artist
277Itoi, Shigesato
Personal Information
Shigesato Itoi is a renowned Japanese copywriter and essayist, though internationally he is most celebrated as a game designer behind Nintendo's EarthBound series and his bass fishing video game. He is also credited with conceiving the name Game Boy. His primary creative outlet remains his website, Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun (The Itoi Pretty-Much-Daily News), where he publishes short essays on lifestyle and spirituality alongside interviews with artists, craftsmen, and business leaders that often explore philosophical themes. These conversations have been expanded into several co-authored books, such as Kaiba, The Hippocampus, a dialogue with a neurology expert discussing how to live as a human being in the world. In the entertainment industry, Itoi provided the voice for Tatsuo Kusakabe, the father of Mei and Satsuki, in the Japanese version of the anime film My Neighbor Totoro. He has also served as a judge on select episodes of the Japanese television programs Iron Chef and Hey! Spring of Trivia. Additionally, he co-wrote the short story collection Yume de aimashou ("Let's meet in a dream") with author Haruki Murakami. His most recent publication, Chiisai Kotoba o Utau Basho (A Place Where Small Words Are Sung), serves as an anthology of writings gathered from Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun. The publication, often referred to as "Hobo Nichi," currently releases a T-shirt series titled "Sentimental Territory" featuring simple drawings of cute animals with tears in their eyes. It also designs and sells a combination calendar, address book, and personal notebook at the start of each business year, typically in March or April.
