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1501200cookie-checkPanzer Dragoon, Yakuza, And Jet Grind Radio Dev Takashi Iwade Has Passed Away
Features
2019/08

Panzer Dragoon, Yakuza, And Jet Grind Radio Dev Takashi Iwade Has Passed Away

Having played Panzer Dragoon (1995), Panzer Dragoon Orta, and Jet Grind Radio, it’s sad to see a veteran of the games industry pass away. Yes, Takashi Iwade is no longer with us, but his work spanning 25 years at Sega still stands.

You may not know who Iwade-san is, but he has helped on a lot of games that are out of the box, quirky, fun, and different at best. Personally speaking, I had a lot of fun playing the games that he either worked on or assisted.

In addition to the above, I bet you’ve likely played some of his games if not heard of them, too. For starters, here’s a list of games that he worked on:

Design

  • Panzer Dragoon (1995) — (Main Title Design)

Art/Graphics

  • Panzer Dragoon (1995) — Character Model Production/Effects
  • Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei (1996) — Character Model Production
  • Panzer Dragoon Saga (1998) — Enemy Design
  • Sega Rally 2 Championship (1999) — 3D Artists
  • Hundred Swords (2001) — Chief Artist
  • Panzer Dragoon Orta (2002) — Art Director
  • Yakuza 3 (2009) — Visual Effects Lead
  • Yakuza 4 (2010) — Visual Effect Lead
  • Yakuza: Dead Souls (2011) — Visual Effects Lead
  • Yakuza 5 (2012) — Special Effect Lead
  • Yakuza 0 (2015) — Effect Production Lead
  • Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016) — FX Production Team
  • Yakuza: Kiwami (2017) — FX Production Team
  • Yakuza: Kiwami 2 (2017) — FX Production Lead
  • Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise (2018) — FX Production Team

Support

  • Neon Genesis Evangelion: 2nd Impression (1997) — Eva Model Production Technical Advisor

Special Thanks | Assistance

  • Sonic CD (1993)
  • Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit (1994)
  • Astal (1995)
  • Clockwork Knight 2 (1995)
  • Jet Grind Radio (2000)
  • Sega Ages 2500: Vol.27 – Panzer Dragoon (2006)
  • Sonic CD (2011)

Other Work

  • Yakuza: Kiwami (2017) — Yakuza Development Staff

Thanks to James Mielke, creative director at Tigertron and founder of BitSummit, and publication site segabits.com, we were able to learn about Iwade and his departure:

With Iwade-san passing away last week due to an illness, it’s a sad prospect that the games industry has lost such talent. However, his legacy will carry on through an upcoming remake of the older Panzer Dragoon:

With all of that said, what game of his work was your favorite? If you haven’t played any of the abovementioned games, are you planning to check out one of the listed titles?

(Header image courtesy of segabits.com)

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