Editing Naoto Ohshima

{{Real world|People}}
{{EnWP|Naoto Ohshima}}
{{Infobox_person
|name       = Naoto Ohshima
|image      = Naoto Ohshima in 2016.png
|caption    = Ohshima in 2016
|gender     = Male
|birthplace = [[Wikipedia:Osaka|Osaka]], Japan
|birthday   = February 26, 1964
|nation     = Japanese {{JP Flag}}
|nickname   = Big Island {{C|[[Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (1991)]]}}
|company    = 
*[[Sega]] {{C|1987-1999}}{{Citation needed}}
*[[Wikipedia:Artoon|Artoon]] {{C|1999–2010}}{{Citation needed}}
*[[Arzest]] {{C|2010-present}}{{Citation needed}}
|job        = Character designer, director, producer
}}
{{nihongo|'''Naoto Ohshima'''|大島 直人|Ōshima Naoto}} is a Japanese artist and former [[Sega]] employee who most notably designed and helped form the characters of [[Sonic the Hedgehog]] and [[Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman]].

==History==
Ohshima gained notability at Sega for creating characters and playing integral roles in the development of games like ''Phantasy Star'', ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'', ''[[wikipedia:Nights into Dreams|NiGHTS into Dreams...]]'', ''[[wikipedia:Burning Rangers|Burning Rangers]]'' and ''[[Sonic Adventure]]''. He used to be credited under the nickname "Big Island," which is a literal translation of his family name.

[[File:OHSHIMA.jpg|thumb|left|225px|Ohshima next to a Sonic statue in 2018.]]
After leaving [[Sonic Team]] in 1999, Ohshima formed an independent game company with former Sega employees called [[Wikipedia:Artoon|Artoon]], and later Arzest, of which he is currently vice president. During his time at these companies he has been involved with various games including ''[[wikipedia:Blinx: The Time Sweeper|Blinx: The Time Sweeper]]'' and its [[wikipedia:Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space|sequel]], ''[[wikipedia:Yoshi's Island DS|Yoshi's Island DS]]'', the [[Nintendo 3DS]] [[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|version]] of ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]'', and ''[[wikipedia:Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey|Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]]''. He also remained a fan of the ''Sonic'' series himself, having enjoyed games released after his departure from Sega like ''[[Sonic Colors]]'', ''[[Sonic Generations]]'', ''[[Sonic Mania]]'', and ''[[Sonic Frontiers]]''.<ref name="GameInformer">{{Cite journal |first1 = Brian |last1 = Shea |date = July 25, 2023 |url = https://gameinformer.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=10122&i=797206&p=1&ver=html5 |issue = 358 |pages = 28-39 |series = ''Game Informer'' |accessdate = July 25, 2023}}</ref>

On July 23, 2020, it was announced that Ohshima was working with [[Yuji Naka]], and they had founded Balan Company, [[wikipedia:Square Enix|Square Enix]]'s action game brand. Ohshima was the character designer of ''[[wikipedia:Balan Wonderworld|Balan Wonderworld]]'', with Naka as director, and with Arzest as developer. It marked the first time since ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'' that Ohshima and Naka had worked together on developing a videogame.

On June 8, 2023, it was announced that Ohshima and Arzest would co-develop ''[[Sonic Superstars]]'' alongside Sonic Team, making his first contribution to the main series since ''Sonic Adventure''. A "[[Trip the Sungazer|mysterious new adversary]]" designed by Ohshima appeared, the first ''Sonic'' character designed by him since [[Vector the Crocodile]].

==Notable non-''Sonic'' works==
*''[[Wikipedia:Phantasy Star (video game)|Phantasy Star]]'' — Design
*''[[Wikipedia:Nights into Dreams|NiGHTS into Dreams...]]'' — Director, visual designer, character designer
*''[[Wikipedia:Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space|Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space]]'' — Director
*''[[Wikipedia:Yoshi's Island DS|Yoshi's Island DS]]'' — Producer
*''[[wikipedia:Balan Wonderworld|Balan Wonderworld]]'' — Character designer

==Credits==
===Games===
====Character designer====
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' (1991)
*''[[Knuckles' Chaotix]]'' (1995) - Original character concept
*''[[Sonic Superstars]]'' (2023)

====Direction====
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD]]'' (1993)
*''[[Sonic 3D Blast]]'' (1996) - Advisor
*''[[Sonic R]]'' (1997) - Graphic advisor
*''[[Sonic Jam]]'' (1997) - Supervisor
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Nintendo 3DS)|Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]'' (2016) - Supervisor

====Production====
*''[[Sonic Adventure]]'' (1998) - CG movie producer
*''[[wikipedia:Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey|Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey]] (2018) - Production Management''
*''[[Sonic Superstars]]'' (2023) - Development Producer

===Animation===
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie]]'' (1996) - Co-production director

===Special thanks===
*''[[Sonic Eraser]]'' (1991)
*''[[SegaSonic the Hedgehog]]'' (1993)
*''[[Sonic Generations]]'' (2011)

==Trivia==
<gallery type="slideshow" position="right" widths="200">
NaotoOhshimaSonicManiaArt.jpeg|Ohshima’s ''[[Sonic Mania]]'' artwork.
SFNaotoArt.jpg|Ohshima's ''[[Sonic Forces]]'' artwork.
</gallery>
*For unknown reasons, any mention of Naoto Ohshima  was removed from the credits of ''Sonic Adventure'' when the game was ported to other platforms as ''[[Sonic Adventure DX Directors Cut]]'' (which Naoto had no involvement with, as he had left Sega after ''Sonic Adventure'' was completed). Curiously, he was the only staff member of the game to have his name retroactively removed.
*Before their 2017 releases, Naoto Ohshima devoted fan artwork to both ''[[Sonic Mania]]'' and ''[[Sonic Forces]]'' on his Twitter page.

==External links==
*{{Plain link|https://twitter.com/NaotoOhshima|Naoto Ohshima}} on ''{{Plain link|https://twitter.com|Twitter}}''
*[https://www.instagram.com/realohshima/ Naoto Ohshima] on [https://www.instagram.com/ Instagram]
*{{IMDB|https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1398795/|Naoto Ohshima}}
*{{WP link|Naoto Ohshima}}
{{Sonic Team}}
{{Sonic the Hedgehog}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohshima, Naoto}}
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[[Category:Sonic Team]]
[[Category:People associated with Sonic the Hedgehog]]
[[Category:Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) staff]]