Veteran Shin Megami Tensei and Persona Artist Kazuma Kaneko Has Left Atlus After 35 Years

Renowned character designer Kazuma Kaneko, known for his work on iconic game series like Shin Megami Tensei and Persona, has ended his 35-year career with Atlus and transitioned to Tokyo-based COLOPL in 2023. In a newly released interview with COLOPL, Kaneko shared that he was motivated to make the switch after being approached by a career agent who introduced him to the opportunity at COLOPL. He was drawn to the prospect of developing a new intellectual property from the ground up, feeling that his strengths in crafting original content would be put to good use in this new role.

Kaneko, whose career with Atlus dates back to 1988, has held various roles during his tenure, including character designer and art director. His expertise contributed significantly to well-loved franchises such as Persona and Devil Summoner. This move marks a significant shift in Kaneko’s career, poised to bring fresh creativity to COLOPL's upcoming projects.