:Yoko Taro
{{Short description|Japanese video game director}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{family name hatnote|Yoko|lang=Japanese}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Yoko Taro
| image = Yoko Taro cropped.jpg
| caption = Yoko wearing his familiar mask in 2018
| native_name = 横尾 太郎
| native_name_lang = ja
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|6|6}}
| birth_place = Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| nationality = Japanese
| alma_mater = Kobe Design University
| occupation = Video game director, writer
| years_active = 1994–present
| notable works = {{ubl|Drakengard|Nier}}
| title = President and CEO of Bukkoro
| website = {{URL|http://www.bukkoro.com/index.html|bukkoro.com}}
}}
{{nihongo|Yoko Taro|横尾 太郎|Yokoo Tarō|born June 6, 1970|}} is a Japanese video game director and scenario writer. Starting his career at the now defunct game developer Cavia, his best-known work is on the action role-playing video game series Drakengard, and its spin-offs, Nier and Nier: Automata. Yoko was born in Nagoya, Aichi, and studied at the Kobe Design University in the 1990s. While he did not initially intend to pursue a career in video games, after working at Namco and Sony, he joined Cavia and became the director and scenario writer for the first Drakengard game. He has since worked extensively on every game in the series (except Drakengard 2), and on mobile titles after becoming a freelancer following Cavia's absorption into AQ Interactive.
Critics have noted Yoko's unconventional game design and writing style. One of the main aspects of his work is exploring the darker aspects of humanity, such as why they are motivated to kill each other, although he typically does not share a common opinion on his story's dark natures. His writing technique, described as "backwards scriptwriting", involves outlining the ending of the story first and building the narrative backward from that point. Due to his disdain for being photographed, he generally wears a mask when giving interviews or presenting games.
Early life and education
Yoko Taro was born in Nagoya, Aichi, on June 6, 1970.{{cite web|url=http://www.bukkoro.com/about_member.html|title=BUKKORO / ABOUT|publisher=Bukkoro.com|access-date=July 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726100840/http://www.bukkoro.com/_about/index.html|archive-date=July 26, 2014|url-status=live}} Taro's parents were often absent from home due to their jobs, so he was mostly raised by his grandmother, who left a strong impression on him.{{cite web|url=http://ameblo.jp/yokota6/entry-11503448652.html|title=【日記】おばあちゃんが死んだ。|publisher=Diary of Taro Yoko (blog)|last=Yoko|first=Taro|date=April 2, 2013|access-date=July 26, 2014}} During his youth, he heard about an incident that would influence his later work as a scenario writer: while an acquaintance was in a shopping street with a group of friends, one of them who was walking along a high building roof slipped and died from the fall. The scene as Yoko heard it was initially "horrifying", but included a humorous element as well. He studied at Kobe Design University and graduated in March 1994.{{cite web|url=http://schedule.gdconf.com/speaker/yoko-taro.31738|title=Yoko, Taro / GDC 2014 Session Scheduler|publisher=Game Developers Conference Website|access-date=July 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724195527/http://schedule.gdconf.com/speaker/yoko-taro.31738|archive-date=July 24, 2014|url-status=dead}} He is married to Yukiko Yoko, an illustrator who worked on Taiko no Tatsujin series and also did work on Drakengard 3.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2015/06/28/nier-creator-taro-yoko-started-his-own-company/|title=Nier Creator Taro Yoko Started His Own Company|author=Sato|publisher=Siliconera|date=June 28, 2015|access-date=June 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629091829/http://www.siliconera.com/2015/06/28/nier-creator-taro-yoko-started-his-own-company/|archive-date=June 29, 2015|url-status=live}}
Career
Initially not intending to pursue a career in video games, his first job a month after graduating was as a 3D CGI designer for Namco.{{cite web|url=http://theinterviews.jp/yokotaro/2326720|script-title=ja:ヨコオタロウのインタビュー|last=Yoko|first=Taro|publisher=TheInterviews.jp|date=December 8, 2011|access-date=July 26, 2014|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726102156/http://theinterviews.jp/yokotaro/2326720|archive-date=July 26, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/03/20/making-weird-games-for-weird-people.aspx|title=Drakengard, Nier Director Talks About Making Weird Games For Weird People|last=Cork|first=Jeff|magazine=Game Informer|date=March 20, 2014|access-date=July 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725071333/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/03/20/making-weird-games-for-weird-people.aspx|archive-date=July 25, 2014|url-status=live}} In 1999, he joined Sugar & Rockets Inc., a now-defunct in-house developer owned by Sony Computer Entertainment. In 2001, a year after Sugar & Rockets' consolidation by Sony, Yoko got a job at Cavia. While working at Cavia, he became involved in the creation of Drakengard. While the game's co-producer Takuya Iwasaki intended to take the director's role, he was busy with other projects, so Yoko was asked to take up director's duties.{{cite web|url=http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/623/623506/|title=『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズ座談会でヨコオタロウから飛び出す過去作の衝撃的真実…『DOD1』のアレは神様じゃない!?|publisher=Dengeki Online|date=April 18, 2013|access-date=March 20, 2014}} He also helped create the scenario and characters, as well as co-writing the script with Sawako Natori.{{cite web|url=http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/623/623397/|title=ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズ居酒屋座談会 with ヨコオタロウ on 仏滅。聖地・新宿で語られる『DOD』ぶっちゃけトーク|publisher=Dengeki Online|date=April 15, 2013|access-date=November 11, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/778/778429/|title=『DOD3』ジョシカイ、開幕。女性視点（映島×名取×白本×サガコ）で語られる『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン3』の狂気の深淵とは？【電撃DOD3】|publisher=Dengeki Online|date=December 27, 2013|access-date=February 28, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2013/04/16/why-drakengard-had-forbidden-love-between-siblings-and-other-insights/|title=Why Drakengard Had Forbidden Love Between Siblings And Other Insights |author=Sato |publisher=Siliconera |date=May 16, 2013 |access-date=November 11, 2013}} During its production, Yoko was unhappy with the amount of changes asked for by the game's advisory board. It got to the point where he decided he would not work on another Drakengard.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-nier-will-stay-weird-but-this-time-with-platin/1100-6428262/|title=New Nier Will Stay Weird, But This Time With Platinum's Combat|last=Corriea|first=Alexa Ray|website=GameSpot|date=June 16, 2015|access-date=June 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617105703/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-nier-will-stay-weird-but-this-time-with-platin/1100-6428262/|archive-date=June 17, 2015|url-status=live}} He was later involved in the production of Drakengard 2, being credited as a video editor while also remaining as one of the game's creative staff. Mostly tied up with another project during production, his original concept for the game as an arcade-style game with dragons in space was vetoed and he had creative clashes with the game's new director Akira Yasui.{{cite web|url=http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/623/623508/|title=『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズ座談会、佳境へ。ヨコオタロウが暴く『DOD2』安井ディレクターの心の闇＆『ニーア』反省話|publisher=Dengeki Online|date=April 22, 2013|access-date=March 9, 2014}}
After Drakengard 2 was completed, Yoko started work on a third entry in the series. As the game developed, the initial concept was developed to the point where the game was rebranded as Nier, a spin-off from the series. Despite this, Yoko continued to consider it the third entry in the series.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2013/04/05/drakengard-3-producer-and-creative-director-explain-how-the-game-came-to-be/|title=Drakengard 3 Producer And Creative Director Explain How The Game Came To Be|author=Sato|publisher=Siliconera|date=April 5, 2013|access-date=October 9, 2013}} After Nier was released and Cavia was absorbed into AQ Interactive, Yoko left the company and pursued an independent career.{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2010/11/04/nier-director-quits-caviaaqi|title=NieR Director Quits Cavia/AQi|last=Gantayat|first=Anoop|website=IGN|date=November 4, 2010|access-date=November 14, 2013}} During this period, he took an unknown role in the development of Square Enix's social game Monster × Dragon.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2011/12/12/nier-director-yoko-taro-steps-out-of-retirement-to-help-square-enix-social-game/|title=Nier Director Yoko Taro Steps Out Of Retirement To Help Square Enix Social Game|last=Spencer|first=Yip|publisher=Siliconera|date=December 12, 2011|access-date=July 25, 2014}} The majority of his freelancer work involved social mobile games.{{cite web|url=http://ameblo.jp/yokota6/entry-11438315176.html|title=【仕事】モンスター×ドラゴンの話。|last=Yoko|first=Taro|publisher=Diary of Taro Yoko (blog)|date=April 2, 2013|access-date=December 30, 2012}} Many years later, Yoko teamed back up with multiple staff from the production of Drakengard and Nier to create a true second sequel to Drakengard, determining through questionnaires that the main appeal to the fanbase was the dark stories. After the completion of Drakengard 3, Yoko "went back into unemployment".{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/drakengard-3s-director-is-keen-for-drakengard-4-1495380177|title=Drakengard 3's Director Is Keen for Drakengard 4|author=Ashcraft, Brian|publisher=Kotaku|date=January 6, 2014|access-date=May 25, 2014}} After that, he began writing a short-term special column for Famitsu titled "Taro Yoko's Circle of No Good Thinking".{{cite web|url=http://ex.famitsu.com/dod3/2014/01/08/136/|script-title=ja:【週刊ファミ通 2014年1月9発売号】『ドラッグ オン ドラグーン』シリーズを手掛けたヨコオタロウ氏の短期連載コラムがスタート！|publisher=Kadokawa Corporation|date=January 8, 2014|language=ja|access-date=July 27, 2014}} In 2015, Yoko announced that he had started his own company called Bukkoro, staffed by Yoko, his wife Yukiko, and Hana Kikuchi, novelist and scenario writer for Nier and Drakengard 3. His other works include the 2023 anime television series based on Nier: Automata titled Nier: Automata Ver1.1a, co-writing the script with the anime's director Ryouji Masuyama.{{cite news|first1=Sal|last1=Romano|date=September 24, 2022|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/09/nier-automata-ver1-1a-tv-anime-to-begin-airing-in-january-2023-2b-and-9s-teaser-trailers|title=NieR: Automata Ver1.1a TV anime to begin airing in January 2023; 2B and 9S teaser trailers|website=Gematsu|access-date=October 25, 2022}}
Yoko has stated his intense dislike of interviews. His reason, according to his Famitsu column, was that he feels video game developers are not entertainers or commentators on their work and that he thinks the subjects they talk about in interviews would be overly boring to those reading or listening.{{cite magazine |date=February 6, 2014 |title="Yoko Taro's Circle of No Good Thinking" (3 of 4) |magazine=Famitsu | issue=1312 |publisher=Enterbrain |language=ja }} When he does give interviews, he prefers to wear a mask to avoid being photographed, and in a video interview concerning Drakengard 3, he used a glove puppet. He has also stated that he likes to be blunt when stating his opinions, as he feels that video game fans deserve truth and honesty.
=Writing=
Yoko is noted for creating games with a dark, disturbing or unusual atmosphere. This was stated as the main reason he was brought in to work on Monster × Dragon. His writing method, which he has not seen in other works of fiction, is called "backwards scriptwriting". He described it as starting with the ending first, then working backwards from there. He then creates central plot points that form emotional peaks in the narrative, adds details, then scatters them through the narrative so the player can build a suitable emotional connection. He uses a secondary method called "photo thinking" in conjunction with his scriptwriting method. Yoko describes it as a method of visualizing and keeping in order events and emotional peaks throughout the story. He cited his inspiration for this method as The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci by Jonathan Spence.{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/20/5530308/drakengard-nier-director-methods-for-telling-strange-stories|title=Drakengard, Nier director discusses methods for telling powerful, strange stories|last=Corriea|first=Alexa Ray|website=Polygon|date=March 20, 2014|access-date=July 26, 2014}} He is keen in experimenting with the video game format, feeling that many conventions of the video game market inhibit developers' creative freedom. Many of his games reflect his own feelings about death and his socratic questioning of the concept.{{cite web|url=http://www.4gamer.net/games/207/G020792/20140221105/|title=「見えない壁」に取り囲まれたゲーム業界への想い。ヨコオタロウ氏が「ドラッグ オン ドラグーン3」やゲームの未来を語ったインタビューを掲載|publisher=4Gamer|date=February 28, 2014|access-date=July 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315212304/http://www.4gamer.net/games/207/G020792/20140221105/|archive-date=March 15, 2014|url-status=live}} Yoko also considers food an important tool in creating a game, stating that he thinks that types of food from across the world can help him get a feel for the people the game is being aimed at.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2014/06/18/drakengard-3-downloadable-stories-made-ramen/|title=Drakengard 3 Downloadable Stories Made Over Ramen|author=Yip, Spencer|publisher=Siliconera|date=June 18, 2014|access-date=June 18, 2014}}
Yoko was influenced in his style for the Drakengard series by many games of the day: a commonality he noted was that the player got gradings for their performance after killing dozens or hundreds of enemy units in a "gloating" manner. Because the concept of enjoying killing seemed insane to him, he designed the first game's main protagonists to be insane. He also wished to explore what drove people to kill each other.{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/20/5734400/drakengard-3-beauty-violence-trailer|title=Drakengard 3 director discuss finding beauty in a bloody story|last=Corriae|first=Alexa Ray|website=Polygon|date=May 20, 2014|access-date=May 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526073246/http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/20/5530308/drakengard-nier-director-methods-for-telling-strange-stories|archive-date=May 26, 2014|url-status=live}} Later, for Nier and Drakengard 3, Yoko explored the idea of a terrible event where both sides believed they were doing the right thing. For Nier, he took direct inspiration from the September 11 attacks and the War on Terror.{{cite web |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2014/03/20/nier-drakengard-creator-says-nier-inspired-9-11/ |title=NieR and Drakengard Creator Says NieR Was Inspired By 9-11 |last=Ward|first=Robert |publisher=Siliconera |date=March 20, 2014 |access-date=March 20, 2014}} Another direct influence on Nier was of the gameplay of the God of War series, which both he and the game's producer Yosuke Saito admired.{{cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |title=NIER Preview |url=http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/nier/preview-2260.html |publisher=Video Gamer |access-date=July 12, 2011 |date=March 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713055813/http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/nier/preview-2260.html |archive-date=July 13, 2011 |url-status=live}} He has stated his dislike for the "plain and forgettable" type of female video game character: he demonstrated his dislike for this and the stereotypical role-playing video game romance in Furiae, an important character in Drakengard. Another character he has been greatly involved in creating is Zero, Drakengard 3{{'}}s protagonist: while creating her, he felt it would be interesting to create a character who was formerly a prostitute as it was a character type that was fairly rare in video games.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2014/05/29/drakengard-multiple-endings-taro-yoko-told-wouldnt-sequel/|title=Drakengard Had Multiple Endings Because Taro Yoko Was Told There Wouldn't Be A Sequel|author=Spencer|publisher=Siliconera|date=May 29, 2014|access-date=May 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529142743/http://www.siliconera.com/2014/05/29/drakengard-multiple-endings-taro-yoko-told-wouldnt-sequel/|archive-date=May 29, 2014|url-status=live}} In general, Yoko does not consider his writing to be as dark as others see it, while admitting that he deliberately incorporates dark elements.{{cite web|url=http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/068/1068126/|script-title=ja:『NieR』の新作は前作を遊んだファンほど混乱する!? ヨコオタロウ氏ら開発スタッフに直撃インタビュー|publisher=Dengeki Online|language=ja|date=June 19, 2015|access-date=June 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619152127/http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/068/1068126/|archive-date=June 19, 2015|url-status=live}} A notable influence on the gameplay of his titles was the classic shoot 'em up Ikaruga; it directly inspired the dragon flight sequences of Drakengard and bullet hell sections in Nier; and informed Yoko on the synchronization of gameplay with the music.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2018/06/30/yoko-taro-talks-about-how-his-favorite-shmup-ikaruga-has-influenced-his-games/|title=Yoko Taro Talks About How His Favorite Shmup Ikaruga Has Influenced His Games|author=Wong, Alistair|publisher=Siliconera|date=June 30, 2018|access-date=July 1, 2018}} A biography of him drawn Keiji Yoshida and based on Yoko Taro's own words was released in the Game Creators of Biography web manga series, under the title "ヨコオタロウ編" ("Yokoo Tarō-hen"). It was published by Cygames on its Cycomi platform, starting from February 21, 2021.{{Cite tweet|number=1361661630950477824|user=cycomi
|title=稀代のゲームクリエイター「ヨコオタロウ」の人生がマンガ化!!2月21日より、真説ゲームクリエイター伝 新章「ヨコオタロウ編」連載開始！！
|author=Cygames|retweet=Yoko Taro|date=February 16, 2021|access-date=April 19, 2022|language=ja}}
Works
=Video games=
=Books and manga=
= Television =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !class="unsortable"|Role |
| rowspan="2" |2023 |
| KamiErabi God.app |
=Stage plays=
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Role |
| 2014
|YoRHa Stage Play, Ver. 1.0 |Creator, writer |
| 2015
| Writer |
| 2016
| Creator |
| rowspan="2" |2018
|YoRHa Musical Ver. 1.2 | rowspan="7" |Writer |
| YoRHa Boys Ver. 1.0 |
| rowspan="2" |2019
|Thou Shalt Not Die Zero_KAI |
| YoRHa Ver. 1.3a |
| rowspan="2" |2020
|YoRHa Ver. 1.3aa |
| YoRHa Girls Ver. 1.1a |
| rowspan="1" |2021
|Bakuken |
= Music videos =
| class="wikitable"
! Year !Title !Artist !Role !Notes |
| 2023
|"Antinomy" |Writer |Ending theme of Nier: Automata Ver1.1a{{Cite web |last=Egan |first=Toussaint |date=2023-02-03 |title=Nier: Automata's Yoko Taro made a new 15-minute music video based on the game |url=https://www.polygon.com/2023/2/3/23584391/nier-automata-yoko-taro-anime-puppet-show-music-video |website=Polygon}} |
Further reading
- {{Cite book |last=Taro |first=Yoko |title=Game Creators of Biography |publisher=Cycomi |year=2021 |location=Tokyo |language=ja |chapter=Yoko Taro-hen}}
- {{Cite book |last=Turcev |first=Nicolas |title=The Strange Works of Taro Yoko: From Drakengard to Nier: Automata |publisher=Third Éditions |others=Foreword by Yoko Taro |year=2019 |isbn=978-23-7784-048-9 |location=Toulouse}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://ameblo.jp/yokota6/ "Diary of Tarō Yoko" online blog] {{in lang|ja}}
- [http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/626/626322/ Dengeki Online interview series about Drakengard and Nier] {{in lang|ja}}
- [http://www.bukkoro.com/ Bukkoro home page] {{in lang|ja}}
- {{Twitter|id=yokotaro}}
{{Drakengard}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yoko, Taro}}
Category:Japanese chief executives