Naoto Ohshima
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese national and former Sega
employee who designed and created the characters of Sonic the Hedgehog
and Dr. Eggman. However, Yuji Naka
and Hirokazu Yasuhara
often get the credit for his work on the Sonic series, because of their close association with the Sonic name. Ōshima gained renown at Sega's Sonic Team
for creating characters and playing integral roles in the development of games like Phantasy Star
, Sonic CD
, Nights into Dreams...
, and Sonic Adventure
.
After leaving Sonic Team
, he formed an independent game company called Artoon
. Since then he has stepped down from the position of president in the company and was replaced by Yutaka Sugano. There he went on to work on such games as Pinobee and Blinx: The Time Sweeper
, and in 2004, the sequel to Blinx, Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space. In 2010, Artoon was asorbed into AQ Interactive
.
He is occasionally credited under the nickname "Big Island" (or "Bigisland"), which is a literal translation of his family name
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese national and former Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
employee who designed and created the characters of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
and Dr. Eggman. However, Yuji Naka
Yuji Naka
, is a video game designer and programmer, best known as the former head of Sonic Team, a group of Sega programmers/designers, where he was the lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog....
and Hirokazu Yasuhara
Hirokazu Yasuhara
Hirokazu Yasuhara is a Japanese video game designer and Sonic Team's 2nd Assistant President.He designed the gameplay and stages of the majority of the initial Sonic the Hedgehog video games for Sega Mega Drive based on technical demos and engines coded by Yuji Naka and characters designed by...
often get the credit for his work on the Sonic series, because of their close association with the Sonic name. Ōshima gained renown at Sega's Sonic Team
Sonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
for creating characters and playing integral roles in the development of games like Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star
is the first installment in Sega's renowned series of the same name. It was released for the Sega Master System in Japan on December 20, 1987, and then in North America and Europe in 1988. It is considered one of the pioneers amongst console role-playing games, both for its advanced graphics...
, Sonic CD
Sonic the Hedgehog CD
, or Sonic CD, is a critically acclaimed 1993 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team for the Mega-CD/Sega CD. It marked the first official appearance of the characters Metal Sonic and Amy Rose...
, Nights into Dreams...
NiGHTS into Dreams...
Nights into Dreams... , is a video game released by Sega in 1996 for the Sega Saturn video game system. The game's story follows two children entering a dream world, where they are aided by the main character, Nights...
, and Sonic Adventure
Sonic Adventure
is a 1999 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and released on December 23, 1998, in Japan by Sega for the Dreamcast. One of its development titles was Sonic RPG...
.
After leaving Sonic Team
Sonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
, he formed an independent game company called Artoon
Artoon
Artoon is a computer and video game third-party developer established in 1999. The team was primarily affiliated in the United States with recent and current Microsoft Xbox and Xbox 360 projects, although they had also worked with Hudson Soft and Nintendo on other platforms...
. Since then he has stepped down from the position of president in the company and was replaced by Yutaka Sugano. There he went on to work on such games as Pinobee and Blinx: The Time Sweeper
Blinx: The Time Sweeper
Blinx: The Time Sweeper is a platform game developed by Artoon and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released for the Xbox on October 7, 2002...
, and in 2004, the sequel to Blinx, Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space. In 2010, Artoon was asorbed into AQ Interactive
AQ Interactive
AQ Interactive was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. AQ stands for Artistic Quality. It was the parent company of the developers Artoon, Cavia and feelplus, and most recently the U.S. publisher Xseed Games...
.
He is occasionally credited under the nickname "Big Island" (or "Bigisland"), which is a literal translation of his family name
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
.
Production history
- Kujakuo (1988) — Designer
- Phantasy StarPhantasy Staris the first installment in Sega's renowned series of the same name. It was released for the Sega Master System in Japan on December 20, 1987, and then in North America and Europe in 1988. It is considered one of the pioneers amongst console role-playing games, both for its advanced graphics...
(1988) — Designer - Phantasy Star IIPhantasy Star IIPhantasy Star II is a console role-playing video game developed by Sega AM7 and released for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan in 1989. It was also released for the Mega Drive in Europe and the Genesis in America in 1990...
(1989) — Designer - Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) — Character Design, Project
- Fatal LabyrinthFatal LabyrinthFatal Labyrinth is a role-playing video game produced by Sega. Originally available exclusively on the Sega Meganet multiplayer gaming service in 1990, it was later remade for the Sega Mega Drive in . The game appears in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3...
(1991) — Designer - Sonic EraserSonic EraserSonic Eraser was a puzzle video game that was available to owners of the Sega Meganet, a modem for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan. Other than his sprite, there is little that relates the game with the rest of the Sonic franchise....
(1991) — Special Thanks - Sonic CDSonic the Hedgehog CD, or Sonic CD, is a critically acclaimed 1993 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team for the Mega-CD/Sega CD. It marked the first official appearance of the characters Metal Sonic and Amy Rose...
(1993) — Director - SegaSonic the HedgehogSegaSonic the Hedgehogis an isometric platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, released by Sega for Japanese arcades in June 1993. The game supported three players playing simultaneously, and possessed a unique track ball set up for moving on-screen characters. The only other control input was a single button,...
(1993) — Special Thanks - Knuckles' ChaotixKnuckles' ChaotixKnuckles' Chaotix, is a platform game spin-off to the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team, and published by Sega for the Sega 32X. The game was released in North America in March 1995, in Japan on April 21, 1995 and finally in Europe in May 1995. The game's only re-release since then...
(1995) — Original Character Concept - Sonic 3D BlastSonic 3D BlastSonic 3D is an isometric platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was developed in the United Kingdom by Traveller's Tales and published by Sega. The Japanese version was also Sega Saturn exclusive...
(1996) — Advisor - Nights into Dreams (1996) — Director, Nights Designer
- Christmas Nights (1996) — Director, Visual Designer
- Sonic RSonic RSonic R is a racing game developed by Traveller's Tales and Sonic Team for the Sega Saturn and PC, the latter version being ported to the GameCube and the PlayStation 2 in Sonic Gems Collection. It features characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog series...
(1997) — Graphic Advisor - Sonic Jam (1997) — Supervisor
- Burning RangersBurning RangersBurning Rangers is a video game developed by Sonic Team for the Sega Saturn. The player takes on the role of a new recruit to the futuristic firefighting organization of the title, and must explore locations where various emergencies have taken place, extinguishing fires and rescuing survivors.The...
(1998) — Director, Character Designer, Graphic Artist - Sonic AdventureSonic Adventureis a 1999 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and released on December 23, 1998, in Japan by Sega for the Dreamcast. One of its development titles was Sonic RPG...
(1998) — Story Event Motion Designer, Story Event Coordinator, CG Movie Producer, Opening Movie Editor - Silent HillSilent Hill (video game)Silent Hill is a survival horror video game for the PlayStation and the first installment in the Silent Hill series. Published by Konami and developed by Team Silent, a Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo group, the game was released in North America in January 1999, and in Japan and Europe later...
(1999) — Graphic System Programmer - Pinobee: Wings of AdventurePinobee: Wings of AdventurePinobee: Wings of Adventure, known is Japan as Pinobee no Daibouken , is a platformer for the Game Boy Advance, developed by Artoon and published by Hudson Soft. The game was released as a launch title for the system, on March 21, 2001 in Japan and June 11, 2001 in North America...
(2001) — Director - Blinx: The Time SweeperBlinx: The Time SweeperBlinx: The Time Sweeper is a platform game developed by Artoon and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released for the Xbox on October 7, 2002...
(2002) — Director - Silent Hill 3Silent Hill 3Silent Hill 3 is a survival horror video game published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 and developed by Team Silent, a production group within Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo. It is the third installment in the Silent Hill series and a direct sequel to the first Silent Hill game...
(2003) — Effect Programmer - Blinx 2: Masters of Time and SpaceBlinx 2: Masters of Time and SpaceBlinx 2: Masters of Time and Space is a 3D third-person platform game developed by Artoon and published by Microsoft Game Studios...
(2004) — Director - Yoshi's Universal Gravitation (2004) — Producer
- Yoshi's Island DS (2006) — Producer
- Blue Dragon (2006) — Executive Producer
- Lost OdysseyLost Odysseyis a console role-playing game developed by Mistwalker and feelplus and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. The player takes control of Kaim, a man who has lived for a thousand years and who has no memory of his past...
(2007) — Special Thanks - Away Shuffle Dungeon (2008) — Character Designer
- Sonic GenerationsSonic Generationsis a 2011 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, produced by Sonic Team for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo 3DS...
(2011) - Special Thanks