Japanese Literary Awards

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Masahiro Sakurai

さくらい まさひろ

Sakurai Masahiro

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1970-08-03 （Musashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Game creator, Game designer, Entrepreneur, YouTuber
Active Years
1989-
Affiliations
HAL Laboratory, Sora Co., Ltd., Project Sora Co., Ltd.
Influenced By
Shigeru Miyamoto, Satoru Iwata
Influenced
Younger game designers, Game developers worldwide

Awards

Phantasy Star II Story Campaign — Game System Award
1988
Category: ゲームシステム大賞
Organization: Sega
Result: Winner
Japan Game Awards — METI (Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry) Award
2015
Category: 個人表彰
Organization: Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA)
Result: Winner
CEDEC AWARDS — Special Award
2019
Category: 特別賞
Organization: CEDEC (CESA)
Result: Winner
Famitsu Awards 2018 — MVP
2019
Work: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Category: MVP
Organization: Famitsu Awards
Result: Winner
Famitsu / Dengeki Game Awards — MVC (Most Valuable Creator)
2022
Category: MVC
Organization: Famitsu / Dengeki Game Awards
Result: Winner
YouTube Creator Awards — Silver Creator Award
2022
Work: Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games (channel)
Organization: YouTube
Result: Winner
CEDEC AWARDS — Visual Arts Division, Best Award
2023
Work: Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games (YouTube)
Category: ビジュアル・アーツ部門
Organization: CEDEC (CESA)
Result: Winner
CEDEC AWARDS — Game Design Division, Best Award
2023
Work: Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games (YouTube)
Category: ゲームデザイン部門
Organization: CEDEC (CESA)
Result: Winner
Arts Award (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award (Media Arts)
2025
Work: Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games
Category: メディア芸術部門
Organization: Agency for Cultural Affairs (Arts Awards)
Result: Winner
Digital Contents of the Year '24 / AMD Award — Achievement Award
2025
Work: Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games
Category: 功労賞
Organization: Association of Digital Media (AMD)
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Kirby

1992 Action (platformer)

An action platformer featuring inhaling and copy abilities. Sakurai directed and designed the character, leading to a long-running franchise.

Accessibility and approachable difficultyCharacter-driven game design
Adaptations
  • [Anime] Kirby (anime) (2001)

Nintendo All-Star! Super Smash Bros.

1999 Fighting / Party fighting

A crossover fighting game gathering Nintendo characters. Sakurai directed the original title and established the series' combat and crossover format.

Crossover charactersPlayer-focused tuning and balance

Kirby Air Ride

2003 Racing / Action

A Kirby spin-off introducing racing mechanics. Sakurai served as director.

Concise rulesSense of speed

Meteos

2005 Puzzle

A puzzle game for Nintendo DS. Sakurai handled the game design.

Tempo-focused gameplayIntuitive controls

Kid Icarus: Uprising (new Palutena's Mirror)

2012 Action / Shooting

A 3DS action/shooter directed by Sakurai; he also contributed to the scenario.

Fast-paced actionEmphasis on presentation

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

2018 Fighting / Party fighting

The 2018 series entry featuring many guest characters and extensive content; Sakurai directed the project and it received wide acclaim.

Comprehensive rosterBalancing competitive play and accessibility

Bibliography

  • Think about the Video Games
  • Think about the Video Games, Vol.2
  • Think about the Video Games DX
  • Think about the Video Games X
  • Thoughts on Playing Games
  • Thoughts on Making Games
  • Thoughts on Playing Games 2
  • Thoughts on Making Games 2
  • Think about the Video Games 2015-2019

Adaptations

  • Kirby (anime, 2001-2003)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Concise, practical explanationsEmphasis on player-centric design thinking
Recurring Motifs
Design that prioritizes user experienceClarity and intuitiveness

Health

  • Calcific tendinitis (rotator cuff)
    2012頃 - 2018頃（完治報告は2021年頃）
    Affected the right shoulder and later left arm/shoulder; impacted work and public appearances but was later reported healed.
  • Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca)
    2021年頃 -
    Reported ongoing symptoms associated with long periods of screen work.

Legacy

Masahiro Sakurai is a leading Japanese game creator known for Kirby and Super Smash Bros. His player-focused design and clear explanations have influenced many subsequent developers and students. In recent years his educational YouTube output has further increased his recognition in media arts.

In Popular Culture

  • KIRBY CAFÉ (Kirby-related commercial ventures)
  • Extensive media presence of the Kirby franchise (games, anime, picture books, merchandise)

Quotes

  • The goal of this channel is to raise the future of upcoming games just a little.
    Source: YouTube channel 'Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games' — introductory video (2022)

Trivia

  • A big cat lover; often shares photos of his pet cat 'Fukura'.
  • Received the Silver Creator Award (100k subscribers) shortly after launching his YouTube channel.
  • Started programming with Family BASIC in high school, which he cites as a turning point in his career.