Bandai Namco is still going strong with hits like Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot continuing to create speculation about which characters, from Gotenks to Vegito will be added to the game. Although its current success might be more noticeable, video game players could never forget the developer’s impact on the industry from the very beginning, when they developed instant classics like Galaga and the unforgettable Pac-Man.
Although Namco founder Masaya Nakumura was called “the father of Pac-Man,” some of Namco’s greatest hits would not have been possible without Hiroshi Ono, who drew original sprite designs and arcade cabinet art for the company. Since his initial success, the designer has given several interviews and shared his original artwork for books about his career and time at Namco. However, according to a recent announcement, this valuable work has been lost.
According to a recent tweet by video game historian Zek, a thief broke into Ono’s storage area and ran off with several of his files, which contained original “sketches, illustrations and other documents” from his time at Bandai Namco. While electronic copies of the stolen work still exist, the original artwork is still extremely valuable. Zek and Ono concluded the thread by warning that the thief might attempt to sell the files overseas, and asked fans to keep an eye out.
Although Ono might not be as well-known as other video game industry titans, he did still play a major role in the development of some of the greatest games in history. With Pac-Man’s induction into the Video Game Hall of Fame, it’s no surprise that historical materials surrounding such classic games are so valuable. Moreover, because of Ono’s long career (he worked at Bandai Namco until 2013), his diverse collection of work might have further raised his art’s value.
Nonetheless, it is still a tragedy that Ono’s work is missing. The loss of the original papers both leaves a gap in video game history and leaves the artist without the ability to look back on his work. One can only hope that Ono’s work is quickly found and recovered, for both his and history’s sake. While Bandai Namco continues to release arcade titles, it’s unlikely any will live up to the cultural impact Ono’s work leaves behind.
Source: Zek
