As Okami Eyes Its Sequel, It’s Time to Look Back at Its Anime Influences

It’s hard to believe that the hit video game Okami is nearly 20 years old. First released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006, the action-adventure game dazzled players with its unique visual style, inspired by traditional Japanese culture and art. It’s been a long wait for a follow-up, but a teaser trailer for Okami 2 was released by Capcom in late 2024, letting fans know that a sequel was now in development.

In anticipation of the sequel’s release, Hideki Kamiya, the writer and director of the original Okami, gave a recent interview where he talked about what gamers can expect from Okami 2. Along the way, he also revealed the names of the anime that have inspired his creative spark over the years.

The Career of a Gaming Legend

Mecha Anime: A Key Influence on Kamiya’s Work

Hideki Kamiya is a Japanese gaming legend who has worked on titles ranging from Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry to Viewtiful Joe for Capcom before leaving the studio to help start PlatinumGames, the home of Bayonetta and NieR: Automata. In October 2023, Kamiya departed from PlatinumGames and subsequently founded CLOVERS Inc., a nod to the original Clover Studio, which developed the first Okami.

In his interview with the news site Game*Spark, Kamiya reflected on the influences that shaped his career, tracing his deep-rooted passion for gaming back to childhood. “My childhood was completely immersed in games. I don’t even remember the first game I played,” he admitted. From the game corners of hot spring inns to department stores, he recalled being drawn to the flickering pictures and the sounds coming from the consoles. “There was something irresistibly drawing me to the electronic pictures on the CRT screen and the electronic beeping sounds, and before I knew it, I was completely absorbed in games. I can’t really brag about it.”

Born in 1970, Kamiya was part of a generation of Japanese kids raised in the early waves of video games and anime, a cultural landscape that profoundly shaped his creative vision. “Apart from games, the other thing I was into was anime,” he shared. “For me, it was limited to the first series, but I loved super robots like Gundam, Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger, Getter Robo, and also realistic robot series like Xabungle, Dunbine, and L-Gaim, which are in the Gundam lineage.” This mix of fast-paced action, bold storytelling, and mecha-anime aesthetics would later manifest in the distinct, stylish gameplay of Kamiya’s most famous works.

Gundam: A Lasting Obsession

A Passion for the Details

Of all these influences, Gundam had a particularly lasting impact—not just as a source of inspiration but as a training ground for his passion and obsessive attention to detail, something that would prove invaluable in game development. “For me, the Gundam plastic model kit (Gunpla) is very important. I’m a first-class fundamentalist, but the RX-78-2 Gundam mecha has been made into a kit many times with various design arrangements. The shape of the arrangements has changed depending on the era, and in recent years, there are many models in which the yellow duct on the chest is protruding forward along with the frame, but I can’t forgive that,” he said.

Kamiya’s passion for getting even the smallest details right is so strong that it often goes unappreciated by others. “Even when I say passionately, ‘This duct’s design is different!’ I only get a weak response like, ‘Oh, I see.’” For him, this level of deep knowledge and otaku-like devotion mirrors the passion of other enthusiasts, whether they are game designers, train photographers, or any other niche hobbyists. “Just like Gundam is to me, when I think about how train photographers probably have their own obsessions that others don’t understand, it makes me excited.”

Kamiya’s Creative Vision: What Makes His Games Stand Out

Okami 2 and Beyond: The Future of CLOVERS Inc.

Kamiya’s love for games, anime, and spot-on details has shaped everything he creates, from the fluid combat of Devil May Cry to the vibrant worlds of Okami and Bayonetta. His passion—whether in gameplay mechanics or storytelling—has made his work stand out for decades.

Related

Okami 2 Is The Game I’ve Been Waiting For Since 2006 (& Here’s Why You Should Play The First One Now)

The first Okami left a mark on the industry with its impeccable game design and, with the sequel looming on the horizon, you should play it.

Now, with CLOVERS Inc., he’s starting fresh, but his influences, from Gundam to classic arcade titles, remain the same. As fans anticipate Okami 2, one thing is certain—the game is far from over for Hideki Kamiya.

Source: Game*Spark

Okami 2

Developer(s)

Clover Studio