Naoto Ohshima
Naoto Ohshima | |
|---|---|
| File:The Original Sonic Team.jpg Sonic is surrounded by series creators Yuji Naka (left), Naoto Ohshima (center), and Hirokazu Yasuhara (Right) at Sonic's 20th anniversary party | |
| Born | February 26, 1964 Japan |
| Occupation(s) | Character designer, game producer |
Naoto Ohshima (大島 直人, Ōshima Naoto) (born February 26, 1964) is a Japanese artist and former Sega employee who is best known for his original character designs of Sonic the Hedgehog and Dr. Eggman.[1][2]
Although Yuji Naka created the original tech demo around which Sonic's gameplay was based, the character in his prototype was a ball that lacked any specific features.[3] Sonic Team considered numerous potential animal mascots before deciding on Ohshima's design, with an armadillo or hedgehog being the top choices because their spikes worked well with the concept of rolling into enemies.[2]
After leaving Sonic Team, Ohshima formed an independent game company called Artoon. There he went on to work on such games as Pinobee and Blinx: The Time Sweeper, and in 2004, the sequel to Blinx, Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space. In 2010, Artoon was absorbed into AQ Interactive. That same year, he and other key members of Artoon left to form Arzest.
Early in his career, he was credited under the nickname "Big Island", which is a literal translation of his family name.
Production history
- Phantasy Star (1987) — Designer
- Space Harrier 3-D (1988) — Art Designer
- SpellCaster (1988) — Designer
- Phantasy Star II (1989) — Designer
- Tommy Lasorda Baseball (1989) — Fielder Designer
- Last Battle (1989) — Art Director
- Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) — Character Design
- Fatal Labyrinth (1991) — Designer
- Sonic Eraser (1991) — Special Thanks
- Sonic CD (1993) — Director
- SegaSonic the Hedgehog (1993) — Special Thanks
- Knuckles' Chaotix (1995) — Original Character Concept
- Sonic 3D Blast (1996) — Advisor
- Nights into Dreams... (1996) — Director, Nights Designer
- Christmas Nights (1996) — Director, Visual Designer
- Sonic R (1997) — Graphic Advisor
- Sonic Jam (1997) — Supervisor
- Burning Rangers (1998) — Director, Character Designer, Graphic Artist
- Sonic Adventure (1998) — Story Event Motion Designer, Story Event Coordinator, CG Movie Producer, Opening Movie Editor
- Pinobee: Wings of Adventure (2001) — Director
- The King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood (2002) — Art Directors
- Ghost Vibration (2002) — Game Designer
- Blinx: The Time Sweeper (2002) — Director
- Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space (2004) — Director
- Yoshi's Universal Gravitation (2004) — Producer
- Yoshi's Island DS (2006) — Senior Producer
- Blue Dragon (2006) — Executive Producer
- Vampire Rain (2007) — Producer
- Lost Odyssey (2007) — Special Thanks
- Away: Shuffle Dungeon (2008) — Character Designer
- FlingSmash (2010) — Senior Producer
- Sonic Generations (2011) — Special Thanks
- Yoshi's New Island (2014) — Development Producer
- Terra Battle (2015) — Character Designer
- Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016) — Supervisor
References
- ^ Sheffield, Brandon (2009-12-04). "Out of the Blue: Naoto Ohshima Speaks". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
- ^ a b "The Essential 50 Part 28 - Sonic the Hedgehog". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
- ^ "Sonic's Architect: GI Interviews Hirokazu Yasuhara". Game Informer. 13 (124): 114–116. August 2003.
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