Catching up with Doshin the Giant creator Kazutoshi Iida

Another soothing episode of toco toco

Recommended Videos

This episode of toco toco has a similar appeal as the others we’ve covered on this site. It’s a day in the life of a creator — in this case Kazutoshi Iida, the designer of Aquanaut’s Holiday, Tail of the Sun, and Doshin the Giant — and it’s good for the creative soul. We get to tag along, seeing where he spends time and draws inspiration from in Kyoto. It’s the same 10-minute-or-so documentary format as before.

But unlike prior episodes that profiled the minds behind games like Silent Hill and No More Heroes, here, I feel like I got some great insights into a creator I knew nothing about. Doshin has long existed on my radar as something I’d like to one day seek out (for GameCube), but I never once connected the dots to see who made the game, why, and what else they’ve had a hand in.

“In art history, we saw a transition from realism to abstract,” says Iida. “I thought that it would be interesting to apply that to games as well. Facing a game that you don’t understand, but where you end up understanding yourself. This is the type of contemplative experience I wanted to create.”

With that quote in mind, I also need to play Aquanaut’s Holiday. I’m worried I’m too late to the party since it’s a PS1 game that wasn’t particularly well-liked back when it was new, but its premise — a first-person ocean-exploration sim free of time limits and enemies — sounds like total bliss to me.

Iida also had an interesting remark about his career. “From the moment I decided to make video games, I set myself a rule that I would create three titles,” he said. “I don’t know exactly why it was three. Doshin the Giant was my last title. I put all my thoughts and everything I wanted to make in that game.”


Destructoid is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Hideo Kojima receives gorgeous handmade Ludens ring from fan
Sam Bridges wearing purple Ludens sunglasses in Death Stranding.
Read Article You’ll need to beat Like a Dragon Gaiden to play the next game’s demo
Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name
Read Article Konami set to reveal the latest on the Silent Hill series this Wednesday
silent hill transmission
Related Content
Read Article Hideo Kojima receives gorgeous handmade Ludens ring from fan
Sam Bridges wearing purple Ludens sunglasses in Death Stranding.
Read Article You’ll need to beat Like a Dragon Gaiden to play the next game’s demo
Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name
Read Article Konami set to reveal the latest on the Silent Hill series this Wednesday
silent hill transmission
Author
Jordan Devore
Jordan is a founding member of Destructoid and poster of seemingly random pictures. They are anything but random.