Changes: Kazuma Kaneko

Revision as of 22:50, 25 November 2018

"Another thing that bothered me was the trend of the main character always being portrayed as someone special -- a legendary warrior, for example. It was the equivalent of saying you can't succeed unless you're from a wealthy family, and I just couldn't stand that. I wasn't born with special genes, and I'm sure most other players weren't either. No matter who you are, if you're given a chance and have the guts to try your best, you can become a hero... That became the concept of Megami Tensei."

—Kaneko Kazuma

Kazuma Kaneko (金子一馬, Kaneko Kazuma) is a Japanese illustrator and employee of Atlus. While working for the same company, he has also done work for Capcom and Konami, designing characters for the video games Devil May Cry 3 and Zone of the Enders 2, respectively. He also illustrates covers for several novels such as The Case of the Dragon Slayer. He is however, undoubtedly, best known for his work in the Megami Tensei series.

Quotes

These are quotes from Kaneko in regards to a particular subject:

On his favorite demon in the series:

People ask me this question a lot, but having drawn many gods and demons, every myth is so fascinating and every demon is so dear to me that I just can't pick one demon as my favorite ... I'm sorry. - Escapist Magazine Inteview^[1]

On the design of his demons:

Nintendo would complain about my designs a lot. "Why is this monster naked?" (laughs) Then I’d explain to them that it would be weird for this particular monster to not be naked, and they’d reply back, "Ok, we understand. Please remove the nipple then." I said, what is this now, a Go Nagai manga? (laughs) - Game Hihyou magazine Interview^[2]

Go Nagai is a mangaka notoriously famous for having his works criticized by parents and teachers that deem his works are obscene and explicit that much of it was censored by publishers.

Credits

Below is a list of works within the series associated with Kazuma Kaneko.

Game Name	First released	System	Role(s)
Megami Tensei II	1990	NES	Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer
Shin Megami Tensei	1992	SNES	Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible	1992	GB	Coordinator
Shin Megami Tensei II	1994	SNES	Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer
Majin Tensei	1994	SNES	Coordinator
Shin Megami Tensei: if...	1994	SNES	Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer
Kyūyaku Megami Tensei	1995	SNES	Character and Boss Demon Redesigner
Devil Summoner	1995	Sega Saturn	Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer
Revelations: Persona	1996	PlayStation	Character Designer, Image Designer & Title Logo Designer
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers	1997	Sega Saturn	Main Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer
Persona 2: Innocent Sin	1999	PlayStation	Main Character Designer, Principal Persona Designer, Boss Demon Designer
Maken X	1999	Dreamcast	Character Designer
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment	2000	PlayStation	Main Character Designer, Principal Persona Designer, Boss Demon Designer
Maken Shao	2001	PlayStation 2	Character Designer
Shin Megami Tensei NINE	2002	Xbox	Demon Designer
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne	2003	PlayStation 2	Character Designer, Demon Designer, Creative Director
Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner	2004	PlayStation 2	Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer
Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner 2	2005	PlayStation 2	Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army	2005	PlayStation 2	Character Designer, Demon Designer, Art Director, Original Scenario Designer, World Map Design
Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE	2007	PC	Demon Designer
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon	2008	PlayStation 2	Character Designer, Demon Designer, Art Director, Original Scenario Designer, World Map Design
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor	2009	Nintendo DS	Demon Designer
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey	2009	Nintendo DS	Character Designer, Demon Designer, Creative Director
Shin Megami Tensei IV	2013	Nintendo 3DS	Scenario Drafts, Series Demon Design
Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse	2016	Nintendo 3DS	Scenario Designer, World Setting Planner, Series Demon Designer
Persona 5	2016	PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4	Demon Design and Modeling Supervisor

Gallery

Profile

Shin Megami Tensei: Final Story novel (1993)

Digital Devil Apocalypse (1999) (Out of print)

Persona 2 guide

Persona 2 guide

Trivia

Under the name Kaz he appears as a S-Rank BattleNet opponent in DemiKids after winning 87 S-Rank battles. He is said to be an evil artist that uses ice demons. Said demons are Jack Frost and his kin with the exception of Lucifroz. He is the 90th opponent in the tournament.
In the very beginning of Soul Hackers, his ID (complete with name) is the one that's overwritten to be replaced by the protagonist's for the Paradigm X beta.
Kaneko made a small cameo in the Devil Summoner TV Drama.
One of Kaneko's major inspirations was Hirohiko Araki (creator of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, one of the key inspiration for Atlus' Persona series), and both are fans of each other's works to the point where they conducted an interview with each other in Weekly Shonen Jump.

References

↑ Escapist Magazine Interview Interview: Behind the Scenes of Shin Megami Tensei The Escapist Staff - 10 November 2010 2:00 pm
↑ Game Hihyou magazine, 1996, Translation by Shmuplations.com staff

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Image:Kaneko.jpg|thumb|Kazuma Kaneko, Art Designer for ''Shin Megami Tensei'']]
+[[Image:Kaneko.jpg|right|thumb|Profile]]
+{{Q|Another thing that bothered me was the trend of the main character always being portrayed as someone special -- a legendary warrior, for example. It was the equivalent of saying you can't succeed unless you're from a wealthy family, and I just couldn't stand that. I wasn't born with special genes, and I'm sure most other players weren't either. No matter who you are, if you're given a chance and have the guts to try your best, you can become a hero... That became the concept of Megami Tensei.|Kaneko Kazuma}}
-'''Kazuma Kaneko''' (金子一馬, ''Kaneko Kazuma'') is a Japanese illustrator and employee of Atlus. While working for the same company, he has also done work for Capcom and Konami, designing characters for the video games ''[[wikipedia:Devil May Cry 3|Devil May Cry 3]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Zone of the Enders 2|Zone of the Enders 2]]'', respectively. He is best known for his work in the ''Megami Tensei'' series of video games.
+'''Kazuma Kaneko''' (金子一馬, ''Kaneko Kazuma'') is a Japanese illustrator and employee of [[Atlus]]. While working for the same company, he has also done work for Capcom and Konami, designing characters for the video games ''[[wikipedia:Devil May Cry 3|Devil May Cry 3]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Zone of the Enders 2|Zone of the Enders 2]]'', respectively. He also illustrates covers for several novels such as ''[[wikipedia:Jiken_series|The Case of the Dragon Slayer]]''. He is however, undoubtedly, best known for his work in the ''Megami Tensei'' series.
+==Quotes==
+These are quotes from Kaneko in regards to a particular subject:
+*On his favorite demon in the series:
+:''People ask me this question a lot, but having drawn many gods and demons, every myth is so fascinating and every demon is so dear to me that I just can't pick one demon as my favorite ... I'm sorry.'' - Escapist Magazine Inteview<ref>[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/interviews/8280-Interview-Behind-the-Scenes-of-Shin-Megami-Tensei Escapist Magazine Interview] ''Interview: Behind the Scenes of Shin Megami Tensei'' The Escapist Staff - 10 November 2010 2:00 pm</ref>
+*On the design of his demons:
+:''Nintendo would complain about my designs a lot. "Why is this monster naked?" (laughs) Then I’d explain to them that it would be weird for this particular monster to not be naked, and they’d reply back, "Ok, we understand. Please remove the nipple then." I said, what is this now, a Go Nagai manga? (laughs) - Game Hihyou magazine Interview''<ref>[http://shmuplations.com/kobayashikaneko/ Game Hihyou magazine, 1996, Translation] by Shmuplations.com staff</ref>
+::[[wikipedia:Go Nagai|Go Nagai]] is a mangaka notoriously famous for having his works criticized by parents and teachers that deem his works are obscene and explicit that much of it was censored by publishers.
 ==Credits==
 Below is a list of works within the series associated with Kazuma Kaneko.
+{|class="wikitable"
-{|border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="background: #222222; border: 1px #66BBFF solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%; text-align: center;"
-|-style="background: #000000;"
-!Game Name !! First Released !! System !! Role(s)
 |-
+!width=270px|Game Name !! First<br />released !!width=70px| System !! Role(s)
-! ''[[Megami Tensei II]]''
-|| 1990 || <small>[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]''
+|''[[Megami Tensei II]]''
-|| 1992 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer</small>
+| 1990 || <small>[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''Megami Tensei Gaiden: [[Last Bible]]''
+|''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]''
-|| 1992 || <small>[[Game Boy|GB]]</small> || <small>Coordinator</small>
+| 1992 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Shin Megami Tensei II]]''
+| ''Megami Tensei Gaiden: [[Last Bible]]''
-|| 1994 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer</small>
+| 1992 || <small>[[Game Boy|GB]]</small> || <small>Coordinator</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Majin Tensei]]''
+| ''[[Shin Megami Tensei II]]''
-|| 1994 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Coordinator</small>
+| 1994 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: if...]]''
+| ''[[Majin Tensei]]''
-|| 1994 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer</small>
+| 1994 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Coordinator</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei]]''
+| ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: if...]]''
-|| 1995 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Character and Boss Demon Redesigner</small>
+| 1994 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Sprite Artist, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Devil Summoner]]''
+| ''[[Kyūyaku Megami Tensei]]''
-|| 1995 || <small>[[Sega Saturn]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer</small>
+| 1995 || <small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]</small> || <small>Character and Boss Demon Redesigner</small>
 |-
+| ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner|Devil Summoner]]''
-! ''[[Revelations: Persona]]''
-|| 1996 || <small>[[PlayStation]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Image Designer & Title Logo Designer</small>
+| 1995 || <small>[[Sega Saturn]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers]]''
+| ''[[Revelations: Persona]]''
-|| 1997 || <small>[[Sega Saturn]]</small> || <small>Main Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer</small>
+| 1996 || <small>[[PlayStation]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Image Designer & Title Logo Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Persona 2: Innocent Sin]]''
+| ''[[Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers]]''
-|| 1999 || <small>[[PlayStation]]</small> || <small>Main Character Designer, Principal Persona Designer, Boss Demon Designer</small>
+| 1997 || <small>[[Sega Saturn]]</small> || <small>Main Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Maken X]]''
+| ''[[Persona 2: Innocent Sin]]''
-|| 1999 || <small>[[Dreamcast]]</small> || <small>Character Designer</small>
+| 1999 || <small>[[PlayStation]]</small> || <small>Main Character Designer, Principal Persona Designer, Boss Demon Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Persona 2: Eternal Punishment]]''
+| ''[[Maken X]]''
-|| 2000 || <small>[[PlayStation]]</small> || <small>Main Character Designer, Principal Persona Designer, Boss Demon Designer</small>
+| 1999 || <small>[[Dreamcast]]</small> || <small>Character Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Maken Shao]]''
+| ''[[Persona 2: Eternal Punishment]]''
-|| 2001 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer</small>
+| 2000 || <small>[[PlayStation]]</small> || <small>Main Character Designer, Principal Persona Designer, Boss Demon Designer</small>
 |-
+| ''[[Maken Shao]]''
-! ''[[Shin Megami Tensei NINE|Shin Megami Tensei NINE]]''
-|| 2002 || <small>[[Xbox]]</small> || <small>Demon Designer</small>
+| 2001 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne]]''
+| ''[[Shin Megami Tensei NINE]]''
-|| 2003 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Creative Director</small>
+| 2002 || <small>[[Xbox]]</small> || <small>Demon Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner]]''
+| ''[[Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne]]''
-|| 2004 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer</small>
+| 2003 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Creative Director</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner 2]]''
+| ''[[Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner]]''
-|| 2005 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer</small>
+| 2004 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army]]''
+| ''[[Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner 2]]''
-|| 2005 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Art Director, Original Scenario Designer, World Map Design</small>
+| 2005 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, World Map Designer</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE]]''
+| ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army]]''
-|| 2007 || <small>[[Personal computer game|PC]]</small> || <small>Demon Designer</small>
+| 2005 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Art Director, Original Scenario Designer, World Map Design</small>
 |-
-! ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon]]''
+| ''[[Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE]]''
-|| 2008 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Art Director, Original Scenario Designer, World Map Design</small>
+| 2007 || <small>[[Personal computer game|PC]]</small> || <small>Demon Designer</small>
 |-
-!'' [[Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor]]''
+| ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon]]''
-|| 2009 || <small>[[Nintendo DS]]</small> || <small>Demon Designer</small>
+| 2008 || <small>[[PlayStation 2]]</small> || <small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Art Director, Original Scenario Designer, World Map Design</small>
 |-
+|
+''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor]]''
+| 2009 || <small>[[Nintendo DS]]</small> ||
+<small>Demon Designer</small>
+|-
+|
+''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey]]''
+| 2009 || <small>[[Nintendo DS]]</small> ||
+<small>Character Designer, Demon Designer, Creative Director</small>
+|-
+|
+''[[Shin Megami Tensei IV]]''
+| 2013 || <small>[[Nintendo 3DS]]</small> ||
+<small>Scenario Drafts, Series Demon Design</small>
+|-
+|
+''[[Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse]]''
+| 2016 || <small>[[Nintendo 3DS]]</small> ||
+<small>Scenario Designer, World Setting Planner, Series Demon Designer </small>
+|-
+|
+''[[Persona 5]]''
+| 2016 || <small>[[PlayStation 3]] / [[PlayStation 4]]</small> ||
+<small>Demon Design and Modeling Supervisor </small>
 |}
+==Gallery==
+{{gallery
+|File:Kaneko_with_shades.png|Profile
+|File:Kaneko_Magazine.jpg|''Shin Megami Tensei: Final Story novel'' (1993)
+|File:Kazuma-ddapocalypse1.jpg|''Digital Devil Apocalypse'' (1999) (Out of print)
+|File:Kazuma-ddapocalypse2.jpg|''Digital Devil Apocalypse'' (1999) (Out of print)
+|File:Kazuma-p2guide.jpg|''Persona 2'' guide
+|File:Kaneko_frolicking.jpg|''Persona 2'' guide
+}}
+==Trivia==
+*Under the name '''Kaz''' he appears as a S-Rank BattleNet opponent in ''[[DemiKids]]'' after winning 87 S-Rank battles. He is said to be an evil artist that uses ice demons. Said demons are [[Jack Frost]] and his kin with the exception of [[Lucifroz]]. He is the 90th opponent in the tournament.
+*In the very beginning of ''Soul Hackers'', his ID (complete with name) is the one that's overwritten to be replaced by the [[Protagonist (Soul Hackers)|protagonist's]] for the Paradigm X beta.
+*Kaneko made a small cameo in the Devil Summoner TV Drama.
+*One of Kaneko's major inspirations was Hirohiko Araki (creator of the ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'' series, one of the key inspiration for Atlus' Persona series), and both are fans of each other's works to the point where they conducted an interview with each other in Weekly Shonen Jump.
+==References==
+<references/>
+==See also==
+*[[Demon Painter]]
 [[Category:Personnel]]