Kazuma Kaneko
This article reads like a press release or a news article and may be largely based on routine coverage. (December 2022) |
Kazuma Kaneko | |
---|---|
金子 一馬 | |
Born | character designer | September 20, 1964
Years active | 1988–present |
Employer(s) | Atlus (1988–2023) Colopl (2023–present) |
Kazuma Kaneko (金子 一馬, Kaneko Kazuma, born September 20, 1964) is a Japanese video game artist and designer for Japanese video game company
Early life
Kaneko was born on September 20, 1964, in the neighborhood of Shimokitazawa, located in Tokyo, Japan. His parents owned a sushi shop where he would occasionally work at and his residence was located close to the property.[3] As an only child, Kaneko spent a lot of time watching television (specifically kaiju shows and films like Kamen Rider) and studying mysterious anomalies, which further expanded into the analysis of religious literature and cultures.[4]
Career
Kaneko initially started off his professional career as an animator, but due to low pay rates across Japan, he was hesitant to continue.
One of his first projects was working on the game
Whenever Kaneko made professional appearances on television and published interviews, he always wore black clothing with sunglasses to represent his dark personality and his interest in fashion, specifically influenced by the film Saturday Night Fever.[3] He occasionally would be mistaken for a member of the Japanese yakuza.[citation needed]
Later in his career, Kaneko would act as a mentor to newcomer artist Shigenori Soejima,[citation needed] who joined Atlus in 1995 and would later take Kaneko's position as the acting art director for the company.[6]
Artistic process
Whenever Kaneko designs characters and demons for a game, he takes inspiration from all forms of mythology as well as artifacts left behind from ancient civilizations.
Notable works
Kaneko has been credited on working on a majority of Atlus' game catalog, as both a character designer and a scenario writer, but his personal favorite project to work on was the PlayStation 2 RPG Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, a game he shares a deep connection with. After presenting the original concept behind Nocturne to Atlus staff, Kaneko acted as the character designer and worked as a co-producer along with Atlus founder Kouji Okada. Nocturne represented a turning point for not only Atlus, but Kaneko's artistic career as a whole.
The Vortex World represented within Nocturne was designed by Kaneko, and ties into the teachings of Gnosticism and cosmology.[11]
Works
Year | Game | Role(s) |
---|---|---|
1988 | Erika to Satoru no Yume Bōken | Character designer |
King of Kings | ||
1989 | Dungeon Explorer | Assisting role |
1990 | Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei 2
|
Character designer, demon designer, sprite artist |
Maniac Pro-Wrestling: Ashita e no Tatakai | Graphic designer | |
Cosmo Tank | Debugger | |
Bikkuriman World: Gekitō Sei Senshi | Supporting role | |
1991 | Somer Assault | Character designer |
Rockin' Kats | Original planner | |
1992 | Shin Megami Tensei | Character designer, demon designer, sprite artist |
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible | Coordinator | |
1994 | Shin Megami Tensei II | Character designer, demon designer, sprite artist |
Majin Tensei | Coordinator | |
Shin Megami Tensei If... | Character designer, demon designer, sprite artist | |
1995 | Kyūyaku Megami Tensei: Megami Tensei I ・II | Character designer |
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner | Character designer, demon designer | |
1996 | Revelations: Persona | Character designer, Persona designer |
1997 | Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Mokushiroku | Character design |
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers | Art director, character designer | |
1998 | Kartia: The Word of Fate | Artistic supervisor |
1999 | Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II (GBC version)
|
Character producer |
Persona 2: Innocent Sin | Character designer, Persona designer | |
Maken X | Art director | |
2000 | Super Robot Wars Alpha | Mecha designer |
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment | Character designer, Persona designer | |
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children - Aka no Sho | Graphics supervisor | |
2001 | Maken Shao: Demon Sword
|
Art director |
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children - Shiro no Sho | Graphics supervisor | |
2002 | Shin Megami Tensei: Nine | Demon designer |
2003 | Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner | "Inhert" and "Lloyd" designs |
DemiKids: Light and Dark Versions
|
Graphics supervisor | |
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne | Creative director, character designer, demon designer | |
2004 | Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
|
Character designer, demon designer |
2005 | Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2
| |
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening | Dante and Vergil's "Devil Trigger" form design | |
3rd Super Robot Wars Alpha: To the End of the Galaxy
|
Mecha designer | |
Sangokushi Taisen | Character designer | |
2006 | Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army
|
Art director, character designer, original concept |
Persona 3 | Original demon design | |
2007 | Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine | Demon designer |
Persona 3 FES
|
Original demon design | |
2008 | Persona 4 | |
Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon | Producer, art director, character designer, original concept | |
2009 | Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor | Supervisor, devil designer |
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona | Art director | |
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey | Producer, character designer, original concept | |
Persona 3 Portable
|
Original demon design | |
2011 | Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds | Dante's "Devil Trigger" form design |
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 | Demon designer | |
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 | Dante and Vergil's "Devil Trigger" form design | |
2012 | Persona 4 Golden
|
Original demon design |
2013 | Shin Megami Tensei IV | Scenario drafts, demon designer |
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax | Original demon design | |
2014 | Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth | |
2015 | Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition
|
Packaging artwork |
2016 | Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse | Scenario drafts, demon designer |
Persona 5 | Demon modeling supervisor, demon designer | |
2017 | Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux
|
Scenario concept, demon designer |
Puzzle Fighter | Special thanks (Guest character designer) | |
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite | ||
2018 | Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth | Original devil design |
2019 | Persona 5 Royal
|
Demon modeling supervisor, demon designer |
2020 | Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne - HD Remaster
|
Series devil design |
2021 | Shin Megami Tensei V | |
2022 | Soul Hackers 2 | Original demon designs |
2024 | Persona 3 Reload | Original demon designs |
TBA | Project Dark | Character designer |
References
- ^ dijeh (2016-10-31). "The other face of the Demon Artist, Kaneko Kazuma (Digital Devil Apocalypse)". dijehtranslations. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
- ^ "Atlus designer Kazuma Kaneko working on Devil May Cry 3". GameSpot. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
- ^ a b c shmuplations (2021-12-29). "Kazuma Kaneko x Tomomi Kobayashi – 1996 Interview - shmuplations.com". Retrieved 2022-09-30.
- ^ a b c dijeh (2016-08-08). "Demons Bible Kaneko Interview". dijehtranslations. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
- ^ "Otaku USA: "An Interview with Kazuma Kaneko"". 女神転生・学. 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
- ^ "Atlus Is Currently Hiring! Interview With "Persona" Character Designer Shigenori Soejima #DESKWATCH". pixivision. Pixiv. 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ "Otaku USA: "An Interview with Kazuma Kaneko"". 女神転生・学. 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
- ^ "In Character: Kazuma Kaneko from 1UP.com". 2015-11-21. Archived from the original on 2015-11-21. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
- ^ "Gamasutra: "E3 Q&A: Atlus' SMT Character Designer Kazuma Kaneko"". 女神転生・学. 2013-03-02. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
- ^ Sheffield, Brandon (2006-05-12). "E3 Q&A: Atlus' SMT Character Designer Kazuma Kaneko". Game Developer. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
- ^ "Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne from 1UP.com". 2015-06-04. Archived from the original on 2015-06-04. Retrieved 2022-10-28.