Eiji Aonuma

Eiji Aonuma

Aonuma at the 2007 Game Developers Conference
Native name 青沼 英二
Born Eiji Onozuka (小野塚 英二)[1]
(1963-03-16) March 16, 1963[2]
Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Alma mater Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music
Occupation Video game designer, director, producer
Employer Nintendo (1988–present)

Eiji Aonuma (Japanese: 青沼 英二（あおぬまえいじ） Hepburn: Aonuma Eiji, born March 16, 1963) is a Japanese video game designer, director and producer, who works for Nintendo as the series producer and manager of The Legend of Zelda.

Early life

Aonuma attended the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music where he majored in design, working on moving mechanical figures. He graduated in 1988.[3]

Career

Nintendo

After graduating, he interviewed at Nintendo. Aonuma met Shigeru Miyamoto during the interview, and showed Miyamoto samples of his college work. His first projects involved graphic design, creating sprites for Nintendo Entertainment System games such as 1991's NES Open Tournament Golf. Aonuma was director of development on 1996's Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajim for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.[4]

In a move which Aonuma attributes to his position on the Marvelous team, Miyamoto recruited Aonuma to join the development team for the Zelda series.[4]

An animated history of the development of Majora's Mask

He spent several years as a lead designer of The Legend of Zelda series: 1998's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and its sequel Majora's Mask, both for the Nintendo 64; and The Wind Waker, the first Zelda game for the GameCube. After The Wind Waker, Aonuma considered moving onto other projects, but was convinced by Shigeru Miyamoto to continue with the Zelda series.[5] He codeveloped The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the second major Zelda game to be released for the GameCube and a launch game for the Wii. He was voted Designer of the Year for his work on Twilight Princess in Electronic Gaming Monthly's 2006 1Up Network Awards.[5] He then codeveloped a sequel to The Wind Waker for the GameCube, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, followed by another Nintendo DS title, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. He codeveloped Link's Crossbow Training, which is the first game to use the Wii Zapper. He has since produced The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds for the Nintendo 3DS, and is producing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the Wii U and Nintendo Switch.[6][7][8]

In November 2016, Aonuma received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Joystick Awards.[9]

Music

Aonuma plays percussion as a member of a brass band he founded with five others in 1995, known as The Wind Wakers, named after the game of the same name. The band comprises over 70 Nintendo employees who perform four concerts a year.[10][11][12]

Works

Year Game title Role
1991NES Open Tournament GolfSprite designer
1996BS Super Mario USA Power ChallengeGraphic designer
1996Marvelous: Mōhitotsu no TakarajimaDirector
1998The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeDesigner
2000The Legend of Zelda: Majora's MaskDirector
2002The Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerDirector
2003The Legend of Zelda: Collector's EditionProducer
2004The Legend of Zelda: The Minish CapSupervisor
2004The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords AdventuresProducer
2006The Legend of Zelda: Twilight PrincessDirector
2007Link's Crossbow TrainingProducer
2007The Legend of Zelda: Phantom HourglassProducer
2009The Legend of Zelda: Spirit TracksProducer
2011The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DProducer
2011The Legend of Zelda: Skyward SwordProducer
2013The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HDProducer
2013The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between WorldsProducer
2014Hyrule WarriorsSupervisor
2015The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3DProducer
2015The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force HeroesProducer
2016Hyrule Warriors LegendsSupervisor
2016The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HDProducer
2017The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildProducer

References

  1. ↑ "今度のゼルダは「ダンジョンがたいへん」らしい。その１". 「ゼルダの伝説　時のオカリナ」の情報・産地直送！. Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun. 28 November 1998. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  2. ↑ "ニンドリドットコム〜ゼルダの伝説 夢幻の砂時計 開発スタッフインタビュー〜". NINDORI.com. August 2007.
  3. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/nov/25/eiji-aonuma-legend-zelda-interview
  4. 1 2 Szczepaniak, John. "Before They Were Famous". Retro Gamer. Imagine Publishing (35): 77.
  5. 1 2 Electronic Gaming Monthly, Issue 213, March 2007. Page 79.
  6. ↑ McWhertor, Michael. "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past sequel coming to Nintendo 3DS this holiday". Polygon. Vox Media.
  7. ↑ "IGN: GDC 2004: The History of Zelda". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  8. ↑ "IGN: Miyamoto and Aonuma on Zelda". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  9. ↑ Whitehead, Thomas (November 18, 2016). "Eiji Aonuma Wins Golden Joystick Lifetime Achievement Award as Pokémon GO Picks Up Two Gongs". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  10. ↑ Puha, Thomas; Kennedy, Sam. "1up Profiles Zelda Director Eiji Aonuma". 1up. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  11. ↑ Hilliard, Kyle. "Zelda Producer Eiji Aonuma Talks Creating Majora's Mask And His Personal Hobbies". Game Informer. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  12. ↑ Cole, Michael. "GDC 2004 - Eiji Aonuma Zelda Roundtable". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 5 October 2015.

External links

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