#KoizumiQuote,#AonumaQuote
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hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Koizumi on his wife's fateful commentary, 2011.

Source: Iwata Asks

#Zelda
#OcarinaofTimeQuote
#KoizumiQuote, #AonumaQuote

iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/3...
PEOPLE: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 43. Ocarina of Time 3D Gameplay Director. - Eiji Aonuma, age 48. Ocarina of Time Dungeon Director. QUOTE: Koizumi: I changed the character design for Link a lot for Ocarina of Time. At first he had a button-nose. My wife said, "All of Nintendo's characters have funny noses. Don't you have any handsome ones?" I was shocked. Then when we were making Ocarina of Time, I was in charge of Link's character design, so I made him a little better-looking. Aonuma: Huh? So Link is your wife's type? Koizumi: Yes. [firmly] Everyone: [laughs]
September 16, 2026 at 4:07 AM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Koizumi & Aonuma on the reason for the Kokiri's fairies, 2011.

Source: Iwata Asks

#Zelda
#OcarinaofTimeQuote
#KoizumiQuote, #AonumaQuote, #IwataQuote

iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/3...
PEOPLE: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 43. Ocarina of Time 3D Gameplay Director. - Eiji Aonuma, age 48. Ocarina of Time Dungeon Director. - Satoru Iwata, age 51. 4th President of Nintendo. QUOTE: Koizumi: The [Kokiri] village [in Ocarina of Time] has lots of trees and lots of people live there, but it was difficult to display them all at once. I came up with the idea of having each person living there followed around by a fairy. That way, even if we just showed the fairies… Iwata: I see. If you see the fairy, you know its owner is there, too. Aonuma: It also led to the scenario surrounding Link not having a fairy at first.
September 14, 2026 at 7:44 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Linktober #22: Favorite Character
Aonuma on his favorite. Presented without comment xD

(Couldn't fit alt text, see the description in tumblr post:)
www.tumblr.com/hyruleinterv...

#Zelda
#AonumaQuote, #KoizumiQuote
#TwilightPrincessQuote, #TwilightPrincessHDQuote, #MajorasMaskQuote
#Linktober
Collage of three quotes. I couldn't fit the alt text, but the tumblr version of this post, linked in the post body, has the full text.
October 22, 2024 at 6:12 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
#Linktober 12: Obscure Character

Koizumi, Aonuma, & Miyamoto on the Ocarina characters they reused for Majora's Mask, 2000.

Source: The Hyrule Journals

#Zelda
#MajorasMaskQuote
#KoizumiQuote, #AonumaQuote, #MiyamotoQuote

www.hyruleinterviews.com/Koizumi-Aonu...
PEOPLE: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 32. Majora’s Mask Co-Director. - Eiji Aonuma, age 37. Majora’s Mask Co-Director. - Shigeru Miyamoto, age 47. Majora’s Mask Producer. QUOTE: Koizumi: Introducing [Ocarina’s Sages] into a different Zelda world might feel out of place. Instead we decided [in Majora’s Mask] to present characters who weren't deeply explored in the previous games. We gave them different backgrounds and settings to capture the feelings of the people who voted for less popular characters [in Nintendo Dream’s popularity poll]. Q: Anju only got 6 points in our magazine’s rating contents, but she has one of the most involved sidequests doesn’t she?  Aonuma: That's the part where Mr. Koizumi put in the most effort [laughs]. Miyamoto: It was a full-power throw [laughs]. Koizumi: Well, um... I personally liked her a lot [laughs].
October 12, 2025 at 6:13 PM
maxnichols.bsky.social
But Koizumi had another side: the side that invented the backstory of the Triforce & the three goddesses; wrote the dreamlike story of Link's Awakening; designed the 3-day system and directed Clocktown & the bomber's notebook quests in MM.

That romantic side of him didn't get to thrive on Mario IMO
PEOPLE: - Takashi Tezuka, age 49. Director of Link’s Awakening. - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 41. Writer for Link’s Awakening. - Shigeru Miyamoto, age 57. Producer of Link’s Awakening. QUOTE: Tezuka: It looked like [Koizumi] would be good at creating a story, so we lured him into our afterschool club. Koizumi-san was in charge of the opening movie and main story. He's a romantic, and I think that shows in Link's Awakening. He was in charge of the whole flow of the story. Iwata: What was Miyamoto-san doing [during Link’s Awakening development]? Tezuka: I think he was busy with something and didn't pay us much mind. Aonuma & Yoshiaki on co-directing Majora's Mask, 2000. Source: GlitterBerri's Game Translations #Zelda #MajorasMaskQuote #AonumaQuote,#KoizumiQuote https://www.notion.so/29f994ce55ec4439842c50abc3f2fbf2
October 11, 2025 at 6:45 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Linktober #13: Link

Koizumi on his wife’s fateful commentary, 2011.

Source: Iwata Asks

#Zelda
#OcarinaofTimeQuote
#KoizumiQuote,#AonumaQuote
#Linktober

www.notion.so/060f5ab25921...
PEOPLE: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 43. Ocarina of Time 3D Gameplay Director. - Eiji Aonuma, age 48. Ocarina of Time Dungeon Director. QUOTE: "Koizumi: I changed the character design for Link a lot for Ocarina of Time. At first he had a button-nose. My wife said, ‘All of Nintendo's characters have funny noses. Don't you have any handsome ones?’ I was shocked. Then when we were making Ocarina of Time, I was in charge of Link's character design, so I made him a little better-looking. Aonuma: Huh? So Link is your wife's type? Koizumi: Yes. (firmly) Everyone: (laughs)"
October 13, 2024 at 4:48 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Koizumi & Aonuma on pulling off a 'good betrayal', 2000.

Via The Hyrule Journals

#Zelda
#MajorasMaskQuote
#KoizumiQuote,#AonumaQuote

www.notion.so/b9f85e0b047f...
January 12, 2024 at 5:43 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Those times the Zelda series could have gone first-person

Via Iwata Asks (2011) and GDC (2007)

#Zelda
#OcarinaOfTimeQuote #TwilightPrincessQuote
#KoizumiQuote, #AonumaQuote, #MiyamotoQuote
PEOPLE: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 43. Ocarina of Time 3D Gameplay Director. - Shigeru Miyamoto, age 58. Ocarina of Time Producer. QUOTE: "Koizumi: [Miyamoto] wanted to make [Ocarina of Time] a first-person game. In the beginning, he had the image that you are at first walking around in first-person, and when an enemy appeared, the screen would switch, Link would appear, and the battle would unfold from a side perspective. ... But—while it wasn't very nice of me toward Miyamoto-san—I didn't try a first-person scene even once! I was making the model for Link, so I couldn't stand to see my Link not appear." PEOPLE: - Eiji Aonuma, age 43. Director of Twilight Princess. QUOTE: "Aonuma: We tried changing the camera perspective [in Twilight Princess] from … third person to … first-person perspective in battle. For this prototype, all we did was change this perspective to the first-person view we currently had. We haven’t tweaked things like the spacing between Link and enemies, so it’s really awkward, but having played this version in first person, we didn’t think this was the most effective way of presenting battles. Link normally has a variety of movements, but when he enters into battle with his enemies, which has come to be known as core scene in Zelda, if that variety is lost, it feels very strange."
February 28, 2025 at 1:23 AM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
On parallels between Majora's Mask and Earthbound

Via GlitterBerri's Game Translations (2000) and Ask Iwata (Hobonichi, 2019)

#Zelda #Earthbound
#MajorasMaskQuote #EarthBoundQuote
#AonumaQuote #KoizumiQuote #IwataQuote #ItoiQuote
PEOPLE: - Eiji Aonuma, age 37. Majora’s Mask Co-Director. - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 32. Majora’s Mask Co-Director. QUOTE: Aonuma: I was responsible for the fairy-tale sections [of Majora’s Mask], and Koizumi was responsible for creating realistic depictions of the lives of the townspeople. I tried to emulate the fantasy atmosphere we had in Ocarina of Time… Koizumi: And I created realistic lives for the characters. Aonuma: You could say that Koizumi slapped his worldview on the whole thing. [Laughs] Koizumi: I put in everything I’ve seen in my 30-something years on this earth. PEOPLE: - Satoru Iwata. EarthBound Program Director, President of Nintendo from 2002-2015. - Shigesato Itoi. Producer, Director, & Writer for Mother 1, 2 & 3. Founder of Ape, Inc., which later became Creatures, Inc. Founder of Hobonichi. My Neighbor Totoro voice actor. Iron Chef judge.. QUOTE: Iwata: What makes the Mother [EarthBound] series so special? I think it has to do with the role that Shigesato Itoi played. Nobody making games today is quite like him, and Mother remains without parallel. … There was a time when Shigesato Itoi was totally obsessed with games, and in that sense he’s truly a gamer at heart. At the same time, he had a variety of experiences that the average game designer hadn’t, and I think these two aspects combined to form a unique individual. … The overall effect is a game unlike almost any other. I think this is the cumulative effect of all the aspects of the gaming experience—the fun parts, sad parts, outlandish parts, and goofy parts.
May 9, 2025 at 10:29 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Linktober #8: Tunic
Koizumi on making Link cool, but not too cool, 2011.

Source: Iwata Asks

#Zelda
#OcarinaofTimeQuote
#KoizumiQuote,#AonumaQuote
#Linktober

www.notion.so/060f5ab25921...
PEOPLE: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 43. 3D Gameplay Director & Link’s character design for Ocarina of Time. - Eiji Aonuma, age 48. Ocarina of Time Dungeon Director. QUOTE: "Koizumi: I cut back on [Ocarina of Time Link’s] sideburns and made his nose a little stronger. And I pierced his ears, making him sort of cool. But it wouldn't suit Nintendo if he were too cool, so he wears that long underwear. Aonuma: Huh? Is that long underwear? [laughs] Koizumi: Yeah. He wears that green tunic and cool gloves, but underneath, it's long underwear. [laughs]"
October 8, 2024 at 4:45 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Koizumi & Aonuma contrast Tatl and Navi’s personalities, 2000.

Source: The Hyrule Journals

#Zelda
#MajorasMaskQuote
#KoizumiQuote,#AonumaQuote

www.notion.so/b9f85e0b047f...
PEOPLE: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 32. Majora’s Mask Co-Director. - Eiji Aonuma, age 37. Majora’s Mask Co-Director. QUOTE: "Koizumi:  Navi [in Ocarina of Time] was more like a doting wife who does everything, but we decided to make Tatl more like a brusque older sister [in Majora’s Mask]. Doing that actually made it easier to provide hints. Instead of saying something like, ‘What if you tried to do this?’ it is more like ‘Do it this way!!’ Aonuma: The one in charge of the dialog likes straight-talking women [laughs]. Koizumi: Everybody likes them [laughs]. Aonuma: Everybody wants to be scolded a bit [laughs]."
April 3, 2024 at 3:24 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Aonuma on Koizumi’s condition to co-direct Majora's Mask, 2015.

Source: Iwata Asks

#Zelda
#MajorasMaskQuote
#AonumaQuote,#KoizumiQuote,#IwataQuote

www.notion.so/aaab9d927dee...
PEOPLE: - Eiji Aonuma, age 51. Co-Director of Majora’s Mask. - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 46. Co-Director of Majora’s Mask. - Satoru Iwata, age 55. President of Nintendo. QUOTE: "Aonuma: I rolled and turned thinking what kind of software I should make, and when I met Koizumi-san around that time, I asked for his help. He was working on a plan for a different game at the time, one where you would play in a compact game world over and over again. Coincidentally, Ocarina of Time had a system that controlled the time... Iwata: The sun rose, and there was nightfall. The concept of time existed in that game. Aonuma: Right, so Koizumi-san told me that he would help me out if he could use that system of time passing to make a game where you would be playing the same moments in time over and over again."
September 4, 2024 at 12:27 AM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Linktober Day 24: Kokiri
Koizumi & Aonuma on the reason for the Kokiri's fairies.

Via Iwata Asks, 2011.

#Zelda
#OcarinaOfTimeQuote
#KoizumiQuote, #AonumaQuote
#Linktober

hyruleinterviews.notion.site/Iwata-Asks-O...
People in quote: -Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 43. Ocarina of Time 3D Gameplay Director. -Satoru Iwata, age 52. President of Nintendo. -Eiji Aonuma, age 48. Ocarina of Time Dungeon Director. Quote: "Koizumi: The [Kokiri] village [in Ocarina of Time] has lots of trees and lots of people live there, but it was difficult to display them all at once. I came up with the idea of having each person living there followed around by a fairy. That way, even if we just showed the fairies… Iwata: I see. If you see the fairy, you know its owner is there, too. Aonuma: It also led to the scenario surrounding Link not having a fairy at first."
October 24, 2023 at 11:40 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Koizumi, Aonuma, & Miyamoto on the Ocarina characters they reused for Majora's Mask, 2000.

Source: The Hyrule Journals

#Zelda
#MajorasMaskQuote
#KoizumiQuote,#AonumaQuote,#MiyamotoQuote
www.notion.so/b9f85e0b047f...
PEOPLE: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 32. Majora’s Mask Co-Director. - Eiji Aonuma, age 37. Majora’s Mask Co-Director. - Shigeru Miyamoto, age 47. Majora’s Mask Producer. QUOTE: "Koizumi: Introducing [Ocarina’s Sages] into a different Zelda world might feel out of place. Instead we decided [in Majora’s Mask] to present characters who weren't deeply explored in the previous games. We gave them different backgrounds and settings to capture the feelings of the people who voted for less popular characters [in Nintendo Dream’s popularity poll]. Q: Anju only got 6 points in our magazine’s rating contents, but she has one of the most involved sidequests doesn’t she?  Aonuma: That's the part where Mr. Koizumi put in the most effort [laughs]. Miyamoto: It was a full-power throw [laughs]. Koizumi: Well, um... I personally liked her a lot [laughs]."
July 9, 2024 at 4:20 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Koizumi on his wife’s fateful commentary.

Via Iwata Asks, 2011

#Zelda
#OcarinaOfTimeQuote
#KoizumiQuote, #AonumaQuote

hyruleinterviews.notion.site/Iwata-Asks-O...
People in quote: - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 43. Ocarina of Time 3D Gameplay Director and designer for Link. - Eiji Aonuma, age 48. Ocarina of Time Dungeon Director. Quote: "Koizumi: I changed the character design for Link a lot for Ocarina of Time. At first he had a button-nose. My wife said, ‘All of Nintendo's characters have funny noses. Don't you have any handsome ones?’ I was shocked. Then when we were making Ocarina of Time, I was in charge of Link's character design, so I made him a little better-looking. Aonuma: Huh? So Link is your wife's type? Koizumi: Yes. (firmly) Everyone: (laughs)"
October 3, 2023 at 1:16 AM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Linktober Day 22: NPCs
Aonuma & Yoshiaki on co-directing Majora's Mask.

Via GlitterBerri's Game Translations, 2000.

#Zelda
#MajorasMaskQuote
#AonumaQuote, #KoizumiQuote
#Linktober

hyruleinterviews.notion.site/Zelda-Is-Alw...
People in quote: - Eiji Aonuma, age 37. Co-Director of Majora's Mask. - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 32. Co-Director of Majora's Mask. Quote: "Aonuma: I was responsible for the fairy-tale sections [of Majora’s Mask], and Koizumi was responsible for creating realistic depictions of the lives of the townspeople. I tried to emulate the fantasy atmosphere we had in Ocarina of Time… Koizumi: And I created realistic lives for the characters. Aonuma: You could say that Koizumi slapped his worldview on the whole thing. [Laughs] Koizumi: I put in everything I’ve seen in my 30-something years on this earth."
October 23, 2023 at 7:17 PM
hyruleinterviews.bsky.social
Linktober Day #3: Friend/Helper/Companion
Koizumi, Aonuma, & Osawa on Epona's name.

Via Iwata Asks, 2011

#Zelda
#OcarinaOfTimeQuote
#KoizumiQuote, #AonumaQuote, #OsawaQuote
#Linktober

hyruleinterviews.notion.site/Iwata-Asks-O...
People in quote: - Eiji Aonuma, age 48. Ocarina of Time Dungeon Director. - Yoshiaki Koizumi, age 43. Ocarina of Time 3D Gameplay Director. - Toru Osawa, age 49. Ocarina of Time General Director. Quote: "Aonuma: Why is she named Epona? Weren't we calling her Ao at first? Koizumi: I was the one who named her Epona. Osawa: Right! [laughs] Koizumi-san named her first. He said, ‘We're going to call this horse Epona.’ I didn't even have time to think of a name! [laughs] Koizumi: Epona is the goddess of horses and fertility in Celtic mythology, so I used that. When you name something, it increases your affection for it, so I worked hard to make her a good horse."
October 5, 2023 at 3:15 AM