Japanese game designer Yoshihisa Kishimoto passed away on April 2 at the age of 64. His death was announced by the developer's son, responding to a publication by the official Kunio-kun series account.
I am the son of Yoshihisa Kishimoto, game director of Kunio-kun. I am reporting that my father passed away on April 2, 2026. You can contact me at any time for more information. I am deeply grateful for all the support that fans have given Kunio-kun over the years. Thank you for your continued support.
Kishimoto began his career at Data East, where he participated in the creation of projects such as Cobra Command and Road Blaster. Later, he moved to Technos Japan, where he created the legendary games Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun (known in the West as Renegade) and Double Dragon.
In recent years, the developer continued to actively work in the industry: he served as game director for Double Dragon IV, and was also co-leader of the Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!: A River City Ransom Story project.