Velan Studios recently signaled a return to the franchise’s roots by visiting Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine. According to social media posts by the studio and Takaya Imamura, the iconic red torii gates continue to serve as a design influence for the series, mirroring the inspiration Shigeru Miyamoto drew from the location when developing the original Star Fox for Super Nintendo.
Why Fushimi Inari remains a design pillar for Star Fox
The Fushimi Inari Shrine is a creative touchstone for those working on the Star Fox series. Takaya Imamura stated that it was a tradition for Western developers working on the earlier Star Fox and Star Fox Adventures to hike the shrine’s paths while visiting Kyoto. The red torii gates are credited as the inspiration for the flight through gates in the original Star Fox.
Takaya Imamura served as art director for The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and is responsible for Tingle in the Legend of Zelda series.
How studio visits influence modern game development
The practice of “location scouting” for digital environments remains a critical part of pre-production for major studios. By visiting sites like Fushimi Inari, developers capture the specific lighting, scale, and atmosphere of real-world locations to inform level design. The act of visiting the shrine suggests a reliance on grounded, physical architecture to anchor the aesthetic of the Star Fox universe.
The legacy of Takaya Imamura
Takaya Imamura has “graduated” from his time at Nintendo. Imamura is now focused on indie projects like Omega 6. His career, which includes the American-styled character designs of the F-Zero series, highlights a transition in the industry where veteran designers are moving to self-directed indie ventures.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the new Star Fox game currently available? Yes, the latest installment in the Star Fox series launched on the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 25.
- Who designed the original Star Fox characters? Takaya Imamura is the designer of the Star Fox characters and universe.
- What is the connection between Fushimi Inari and Star Fox? Shigeru Miyamoto was inspired to have players travel through gates in the original Star Fox thanks to the red torii gates there.
If you are interested in the evolution of Nintendo art styles, follow the official portfolios of former art directors like Imamura.
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