What’s Up With Hideo Kojima and Whales, Though?

Hideo Kojima has become one of the most well known game developers in the world, and for good reason. His games are always packed with philosophical themes and deep, complex character arcs that interweave with each other. There’s one other thing that seems to keep popping up in everything Kojima does too: whales.

Now, just where did Kojima’s obsession with whales start? If you look all the way back to the Spike Video Game Awards in 2012, there was a surprise announcement for a game known as “The Phantom Pain” by a new developer named Moby Dick Studios. The studio’s name reflects the famed, whale-centered novel Moby Dick, and their logo fittingly featured a whale tail. We’d soon find out that The Phantom Pain, was actually Metal Gear Solid V made by Kojima and Konami.

THE NEXT WHALE WE’D SEE WOULD BE ON FIRE.

APOCALYPSE WHALE APPEARED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PHANTOM PAIN, BUT IT WOULDN’T BE THE LAST KOJIMA MARINE MAMMAL.

AFTER MGS 5, KOJIMA LEAVES KONAMI AND FORMS KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS ALONG WITH THEIR MASCOT LUDENS.

AT THIS YEAR’S E3, PLAYSTATION AND KOJIMA ANNOUNCED DEATH STRANDING, WHICH FEATURED – YOU GUESSED IT – WHALES.

ALTHOUGH THIS TIME IT WAS A BUNCH OF DEAD ONES.

THE MOST RECENT USE OF A WHALE WAS IN THE KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS LOGO INTRO MOVIE.

A GIANT DIGITAL WHALE SPLASHES DOWN BEHIND LUDENS.

WHY IS IT HERE? IS IT A SPACE WHALE, OR A DIGITAL PROJECTION? WE MAY NEVER KNOW.

We may never know exactly what pushes the iconic developer to use the creatures, but at least we can join him in admiring how majestic they are.

Why do you think Kojima keeps using whales in all of his projects? Leave your theories in the comments down below.