Death Stranding Creator Hideo Kojima’s ‘Musings’ Are Pure Gold
Hideo Kojima is a videogame auteur and his musings are a delight. | Source: Bryan Bedde/AFP
- Hideo Kojima’s one-question-one-answer daily musings started on Twitter earlier this week.
- They’ve covered topic such as his favorite actors to the everyday realism found in his games.
- The most recent touches on his most memorable jobs, including a stint as gardener and beer-fueled tumble from a tree.
Hideo Kojima’s ‘musings’ are an absolute treat. They offer an intriguing snapshot into the life and mind of one of the most celebrated video game creators around. If you missed out on the four daily editions released so far, the musings kick-started earlier this week to celebrate the launch of Death Stranding on PC.
Hideo Kojima has tasked himself with answering one question a day for as long as possible. Topics so far have ranged from actors and creators currently on his radar to the touches of humor and everyday realism found in his games , notably Death Stranding. Unsurprisingly, they are as interesting as the games Kojima makes.
Hideo’s latest musing touches on his most memorable jobs before establishing himself as a video game ‘auteur’ and birthing a series of acclaimed titles. Kojima recounts his first job filming wedding ceremonies and a stint as a part-time live-in gardener.
Physically draining, the gardening job taught him some valuable life experiences, notably, thanks to an episode where he was stung by at least ten bees simultaneously and another where he fell ill with lacquer poisoning.
Hideo Kojima Falls From a Tree
Kojima explains that during his time as a gardener, his employer stressed that he must never decline clients’ offerings, whether that be food or drink, to demonstrate the required level of respect.
Kojima’s strict adherence to the spirit of ‘omotenashi’ hospitality led to an unfortunate incident where he chugged a little too much client-offered beer and tumbled down from a tree. Another instance saw the Kojima Productions founder throw out his packed lunch when a client offered him a meal.
As Kojima explains, these experiences were formative:
Whether as a wedding cinematographer or live-in gardener, these part-time jobs helped teach me the spirit of ‘omotenashi’ hospitality – the spirit of how to please customers. I think that this spirit helps me in the game creation that I do today.
Long may the musings they continue. Let’s see what Hideo Kojima conjures up next.
