As Hideo Kojima’s iconic Death Stranding gets an anime spin-off in Death Stranding: Isolations, fans learn that not only was Kojima pitched on a similar adaptation for Metal Gear Solid, but he laughed the idea out of the room.
Launching in 1987, the Metal Gear franchise follows the adventures of Solid Snake as he opposes his clone father Big Boss and the shadowy, Illuminati-esque group known as the Patriots. The franchise reached international acclaim with its move to 3D in 1998’s Metal Gear Solid.
Boasting six mainline games and over a dozen spin-offs, Metal Gear Solid is known for its lengthy cinematics and byzantine lore, with each game taking a radical new approach to its supposed protagonist, whose clone origins allow his likeness to be used in creative and misleading ways (for example, none of the images in this article depict the same person.)
Kojima Shot Down a Metal Gear Solid Adaptation
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As recently reported by ComicBook.com, Toonami co-founder Jason DeMarco shared a (now deleted) post on X detailing a failed attempt to pitch Hideo Kojima on a Metal Gear anime. According to ComicBook.com, the post read:
About a year after Metal Gear Solid came out, I met with Kojima and discussed the idea of making a Metal Gear anime. I talked about how much I loved the games and what the anime might be like. He paused, looked at his producer, pointed at me and said “Otaku.” and laughed.
About a year after Metal Gear Solid came out, I met with Kojima and discussed the idea of making a Metal Gear anime. I talked about how much I loved the games and what the anime might be like. He paused, looked at his producer, pointed at me and said “Otaku.” and laughed.
In this context, ‘otaku’ is Japanese slang for a person with an overly intense, nerdy interest, often used to dismiss fans of manga or anime. A later (also deleted) tweet makes it clear that DeMarco found the response funny rather than insulting, but the pitch was nevertheless turned down.
Does Hideo Kojima Hate Anime Fans?
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Kojima’s use of ‘otaku’ as an insult isn’t surprising to fans of Metal Gear Solid, since the franchise includes a character named for and dedicated to mocking this archetype. Hal “Otacon” Emmerich is Solid Snake’s closest ally, but is often depicted as the cowardly butt of the joke, especially unlucky in love.
The character has given many fans the mistaken impression that Kojima has a disdainful attitude to anime, though that isn’t the full picture. While Kojima appears to have a joking dislike for those who obsess exclusively about the format, he has frequently shared his enjoyment of anime including Chainsaw Man and Blue Eye Samurai, albeit in the context of a more overarching enjoyment of television and cinema (indeed, Kojima recently reviewed James Watkins’ Clayface.)
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Kojima’s jibes at ‘otaku’ seem to be relatively light-hearted, with potentially a note of genuine criticism for those who obsess over a specific facet of pop culture rather than pursuing a broader experience.
Could A Metal Gear Solid Anime Be Coming Soon?
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With the launch of Death Stranding: Isolations, fans are understandably speculating about whether Metal Gear Solid could get a similar treatment. The answer is yes, but with a major catch.
As a franchise, Metal Gear Solid is owned by Konami Group Corporation, the publisher of the Metal Gear games. However, Kojima underwent an acrimonious split with the company in 2015, establishing his own indie studio Kojima Productions in the aftermath. Kojima has seemingly directed veiled barbs at Konami since, leaving fans with the impression that he has no desire to partner with them again.
For that reason, if a Metal Gear Solid anime adaptation or spin-off does ever appear, it will likely be without the involvement of Hideo Kojima, and – judging by how the corporation handled marketing around Metal Gear Solid V and the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 – may not even bear his name.
Death Stranding: Isolations is coming 2027 from Disney+.
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