Smash Bros Creator Explains Why He Doesn't Aspire to Be an Industry "Star"
Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of the Kirby and Super Smash Bros series, doesn't consider himself a "hitmaker." In an interview, he discussed his career, approach to development, and noted that Kirby's popularity didn't change his life.
The interview coincides with the release of an educational manga about Sakurai's life and work. Initially, the developer didn't want to put himself in the spotlight, but the editor's work led to a completed book. It allows a look at his activities from the outside and can help the industry by showing creative careers in an accessible form.
Sakurai described his life as almost entirely dedicated to games and development and called it happy. He believes that the opportunity to turn a hobby into a profession, achieve results, and gain recognition makes the difficulties justified.
He rejected the idea that Kirby's success changed his approach to work, and he doesn't consider himself a "hitmaker." Sakurai actively shares his experience on YouTube, striving to improve the quality of the industry, not to compete with colleagues. In his opinion, the manga could be a "trigger" for interest in game development among future specialists, while he doesn't need to be the center of the story.
