Yoshihisa Kishimoto, creator of the Kunio-kun and Double Dragon game franchises, has passed away. He was 64.
The sad news was confirmed by his son, Ryūbō, via Facebook.
"I am sorry to inform you that my father has passed to rest on 04/02/2026," says Ryūbō. "Thank you very much for everything you have done for me during my life. Please forgive us that we will perform at the family funeral. I hope you will continue to enjoy my father's works, including Kunio-kun."
Kishimoto's career in video gaming started in the early '80s at Data East, with the LaserDisc arcade games Cobra Command / Thunder Storm and Road Blaster being two of his first projects.
However, it was at Technos Japan where Kishimoto made the most impact. He designed Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, known in the West as Renegade, drawing on his personal experiences as a school kid who regularly got into fights. In the beat 'em up genre, it is considered to be a seminal release and would be the first in a long line of games in the popular Kunio-Kun series.
Kishimoto's next project would find even more fame. 1987's Double Dragon is arguably one of the most famous coin-ops of all time, and would spawn a host of sequels, comics, toys and even a Hollywood movie. The franchise remains active to this very day.
His other credits at Technos include China Gate (1988), WWF Superstars (1989), WWF WrestleFest (1991) and The Combatribes (1992).
Post-Technos, Kishimoto operated on a freelance basis under the trade name of Plophet, eventually establishing Plophet Co., Ltd in 2010. He would come full circle and get the chance to serve as creative consultant for 2012's Double Dragon Neon.
Time Extension would like to extend its condolences to Kishimoto's family and friends at this difficult time.