13. The Origin of Responsibility

Itoi:

To summarise everything we’ve talked about, it seems like Miyamoto-san had an extreme sense of responsibility even back when he was the low man on the totem pole.

Miyamoto:

I’d say that’s right.

Iwata:

Basically Miyamoto-san has always looked at things from an executive’s perspective.

Itoi:

That’s true. But why? What’s up with that?

Miyamoto:

Uh...

Itoi:

Maybe you’ve always had this really intense sense of ownership; that idea that you were the one doing the work, so it was only natural to feel responsible for it.

Miyamoto:

Uh..., well, I think it comes from the fact that I wanted to be a cartoonist, way back when.

Itoi:

A cartoonist?

Miyamoto:

Yes. For an aspiring cartoonist, it’s all about how much response you get for the cartoons you’ve drawn, right?

Itoi:

Oh, so you mean that your work is directly related to how many people support it. Making video games is the same way.

Iwata:

So you’ve always worked with the idea that it’s all up to you whether your work can entertain the others or not.

Miyamoto:

I suppose it was a matter of fact for me.

Itoi:

Oh, I guess that makes sense.

Iwata:

I agree.

Itoi:

And then the fact that it has your name on it instills a certain sense of responsibility. “Written by Osamu Tezuka ,” for example. You’re conscious of the fact that it will say “Made by Shigeru Miyamoto.”

Miyamoto:

That’s right.