Industry Mourns Tomonobu Itagaki, Creator Of Dead Or Alive And 3D Ninja Gaiden

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Japanese gaming leaders recently came together to remember Tomonobu Itagaki, the creative force behind popular games like Dead or Alive and 3D Ninja Gaiden, who sadly passed away in October at the age of 58. The memorial was a touching tribute to his life and work, featuring displays of his games, art, and even some of his signature outfits. Photos from the event showed the deep impact he had on the gaming world.

Tomonobu Itagaki was a hugely influential figure in the Japanese video game industry. He started Team Ninja in the late 1990s and played a key role in creating many of the action and fighting games we enjoy today. At a recent memorial event, Koei Tecmo’s Yosuke Hayashi shared a story about first meeting Itagaki in 2001. Hayashi remembered being assigned to Itagaki’s team, only to be told there wasn’t anything for him to do.

早矢仕洋介氏弔辞
（コーエーテクモゲームス代表取締役社長執行役員CEO・コーエーテクモホールディングス取締役副社長）
『板垣伴信をヴァルハラに送る会』にて#itagaki

— 勝田 晴美 (@katsuta_harumi) November 28, 2025

I started working in your department as a game planner, but you told me there wasn’t anything for me to do. And that turned out to be true – two weeks later, I still hadn’t been given any tasks. At the time, I thought it was a really unlucky situation, and the worst possible start to the job, he explained (according to a translation from a Reddit user).

Hayashi often recalls developing Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox from 2003 to 2004 as a particularly challenging, yet rewarding, experience. Despite the difficulties, he remembers Itagaki’s unwavering dedication. They worked tirelessly, spending 12 hours each night meticulously reviewing every detail of the game. Speaking fondly of his former mentor, Hayashi expressed deep respect, describing Itagaki as ‘pure and cool’.

Hayashi recounted the last message he got from Itagaki, which read: “Thank you for not forgetting our agreement. Things are different now… selling a million copies doesn’t mean as much as it used to. Please continue to create excellent products in the future.”

A final message appeared on Itagaki’s Facebook page after his passing. Translated from Japanese, it read: “My life was a constant struggle, but I always kept fighting. I may have caused problems for others along the way. I’m proud of fighting until the very end and staying true to what I believed in. I don’t have any regrets, though I’m truly sorry I couldn’t share new creations with my fans. I apologize. That’s all there is to it.”

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2025-12-01 23:39