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Interview with Hideo Kojima [From MGS3: The Countdown]

A Tale of Fighting the Illusion of "The Times"

I wanted to create a world full of contradictions, where lives are exchanged in the great outdoors.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (MGS3) has the theme of survival in the wilderness. Why did you choose this theme?

Kojima: When we started working on this film, we trained in the mountains near Sagami Lake with a team led by Mr. Mōri (Motosada, military advisor for this work) 【*1】 We trained in the mountains near Sagami Lake, carrying the same equipment as the army, for two days and one night. We incorporated the tension of that time into the game. You are in the middle of nature and people are on top of each other, but if you look to the side, there are all kinds of creatures right there. If you hold a gun and keep your breath down, you can see frogs hopping around in the grass. In the midst of battle, if you listen carefully, you can hear birds singing and the buzzing of insect wings... The contradictory feeling of trying to take the life of an enemy in the midst of a forest, in the midst of nature, where life springs forth. The feeling of giving and taking life and death. I wanted to somehow incorporate that feeling into the game. Survival in the mountains is a strange story to begin with. In the midst of nature, where life is being created, it is impossible for living things to cease. Only modern people with guns die. In essence, we have to eat other lives to survive.

【*1】 Mr. Mōri (former military advisor to Sadamoto)

He was born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1964. He has been traveling around the world since he was 19 years old, and after having experienced combat in conflict zones, he has trained and guided the SWAT, a special police anti-terrorist unit, and assisted the 14th Dalai Lama, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, in his personal security measures. He was a military advisor for the "Metal Gear Solid" series. He supervised the CQC in this work.

By setting the battlefield in the jungle, which is full of life, you have expanded the possibilities for the game.

Kojima: It has been a dream of mine to set the game in a jungle since "Metal Gear" 【*2】 on the MSX2. A real undercover mission doesn't start right next to the target building, but hundreds of kilometers away from it. You have to cross the jungle on foot to reach your destination. The first thing I wanted to do was to depict the survival part of the game. This time, instead of Alaska in "MGS" or New York in "MGS2" 【*3】, we started by illegally entering a country with which we had no diplomatic relations. We must go in under false identities and return without leaving a trace. No helicopter or plane is provided for the return trip. Even if we complete the mission, we must return safely from the Soviet Union's territory.

【*2】"Metal Gear" for MSX2

Game for MSX2 released in 1987. Director Kojima's debut work. The main character is Solid Snake. The game has now been completely reissued for mobile phones.

【*3】 Alaska in "MGS" and New York in "MGS2"

"MGS" takes place at a training base on the isolated Shadow Mosses island in Alaska. The setting of "MGS2" is an offshore decontamination facility in Hudson Bay, New York.

In many games, the last enemy to be defeated blows up the stage, or the enemies disappear. This time, you have to survive your way back home!

Kojima: Yes. The return journey is the greatest survival. That's the real thrill of adventure novels. The mission is to return to everyday reality. If the mission is all about infiltration, it is like a suicide bombing, but the real mission is to come back alive. Just as game players return to reality after being immersed in a virtual space, Snake will also come back to everyday life.

So, the hard-boiled world of adventure fiction is the motif.

Kojima: I like hard-boiled adventure novels. The hard-boiled characters move forward with only their willpower, even if their bodies are injured or they have a fever. After a good night's sleep, a hot shower, and a cup of coffee, he would be back on his feet in no time. I wanted to express that kind of hard-boiled, bottomless spirit through the game. In "MGS3," the main character, Snake, gets injured when he is attacked. Bullet holes are left in his body, and bones are broken. He can heal after eating and passing time, but he can also sew up gunshot wounds, remove bullets from his body, and heal himself. The whole body is left with wounds and if they are not treated, it will be covered with scars. If you treat them properly, they heal quickly and regain their strength. This is the "CURE" system.

In the jungle, you cut your own body and endure the pain of healing. In a world where there is no anesthesia or anything else, you have to cut yourself to save your life. It is a game of enduring pain.

Kojima: There is a sense of unity with the player. You can see the Survival Viewer screen, where you perform CURE, and it's a mirror of yourself. Seeing Snake covered in blood, you can be masochistically intoxicated by the harshness of your situation and say, "Cool!"

Previous MGS games have never used a so-called menu screen, such as the survival viewer, have they?

Kojima: Yes, in the past, we didn't dare to use this feature because it would cause a time lag in the gameplay. But this time, the theme was "the player and Snake become one," so we took on the challenge. This time Snake is hit, tortured, and beaten up quite a bit. Seeing Snake in the Survival Viewer is pretty painful 【*4】, but he never changes his convictions. He never ignores what he really believes. That's hard boiled.

【*4】 Seeing Snake in the survival viewer is quite painful

When he is poisoned, Snake bends his body in pain. You can also check the history of the food he has eaten and the history of what you have done to the body.

So the Survival Viewer is a system that allows you to see Snake, who you are controlling, and get emotionally involved.

Kojima: Also, when you save and exit the game, your energy is restored the next time you play. The time between when you quit and when you resume play is measured. So, if you saved the game the day before, when you come home from work the next day and restart the game, Snake will be fine. This system allows you to think "I wonder if Snake is doing well" when you are working at the office. It is truly as if you and Snake are one.

When not playing the game, Snake also takes a break.

Kojima: So, if you give him medicine and food before saving, he will recover a lot.

Wow! Truly one with Snake.

Kojima: When Snake gets hungry, his stomach growls. Then, strangely enough, I, the player, get hungry too (laughs). Just as a person's "yawn" is transmitted to the player, the game character's hunger seems to be transmitted to me. That's the kind of game it is.

Speaking of survival, what is the meaning behind the subtitle this time, "Snake Eater"?

Kojima: The name "Snake Eater" has many meanings. After the release of Metal Gear Solid, there were a lot of stealth games that came out. To defeat them, in "MGS2" we symbolically released the Metal Gear RAY (a mass-produced Metal Gear weapon), and now in "MGS3" we want to eat Snake himself! It means that. Also, in the slang of the Special Forces Green Berets, the army and people who look barbaric are called "snake eaters".

As a game, it is unusual for it to be set in the jungle.

Kojima: Both "MGS" and "MGS2" were set inside man-made structures, but by changing the game console from PlayStation to the high-performance PlayStation 2, we were able to depict a different world. However, "MGS3" is set on the same PlayStation 2 as "MGS2". I wanted to change the graphics fundamentally. So, I dared to use natural environment

Isn't depicting nature the most difficult aspect of computer graphics?

Kojima: It's hard to draw, and it's difficult 【*5】 because you need hit detection for all the undulating terrain and vegetation. In addition, you have to move not only the background, but also the plants and animals.

【*5】 It's hard because you need hit detection for all the undulating terrain and vegetation

The key to creating images for games is hit detection. How do CG objects react when they collide with each other? Will they bounce, turn or stop? By determining all of these reactions, a sense of reality is created.

You are daring to take on a difficult challenge. It's a challenge that is typical of the Kojima group. The place called Tselinoyarsk, where the Virtuous Mission 【*8】 takes place, is that name fictitious?

Infiltrate the fictional world where reality and lies are mixed.

Kojima: The name of the place Tselinoyarsk is fictitious. I made it up after researching the meaning of Russian words 【*6】. In a game, the first stage is ice, the second stage is magma and so on, but in a real forest there is not much difference. Once you enter a forest, it is a forest until the end. There is no such thing as a land rich in flora and fauna, with limestone caves and lakes along the way. That's why we dared to create a fictional land for the game.

【*6】 I looked up the meaning of the Russian word and made it up

Tselina = virgin land, uncultivated land. Yar = precipice. Sk = suffix.

【*8】 Virtuous Mission

Operation Virtuous. The name given to the debut mission of the covert unit, FOX. Also known as the VR mission.

In "MGS3," the mixing of reality and fiction is very well done. For example, there is the line "the first HALO drop in history", but didn't that happen much later in real history? Wasn't the incident in "MGS3" recorded in history? Or is it all fictitious...?

Kojima: There are both lies and true stories too. The CQC, for example, is still cutting edge today. I don't think the average person would understand it, but there are a lot of things in it that even military enthusiasts wouldn't understand, and that only real professionals would understand. I would love to have an audio commentary of the demo scenes 【*7】. Otherwise, there are things that would never be understood.

【*7】 I'd love to have an audio commentary on it

The booklet that will come with the limited edition of "MGS3" will include a full polygon demo commentary by director Hideo Kojima and other key staff members.

Are the fighter aircraft and armaments built like in real life?

Kojima: In our team (Kojima-gumi), there are some particular members. The members are very knowledgeable about military affairs and weapons. And since Mr. Mōri is supervising the project, so the work should be very faithful to reality.

You have a fact-checking group for military knowledge.

Kojima: The "Metal Gear Solid" series seems to have a lot of fans among real military personnel. I have personal correspondence with people who were in Afghanistan and former parachutists. I have heard from them that they played "MGS" on the front line. Well, when they come to me, they salute me and say, "I'm looking forward to Metal Gear", which is a bit of a problem (laughs).

However, even in a fictional setting, it is better to know about historical topics such as the Cuban Missile Crisis in order to enjoy "MGS3".

Kojima: Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy Assassination... The most important keyword is the Cuban Missile Crisis 【*9】. The Virtuous Mission is the prologue and will play a major role in the main story that follows. At the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, President JFK (Kennedy) and First Secretary Khrushchev made a secret agreement 【*10】. The content of this agreement is relevant. There are many movies depicting the secret Cuban agreement, such as "13 Days" 【*11】, and it has been speculated that the agreement was based on the closing of a missile base in Turkey, but this is not true. Of course, it's fiction. That is the core of the story of "MGS3". What is the weapon that Dr. Sokolov is said to have been working on? And why did he defect from the Soviet Union to the United States? This is the story of the events that led to the assassination of Kennedy and the hardliners' pursuit of Khrushchev.

【*9】 Cuban Missile Crisis

On October 16, 1962, a US Air Force spy reconnaissance plane discovered a Soviet medium-range missile base in Cuba. The world was plunged into a state of tension, fearing the outbreak of war.

【*10】 President JFK (Kennedy) and First Secretary Khrushchev

First Secretary Khrushchev, who advocated a policy of peaceful coexistence with the West, held a dialogue with American President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK). JFK was famous for being America's most beloved president, but he was shot dead in 1963.

【*11】 The movie "13 Days"

Released in 2000. Directed by Roger Donaldson. Starring Kevin Costner. The film depicts the 13 days from October 16 to October 28, 1962, when the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred.

Indeed, the point of contact between reality and fiction. This is where Snake's sneaking mission comes in. A history that no one has ever heard is pieced together.

Kojima: Actually, there used to be an adventure game called "Snatcher", set in a world where the Soviet Union is gone 【*12】. The story is about a weapon left behind by the Soviet Union, which plunges the world into crisis. But at the time I didn't think the Soviet Union would disappear, and I thought the Cold War would go on forever. Without a hypothetical enemy, adventure stories don't really get off the ground. That's why adventure fiction changed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. With "MGS3", we created a thrilling world by bringing real conflict back to life.

【*12】It's set in a world where the Soviet Union is gone

"Snatcher" is a science fiction adventure game directed by Kojima that was released in 1988 on the PC8801. Unfortunately, the PC8801 version of the game was incomplete, with only "ACT 2" completed. The PC Engine version of "Snatcher" was the first to complete "ACT 3". In the near future, 80% of the Eurasian continent has been wiped out by a biohazard in Moscow. The negative legacy of the Soviet Union threatens the world. At the time, of course, the collapse of the Soviet Union was unthinkable in real life.

What is the identity of the most powerful enemy in history, the Cobra Unit, full of monsters?

Kojima's games are always based on the "father-killer" motif. In "MGS," he fought a man who inherited his father's genes, and in "MGS2," he defeated his foster father 【*13】. What will Snake overcome this time?

【*13】 Solid Snake fights a man who inherited his father's genes in "MGS" and defeats his foster father in "MGS2

Solid Snake, the hero of "MGS", and his nemesis, Liquid Snake, are clones descended from the legendary hero Big Boss. Raiden, the protagonist of "MGS2", is an artificially created warrior who fights against the entity that raised him.

Kojima: Yes, that's right. My games have always depicted paternity and never motherhood. This time, however, I am going to depict "motherhood". This time, there will be many strong women. The Boss is one of them. The Boss is a legendary soldier that all men fear. When you get close to her, she will disassemble your weapons and blow you away with her CQC. She is an invincible soldier.

This time around, a number of special forces units appear. The Boss, who supports Snake, belongs to the Cobra Unit.

Kojima: The Cobra Unit is the original Special Forces unit, a covert unit that was very active during the Second World War. The members of the Cobra Unit are inspired by the emotions that arise on the battlefield. The Fear, The Sorrow, The Pain... When Colonel Kurtz dies in "Apocalypse Now" he says: "The horror... The horror..." 【*14】. That emotion! So, in my mind, the Cobra Unit is the image of a Kamen Rider monster 【*15】.

【*14】 When Colonel Kurtz dies in "Apocalypse Now", he says, "The horror... the horror..."

This film, directed by Francis F. Coppola, was released in 1979 and depicts the madness of the Vietnam War. Colonel Kurtz, played by Marlon Brando, establishes his own kingdom deep in the heart of Vietnam. The story is about Captain Willard, played by Martin Sheen, who is trying to eliminate Colonel Kurtz.

【*15】 Image of the Kamen Rider monster

A transformable hero aired on TV in 1971. The enemy was an evil modified human created by the evil secret society, Shocker. Many of them, such as the Spider Man, were converted humans who had been given the power of plants and animals.

The "Metal Gear" series has seen the appearance of monster armies such as the FOXHOUND and Dead Cell in the past.

Kojima: This time it's even more impressive. The End especially is the most intense one!

"The End" is a song by "The Doors" 【*16】!

【*16】 The End is a song by The Doors

The Doors, a band led by Jim Morrison, released the song "The End" in 1967. The song features a snake as a metaphor for the apocalypse.

Kojima: Haha! I can sing that song all the way through. Do you have karaoke? No, no, no, The End is amazing. He is a sniper who is over 100 years old.

What's that!?

Kojima: Normally, he sleeps all the time and does photosynthesis.

Awesome! I don't get it! (Laughs)

Kojima: Only when he fights does he gain the power of the forest and come back to life. It will be a sniper battle that will go down in gaming history.

A sniper in a state of hibernation! It's a formidable opponent...

Kojima: The camouflage is perfect, and even with thermal goggles on, he is undetectable. Even if you think it is an enemy and aim at it, it could still be mushrooms (laughs). That's why he's The End. If you meet him on the battlefield, you'll be killed. "It's the end!"

A true Snake vs. Cobra fight to the death!

Kojima: In "Tiger Mask" 【*17】, the last opponent the hero fights is a tiger. So, Snake's enemy is a cobra (snake). It is the strongest enemy in the series so far.

【*17】"Tiger Mask"

Animated wrestling series based on the original story by Kajiwara Ikki and Tsuji Naoki, broadcast for two years from 1969. A masterpiece that exploded with Kajiwara-ism, with a dark development and appearances by real wrestlers such as Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki. The final enemy is Tiger the Great (anime version).

I see. Then what about Snake's organization, FOX?

Kojima: "Force Operation X". Special forces. The parent organisation of the later Foxhound. After the Second World War, an Englishman, Major Zero, wanted to form an organisation that would bring together the best people regardless of race. But it was difficult to form because there was still racial discrimination at the time. So he asked The Boss, who was his colleague in the SAS 【*18】, to help him form an organisation that would combine military and intelligence activities. A small number of elites would infiltrate deep into enemy bases to conduct subversive and intelligence activities. That's why it belongs to the CIA 【*19】. The Virtuous Mission (VR mission) on which Snake was assigned was its debut.

【*18】SAS

Special Air Service of the British Army.

【*19】 CIA

Central Intelligence Agency of the United States

Wow. Snake was the first elite of FOX.

Kojima: Speaking of special forces, Ocelot 【*20】, of the Soviet Union's special forces, makes an appearance. He is a really funny guy. He chases Snake around.

【*20】 Ocelot

Ocelot is a master marksman and torturer who appears in "MGS" and "MGS2". His true identity is hidden, as he is active in various organizations as a multiple spy. In this work, his youth is depicted.

Ah, young Ocelot.

【*21】 Snake's advice was to switch pistols, and he did so

Kojima: Ocelot is a very elite man, a major at the age of 19. There is a reason for that, he has a very good pedigree. He has his own unit. But when he meets Snake, Ocelot has his first setback. So he goes after Snake and is charmed by him. He follows the advice of his enemy, Snake, and switches pistols, 【*21】 and he has a cute personality.

In his first appearance in this film, he uses an automatic pistol, but it jammed and he was defeated by Snake. However, in his second appearance, he follows the advice of his enemy Snake and appears with a revolver.

What kind of character is The Boss? Snake seems to have a fondness for her.

Kojima: She's about 50 years old.

An older woman. And she is more than a year older.

Kojima: Snake's mentor, mother figure and lover. But you see, Snake can never win against The Boss. She's so strong that she's known as the mother of special forces. She can throw you off in an instant.

The most powerful enemy ever! The Boss!

Kojima: I liked Charlotte Rampling 【*22】. That image.

【*22】Charlotte Rampling

Actress born in 1946. Her father was a soldier and an Olympic medalist. As a child, she used to play at the NATO military base where her father worked. She became popular for her decadent performance in the films "The Brave and the Damned" [Released in English as "The Damned"] (1969) and "The Storm of Love" ["The Night Porter"] (1973). She was married to musician Jean-Michelle Jarre, but they are now divorced.

"No kung fu" "no wire" "no high-speed" of adventure novels.

What books and movies did you look at when you were thinking about "MGS3"?

Kojima: I read mystery novels in elementary school, and in junior high school I read a lot of science fiction novels as an escape from reality. Then, when I was in high school, I started reading a little more realistic adventure novels. "MGS3" is filled with that trend. Alistair MacLean and Desmond Bagley... 【*23】 All of them were translations. At the time, people who had no experience with the special forces were imagining and writing, so now there are more and more novels featuring soldiers and military personnel as the main characters, but also intelligence agents (spies) and complete amateurs were being given a mission and fighting. It was a world where you didn't know if it was real or not. It was a mess at the time. There were agents escaping from enemy bases with pistols in their hands, and with their girlfriends (laughs). But that kind of "007" 【*24】 world is the base of Metal Gear.

【*23】 Alistair MacLean and Desmond Bagley

Alistair MacLean and Desmond Bagley are British adventure novelists, respectively. McLean's best-known work is "The Guns of Navarone," and Bagley's best-known work is "The Golden Keel".

【*24】"007"

The most popular spy action movie series in the world is the 007 series, More than 20 have been made since 1962's "007 Is The Number of a Killer" ("Dr. No"). This is the root of the "Metal Gear" series.

What kind of novels do you like best?

Kojima: If you are looking for an adventure novel, I would say Bagley's "The High Citadel" 【*25】. I bought a reprint of it from Hayakawa recently, but I haven't reread it yet. I wonder how it would be if I read it now. I don't remember much of the story... I think it was about a plane crash and fighting on a high winter mountain.

【*25】 Bagley's "The High Citadel"

A masterpiece of adventure fiction published by Desmond Bagley in 1965. A plane crash-lands in the Andes Mountains and is attacked by a mysterious armed group. The surviving passengers create weapons out of scrap wood and fight back.

What about recent adventure or military fiction?

Kojima: I love J.C. Pollock's "The Frontier of Trees" 【*26】. However, most of the recent novels are realistic military stories, often written by ex-special forces personnel, you know. Tom Clancy 【*27】 and the image of a spy plus a soldier. No, "MGS3" is a much older image. The "Man of the Sea" series by Ken Follett and MacLean 【*28】, Hayakawa novels with Noriyoshi Orai 【*29】 as the cover character. A.J. Quinnell's "Man On Fire" and the "Creasy" series. "The Guns of Navarone" and "Operation Blitz Flint GO! GO" 【*30】.

【*26】 J.C. Pollock's "The Frontier of Trees" [Japanese title. Released in English as "Centrifuge".]

A military novel by Pollock, a former Green Beret, published in 2000. Two Green Berets, pursued by 12 KGB members, flee into the woods to fight back.

【*27】Tom Clancy

Military novelist born in 1947. His best-known work is "The Hunt for Red October".

【*28】Ken Follett and

MacLean's "Man of the Sea" [Japanese title. Released in English as "The Lonely Sea"] series

Both are British adventure novelists. Follett's best-known work is "The Eye of the Needle". MacLean's "Man of the Sea" is a series of maritime stories set in the Arctic Ocean and other places.

【*29】 Noriyoshi Orai

Born in 1935, Noriyoshi Orai is one of Japan's leading illustrators. His international poster for "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" brought him international recognition. He has also contributed wonderful illustrations to the limited edition books of the "Metal Gear Solid" series.

【*30】 A.J Quinnell's "Man on Fire" and the Creasy series. "The Guns of Navarone" and "Operation Blitz FlintGO!GO" ["Our Man Flint"]

A.J Quinnell is a anonymous author. His debut novel, "Man on Fire", brought him international recognition. The movie "The Guns of Navarone" was released in 1961. Operation Dengeki Blitz GO!GO is a spy movie released in 1966.

A time when special forces were the heroes.

Kojima: There was a time when the words "special forces" and "espionage" had a pleasant sound. It was not called "Mission Impossible" but "Operation Spy" 【*31】. In those days, a spy had a lot of secret weapons and would sneak into the enemy's headquarters by himself. I had read such novels for knowledge, so I was able to write the scenario in no time at all.

【*31】 When it was called "Operation Spy" instead of "Mission: Impossible"

A spy drama broadcast in the US in 1966. In Japan, it was broadcast as "Operation Spy". The 1996 film version was released under the title "Mission: Impossible". The movie version was not well received by fans of the TV version, as Jim Phelps, who was supposed to be a major character in the movie, was turned into the enemy.

Director Kojima, do you listen to music when you write your scripts?

Kojima: I listen to a lot of music. Especially when I write dialogue, I often listen to movie soundtracks. I write while crying. I cry easily in my fantasies. I don't need entertainment. Just thinking about it makes me cry. Whenever I come up with a sad theme, the drama spreads in my mind and I end up crying. It would be nice to have a soundtrack playing at such times.

What did you listen to during the production of "MGS3"?

Kojima: I listened to a variety of music this time. Especially Hans Zimmer and the usual Tangerine Dream 【*32】. During the original "MGS", I was listening to John Wetton 【*33】 only. I also listen to songs with vocals, but I can't write scenarios with songs in Japanese. The soundtrack is perfect. I can't get enough of it when the music happens to match the scene I'm writing about. Also... Harry (Gregson-Williams)'s 【*34】 music is good, too. For "MGS3", I listened to the songs that Harry had written.

【*32】 Especially Hans Zimmer and his usual Tangerine Dream type of music

Hans Zimmer is one of Hollywood's greatest musicians. He has composed music for blockbusters such as "The Crimson Tide," "Gladiator," and "The Last Samurai. Tangerine Dream is a German synthesizer rock band active in the 1970s. They have also composed music for films such as "Fear's Reward" ["Sorcerer"].

【*33】John Wetton

Famous bassist who has worked with bands from King Crimson to Roxy Music to Uriah Heep to Wishbone Ash to Asia. A living witness to British rock.

【*34】 Harry (Gregson-Williams)

Born in 1961, he made his film music debut as an arranger for composer Stanley Myers and has been in charge of scores for various films, including "The Rock" and "Armageddon". He is also a well-known staff member of the "Metal Gear Solid" series.

What kind of work is done after Director Kojima writes the scenario?

Kojima: We write the script into a scriptment, which is a script for the game. Then we make a dialogue script for the polygonal demo recording, and ask the staff to make storyboards for the capture design. Well, the storyboards are only for the demos. For "Snatcher" and "Policenauts", I also wrote the storyboards.

From there, you move on to video recording and audio recording.

Kojima: They would draw the storyboards and I would check them. Once we had a rough idea of what scenes to shoot and what was needed, we would record the motion capture. But you see, when I actually capture the motion capture, I almost completely disregard the storyboards. The storyboards are just for cost calculation (workload and budget calculation) and can be changed considerably when the final CG is created. With CG, depending on the model, you can turn it around and change the angle.

The video is also a pleasure.

Kojima: Director Ryuhei Kitamura created amazing visuals in the previous title, "Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes" 【*35】. This time, I'm trying to create something that exceeds those visuals. I've been told that I can no longer win in the same direction, so I'm going for a low-key approach with "no wires", "no kung fu"' and "no high speed".

【*35】 Director Ryuhei Kitamura created amazing visuals for the previous title, "Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes"

The polygon demos for the GameCube version of "Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes," released in 2003, were directed by film director Ryuhei Kitamura. The ultimate in passionate production, it featured wire action and slow motion to show off the superheroic nature of the characters to an excessive degree.

It's like the movie "Mach!!!!!!!!" 【*36】 It's just like that (laughs).

【*36】 The movie, "Mach!!!!!!!!!" [Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior]

A Thai movie released in 2004. This is a crazy movie that pursues pure physical super-action with the advertising claims of "no CG," "no wires," "no stunts," and "no rapid-fire.

Kojima: Well, I did kung fu kicks once. I used it where necessary, but it was not kung fu; it was boxing and wrestling in the 1960s 【*37】. That became CQC. The rest of the action is pretty simple. We don't do any fancy actions like somersaults with wires.

【*37】 Boxing and wrestling in the 1960s

The 1960s was a physical era. Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) became a hero as the heavyweight boxing world champion, and wrestling attracted much attention at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics

What is the true enemy, as depicted by the illusion of the times?

"MGS" is full of tricks that betray the player's imagination, such as reading the package and performing unbelievable operations with the controller 【*38】, and this time... are there things like that?

【*38】 "MGS" was a game where the player had to read the package and use the controller perform unbelievable operations

In "MGS", there was a radio number on the package and a scene in which the controller massaged the player's shoulders. It was shocking to see that the tricks were not limited to the game screen

Kojima: I can't say that. Hmmm... Well, at least from the very first opening demo, I have a trick up my sleeve. At least from the very first opening demo, we have at least three out of ten people who will knock the controller to the ground.

What is it!? That!

Kojima: The first trap. Well, this trap is amazing. It's the best trap ever, even better than the psychic Psycho Mantis 【*39】 in "MGS". Only open-minded players will be able to enjoy it (laughs).

【*39】Psycho Mantis, the psychic of "MGS"

The most shocking enemy in "MGS". He reads the data on the PlayStation's memory card, guesses the player's preferences, blacks out the screen to display "Hideo," and torments the player with his unlimited attack patterns. A simple strategy was to play the game with the controller on the 2P side, which was also a shocking method.

The mystery of "it's written on the back of the package" was also amazing...

Kojima: It's even more amazing. The phone lines at the customer service center were jammed. Is that an exaggeration? If I had not made "MGS," there would be no mysteries at all. There are quite a lot of them. I don't know if everything I have in mind at the moment will fit into the game, but we're working at the last minute, so it's a grand joke. The player can't help but laugh. "Ha ha ha, you did it." It's like that. But the initial shock must have been quite great. I think European players will be delighted. People overseas are more tolerant of jokes, and they think that Kojima's games must have some kind of joke in them. For Japanese players, at least, I think it's safe to say that it doesn't have the last big 【*40】 plot point of "MGS2". For those who love "MGS", there are many points to enjoy.

【*40】 The big plot point at the end of "MGS2"

At the end of "MGS2", it is revealed that all the stories (adventures) that the protagonist, Raiden, has been through have all been artificially created. This horrifying twist, which plunges the player into an emotional abyss, was met with mixed reviews

I saw in the trailer movie that Colonel Volgin grabs a young man's crotch while saying, "Kuwabara, kuwabara." The man's face... Raiden? 【*41】

【*41】Raiden?

In the trailer shown at the 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in the US, a character that looked exactly like Raiden appeared. Apparently, he plays an important role in the game...

Kojima: That hasn't been talked about much, has it? Ha ha ha.

Also, this time Snake vomits 【*42】.

【*42】 Snake vomits

If you rotate Snake on the Survival Viewer screen, when you return to the game, he will get nauseous and vomit.

Kojima: Kyle Cooper 【*43】 is a big fan of vomit. "I thought Hideo was going to make a vomit game!" He said. "Of course!" He said.

【*43】 Kyle Cooper

Born in 1963. Formed the group Imaginary Forces. He is in charge of producing movie titles. He has produced many internationally acclaimed masterpieces, including "Seven" and "Mission: Impossible". He is also an important staple in the "Metal Gear Solid" series.

What a conversation!

Kojima: Kyle Cooper is an old man like that. Ryuhei Kitamura went home very angry. He was like, "Damn! I've been beaten!"

It's a joke war.

Kojima: Defecation was not an option.

...The infiltration of the Virtuous Mission in "MGS3" began on August 24, 1964. This date is... by any chance?

Kojima: Haha. It's my birthday. I was born in 1963, so it is my first birthday. I was busy, so I wrote it down as I went along and it was accepted. I really wanted to set it in 1963, but after President Kennedy was shot, it was more important for the story.

The assassination of President Kennedy. It was one of the most memorable events in the history of the world. "MGS3" begins with that incident.

Kojima: The US will go astray after that incident. "Metal Gear" is a story about nuclear weapons. When the Enola Gay atomic bombs fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Americans thought the war was over. But that was the start of the Cold War, which divided East and West. What happened then was a state of tension, and what took place was espionage. Spies were born, and they worked in the dark between East and West. This is the main theme of "MGS3".

A story that was covered up during the Cold War.

Kojima: It is set in 1964, but I hope young people can play it without worrying about that. However, when I was living in the 1960s, there was a great deal of espionage activity. Just the mention of the term "KGB" made me stand up straight.

The KGB was also said to be monitoring Japan at the time.

Kojima: At that time, the Soviet Union and the United States were accumulating nuclear weapons and were in conflict as two superpowers. But now there is no Soviet Union and war is going on in Iraq. Five years ago, I had no idea that the world would be like this. And it is hard to predict what will happen five years from now. There was a time when Japan boycotted the Moscow Olympics and hated the Soviet Union, but was that really hatred? It was just the times that made it so. In truth, I don't really hate anyone. It was "the times". That is the theme of "MGS3".

Values that transcend good and evil.

Kojima: With the first "MGS", I wanted to talk about the theme of "what is the information that is engraved in our genes?" The theme of "MGS2" was "What is the information that is not engraved in our genes, such as ideas and culture? And what do we pass on and leave behind for future generations?" That should have been the end of the story, but when I thought about it, I realised something strange. Even genetic characteristics, ideology, and culture are valued differently in different periods of time. For example, women in the Heian period were considered beautiful if they had a round face. In modern times, however, a woman with a face like a flatfish is considered beautiful. The evaluation changes with the times. What is this all about? If even genetic values are influenced by the times, and their evaluation changes, then what are the times? In "MGS3", there are people fighting for the state and politics, but they are only fighting according to the values of the times, not because they really hate the other side. In different times, they can be allies or enemies. They are neither good nor evil.

So it takes place after World War II.

Kojima: During World War II, Japan hated the US. But when I watch WWII movies now, I wonder why they are fighting. The "Americans are the enemy" mentality of those days was an illusion created by the times. Even the US was influenced by the times, and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, just mentioning the term "anti-war" was met with bashing. When Richard Gere spoke out against the war, he was stoned 【*44】. But now, there is a strong mood of pessimism, and movies like "Fahrenheit 911," made by Michael Moore, have become a hit 【*45】. Values are changing with the times. What is it that is creating this illusion? Isn't it "The Patriots" 【*46】 that "MGS2" talked about?

【*44】 When Richard Gere spoke out against the war

In February 2003, as the US was about to deploy troops to Iraq, Richard Gere said: "The animosity between Bush and Hussein is like that between Captain Ahab and the whale in "White Whale" [Moby Dick]. Bush's words on behalf of the Iraqi people are out of line."

【*45】 Films like "Fahrenheit 911" by Michael Moore have been made and are a hit

Filmmaker Michael Moore has released a film, "Fahrenheit 911", which criticises and thoroughly criticises President George W. Bush's Iraq campaign. He aims to unseat Bush in the presidential election.

【*46】 "The Patriots"

The greatest mystery of the Metal Gear Solid series. It is said that wars and conflicts are being waged in various parts of the world at their will.

"The Patriots". The huge, dark entity that appears at the end of "MGS2", controls all information, and shapes the state. Will it appear in "MGS3"?

Kojima: "The Patriots" is a metaphor for "the times". It is a skeleton, without any substance. And in "MGS3", the organisation that was the predecessor of "The Patriots" appears.

So "MGS3" is also the story of the creation of "The Patriots".

Kojima: Yes, that's right. We have built a bridge from "MGS3" to "MGS". Please enjoy it as much as you can.

#metal gear solid #mgs #hideo kojima #references 6 7 and 8 seem mixed up but that's how they're written in the book #major ocelot has been described by kojima as handsome cool likeable pure and now cute #true tbh :|#ENJOY THE INTERVIEW!!#I like the part where they talk about snake like he's a tamagochi #feeds him heals him thinks about him <3 #I forgot a tag #etc.#<- that one #think I need a tag for translated stuff #I'm going to have a look at the other jp books I have at some point ^_^ mgs3 collector's edition materials etcetera #long post

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