Tetsu Katano

Tetsu Katano
Date of birth: 1970-06-13 (age 51)
Company(ies): Sega of Japan
Role(s): Programmer, Director, Producer
Education: Tohoku University (1989-1993)

Tetsu Katano (片野 徹) was instrumental in transforming Sonic into the third dimension, carrying the programming torch from Yuji Naka. Joining Sega in 1993, earliest examples of his programming in Sonic were the Special Stages in the Saturn Version of Sonic 3D Blast, and being one of the most foremost programmers on Sonic Jam. He then was Main Programmer on Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Heroes, with his last time doing hands-on coding being Sonic and the Secret Rings.

Production history

• Formula One World Championship: Beyond the Limit (Mega-CD;
  1994) — Special Thanks (as Tetsu)
• Clockwork Knight (Saturn;
  1994) — Boss Enemies & Traps
• Clockwork Knight 2 (Saturn;
  1995) — Boss Enemy Programmers/Trap Programmers
• Clockwork Knight 2 (Saturn;
  1995) — プログラマー (as 片野 徹)
• NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn;
  1996) — A-Life Programmer
• NiGHTS into Dreams (PlayStation 2;
  2008) — Supervisors
• Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (Saturn;
  1996) — Programmers (SOJ)
• Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn;
  1996) — Programmers
• Sonic Jam () — Programmers
• Sonic Jam (Saturn;
  1997) — Programmers
• Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast;
  1998) — Main programmer
• Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast;
  1998) — Player character programmers
• Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast;
  1998) — Lead field programmers
• De La Jet Set Radio (Dreamcast;
  2001) — Motion Talent (as Tetsu)
• Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast;
  2001) — Main Programmer
• Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast;
  2001) — Player Character Programmer
• Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast;
  2001) — Enemy Programmers
• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (GameCube;
  2001) — Main Programmer
• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (GameCube;
  2001) — Player Character Programmer
• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (GameCube;
  2001) — Enemy Programmers
• Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (GameCube;
  2003) — Technical Support
• Sonic the Hedgehog () — Special Thanks
• Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity () — Special Thanks
• The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return (Wii;
  2008) — Special Thanks
• Tales of Knighthood: Sonic and the Black Knight Original Soundtrax (CD;
  2009) — Producer & Director
• Face to Faith: Sonic and the Black Knight - Vocal Trax (CD;
  2009) — Producer & Director
• Sonic Generations (Nintendo 3DS;
  2011) — Director
• Puyo Puyo Tetris (Nintendo 3DS;
  2014) — Project Support
• Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (Nintendo 3DS;
  2014) — Project Support
• Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric () — Project Support
• Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U;
  2014) — Project Support
• Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (Nintendo 3DS;
  2016) — Project Support
• Sega Ages OutRun (Nintendo Switch;
  2018) — Special Thanks
• Sega Ages Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Nintendo Switch;
  2019) — Special Thanks
• Sega Ages Puyo Puyo (Nintendo Switch;
  2019) — Special Thanks
• Sega Ages Wonder Boy: Monster Land (Nintendo Switch;
  2019) — Special Thanks
• Puyo Puyo Champions (Nintendo Switch;
  2018) — Project Support
• Sega Ages Columns II (Nintendo Switch;
  2019) — Special Thanks
• Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Nintendo Switch;
  2020) — Special Thanks

• Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn Version) (1996) — Special Stage Programmer
• Sonic Jam (1997) — Programmer
• Sonic Adventure (1998) — Main Programmer, Player Character Programmer, Lead Field Programmer
• Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) — Main Programmer, Player Character Programmer, Enemy Programmer
• Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (2003) — Technical Support
• Sonic Heroes (2003) — Main Programmer, Character Programmer, Enemy Programmer
• Sonic Heroes (PC Version) (2004) — Main Programmer
• Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) — Special Thanks
• Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007) — Player Character Programmer, Technical Programmer
• Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (2008) — Special Thanks
• Sonic Unleashed (2008) — Special Thanks
• Sonic and the Black Knight (2009) — Producer, Director
• Sonic Colors (Wii Version) (2010) — Technical Supervisor
• Sonic Generations (PS3/360 Versions) (2011) — Technical Supervisor
• Sonic Generations (3DS Version) (2011) — Director
• Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (2013) — Technical Supervisor
• Sonic Lost World (Wii U Version) (2013) — Project Support
• Sonic Lost World (3DS Version) (2013) — Technical Support
• Sonic Runners (2015) — Project Support
• Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (2016) — Project Support (Sega Games Development Team)
• Puyo Puyo Chronicle (2016) — Producer
• Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (2016) — Project Support
• Puyo Puyo Tetris (2017) (Switch Version) — Port Producer
• Puyo Puyo Tetris (2017) (PS4 Version) — Localization Producer
• Sonic Forces (2017) — Project Support
• Valkyria Chronicles 4 (2018) — Development Support
• Shin Sakura Taisen (2019) — Producer

Interviews

Some or all of the following content should be mirrored on Sega Retro (or Retro CDN).

• Tetsu Katano interview by Sonic Channel (April 10, 2009)

Photographs

Main article: Photos of Tetsu Katano