Yukinobu Arikawa

Yukinobu Arikawa

Employment history: Sega Enterprises (1991^[1] – ) Divisions: Sega AM2 Sega AM11 Sega Software R&D Dept. 4 Amusement Vision^[2] Sega Divisions: New Entertainment R&D Dept. Sega CS1 Sega Games^[1] Divisions: CS Studio 1 Sega Divisions: New Entertainment R&D Dept. Sega CS1
Role(s): Designer, Writer, Localizer

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Yukinobu Arikawa (有川幸伸), also known as Tombo (とんぼ), is a game designer at Sega of Japan. He is famous for the comedic touches he adds to games, such as designing the mostly comedic game Rent A Hero in his first year at Sega^[1] or including gags in the Daytona USA and Scud Race courses^[3]. Arikawa has also been a long-time contributor to the "absolutely hilarious"^[4]^[5]^[6] Yakuza series since Yakuza 0, notably involved with localization^[1].

Arikawa is also one of the developers of the early Super Monkey Ball games, and has been consulted on the series' future representation in crossover games such as Sega Superstars Tennis. As a Yakuza member, he has also supervised the representation of Streets of Rage in Streets of Rage 4.

Production history

Games

Rent A Hero (Mega Drive; 1991) — Scenario^[7] (as Tombo)
Virtua Racing (Model 1; 1992) — Assistant Designer
Burning Rival (System 32; 1993) — Special Thanks (as 有川伸幸)
Virtua Fighter (Model 1; 1993) — Assistant Designer
Daytona USA (Model 2; 1994) — Planner
Virtua Cop (Model 2; 1994) — Design Support
Virtua Fighter 2 (Model 2; 1994) — Texture designers
Virtua Cop (Saturn; 1995) — Special Thanks^[8]
Virtua Fighter 3 (Model 3; 1996) — Scroll Design
Scud Race (Model 3; 1996) — Designers
Scud Race Plus (Model 3; 1997) — Designers
Virtua Fighter 3tb (Model 3; 1997) — Scroll Design
Daytona USA 2: Battle on the Edge (Model 3; 1998) — Design Support (AM11)
Spikeout: Digital Battle Online (Model 3; 1998) — Assistant Planner
Virtua Fighter 3tb (Dreamcast; 1998) — Scroll Design
Daytona USA 2: Power Edition (Model 3; 1998) — Design Support (AM11)
Spikeout: Final Edition (Model 3; 1999) — Assistant Planner
Shenmue (Dreamcast; 1999) — Planners
Rent A Hero No.1 (Dreamcast; 2000) — ゲームデザイン (as 蟻川とんぼ)
Rent A Hero No.1 (Dreamcast; 2000) — 作詞 (as 蟻川とんぼ)
Monkey Ball (NAOMI GD-ROM; 2001) — Designers
Spikers Battle (NAOMI GD-ROM; 2001) — Special Thanks to
Super Monkey Ball (GameCube; 2001) — Planners
Virtua Striker 3 Ver. 2002 (GameCube; 2002) — Planners
Super Monkey Ball Jr. (Game Boy Advance; 2002) — Planning
Super Monkey Ball 2 (GameCube; 2002) — Planners
F-Zero AX (Triforce; 2003) — Thanks To
F-Zero GX (GameCube; 2003) — Thanks to
Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 16: Virtua Fighter 2 (PlayStation 2; 2004) — Texture designers
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe (Xbox; 2005) — Planners
Super Monkey Ball: Touch & Roll (Nintendo DS; 2005) — Planner
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Wii; 2006) — Planners
Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (PlayStation 3; 2008) — アドベンチャーゲームデザイン (as 有川幸伸)
Sega Superstars Tennis (PlayStation 3; 2008) — NE
Sega Superstars Tennis (Wii; 2008) — NE
Sega Superstars Tennis (Nintendo DS; 2008) — NE
Super Monkey Ball (iOS; 2008)
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (Xbox 360; 2010) — CS1 R&D
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (Wii; 2010) — CS1 R&D
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (Nintendo DS; 2010) — CS1 R&D
Kurohyou: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinshou (PlayStation Portable; 2010) — ディレクター (as 有川幸伸)
Super Monkey Ball 3D (Nintendo 3DS; 2011) — Special Thanks
Kurohyou 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Ashura Hen (PlayStation Portable; 2012) — アシスタントプロデューサー (as 有川幸伸)
Super Monkey Ball 2: Sakura Edition (Android; 2012) — Special Thanks
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz (PlayStation Vita; 2012) — Special Thanks
Yakuza 0 (PlayStation 3; 2015) — Game Design Production Assistants
Yakuza Kiwami (PlayStation 3; 2016) — Game Design Production Assistants
Yakuza Kiwami (PlayStation 4; 2016) — Game Design Production Assistants
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (PlayStation 4; 2016) — ADV Game Design
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PlayStation 4; 2017) — Localize Support
Sega Heroes (Android; 2018) — Super Monkey Ball
Streets of Rage 4 (Windows PC; 2020) — SEGA Development Team
Sonic Origins (PlayStation 4; 2022) — Game Design
Sonic Origins (PlayStation 5; 2022) — Game Design
Sonic Origins (Xbox One; 2022) — Game Design
Sonic Origins (Nintendo Switch; 2022) — Game Design

Videos

CGMV Virtua Fighter 2 (VHS; 1995) — Texture designers
Sega Amusement CG World Best Collection (LaserDisc; 1995) — Planners
Sega Amusement CG World Best Collection (LaserDisc; 1995) — Texture designers

Music

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Original Soundtrack (CD; 2014)
Go Sega: 60th Anniversary Album (CD; 2021) — Special Thanks^[9]

Yakuza 0 (2015) — Game Production Assistants
Yakuza Kiwami (2016) — Game Production Assistants
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016) — ADV Game Design
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (2017) — Localize Support

Song credits

Main article: Yukinobu Arikawa/Song credits.

Magazine articles

Main article: Yukinobu Arikawa/Magazine articles.

Photographs

Main article: Photos of Yukinobu Arikawa

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/interview/180118 (Wayback Machine: 2023-11-29 16:50)
↑ http://backup.segakore.fr/hitmaker/game/SOUND/SITE/MUSIC_solocd06.html (Wayback Machine: 2023-11-29 17:56)
↑ Sega Magazine, "1997-02 (1997-02)" (JP; 1997-01-13), page 24
↑ https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Funny/Yakuza0
↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/yakuzagames/comments/bjjv3u/are_any_of_the_other_games_as_funny_as_yakuza_0/?rdt=46322 (Wayback Machine: 2023-11-29 18:00)
↑ https://www.tumblr.com/breadknight-likes-things/178546640217/yakuza-0s-ludonarrative-dissonance-is-baffling (Wayback Machine: 2023-11-29 18:03)
↑ File:Rent A Hero MD credits.pdf
↑ File:VirtuaC1 Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf
↑ File:GoSega60thAnniversaryAlbum CD JP Booklet.pdf, page 20

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20231129165036.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fnews.denfaminicogamer.jp.2Finterview.2F180118-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/interview/180118 (Wayback Machine: 2023-11-29 16:50)

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20231129175652.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fbackup.segakore.fr.2Fhitmaker.2Fgame.2FSOUND.2FSITE.2FMUSIC_solocd06.html-2] ttp://backup.segakore.fr/hitmaker/game/SOUND/SITE/MUSIC_solocd06.html (Wayback Machine: 2023-11-29 17:56)

[:File:Sega_Magazine_JP_Issue_04_199702.pdf_p24-3] Sega Magazine, "1997-02 (1997-02)" (JP; 1997-01-13), page 24

[https:.2F.2Ftvtropes.org.2Fpmwiki.2Fpmwiki.php.2FFunny.2FYakuza0-4] ttps://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Funny/Yakuza0

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20231129180024.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fwww.reddit.com.2Fr.2Fyakuzagames.2Fcomments.2Fbjjv3u.2Fare_any_of_the_other_games_as_funny_as_yakuza_0.2F.3Frdt.3D46322-5] ttps://www.reddit.com/r/yakuzagames/comments/bjjv3u/are_any_of_the_other_games_as_funny_as_yakuza_0/?rdt=46322 (Wayback Machine: 2023-11-29 18:00)

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20231129180301.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fwww.tumblr.com.2Fbreadknight-likes-things.2F178546640217.2Fyakuza-0s-ludonarrative-dissonance-is-baffling-6] ttps://www.tumblr.com/breadknight-likes-things/178546640217/yakuza-0s-ludonarrative-dissonance-is-baffling (Wayback Machine: 2023-11-29 18:03)

[:File:Rent_A_Hero_MD_credits.pdf_p-7] File:Rent A Hero MD credits.pdf

[:File:VirtuaC1_Saturn_JP_SSEnding.pdf_p-8] File:VirtuaC1 Saturn JP SSEnding.pdf

[:File:GoSega60thAnniversaryAlbum_CD_JP_Booklet.pdf_p20-9] File:GoSega60thAnniversaryAlbum CD JP Booklet.pdf, page 20

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