Blog:RIP Fukio Mitsuji

CRV 14:53, 16 November 2009 (UTC) [permalink] [comments]

This post is very late, but I was waiting for some sort of confirmation of Mitsuji-san's death. I never got that, just parroting of the original Mixi post that broke the news and my SMS Power post. About a month ago, I noticed the website for his game design school was no longer online. I guess that will have to do (for confirmation, that is)...

Fukio "MTJ" Mitsuji (三辻富貴朗) (born in 1960) reportedly passed away on December 11, 2008, after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was a game designer best known for creating the arcade hits Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands at Taito. While there, he also designed Volfied (AC), an update to Qix, and Syvalion (AC) as well as worked on Super Dead Heat (AC), Halley's Comet (AC), and Riku Kai Kuu Saizensen/Land Sea Air Squad/Storming Party (AC).

Mitsuji eventually left Taito and worked freelance. He designed the Tengen Game Gear title Magical Puzzle Popils/Popils: The Blockbusting Challenge. (A PC Engine release was also scheduled.) He also worked with Mikito Ichikawa as a graphic and map designer on MNM Software's Sharp X68000 version of Falcom's Star Trader.

The initials "MTJ" turn up on the high scores of Kaneko's Kyuukyoku!! PC Genjin / Bonk's Adventure / B.C. Kid (AC). Though various Japanese sites including Wikipedia say Mitsuji was involved, his name does not appear in the credits.

Mitsuji also had a game design school called MTJ Game Designer's School.

VIDEO GALLERY

Bubble Bobble (AC)

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Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 (AC)

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Volfied (AC)

{{#ev:youtube|MwSkh-U5a18}}

Syvalion (AC)

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Magical Puzzle Popils/Popils: The Blockbusting Challenge (GG)

{{#ev:youtube|9VdISmFgmTc}}

Star Trader (X68)

{{#ev:dailymotion|x6o3v1_star-trader-stage-2-x68000_videogames}}

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