The unlimited imagination “ZOIDS” provided –– the returned founder’s last job [Game Designers in their ‘early’ days]

【Episode 3 summary】

In “Passion of Game Designers ~ in their early days ~,” Keiichi Tanaka interviews about the passionate, young, and overreaching past of game designers, who struggled during the game industry’s “adolescence,” in the 1980s and 1990s. With the 3rd episode, we suddenly have a special episode（!） that looks into the toy industry, where Keiichi Tanaka sensei is also from.

Our guest is the founder of the popular 80s original boys’ toy, “ZOIDS” and TAKARA TOMY’s Mitsutoshi Tokuyama.

We asked Mr. Tokuyama, who started up the “ZOID Project” at a young age, about the spirit he tried to entrust in children through “ZOIDS.”

What is the reason this original toy was so loved even though it originally didn’t have an anime show –– and what is the invaluable soul of “ZOIDS”?（by editorial department）

日本語版はこちら：【田中圭一連載】ゾイドが僕らにくれた“無限の想像力”――帰還した“生みの親”が次世代に託す「最後の仕事」とは？【若ゲ特別回：傑作ロボット玩具「ゾイド」】

Author

Keiichi Tanaka

May 4, 1962 Born in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture. Graduated from Kinki University School of Law. During college in 1983, entered Koike Kazuo’s Gekikason Juku (Kobe school) as a student of the inaugural class. In the following year of 1984, debuted as a cartoonist with “Mr. Coward” (published in “Comic Gekikason Juku”). Gained popularity with “Doctor Chichibuyama,” which began in 1986, and later made into an anime. (a series in “Comic Gekikason Juku” and later a different publication). After graduating from university, employed at a toy company. In the “Weekly Shonen Sunday” held the irregular series, “A Bug’s Life: Adventures of P-suke” (1889~1991). Created fanzine magazines centered around parody. Latest publications include the first volume of “Utsunuke” released January 2017 (KADOKAWA) and “Keiichi Tanaka’s ‘Pen and Chopsticks'”(Shogakkan).

Twitter：@keiichisennsei

【The smartphone game where ZOIDS flourish in Mr. Tokuyama’s artwork, is now available!】

 

 

A phone game, based in the world of Mr. Tokuyama’s “ZOIDS Concept Art,” is now available.

It’s a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game, where many players are divided into two teams, and the team who destroys the opponents base first wins.

Enjoy a thrilling heated battle with various ZOIDS freely running around the battle field!

この記事に関するタグ

• English
• ZOIDS
• ゾイド
• プラモデル
• 漫画
• 田中圭一