Note: Do not repost the full translation. Please use the first two paragraphs, link to this translation, then credit Source Gaming and the translator, Kody “NOKOLO.”
The following is a selection from a series called “The Making of Ask Iwata” by the editor of Ask Iwata, Yasuhiro Nagata. This translation is for educational and fan use only.
Source Gaming does not run ads on its website. Come say thanks on our Twitter, subscribe to our YouTube Channel, or check out our Patreon! It’ll make our day!
Part 1: A Promise 4 Years Ago
Shigesato Itoi (left) and Iwata-San editor Yasuhiro Nagata (right) at Satoru Iwata’s funeral.
On the day of Iwata-San’s funeral, it was raining.
The rain and wind were so strong –
wavering and sporadic in strength, but still intense –
and that’s to say, before long,
I was storming like that weather.
There in his black suit, Shigesato Itoi said,
“Iwata-San – I wonder what he said in his final moments,”
while he looked up at the sky.
Maybe he didn’t know what he said would be written down so dramatically like this,
but at the time, I didn’t seem to think that either.
When he looked up through the black-speckled clouds like we were in a movie,
it felt like Iwata-San was with us.
Whenever I recall how this book came to be,
I remember that day.
June 17th, 2015, Kyoto:
Iwata-San passed away 6 days ago.
Only able to speak for a short while,
Shigeru Miyamoto and Masahiro Sakurai
acted dazed somehow.
Wakimoto-San, who worked as his secretary for so long,
was resolute and kept working.
The wind was strong in that rain;
it gusted under the roof above us,
and our umbrellas were useless.
Maybe something in the mood or our disposition could have caused that.
“Aren’t you lonely looking like that?”
I could’ve fittingly heard Iwata-San say something like this in his high voice.
Since Iwata-San passed away,
so many voices –
on social media and other sites like that –
wished for an Iwata-San book to be made,
and they reached places like Hobonichi* and where I live.
Honestly, I thought about something like that right away.
But, I stopped myself from thinking about it right away, too.
*Hobonichi is a company started by Shigesato Itoi. Nagata works there as a Board Member.
Iwata-San –
I thought something like that wasn’t what he wanted, I guess.
Iwata-San, just before he left us,
always was saying,
“I’ll do something like that at the most reasonable time.”
I don’t think he wanted to announce his thoughts to so many people –
To spread his name so much.
Would it be fine to release a book about Iwata-San if that was his wish?
“I wonder if this is the best use of your time, Nagata-San,”
I’d ask myself.
Despite that, I still thought about it.
Maybe, when it came to Iwata-San,
I felt like I needed to do something for him.
It’s better to do something good –
Little comes from everything passing you by –
And the same applies in writing to mourn someone;
I kept thinking that if I were to do something,
To those closest to him, it would sound like disregarding his wishes.
I gave up that big moment;
I thought that people had surely sealed their thoughts of him away.
“Any book about Iwata-San has left with him” was echoed around
By so many gaming fans –
Or, now, since the release of the Iwata-San book,
I’ve also found other people who feel strongly about him –
They wanted the same thing done, so, having carried a huge loss that day,
I wanted to do something with that suffering,
And I kept those people in mind.
I think Itoi’s and the book’s words were from the closeness of that dampened breeze;
Even now, I think about what he said then.
I thought about that, what Iwata-San would say.
And, in that moment, I remembered,
That day, I wrote a request on Twitter.
Maybe, it was for those people who were waiting –
Those people thinking about what we were going through and what wasn’t reported.
“It’s really coming down – that’s so sudden for average weather.
I’ve always followed what Iwata-San said,
So, I’ll create a book that compiles Iwata-San’s words;
It makes sense,
that’s what a book about him should be.
I will start work on it soon;
When my heart’s settled, I’m going to make a great book.”
Then, Itoi replied to me, “Absolutely get it out there!”
At that unwavering sign,
I had made a promise to everyone.
Now that I’ve found and read that tweet again,
I’ve noticed all the replies to it.
Surely, everyone thought something should be done for him.
(To be continued in the next part.)
Monday, 07/08/2019
I love translation, writing, and talking about video games. MOTHER has been the series that's inspired me the most - from Itoi's writing to the MOTHER 3 fan translation. I research gaming translations and storytelling through games. I'm also making a game called GNOMONIC. I appreciate any constructive comments to help me improve.
Thanks for reading!
And thanks for reading this bio.
This bio loves you!
