is a Japanese artist. He is best known as the lead character and mecha designer for the ''

Metal Gear is a series of techno-thriller stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX home computers. The player often takes control of a special forces operativ ...

'' franchise. He has collaborated with

Hideo Kojima is a Japanese video game designer, director, producer and writer. He is regarded as an auteur of video games. He developed a strong passion for action/adventure cinema and literature during his childhood and adolescence. In 1986, he was hired ...

on each of his games.

Biography

Shinkawa was born in Hiroshima on 25 December 1971. He began working at Konami after graduating from Kyoto Seika University. He first worked as a debugger for the NEC PC-9801, PC-98 version of ''Policenauts''. He moved on to serve as art director for the later console ports of the game, then as the lead character and mecha designer for the ''

'' series. He served as the art director for all ''Metal Gear Solid'' games, while providing character designs for ''Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops'' and ''Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance''. He is the lead artist and character designer for Kojima Productions. Shinkawa was inspired by anime and manga artists like Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Yoshitaka Amano, and western artists such as Frank Miller (comics), Frank Miller, Aubrey Beardsley and Willy Pogany. He drew inspiration from France, French artists such as Jean Giraud, Mœbius. Shinkawa used felt-tip pens, especially the Pentel Brush Pen, as well as Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. He is a fan of Heavy metal music, heavy metal, and artists such as Megadeth, Rage (German band), Rage, Killswitch Engage and Yngwie Malmsteen.

Works

Video games

Other works

;Novels *''Urban Hercules'' (illustrations) *''Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker'' (cover and interior illustrations) *''Metal Gear Solid Substance I: Shadow Moses'' (cover illustration) *''Metal Gear Solid Substance II: Manhattan'' (cover illustration) *''Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain'' (cover illustration) *''Point of Impact (Stephen Hunter novel), Point of Impact'' (cover illustration, 2013 Fusosha Mystery edition) ;Films *''Godzilla: Final Wars'' (monster and mecha designs) *''Pacific Rim (film), Pacific Rim'' (Poster design, Japanese release) ;Toys *''Frame Arms/Frame Arms Girl'' (mecha/character design for Byakko) ;Trading Cards *''Magic: The Gathering'' – ''Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty'' (Satoru Umezawa) *''Magic: The Gathering'' – Special Guest: Yoji Shinkawa Secret Lair (Phyrexian Metamorph, Tezzeret the Seeker, Skullclamp, Solemn Simulacrum)

References

Bibliography

* ''The Art of Metal Gear Solid'' * ''The Art of Metal Gear Solid 2'' * ''The Art of Metal Gear Solid 1.5'' * ''The Art of Metal Gear Solid: The Original Trilogy'' * ''Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots: Master Art Work'' * ''Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker: Official Art Works'' * ''The Art of Metal Gear Solid V'' * ''Visual Works of Anubis: Zone of the Enders'' * ''The Art of Yoji Shinkawa Volumes 1-3''

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shinkawa, Yoji 1971 births Japanese illustrators Konami people Living people Video game artists