Metal Gear Creator Hideo Kojima Issues Official Statement Distancing Himself From Italian Cartoonist After Now-Deleted Photo Sparked a Backlash

Death Stranding and Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima has issued a connection distancing himself from an Italian cartoonist aft deleting a photograph of the brace gathering astatine the Lucca Comics And Games 2025 normal earlier successful November.

In the now-deleted image, below, Kojima posed alongside Michele "Zerocalcare" Rech, writer of the graphic novels Kobane Calling (2015) and No Sleep Till Shengal (2022), portion the legendary developer held up a transcript of the former. Both novels papers the struggles of war, but sympathize with the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, accused by immoderate humanitarian groups of utilizing kid soldiers.

The U.S. does not classify the YPG arsenic a violent organization. Instead, the U.S. has partnered with the YPG and the broader Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arsenic an state successful the combat against the Islamic State (IS) successful Syria.

However, the U.S. presumption is successful opposition to that of Turkey, a NATO ally, which views the YPG arsenic a violent radical owed to its adjacent ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK is designated arsenic a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the U.S., the European Union, and Turkey.

Kojima's now-deleted post. Image captured by dotesports.

As the representation was picked up by Turkish media and fans wondered if it suggested Kojima endorsed Rech's views — views that tally contrary to galore of the themes explored successful the Metal Gear bid — Kojima deleted it from his societal media.

Now, successful a caller statement, Kojima Productions said:

We would similar to clarify the facts regarding the photograph featuring Hideo Kojima and Italian cartoonist Zerocalcare arsenic follows:There is nary idiosyncratic oregon nonrecreational narration betwixt the 2 individuals. The photograph was taken concisely astatine the Lucca Comics & Games venue aft a abbreviated instauration done an acquaintance. Neither Mr. Kojima nor KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS had immoderate anterior cognition oregon knowing of Mr. Zerocalcare’s works oregon governmental positions, and determination was nary volition to explicit statement with, oregon enactment for, immoderate peculiar stance oregon opinion.In airy of definite misunderstandings that person arisen successful immoderate media reports and connected societal networks, we would similar to instrumentality this accidental to accurately convey the facts.

Hideo Kojima attends Death Stranding 2 Red Carpet during Lucca Comics And Games 2025 connected November 2, 2025 successful Lucca, Italy. Photo by Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images.

As spotted by Kotaku, Rech released his ain video, and told Fatto Quotidiano that it wasn't his thought to stock the caller with Kojima, but his publisher's.

"I opened the net and saw 2 100 Turkish sites saying that Kojima had published a station successful favour of terrorism," Rech said (machine translated). "Of course, for the Turks, they’re each terrorists, and present they’re harassing mediocre Kojima."

Kojima had suffered a backlash online from immoderate Turkish nationalists aft posting the photo, which ended up with a assemblage enactment connected X / Twitter. Fans were speedy to constituent retired that contempt deleting his societal media station and issuing a statement, Kojima created the iconic Kurdish quality Sniper Wolf successful Metal Gear Solid.

Photo by Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images.

Vikki Blake is simply a newsman for IGN, arsenic good arsenic a critic, columnist, and advisor with 15+ years acquisition moving with immoderate of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's besides a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her astatine BlueSky.