Keiji Inafune Discusses Yaiba, Ninja Gaiden's Gaiden

This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team.

Keiji Inafune is a zombie aficionado. Where everyone else seems to have long since tired of them — jokes, TV shows, video games, you name it — the man who once contributed to Resident Evil and helmed Dead Rising seems enthusiastic as ever about the living dead.

"I like zombies," Inafune chuckles during an interview about Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, the upcoming ninja-zombie mash-up that he is helping to produce. It's a passion that isn't limited to video games. One of his favorite shows is "The Walking Dead," which he praises for its "human drama" and its ability to engage even those who don't necessarily like zombie media.

In the past, Inafune has infused his own projects with that same sort of drama and dark humor. Dead Rising is a key example that Inafune himself cites for the way that it makes humans the real villain. But with Yaiba, Inafune is taking a much different approach. While the human element is present insofar that protagonist Yaiba has a major rivalry with series hero Ryu Hayabusa, Ninja Gaiden Z is much more focused on bringing out what Inafune considers to be the inherently funny characteristics of zombies.

"Zombies aren't a thing you kill, but a thing that you kind of exterminate. It's a little more impersonal," he explains. "So Yaiba can take their arms and use them as nunchuks; he can take their head and use it as a flamethrower. You can do those sorts of over-the-top things with zombies."

Over-the-top, of course, is the operative phrase in Yaiba. Everything about it is calculated to be as ridiculous as possible, from Yaiba himself — a ninja with a cyborg arm — to the oversaturated colors and the comic book-style narrative presentation. Much of its humor can be summed up by a fight that takes place around a train, where the key is to toss a zombie into the train through the open door. Doing so will allow it to take its place as the conductor and make something resembling a "choo-choo" noise. The rest of the zombies then pile in and the train pulls swiftly away. It's decidedly low-brow humor, but being the brainless shambling creatures that they are, zombies seem to beg for that sort of thing.

"I really do like zombies, as well as ninjas and mechs," Inafune asserts. "It seems like a combination of those elements is something that someone would have done before, but nobody has. So it just seems like a really good fit. People get interested when they hear ninjas and zombies. To have all of those elements that I really like in a Ninja Gaiden, a series that I really like and respect, it's an incredible pleasure for me."

Inafune admits that he doesn't really think about specifically drawing on his experience from working on Resident Evil or Dead Rising. Mostly, he advises developers on what he thinks will work and what won't work based on his personal preferences. It's a role that takes on added significance when you consider that Yaiba is the product of three separate groups — Comcept, Team Ninja, and Spark Unlimited.

"[Giving advice on what works with zombies] is something that I need to do with developers in Japan more than developer in Canada and the U.S," Inafune says. "Those developers seem to get it. Zombies come more naturally to them. I don't have to teach them that sort of zombie essence."

The final product will ultimately be very different from what Ninja Gaiden fans have grown used to over the years. The introduction of zombies necessarily shifts the focus from intense one-on-one duels and precise attacks to crowd management. As Inafune himself points out, one zombie is rarely a threat unless it surprises you. It takes ten, twenty, or even a hundred zombies to really start pushing you to the limit, which is what players can expect to see in Yaiba.

But if long-time fans are worried Ninja Gaiden has gone off the deep end, Inafune is there to assuage their fears: "There is a future for the core Ninja Gaiden series. If we had done this with Ninja Gaiden 4, then they would have had right to be worried. But this is not Ninja Gaiden 4. Team Ninja is definitely looking into what can be done with Ninja Gaiden 4. What we're asking for fans to do with Yaiba is to take a deep breath, lighten up a bit, and enjoy this for what it is. And if they come into this thinking, 'Yeah, it's not Ninja Gaiden, but I'll give it a try,' I think they'll find a different experience but something they'll still enjoy. Come at it with an open mind and enjoy a different take on the Ninja Gaiden universe."

Put more simply, Yaiba is a Ninja Gaiden gaiden. With zombies.

"Yes, that's how I initially pitched the project," Inafune laughs.

It's admittedly a strange diversion for a classic series, but Inafune seems to have genuinely enjoyed having the opportunity to cut loose a bit and play around with ninjas and zombies. Assuming that passion comes through in the final product, even hardcore fans may eventually warm to it. For now though, it remains an odd — if amusing — curiosity.