Interview with Masahiro Ito (Silent Hill Paradise)Date published: 2016.02.02 Masahiro Ito was the creature and background designer for the first three Silent Hill games as well as art director for Silent Hill 2 and 3. An original member of Team Silent, Ito has continued to contributed to the Silent Hill Universe even after he finished working on the games. This includes cover art for the Silent Hill Zero soundtrack along with the 'White Hunter' comic that was included. Cover art for the Japanese release of Silent Hill Downpour and Homecoming (although Homecoming's release was later cancelled). As well as this Ito has also designed a variant cover for issue 3 of the Dying Inside comics and also designed the Japanese exclusive comics Double Under Dusk and Cage of Cradle. I managed to grab a very brief interview with Mr Ito during his busy schedule to ask a few questions with regards to Silent Hill and what he has planned for the future. Due to Ito being a very busy man the interview was quick but highly appreciated. Out of the games that you have worked on, which game stands out the most for you and why? It is a game when I have worked on in SCE from 2008 to 2010, but was not released. It's a Russian retro Sci-Fi horror action game. Where do you find inspiration for your art and designs? All of things what I have seen. Did you want to work within the Horror genre before Silent Hill came along? No, I didn't. Would you like to work on another Silent Hill game in the future? If I am given such a offer, I will accept it. What was the first creature for Silent Hill that you designed? It was "child monster" (Grey child) in North America version. If I remember correctly. When designing the monsters for Silent Hill, was you given an idea to work from or did you come up with designs yourself? I Came up with designs myself but a few of the monsters in first Silent Hill, Keiichiro Toyama, he requested me to design those monsters, which he imaged, like "child" and "incubus". I didn't design all of the monsters in the first Silent Hill, in the first place. Naoko Sato and Keiichiro Toyama, they designed monsters in it too. You have also worked on Silent Hill comics Double Under Dusk and Cage of Cradle. Would you like to work on another Silent Hill comic in the future? If I am given such a offer, I will accept it. Your book The 2nd Wild Pig was released in Japan, do you ever plan on releasing it outside of Japan? and do you think you will release another book in the future? Yes, I have some plans like that. The statue will reveal the very first concept for what is actually under the RPT's helmet! About this, it's not to be able to remove his helmet but to get a glimpse of 'under the helmet' because removing his helmet is like a wet blanket. |
