Photo: Keiji_Inafune.jpg: Gamerscoreblog derivative work: Prime Blue (talk) / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Keiji Inafune, born in Kishiwada, Osaka in 1965, is one of those creators whose work shaped my own sense of what games could be. Starting at Capcom as an illustrator and helping bring Mega Man, Proto Man and Doctor Wily to life, he turned pixel art into enduring characters. IGN naming him among the top 100 game creators of all time feels entirely earned. What fascinates me is the dual identity of artist and designer, someone who can both draw a world and engineer how it plays. He pushed games toward being a real cultural form, and I hold deep respect for that ambition and the joy his creations gave a generation.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Keiji Inafune
- Name (Japanese)
- 稲船敬二
- Reading
- 不明
- Born
- May 8, 1965 (age 61)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Snake
- Origin
- Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- computer scientist / painter / video game developer / screenwriter / video game director
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Proto Man | — | |
| Notable work | Doctor Wily | — |
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%A8%B2%E8%88%B9%E6%95%AC%E4%BA%8C
Frequently asked questions
When was Keiji Inafune born?
Born May 8, 1965 (age 61).
Where is Keiji Inafune from?
Keiji Inafune is from Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
What does Keiji Inafune do?
Keiji Inafune works as computer scientist, painter, video game developer, screenwriter, video game director.
What is Keiji Inafune known for?
Notable works include Proto Man, Doctor Wily.
Computer scientist — see all → · Painter — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.