Overview
The face of the Blue Bomber. Keiji Inafune joined Capcom as a young artist and helped create Mega Man’s visual design, later producing the series through its many iterations. He became Capcom’s head of global production before departing in 2010, later crowdfunding the spiritual successor Mighty No. 9 with mixed results.
Fast facts
- Employer: Capcom (1987-2010).
- Key creation: Mega Man character design.
- Later: Founded Comcept.
- Crowdfunding: Mighty No. 9.
Mega Man involvement
| Entry | Role |
|---|
| Mega Man | Character designer |
| Mega Man 2 | Designer |
| Mega Man X | Producer |
| Mega Man Legends | Producer |
| Mega Man Zero | Producer |
Character design
| Aspect | Contribution |
|---|
| Visual design | Blue colour scheme |
| Robot Masters | Many designs |
| Iconic look | Enduring recognition |
Production career
| Period | Role |
|---|
| Late 1980s | Artist/designer |
| 1990s | Producer |
| 2000s | Head of Production |
| 2010 | Departure |
| Title | Role |
|---|
| Onimusha | Producer |
| Dead Rising | Producer |
| Lost Planet | Producer |
Post-Capcom career
| Project | Outcome |
|---|
| Comcept founded | 2010 |
| Mighty No. 9 | Kickstarter success |
| Release | Mixed reception (2016) |
| ReCore | Xbox collaboration |
Industry perspective
| View | Expression |
|---|
| Japanese game development | Critical of stagnation |
| Western influence | Advocated learning |
| Controversy | Comments polarising |
Legacy debate
| Credit | Context |
|---|
| Mega Man creator | Shared credit with Akira Kitamura |
| Design contribution | Visual artist confirmed |
| Series steward | Long-term producer |
See also