Just imagine: the developer, who always looked like a rocker, had a gun pointed at him by Los Angeles police officers.

The Japanese website 4Gamer published an article about Tomonobu Itagaki, the recently deceased creator of Dead or Alive and the modern Ninja Gaiden games. The site interviewed several of Itagaki’s colleagues and uncovered surprising stories about this colorful personality. In addition to creating violent and sometimes erotic games, Itagaki was an eccentric and charismatic figure in the industry. In 2005, he told Kikizo that players who thought Ninja Gaiden was too difficult were losers and advised them to do their best. The anecdotes in 4Gamer are more than worthy of Itagaki’s extravagant reputation.

Some of the wildest stories come from Kengo Aoki, the CEO of Soft Gear and a former colleague of Itagaki’s. Aoki recounted that, once, while Itagaki was on a business trip in China, he got drunk, started fighting with taxi drivers, and shouted in the street. That night, the two men argued in a hotel room over a game development issue. However, on the flight home, Itagaki called Aoki his brother and helped him overcome his hangover. Aoki also recalled an incident at a pre-E3 party when Itagaki shouted from the hotel balcony that he was going to conquer the world and invited Aoki to join him.

The situation escalated until ten patrol cars from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived. According to Aoki, the officers drew their weapons. A true Dead-or-Alive situation ensued. The next day, Aoki received a phone call informing him that Itagaki was in the intensive care unit and would have to remain in the hospital for 40 to 50 days. It is unclear whether these last two stories are related, but one thing is clear: Itagaki’s life was anything but boring. In a farewell message posted on Facebook after his death in October, he expressed this sentiment in his own words.

He wrote that his life had been a series of struggles from which he had emerged victorious. He had caused a lot of trouble. He stood by his convictions and accepted them without regret.

Source: PC Gamer, 4Gamer