Yoshihisa Kishimoto, Creator of Double Dragon and Renegade, Dies at 64

Yoshihisa Kishimoto, the creator of the Double Dragon and River City (Kuno-kun) franchises, has died astatine the property of 64.

This was confirmed by his son, Ryūbō Kishimoto, connected aggregate societal media channels.

"This is the lad of Yoshihisa Kishimoto," helium wrote connected Facebook. "I americium atrocious to pass you that my begetter has passed to remainder connected 04/02/2026... I anticipation you volition proceed to bask my father's works, including Kuno-kun. Thank you."

In a follow-up station connected Twitter/X, helium continued, "I'm atrocious for not being capable to reply, but convey you precise overmuch for the galore heartfelt representation messages. I'm genuinely delighted to larn that determination are radical astir the satellite who person played the Kunio-kun bid extensively and recognize my begetter adjacent much profoundly than I do. Please proceed to bask my father's works with a grin successful the future."

Kishimoto is an manufacture luminary, opening his vocation astatine Data East moving connected laserdisc games, and yet joining respective colleagues astatine Technōs. There, helium became known for his enactment connected galore beat-em-ups implicit the years, particularly Double Dragon and the Kunio-kun series, which was known successful the West arsenic River City. His aboriginal enactment was based successful portion connected a breakup helium went done during his schoolhouse years, arsenic good arsenic Bruce Lee's martial arts films specified arsenic Enter the Dragon. It was from this that successful 1986 helium created Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, oregon Renegade arsenic it was titled internationally, the archetypal crippled successful the River City franchise. With his squad astatine Technōs Japan, helium went connected to make galore sequels for arcades and, eventually, games for the NES, SNES, and PlayStation.

Kishimoto yet near Technōs, citing a tendency to enactment connected thing different than the aforesaid franchises implicit and over, arsenic good arsenic vexation that the workplace was spending little and little wealth connected crippled development. In the years since, helium worked independently nether the sanction "Plophet", making his ain archetypal enactment arsenic good arsenic consulting connected different games. His astir caller enactment was arsenic manager connected Double Dragon IV successful 2017, which was published by Arc System Works aft it acquired the licence from Technōs, though helium besides collaborated and consulted connected much caller River City games.

Ryūbō Kishimoto stated that a backstage ceremonial for his begetter would instrumentality spot tomorrow.

Rebekah Valentine is simply a elder newsman for IGN. Got a communicative tip? Send it to [email protected].