Takeshi Miyaji
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese video game developer
who founded the developent companies Game Arts
(with his brother Yoichi Miyaji) and G-Mode
. He was best known as the creator of the Silpheed
, GunGriffon
and Grandia
video game series. His work on the Lunar and Grandia series in particular had a major influence on the development of role-playing video game
s. He was the younger brother of Game Arts' CEO Yoichi Miyaji.
at the age of 15. He wrote a book on how to program while working for ASCII. At the age of 19, he co-founded Game Arts
with his brother Yoichi. He was in charge of the Development Department of Game Arts for over the next 16 years. During that time, he acted as producer and director of various Games Arts titles, including Silpheed, GunGriffon and Grandia.
Silpheed (1986) was a shooter game
notable its early use of real-time 3D polygonal graphics
and a tilted third-person
perspective. He also worked on Lunar: The Silver Star
(1992), which was among the earliest role-playing video game
s to tell an engaging story through its audio and video presentation. After working on its sequel Lunar: Eternal Blue
(1994), his most successful and memorable video game would be Grandia
(1997), which featured an innovative battle system and a strong story. Grandia is considered one of the strongest role-playing games during the 32-bit era
and had two sequels produced. His company Game Arts was also known for producing the early run and gun shooter Thexder
(1985).
In 2000, Miyaji left Game Arts and founded G-Mode
, a game developing company specializing in the emerging mobile phone market
and served as the company's Executive Director. Takeshi died in 2011 at the age of 45 from an unspecified cause.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
who founded the developent companies Game Arts
Game Arts
is a Japanese video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, they have since expanded their enterprise to produce for a number of game console and handheld systems...
(with his brother Yoichi Miyaji) and G-Mode
G-Mode
is a Japanese company that provides mobile network game contents that specialize in Java game software in Japan. It develops and distributes games for Java-compatible mobile phones. The company also licenses contents for mobile telecommunications operators, as well as involves in the original...
. He was best known as the creator of the Silpheed
Silpheed
is a video game series developed by Game Arts and designed by the late Takeshi Miyaji. It made its debut on the Japanese PC-8801 in 1986, and was ported to the Fujitsu FM-7 and MS-DOS formats soon after. It was later remade for the Mega-CD and has a sequel called Silpheed: The Lost Planet for the...
, GunGriffon
Gungriffon
Gungriffon is a series of video games developed by Game Arts and designed by the late Takeshi Miyaji. Gungriffon and Gungriffon II originally appeared for the Sega Saturn console in 1996, with more recent appearances in Gungriffon Blaze for the PlayStation 2 and Gungriffon: Allied Strike for the...
and Grandia
Grandia
Grandia is a console role-playing game series created by Game Arts. Games in the Grandia series have been published on Sega and Sony consoles, and Game Boy Color. The Grandia games have been published by Sega, Ubisoft, Enix and Hudson Soft...
video game series. His work on the Lunar and Grandia series in particular had a major influence on the development of role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
s. He was the younger brother of Game Arts' CEO Yoichi Miyaji.
Biography
Takeshi began working programming for ASCIIASCII (company)
was a publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. It became a subsidiary of Kadokawa Group Holdings in 2004, and merged with another Kadokawa subsidiary MediaWorks on April 1, 2008, and became ASCII Media Works. The company published Monthly ASCII as the main publication...
at the age of 15. He wrote a book on how to program while working for ASCII. At the age of 19, he co-founded Game Arts
Game Arts
is a Japanese video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, they have since expanded their enterprise to produce for a number of game console and handheld systems...
with his brother Yoichi. He was in charge of the Development Department of Game Arts for over the next 16 years. During that time, he acted as producer and director of various Games Arts titles, including Silpheed, GunGriffon and Grandia.
Silpheed (1986) was a shooter game
Shooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
notable its early use of real-time 3D polygonal graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
and a tilted third-person
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
perspective. He also worked on Lunar: The Silver Star
Lunar: The Silver Star
is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts and Studio Alex for the Mega-CD console. Originally released in Japan on June 16, 1992 to critical acclaim, the game was translated and released in English by Working Designs the following year...
(1992), which was among the earliest role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
s to tell an engaging story through its audio and video presentation. After working on its sequel Lunar: Eternal Blue
Lunar: Eternal Blue
is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts and Studio Alex for the Mega-CD as the sequel to Lunar: The Silver Star. The game was originally released in December 1994 in Japan, and later in North America in September 1995 by Working Designs...
(1994), his most successful and memorable video game would be Grandia
Grandia (video game)
is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts originally for the Sega Saturn console as the first game in their Grandia series. Initially released in Japan in January 1997, the game was later ported to the PlayStation in June 1999, with an English version of the game appearing on the platform...
(1997), which featured an innovative battle system and a strong story. Grandia is considered one of the strongest role-playing games during the 32-bit era
History of video game consoles (fifth generation)
The fifth-generation era refers to the computer and video games, video game consoles, and video game handhelds available at stores...
and had two sequels produced. His company Game Arts was also known for producing the early run and gun shooter Thexder
Thexder
is a classic action-arcade game from Game Arts, released on a number of platforms throughout the late 1980's and 1990.-Background:In the game, the player is a fighter robot, but is able to transform into a jet. Originally released in 1985 for the NEC PC-8801 platform in Japan, the game quickly...
(1985).
In 2000, Miyaji left Game Arts and founded G-Mode
G-Mode
is a Japanese company that provides mobile network game contents that specialize in Java game software in Japan. It develops and distributes games for Java-compatible mobile phones. The company also licenses contents for mobile telecommunications operators, as well as involves in the original...
, a game developing company specializing in the emerging mobile phone market
Mobile game
A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or portable media player. This does not include games played on handheld video game systems such as Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable....
and served as the company's Executive Director. Takeshi died in 2011 at the age of 45 from an unspecified cause.
Works
- AX-6 (1982, PC-6001NEC PC-6001The NEC PC-6001 was the first of the NEC Corporation personal computer line. There were several versions of the PC-6001, including the PC-6001 MK2, the PC-6001 MK2 SR, and the PC-6801. There was also an American version, called the NEC TREK, or NEC PC-6001A...
) - Lead Programmer of "Space Enemy" - SX-2: Doitsu Afurika Sōkō Gundan (1984, PC-6001) - Game Design and Programmer
- ThexderThexderis a classic action-arcade game from Game Arts, released on a number of platforms throughout the late 1980's and 1990.-Background:In the game, the player is a fighter robot, but is able to transform into a jet. Originally released in 1985 for the NEC PC-8801 platform in Japan, the game quickly...
(1985, PCPersonal computer gameA PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...
) - Producer - SilpheedSilpheedis a video game series developed by Game Arts and designed by the late Takeshi Miyaji. It made its debut on the Japanese PC-8801 in 1986, and was ported to the Fujitsu FM-7 and MS-DOS formats soon after. It was later remade for the Mega-CD and has a sequel called Silpheed: The Lost Planet for the...
(1986, PC) - Director - Faria: A World of Mystery and DangerFaria: A World of Mystery and DangerFaria: A World of Mystery and Danger, known in Japan as , is an action role-playing game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was developed by Game Arts and published by Hi-Score in Japan in 1989 and by Nexoft in North America in 1991...
(1990, NESNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
) - Program Director - Harakiri (1990, PC) - Director
- Lunar: The Silver StarLunar: The Silver Staris a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts and Studio Alex for the Mega-CD console. Originally released in Japan on June 16, 1992 to critical acclaim, the game was translated and released in English by Working Designs the following year...
(1992, Sega CD) - Designer - Tenka Fubu: Eiyū-tachi no Hōkō (1993, Sega CD) - Director
- SilpheedSilpheedis a video game series developed by Game Arts and designed by the late Takeshi Miyaji. It made its debut on the Japanese PC-8801 in 1986, and was ported to the Fujitsu FM-7 and MS-DOS formats soon after. It was later remade for the Mega-CD and has a sequel called Silpheed: The Lost Planet for the...
(1993, Sega CD) - Director - Lunar 2: Eternal BlueLunar: Eternal Blueis a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts and Studio Alex for the Mega-CD as the sequel to Lunar: The Silver Star. The game was originally released in December 1994 in Japan, and later in North America in September 1995 by Working Designs...
(1994, Sega CD) - Designer - GunGriffonGungriffonGungriffon is a series of video games developed by Game Arts and designed by the late Takeshi Miyaji. Gungriffon and Gungriffon II originally appeared for the Sega Saturn console in 1996, with more recent appearances in Gungriffon Blaze for the PlayStation 2 and Gungriffon: Allied Strike for the...
(1996, Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
) - Director - GrandiaGrandia (video game)is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts originally for the Sega Saturn console as the first game in their Grandia series. Initially released in Japan in January 1997, the game was later ported to the PlayStation in June 1999, with an English version of the game appearing on the platform...
(1997, Sega Saturn, PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
) - Director - GunGriffon IIGungriffonGungriffon is a series of video games developed by Game Arts and designed by the late Takeshi Miyaji. Gungriffon and Gungriffon II originally appeared for the Sega Saturn console in 1996, with more recent appearances in Gungriffon Blaze for the PlayStation 2 and Gungriffon: Allied Strike for the...
(1998, Sega Saturn) - Director - Grandia IIGrandia IIis a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts originally for the Dreamcast console as part of their Grandia series. Initially released in Japan in August 2000 by Sega, the game was later made available in English for North America the following December, and in Europe in February 2001, with...
(2000, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
) - Producer/Executive Director