long

Stage plays

Year Title Role
2015 YoRHa[40] Creator, writer
2016 Thou Shalt Not Die Zero[41] Creator

References

  1. ^ a b c Sato (June 28, 2015). "Nier Creator Taro Yoko Started His Own Company". Siliconera. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "BUKKORO / ABOUT". Bukkoro.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  3. ^ Yoko, Taro (April 2, 2013). "【日記】おばあちゃんが死んだ。". Diary of Taro Yoko (blog). Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c "「見えない壁」に取り囲まれたゲーム業界への想い。ヨコオタロウ氏が「ドラッグ オン ドラグーン3」やゲームの未来を語ったインタビューを掲載". 4Gamer. February 28, 2014. Archived from the original on March 15, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  5. ^ "Yoko, Taro / GDC 2014 Session Scheduler". Game Developers Conference Website. Archived from the original on July 24, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  6. ^ Yoko, Taro (December 8, 2011). ヨコオタロウのインタビュー (in Japanese). TheInterviews.jp. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Cork, Jeff (March 20, 2014). "Drakengard, Nier Director Talks About Making Weird Games For Weird People". Game Informer. Archived from the original on July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  8. ^ a b "『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズ座談会でヨコオタロウから飛び出す過去作の衝撃的真実…『DOD1』のアレは神様じゃない!?". Dengeki Online. April 18, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  9. ^ "ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズ居酒屋座談会 with ヨコオタロウ on 仏滅。聖地・新宿で語られる『DOD』ぶっちゃけトーク". Dengeki Online. April 15, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  10. ^ "『DOD3』ジョシカイ、開幕。女性視点（映島×名取×白本×サガコ）で語られる『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン3』の狂気の深淵とは？【電撃DOD3】". Dengeki Online. December 27, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  11. ^ a b Sato (May 16, 2013). "Why Drakengard Had Forbidden Love Between Siblings And Other Insights". Siliconera. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  12. ^ Corriea, Alexa Ray (June 16, 2015). "New Nier Will Stay Weird, But This Time With Platinum's Combat". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  13. ^ a b "『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズ座談会、佳境へ。ヨコオタロウが暴く『DOD2』安井ディレクターの心の闇＆『ニーア』反省話". Dengeki Online. April 22, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  14. ^ a b Sato (April 5, 2013). "Drakengard 3 Producer And Creative Director Explain How The Game Came To Be". Siliconera. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  15. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (November 4, 2010). "NieR Director Quits Cavia/AQi". IGN. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  16. ^ a b Spencer, Yip (December 12, 2011). "Nier Director Yoko Taro Steps Out Of Retirement To Help Square Enix Social Game". Siliconera. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  17. ^ Yoko, Taro (April 2, 2013). "【仕事】モンスター×ドラゴンの話。". Diary of Taro Yoko (blog). Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  18. ^ Ashcraft, Brian (January 6, 2014). "Drakengard 3's Director Is Keen for Drakengard 4". Kotaku. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  19. ^ 【週刊ファミ通 2014年1月9発売号】『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズを手掛けたヨコオタロウ氏の短期連載コラムがスタート！ (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. January 8, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  20. ^ ""Yoko Taro's Circle of No Good Thinking" (3 of 4)". Famitsu (in Japanese) (1312). Enterbrain. February 6, 2014.
  21. ^ a b c d e Corriae, Alexa Ray (May 20, 2014). "Drakengard 3 director discuss finding beauty in a bloody story". Polygon. Archived from the original on May 26, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  22. ^ a b c Corriea, Alexa Ray (March 20, 2014). "Drakengard, Nier director discusses methods for telling powerful, strange stories". Polygon. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  23. ^ Yip, Spencer (June 18, 2014). "Drakengard 3 Downloadable Stories Made Over Ramen". Siliconera. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  24. ^ Ward, Robert (March 20, 2014). "NieR and Drakengard Creator Says NieR Was Inspired By 9-11". Siliconera. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  25. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (March 17, 2010). "NIER Preview". Video Gamer. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  26. ^ Spencer (May 29, 2014). "Drakengard Had Multiple Endings Because Taro Yoko Was Told There Wouldn't Be A Sequel". Siliconera. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  27. ^ 『NieR』の新作は前作を遊んだファンほど混乱する!? ヨコオタロウ氏ら開発スタッフに直撃インタビュー (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. June 19, 2015. Archived from the original on June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  28. ^ Wong, Alistair (June 30, 2018). "Yoko Taro Talks About How His Favorite Shmup Ikaruga Has Influenced His Games". Siliconera. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  29. ^ 『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』のスタッフが再集結！PS3とXbox360で異なる主人公を描いた『ニーア レプリカント／ニーア ゲシュタルト』に迫る (in Japanese). Inside Games. May 18, 2010. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  30. ^ Kawasaki, Masaichirō (August 4, 2012). 8月末から大型アップデートが順次実装。ハンゲームのチャネリングも始まる「MONSTER×DRAGON」開発・運営インタビュー. 4Gamer.net. Archived from the original on May 24, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  31. ^ 【GDC 2014】ヨコオタロウ氏が語るゲームシナリオの書き方。変わった人のための変わったゲーム. GameBusiness.jp. March 27, 2014. Archived from the original on April 27, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  32. ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 16, 2015). "Square Enix is making a new Nier with Platinum Games". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 16, 2015. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  33. ^ Saito, Yosuke (June 18, 2015). "E3 2015: NieR New Project". Square Enix. Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  34. ^ Romano, Sal (February 16, 2017). "Square Enix and Yoko Taro announce SINoALICE for smartphones". Gematsu. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
  35. ^ Final Fantasy XIV Twitter (February 2, 2019). "Presenting the next alliance raid series: YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse–from the minds of renowned NieR creators YOSUKE SAITO and YOKO TARO!". Square-Enix. Archived from the original on February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  36. ^ Romano, Sal (March 29, 2020). "NieR Re[in]carnation announced for iOS, Android". Gematsu. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  37. ^ a b Yoko, Taro (March 2, 2013). "【仕事】コミック「ドラッグ オンドラグーン 死ニ至ル赤」の監修" [Supervision work of the comic Shi ni Itaru Aka]. Diary of Tarō Yoko (blog). Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  38. ^ "Square Enix e-Store: Drag-on Dragoon 3 Side Story". Square Enix e-Store. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  39. ^ "君死ニタマフ事ナカレ / ビッグガンガン". Square Enix. Archived from the original on March 24, 2015. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  40. ^ "ヨルハ" [Yorha Official Site]. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  41. ^ "君死ニタマフ事ナカレ零" [Thou Shalt Not Die Zero Official Site]. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
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