Some of the most memorable parts of this year’s Nintendo Digital Event were the segments featuring the strangely familiar puppet recreations of the Japanese company's most famous figures.
Shortly after the presentation, it was revealed the Jim Henson Company – the team behind The Muppets – was responsible for the larger than life recreations of Miyamoto, Satoru Iwata and Reggie that eventually transformed into Fox, Peppy and Falco from the Star Fox series.
A few weeks on, and the Nintendo of America YouTube account has now shared Mr Miyamoto and Mr Tekuza’s visit to the Jim Henson Studios in the US where the famous puppets for the Nintendo’s E3 2015 Digital Event were created.
In the 6 minute video, Miyamoto tours the studio alongside fellow Nintendo employees and sits down to have a chat with son of the legendary puppeteer, Jim Henson. Miyamoto notes how he has always been an admirer of the studio's creations and wanted to be a puppeteer when he was younger. He also recalls how he won a Jim Henson award in 2008 for inspiring children to dream with his collective video game creations and contributions. Throughout the clip, there are many other references thrown in such as a nod to Charlie Chaplin and a Kermit the Frog cameo.
View the full video below and let us know in the comments if you would like to see the Nintendo puppets make a return in the future.
[source youtube.com]
Comments (34)
This is fantastic, you can clearly see how excited Miyamoto was by walking through the workshop. I just REAALLY hope they bring those puppets back for future Nintendo Directs. Just imagine Iwata's puppet announcing the new trailer for Zelda U haha it would be amazing!
The puppets were my favorite part of the digital event (not that I didn't enjoy the rest of it). It brought such a smile to my face whenever the puppets would come back on. While I liked Robot Chicken last year, Muppets resonate better with Nintendo.
So every year now they do something different. I wonder what they'll do next year. Maybe Simpsons characters.
Miyamoto is a world treasure.
I am expecting an game with a Muppet driven graphical art style
Yay or nay, Kermit should replace Slippy as Star Fox's signature amphibian.
Well, I was grinning like an idiot for most of that video. As long as the script is as funny as this year's, I'd be glad to see the puppets come back again.
Can't give your fans the games they want, but you can give them Muppets. Great job Nintendo great job indeed. And you wonder why people think your target audience is kids.
Those puppets were great. I'm not sure about using them again though. It might be better to keep them special as a one-time thing, and do something else next time.
That was pretty sweet. Looks like it was a lot of fun. And at the end it was a nice surprise to see Rygel; glad Farscape is not just stuffed away in a crate somewhere, lol.
Like a kid in a candy store! (EDIT: Somehow didn't realize that was already the tagline. Oops!) Even more excited for Star Fox Zero now.
@dumedum Simpsons characters? Now that's something I wanna see!
For years now I've thought the perfect Star Fox movie would look like The Dark Crystal with Star Wars style dogfights (models rather than CGI) and seeing this makes me wonder if Nintendo have been thinking the same thing.
Hmm, interesting merger?
Man, that was great! Rarely has so many of my favorite things been together in the same footage!
Miyamoto, Tezuka, Trinen, Brian Henson, and the head of Carol from Where the Wild Things Are!
Two very humble geniuses meet for the first time! Great video.
@DarthNocturnal If that would happen, chances are that we'd have to replace Krystal with miss Piggy, and she probably wouldn't fit in the cockpit of an Arwing.
Come to think of it: she does have some sci-fi experience being in the "Pigs in Space" series...
@TheRealThanos
Miss Piggy would join Star Wolf, replacing Pigma.
Kermit confirmed for Smash.
@DarthNocturnal After replying to you, I was suddenly envisioning all kinds of Muppets in Star Fox. The grumpy old eagle Sam could also be a nice fit, and Gonzo as one of Andross's failing henchmen...
Can someone please clear this up: How is Jim Henson understanding what Miyamoto is saying? Sure, Miyamoto probably understands English spoken to him as so many Japanese people do, but why would Jim know Japanese?
It looked like Miyamoto really was a kid in a candy store and bill had to be the chaperon. xD
@EverythingAmiibo This is a 6,5 minute recap of what was probably an entire (or at least a half) day at Jim Henson Studios. They probably edited out the translator, like they also do in so many TV programs, like documentaries and so on.
EDIT: Forget "probably edited out". It is clearly visible that the video is cut each time right after Miyamoto says something.
I'd liked that part of E3. Brought back good memories of family nights watching the Muppet show
@abe_hikura A Nintendo collaboration with Henson studios could be really creative and interesting. I would love to see Pixar and Nintendo team up for a completely original game as well.
This is proof that Disney is looking to buy Nintendo.
@Tasuki
Give it a rest already will ya.
@Tasuki
Then they would simply own our entire childhood. 5 years ago I would have cried if Disney took over, but seeing how they handle Star Wars and Marvel it might not be that bad. Nintendo has these crazy imaginative characters, but I sometimes fear that newer generations will hardly know them. My kids know practically all Nintendo IP, but friends of theirs don't have a single clue who Yoshi, Kirby or even Luigi is. Disney could really turn things around and make movies and themeparks, but better yet: Nintendo can use Disney's catalog to make games. Imagine a SSB with Nintendo and Disney IP!
Looks like they blew their budget on hiring Henson's and couldn't afford any decent games! Ha! (Too soon?! Nah, E3 was two weeks ago. That's years in Internet time)
Edit: double post
So, when are they making those puppets into Amiibo's? And isn't about time that Satoru Shibata got in on some this excitment?
I always knew Miyamoto had some kind of interest in puppets. It makes me happy to see him play with the Fox puppet.
That was enjoyable to watch. I really hope those puppets make a return.
I can't be mad for this year's E3 right now. Maybe I'll be back at that feeling later, but come on. Look at the gleeful grin on Miyamoto's face. Everyone now: d'aaaaaawwwwwwwwwww.
@AdanVC: Nooo, they would have to make an Eiji Aonuma puppet for that! But aside from that, it would be totally awesome!
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