Masahiro Sakurai included in “50 Beautiful Japanese People of the Showa Centennial” alongside former Emperor of Japan, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and other influential figures

Game designer Masahiro Sakurai announced on X on October 19 that he was recently featured in the “50 Beautiful Japanese People of the Showa Centennial” special by literary magazine Bungei Shunju. Sakurai said he was honored to be included among so many influential Japanese figures, with the list including Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, late composer and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, and professional baseball player Shohei Ohtani.

Bungei Shunju’s “50 Beautiful Japanese People” is a recurring special that features Japanese individuals who “do not live solely for themselves, were not swayed by self-interest, upheld their principles, and lived with integrity.” Previous editions featured the likes of pianist and composer Rentaro Taki, business magnate Shibusawa Eiichi, and businessman Jiro Shirasu.

Sakurai’s work as a game creator and designer spans decades. After his tenure at HAL Laboratory (during which he created the popular Kirby and Super Smash Bros. franchises), he co-developed several Nintendo console titles under his own company, Sora Ltd.

Outside of game development, Sakurai served as the author of a weekly Famitsu magazine column called “Masahiro Sakurai’s Thoughts on Games” from 2003 to 2021. This paved the way for Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games, a YouTube channel in which he reflects on his work in the game industry and offers advice about game development and creative work in general. All of the content on the channel was self-funded by Sakurai and produced without monetization in mind. He made all of his knowledge free in hopes of leaving something of value behind and making “a donation and contribution to the games industry.”

In 2010, Sakurai established the Game Designers Award category of the Japan Game Awards, a section that recognizes games based on their creativity and innovation. Although the category was discontinued at this year’s Japan Game Awards 2026 (after Sakurai failed to find anyone to take over his responsibilities), Sakurai himself remains active, and has advised his peers that innovation and originality are crucial for the game industry’s survival.

Sakurai’s section in the Bungei Shunju article, titled “A Genius of Game Development Who Devotes His Personal Fortune to His Craft,” was written by former Famitsu editor Yasuhiro Nagata.

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“I want to live a modest and unassuming life.” Masahiro Sakurai was initially reluctant about approving a manga about his life