Who is Shigesato Itoi?

Shigesato Itoi, born November 10, 1948 in Maebashi, Gunma, was already a national figure before games: the copywriter who, in the 1980s, made advertising lines into popular culture in Japan. For Studio Ghibli he wrote the My Neighbor Totoro poster tagline, 'These strange creatures still exist in Japan. Probably.', voiced the father Tatsuo in the film, and went on to write taglines for many later Ghibli releases, including Kiki's Delivery Service.

His games career began with a pitch and a company. In March 1989 Itoi founded Ape Inc., with Nintendo's backing, to make Mother; he directed and wrote the first game, led Mother 2 as its writer and director, and for Mother 3, a decade later, took the narrower credit of story, scenario and message while Brownie Brown and HAL built it.

In 1998 he founded the website and company Hobonichi, the Almost Daily Itoi Newspaper, whose Hobonichi Techo planner, launched October 5, 2001, became a Japanese stationery institution. Hobonichi is now the curator of his own games: its MOTHER Project publishes the series' books and goods.

Itoi has been consistent about the ending: Mother 3 is the last one from him, 'totally impossible' being his phrase for a fourth. The Library covers that refusal on its Mother 4 page; this page is for the man whose second career made the refusal stick.