Hideo Kojima, the director of Death Stranding 2, has addressed some challenges associated with incorporating Asian actors into his games. He noted that achieving realistic representations of their likenesses in computer graphics (CG) has proven to be a complex task.
Death Stranding 2 boasts impressive visuals with highly lifelike character models, but including a larger number of Asian characters at this level of fidelity has been difficult. In Kojima’s latest work, there are fewer Asian characters than in previous titles.
However, one notable addition is the character Rainy, portrayed by Japanese actress Shioli Kutsuna. During an interview, Kojima highlighted the collaboration with Kutsuna and the advancements in technology that aided in her portrayal.
Despite the challenges, he expressed a desire to include more Japanese actors in the future. Additionally, Kojima revealed plans for an animated adaptation of the original Death Stranding game.
In his discussions with IGN Japan, he elaborated on the difficulties of recreating Asian faces in CG, particularly with young women. He explained that the smooth skin commonly associated with Asians can appear unrealistic once digitized.
In contrast, older actors with facial imperfections, like freckles, tend to render more naturally in CG. Despite these challenges, several characters of Asian descent made it into the game, including Ma Dong-seok as Samson Hook, Lauren Tsai as The Artist, Mamoru Oshii as The Pizza Chef, and Gen Hoshino as The Musician.
Kutsuna’s involvement was due not only to her acting talents but also her proficiency in both English and Japanese, which is crucial for the production based in Los Angeles. As technology advances, players can expect even greater details in character texture and realism.
This raises anticipation for Kojima’s future projects and how they will address graphical challenges.