Back in the 1990s when I was in development, the zombie genre was a matter of course, but I watched almost all films in the video rental store’s horror section, at a rate of three per week! Naturally I watched George Romero’s zombie films. Comparing them with those of Dario Argento, I resonated with the respective styles of Romero, who strongly emphasised the world and the presence of zombies, and Argento, who emphasised the entertainment aspect. I myself prefer Italian horror film in the Giallo genre, with its vibrant colour and stimulating elements by directors such as Dario Argento and Lucio Luci.

I don’t have empathy for horror involving characters that are unrealistically callous or abusive, with unredeemable narratives, but those themes are prevalent in the more memorable productions - I suspect that Jack Baker is more colourfully remembered than Albert Wesker by many of you!

に: What locations/themes are ideal for creating survival horror environments & atmosphere, and what elements made the streets of Raccoon City & RPD building perfect for horror?

KA: I think a location is ideal for horror if its history suggests to us that it’s not surprising if something unusual occurs there, such as an old castle with a history of tyranny, a hospital that failed to save many people, or a paranormal event at sea that causes ships to disappear. However, if that is the only element to it, then the story lacks originality.

In Japanese Buddhism, there is a saying, ‘Colour is emptiness, emptiness is colour. All things and phenomena in this world have no substance. However, what has no substance forms all things and phenomena in the world’. This is a translation of the phrase - ‘All things and phenomena are one and the same’. It means all things and phenomena are not unique, but the result of the concentration of their constituent elements for a reason.

I think that any location can be frightening if the reasons for it, such as ‘history of tyranny’ or ‘inability to save people’, are well crafted and structured. Even your own closet or under your bed, where you feel safe and secure, can be a subjects of horror, if you have a reason.

Whether the game is played in a format in which the reasons for the events are apparent, or the reasons are revealed gradually as the game progresses, I believe that as long as the game fits those characteristics, it will be a good horror game. I think the reason Raccoon City and the police station became the perfect horror locations for everyone, is because they fulfilled those requirements I just described.

さん: What types of enemies would like to see appear more frequently in survival horror? What characteristics are essential for survival horror creatures/monsters?

KA: If you have played Resident Evil, you probably saw the scene where a large number of small spiders spring up after a large spider is killed, a scene that planner Mr. Kadoi recounted from his childhood experience! He said, “When I was a child, I squashed a spider, and a lot of small spiders sprang up!”

Organisms exhibit unusual characteristics to survive and procreate. Female praying mantis will eat the male after mating. Horsehair worms live as parasites on the praying mantis, when its host is no longer needed, it manipulates the mantis to commit suicide by drowning, returning to their original waterside habitat. It’s life’s natural order, but an amazing phenomenon! I really like expressions like this, which are physiologically unacceptable, but are natural events for the organism. I believe that monsters are also creatures that are born for a reason, so I want them to show the player their unique and unusual desire to survive.

し/Shi: What are the essential ingredients for creating survival horror, and what themes would you like to see in future horror games?

I think that survival horror is a genre in which players experience horrific events in order to survive. I know many modern horror games, despite the differences in situations, utalise game-mechanics dealing with techniques to overcome monsters, managing recovery items & bullets, and embellished with a heavy storyline and beautiful visuals. I hope the genre continues to evolve in this way.

However, CG has developed to the point where it can be mistaken for live-action, but despite this realism, I would like the content to be of a nature that players can appreciate and resonate with. I don’t want horror games to simply be about showing brutal and cruel themes. Perhaps I have now come to say this largely because I am now a parent with children!

In Japan, we have ‘Obon’ - festival of the dead, celebrating ancestral spirits that return during summer season and descendants entertain them. Entertainment includes family gatherings, parties, and visits to graves. Although there is no element of costume, I feel a sense of closeness with Halloween, as they share the same underlying concept of ‘honoring ancestors’. To honour ancestors is to cherish their descendants, family members, and close relatives. Let us all cherish our ancestors, our families, and our close relatives! If everyone in the world cherishes each other, there will be no wars, and instead of competing to develop vaccines, the best products could be created by combining global technologies.

I value you all in this community as much as I value my family. I hope you all have a good Halloween!

[Not to be reproduced (c) Crimson Head Elder 2022]

Special Thanks: Peter Fabiano, Kazuhiro Aoyama, Satoshi Nakai, Kenichi Iwao, George Trevor.