The producer of a few of Sega’s biggest video games had been unwell in recent times.
One among Sega’s most prolific builders has died.
Rieko Kodama, who served in a manufacturing and directorial position for Sega video games from Alex Kidd to seventh Dragon and was greatest recognized for producing the pre-online Phantasy Star video games and Skies of Arcadia, handed away in Could on account of an undisclosed sickness. It was not formally recognized till a tribute was found within the recently-released Mega Drive Mini II, however was confirmed in a Twitter submit by former Treasure workers member Yosuke Okunari (as posted at IGN). Sega declined to make a press release on the trip of respect for the household.
Born in 1963, Kodama joined Sega in 1984 and her debut work was as a personality designer for SG-1000 title Champion Boxing (additionally the debut work for Yu Suzuki). After engaged on artwork for Alex Kidd in Miracle World, she went on to create the artwork for 1987’s Phantasy Star. Her work continued by means of the remainder of the sequence on the Genesis/Mega Drive, and into the 1995/1998 RPG primarily based on the Magic Knight Rayearth anime sequence for the Saturn. Her later works embrace Dreamcast / GameCube RPG Skies of Arcadia, the seventh Dragon sequence together with 2016 3DS title seventh Dragon III Code: VFD, and the Sega Ages title on Swap.
Kodama was one of many first main feminine sport builders, particularly in Japan; she was as soon as known as “the primary woman of RPGs” by Nintendo Energy. She acquired the Pioneer Award from the Sport Developer’s Affiliation, however was unable to journey to the 2019 ceremony on account of sickness.