Yoji Shinkawa has been collaborating with the famous video game director Hideo Kojima for most of his career. The Metal Gear franchise was lucky enough to benefit from his artistic talent, and the entertainment industry has recognized his work for its unique style.
During the Connecting Worlds documentary, Yoji talked about his experiences working with Hideo and how his game Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty somehow predicted the future, like the tragic terrorist attack in New York City on September 11, 2001.
Although it was purely coincidental, it is remarkable how Hideo managed to do it again during the COVID-19 pandemic a few short months after the release of Death Stranding.
Sarcastically stating how the legendary director may be a prophet, Shinkawa remained true to his craft and helped make the best game possible. Oftentimes, especially around that period when violence and terrorism were at an all-time high with conflicts, video games took inspiration from these stories. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare didn’t shy away from the politics involved with the story, but in the case of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, it may seem like life is imitating art.
Hideo Kojima is a Weird Prophet
Hideo also stressed how much artificial intelligence will evolve in the future, and how it may do more harm than good.
Leaving Konami in 2015 and joining Kojima Productions as the character designer and lead artist, he then began to work on their first original IP, Death Stranding.
The latest entry for Hideo’s so-called prophecies is where he predicted everyone would be indoors for the remainder of the pandemic, with no physical contact with the outside world whatsoever, to avoid the risk of contracting the disease.
Another eerie coincidence, which then adds support to claims that Hideo is, in fact, a prophet. Joking aside, Hideo stated that he rewrote the entire story for the sequel: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and hopes to avoid predicting the future once more.
Crafting the Story of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
The initial reaction to the game at first was negative, but people began to accept the game for what it was during the pandemic. Locked away in isolation, the feeling became mutual as players trek across America with the hopes of rebuilding relationships and friendships. Hideo takes inspiration from the world whenever he creates games and wants to move away from the formulaic and cookie-cutter genre of violence.
In a world where great stories are inspired by real-life events, they should always remain that way and not the other way around. The tragic events of 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic are no laughing matter, nor will they ever be. Shinkawa is a witness to how talented and weird Kojima’s work can get, and their collaboration is a reflection of how they see the world and how they want to welcome people into theirs.
What do you think of Kojima’s ability to predict the future? Let us know in the comments!
