Within the autumn honors listing, the Japanese authorities has given Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii the Order of the Rising Solar. This is among the highest awards the federal government of Japan can bestow on residents. It’s awarded to those that have made important contributions of their discipline, and Horii is the primary recreation creator to obtain it.
“I feel it is an amazing honor, I am stunned.” Horii responded in a video interview with TBS. “I’ve been making video games for fairly a very long time now, about 40 years, however I didn’t do it alone. It is all due to the employees who helped create the video games alongside me, and to all of the gamers who’ve constantly supported us.”
Yuji Horii’s first recreation was 1983’s Love Match Tennis, which he entered right into a recreation contest the place it caught the eye of Enix. This was adopted by the genre-defining visible novel thriller The Portopia Serial Homicide Case. He would grow to be most well-known for his work on the sport design and state of affairs for Enix’s long-running Dragon Quest collection (1986-present).
Sq. Enix’s latest 2D-HD remakes of Dragon Quest I, II and III have purchased new consideration to the RPG collection’ origins. Horii is presently nonetheless arduous at work on Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Destiny, the much-awaited subsequent recreation, which was introduced again in 2021 throughout the thirty fifth anniversary celebrations.
In Might, Horii confirmed Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Destiny had not been canceled. “Sure, certainly, I am unable to say something, I apologize,” he stated on the time. “I’m making it, placing numerous work into it… I can solely say that the following work can be nice too, [I’m] working actually arduous. Please look ahead to it’s the solely factor I can say.” It’s set to be the primary mainline entry since 2017’s Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age.
Within the TBS interview, Horii additionally provided phrases of encouragement to future creators: “It is essential to truly create one thing tangible, do not simply give it some thought,” he suggested. “Simply attempt making it.”
The Order of the Rising Solar presently has six lessons. As reported by nippon.com, Yuji Horii acquired the 4th class honors: Gold Rays with Rosette. Among the many others to obtain this explicit award in 2025 was Devilman and Cutie Honey manga artist Go Nagai.
Picture by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP by way of Getty Photographs.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance author who beforehand served as editor, contributor and translator for the sport information web site Automaton West. She has additionally written about Japanese tradition and flicks for numerous publications.