We want to know more about Masahiro Sakurai's diet and grooming habits, as he continues to defy the passing of time - the rigours of developing Super Smash Bros. have been tough on the game designer, yet he retains an admirably youthful look.
Masahiro Sakurai turned 45 on 3rd August - at the time of publication it's actually 4th August in Japan. Having made his breakthrough on the Kirby franchise in the early '90s - being a key part of the creative team for the IP's first game - he's gone on to create and lead the lucrative and much-loved Super Smash Bros. series. He has turned his hand to other enjoyable games, too, leading development on DS title Meteos and the brilliant Kid Icarus: Uprising on 3DS.
Sakurai-san and his team are currently at work completing DLC characters for Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS; it'll be fascinating to see what the much admired game creator does next.
Happy Birthday, Sakurai-san; we hope you took a day off.
Comments 55
Happy Birthday Mr.Sakurai!!
Edit: I honestly thought he was 20-ish when I first saw him.
He looks my age
Happy Birthday, Sakurai-san!
@ThomasBW84 I hope you aren't judging his age based on the article picture.
That picture, I believe, is a picture of a young Sakurai. Although he looks younger than he's supposed to, recent pictures and such of him clearly show he's definitely getting older.
But whatever. Happy Birthday, Sakurai!
Happy Birthday Sakurai! Please take a vacation after smash. Please.
Happy birthday, Sakurai! Also, holy crap you look young! Whats your secret?
@VeeFlamesNL Haha, no, I'm referring to the fact the man doesn't seem to age, he looked really young in the Direct he did last year. He just naturally has a young face, I guess, whereas I'm 30 and have grey in my beard and bags under my eyes.
Damn. He looks sooo young!!!
Oh now I feel real bad. I'm only 30 and I feel and look much older.
You'd think he'd look twice his age because of all the Smash Bros stress, but nope! I'm convinced he sold his soul to keep his youthful look. Happy birthday Sakurai
Happy Birthday, Mr. Sakurai!
@NintendoFan64 apparently the tears of smash fans (whose favourite characters didnt make it into the game) have the unique property of slowing or even halting the aging process.
He looks like a 20 year old woman.
Happy birthday Mr. Sakurai. Thanks for bringing us so much joy, especially the super brilliant Kid Icarus Uprising. I can't wait for his next project!
And doesn't look so much like a man.
Who's the lady?
Every time someone asks for Ridley in Smash, he gains another year of youth.
Happy b-day!
@ShanaUnite Got it. So when I get older, I should look for the nearest Ridley fan.
A lot of people at Nintendo look younger then what they really are, I would of never had thought Reggie was in his 50's...
He looks really healthy for a 45-year-old man. Must be all the Floor Ice Cream...
Yeah, he looks nowhere near 45.
Happy Birthday, Sakurai! Does he hold the secret of fountain of youth? He looks like he's in his 20's than 45.
A big happy birthday to the man that revived my newly favorite series, Kid Icarus! Thank you so much Sakuari for that amazing game!
Aug 03 is also my birthday. Neat! Happy bday Sakurai!
Happy Birthday Sakurai-san.
You made Kirby and I'm happy for that.......... That all said......
Ok I don't clearly understand this.
When gamers demand sequels of a franchise, Companies that give a reasonable response like Nintendo are being ranted like getting a new F-Zero. But yet, when Sakurai-san doesn't make sequels, everyone's fine with it because of.....what logic?
Actually, now going into it and I mean this in a constructive criticism, Sakurai-san is completely egoistic and stubborn when making games. He doesn't trust anyone other than himself which causes only more pressure towards him and fans because we would only believe that he's the one who can make Smash good and not even Nintendo can come close to his creativity. He doesn't care about his health other than to make sure that he makes deep experiences. And his idea of collaborating with other companies is absurd.
Because other than Nintendo and Q entertainment, I don't see SEGA, Capcom or Konami hiring him because why would they even want his talent when they themselves can make attempts to make quality games? I can vision Sakurai-San making a Sonic or a Phantasy Star game but then again, seeing SEGA 's infamous development schedules STILL happening, I doubt if he will even release the games let alone releasing it halfway. If he wants creative freedom so much, why not just work on Nintendo instead of being independent? Even better, why not just be an Indie-developer and make games multiplat and taking his sweet time making games? That way, he won't have to worry about his health one bit.
I'm willing to bet that if Nintendo makes the next Smash on the NX on their own without Sakurai-san, Lots of people will be concerned instead of getting hyped. That alone proves how valuable he is to Nintendo which is why I admire Shigeru Miyamoto better than him because he leads someone else in charge of the brand like Eji Anouma for The Legend of Zelda series.
I can see freelance work can actually work for composers and artists but game designers? Really? What logic does that make?
Happy birthday Sakurai! It is truly impressive that he looks far younger than 45, I really want his secret to the fountain of youth.
Happy birthday, Sakurai! A man that has learned that when freaky aliens give you lemons, you make freaky alien lemonade!
I still say Sakurai show be nominated for Nintendo presidency, imagine him bringing his focus to the company
Happy birthday... to both of us, Sakurai!
@ShanaUnite
Specifically Ridley tears
@Artwark
Well in the latest smash game, sakurai kind of had to start trusting people more which I believe he's been better at now.
Yeah during melee he said I make all the decisions no buts, but now the workload made having others decide a necessity.
He's trying which is more than others
@abe_hikura
He doesn't have much experience running a business so I'm not sure. He's better suited towards development
Happy Birthday to one of the best game devs ever!
With the stress making smash does to him it's crazy he still looks so good for 45. Most do less and look worst in their 30s.
Haha, yeah. He definitely does not look his age.
Here's to another year of your existence, Mr. Sakurai!
Happy Birthday Sakurai San!!
I wonder if he's gotten surgery? Isn't that a big thing in Japan now?
A happy birthday to the Sire of Smash: Sakurai-sama!
Happy birthday, mister Sakurai!
Happy birthday Sakurai. I hope he took the day off and had some fun.
@Chaoz Hilarious
He does look young. Happy birthday!
..on the other note, I am 30 and I still get asked ID when buying beer (agelimit here for that is 18).But it's the law, when you look like under 25, they have to ask. I can understand it here, but actually happened in Germany. Lady nicely told me I have to be 18...
But on the other hand, I am woman so basicly we don't get older than 27.
How does he retain those youthful good looks? He survives on a diet of mushroom and bananas
@Mona-Reggie iwata wasn't exactly a boardroom wizard to begin with, he was celebrated for being a dev first
It's my birthday on Thursday, but I bet Nintendo Life doesn't do an article on me. Way to ruin my birthday guys, real classy.
What the hell is this guy doing to stay looking so young?
I mean I thought I looked half decent for my age, but this guy is like some miracle of nature or something.
Oh, and Happy Birthday, Sakurai-san!
Happy birthday! Sakurai is my all-time favorite game dev, I love all of his works.
Is Sakurai drinking from the fountain of youth or something? At this rate when he is 70 he will look like he is 40!
Happy birthday Sakurai-San! Keep lookin' young!
As for Sakurai-san, it helps if you never see the sun, as it damages your skin with UV light.
He would regain the aging if he worked at Konami. Kojima looks like an old man already.
Happy birthday Sakurai! I really hope you took a day off…Or a few years, because you deserve it.
congratulations mr sakurai on building a series of games enjoyes by so many, casual and competetive alike, you have sacrificed so much to bring us these games. And all of this and you're still only 45, we <3 u sakurai-senpai
He really needs to do something with that hair. Not stylin' or profilin'...
We share the same birthday, thats pretty sweet!
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