This article was originally written for TheNintendoVillage.com, a website I founded and ran from 2018 to 2021.

Takaya Imamura, the man behind some of Nintendo’s most endearing characters, has revealed he’s retiring from the company.

Imamura joined Nintendo as a graphic designer in 1989, cutting his teeth on the original F-Zero game for SNES where he crafted the designs for the machines and the characters who drove them, including the iconic Captain Falcon.

He went on to design the characters we know and love from Star Fox, as well as serving as art director on that game’s N64 follow-up, and F-Zero X.

Perhaps his most lasting legacy though will be his work on The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, where as Art Director he helped shape the game’s darker mood, creating the titular mask itself, the imposing moon that threatens to destroy Termina, and, err, Tingle.

Imamura uploaded a selfie on his Facebook page yesterday outside Nintendo HQ in Kyoto, writing “This is my last day going to work. I took a selfie with the empty office. I guess I won’t be coming in here anymore. As you’d expect, I’ll miss it.” The office of course being empty as Nintendo staff continue to work remotely due to the pandemic.

We at Nintendo Village would like to thank Mr Imamura for all his hard work over the past three decades and wish him all the best in his retirement!

Source: Kotaku