Home Retro Gaming A Farewell to Hidekazu Yukawa (plus a round-up of all of the Dreamcast video games he starred in)

A Farewell to Hidekazu Yukawa (plus a round-up of all of the Dreamcast video games he starred in)

Team FunTrove
-
0
A Farewell to Hidekazu Yukawa (plus a round-up of all of the Dreamcast video games he starred in)

[ad_1]

Yesterday, Yahoo News Japan reported that Hidekazu Yukawa, the senior managing director of Sega Japan throughout the early a part of the Dreamcast’s life, handed away from pneumonia in June of final 12 months on the age of 78. His household had stored this unhappy information non-public till now, however it’s reported that Yukawa had been sick for the previous 5 years (supply). Our condolences exit to his household and buddies.
Yukawa is nothing wanting Dreamcast royalty, so this unhappy information has understandably led to many phrases of tribute from followers (and even former colleagues, similar to Yuji Naka) throughout social media. 
Yukawa grew to become an in a single day success in Japan after starring in a collection of very amusing and surprisingly trustworthy commercials (watch them right here) the place he rises up from the depths of self doubt (and being bullied by PlayStation-loving youngsters) to unfold the nice phrase of the Dreamcast and lead the battle because the senior managing director of Sega Japan. This bout of fame resulted in Yukawa’s picture getting used on Dreamcast console bins (pictured under), merchandise (such because the Yukawa keyring additionally pictured under) and print adverts.

We too wished to pay tribute to Mr. Yukawa, and thought we’d do it in one of the best ways the Junkyard is aware of how – by geeking out about Dreamcast video games! After all, what’s a greater technique to pay tribute to Yukawa than in addition up the console that he championed so mightily, and play one of many a number of video games he starred in? Here they’re:

Former Managing Director Yukawa’s Treasure Hunt

Let’s kick issues off with Yukawa’s very personal Dreamcast recreation. This easy recreation was launched completely in Japan close to the Dreamcast’s launch and was tied right into a short-running competitors. The recreation has you play as Yukawa himself, with the goal being to dig up numerous tiles to finish puzzles that make up pictures of Dreamcast-related memorabilia. During March twentieth 1999 and April eleventh 1999, gamers may submit their victories on-line to be entered right into a raffle to win real-life Dreamcast goodies, and even ¥10,000. 

The servers for the sport have since been shut down, so there’s sadly not any prizes to be gained, however the recreation remains to be playable. In reality, it is also now playable in English due to a translation crew consisting of SnowyAria, EsperKnight and Mr. Nobody, who launched a translation patch for it again in April. Go right here to get that translation patch, and for a extra in-depth breakdown concerning the recreation, try Tom’s article on it right here.

Shenmue and What’s Shenmue

What’s a greater recreation to comprise a cameo of the person that sought to unfold optimism concerning the Dreamcast than the sport that was touted to save lots of the console: Shenmue? Well, Yukawa makes a number of secret appearances in Shenmue, and a way more distinguished one within the promotional demo What’s Shenmue: Search for Yukawa (former) Senior Managing Director.

I all the time thought that Yukawa’s inclusion within the common model of Shenmue was restricted to him showing as a mascot on some extent of sale show for batteries within the Tomato Convenience Store. But due to a nice article on Phantom River Stone, I learnt that Ryo can really meet Yukawa twice, though sure circumstances have to be fulfilled first… 

The first requires you to win two Yukawa capsule toys (considered one of him sporting a swimsuit, the opposite of him sporting a happi) within the Abe retailer raffle. Once you’ve got each, head to Takara Sushi after 8PM on the ninth day of any month to seek out Yukawa making sushi behind the bar. In Japanese variations of the sport, Ryo will ask him if he’s Yukawa-San, to which he’ll reply “oh no!” earlier than working off. In non-Japanese variations, he simply runs off with out both of them saying something.

This now brings us to What’s Shenmue, a promotional disc launched completely in Japan, that has you controlling Ryo as he searches for Yukawa round Dobuita. Once Ryo finds Yukawa, he’ll make a run for it (he actually does not like Ryo, huh?) which launches you right into a QTE occasion the place Ryo has to dodge a number of issues as he chases Yukawa via the streets. This chase ends within the You Arcade the place Ryo saves Yukawa from an attacker. This is adopted by a scene that has develop into fairly well-known amongst Dreamcast followers, the place Yukawa wakes up in a room stuffed with unsold Dreamcast inventory, realising the entire thing was a dream. He then notices a Shenmue poster on the wall and turns into stuffed with dedication to promote some darned Dreamcasts!

Sonic Adventure 

The Dreamcast was the primary online game console to have DLC, and Sonic Adventure had rather a lot! I’ve beforehand mentioned the Christmas DLC on the weblog earlier than, however do you know there was a DLC that featured Yukawa? The DLC in query was a tie-in with QUO playing cards, a sort of pay as you go card that can be utilized in hundreds of collaborating shops, eating places and lodges throughout Japan.

 

The DLC is mainly a treasure hunt that instances you as you search for six QUO playing cards in each Station Square and Mystic Ruins. But what relevance does this must Yukawa? Well, emblazoned upon these floating yellow collectables is his smiling face!

If you need to play this DLC for your self, try the outline of this YouTube video by SPEEPSHighway, to seek out obtain hyperlinks to the VMU prevent want.

That is all of the Dreamcast video games we all know that comprise appearances from Yukawa, however allow us to if there are some other cases we might have missed. Do you personal any Yukawa memorabilia? Let us know within the feedback under!

Rest in Peace, Hidekazu Yukawa, 1945-2021.

Thank you for the whole lot!



[ad_2]

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv