

Since the release of Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness for PS2/Xbox Kojima has worked specifically on the console Castlevania titles, though she worked on Harmony of Dissonance (GBA) and Aria of Sorrow (GBA) as well. Focusing on strong shading, monochrome colors, and an overall pastel-like technique, Kojima has created some of the most elegant and haunting character designs in gaming today. Beginning her works on Symphony of the Night, Kojima is a self-taught artist whose style is perfect for the world of Castlevania. If you look back to virtually any top-tier Castlevania art in the last decade, chances are you're staring at the work of Ayami Kojima, artist and character designer for the Castlevania series. I will keep on looking at the future of Castlevania and make sure the brand survives for another 20 years. Before Symphony of the Night, I remember myself being so jealous of the Castlevania team and I used to visit them a lot! I wish I could keep on working with the franchise as my life work, but then again, I need to educate my team staff members so that they could take over my role for the future I would like to look towards next generation consoles while keeping a space for handheld games at the same time. It has been 16 years since I joined the videogame industry and it has been about 120 years since I began working on the Castlevania series. But then again, I'm scared that I'll find undiscovered bugs in the game so I don't ever go back and play it (laughs). As all of you are away, it was my first participated with Castlevania and my first title as a director. My most unforgettable and memorable Castlevania project is Symphony of the Night. When the original Castlevania was released, I was a university student and played this game at my senior's home because I had no money to purchase videogames. IGA on Castlevania: An excerpt from the 20th Anniversary Collection (DS) Since the release of Symphony, IGA has had his hand in the creative process of the GBA/DS products, specifically as a producer in Dawn of Sorrow (DS). Starting with Konami on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Igarashi is the single reason for the new wave of Castlevania design - if a title like that can be boiled down to just one person. Also known simply as IGA, Koji Igarashi is considered to be the father of the Castlevania series.
