The biggest mystery at E3, the thing that got everyone talking was not the Wii or the PS3. Rather, it was what the hell happened to Toshihiro Nagoshi's skin. Somewhere between bringing us classics like Super Monkey Ball and Ryu Ga Gotoku (Yakuza), the acclaimed designer got locked in a tanning booth. In the center of the Earth. For years.

Everyone's worried about Nagoshi getting skin cancer or worse yet, being mistaken for a leather coat at Takeshimiya. So what gives? We're all huge fans and dying to know! Game site SPOnG (gawd bless 'em) found out in an interview with Lumines luminary and Q Entertainment honcho Tetsuya Mizuguchi:

SPOnG: Who are you still in contact with at Sega?

Mizuguchi: Ah, Many people! Hisao Oguchi, the president of Sega, sometimes we have dinner or go out for lunch.

SPOnG: Are you friends with Toshihiro Nagoshi?

Mizuguchi: Yes, very good friends.

SPOnG: Have you noticed his image change?

[Whole room, Miz, other Q staffers, outsourced PR people, all laugh out loud]

Screw talking about Lumines 2, this is way more interesting! More ballsy interviewing after the jump.

SPOnG: We ask because the last time we met him was with you, at the VIP Sega evening. He was dressed normally, had kind of straggly hair, looked a bit hungover... We've seen him recently and he's really skinny and his skin colour is golden! The most incredible tan we've ever seen ever. Do you have any background on his image change?

Mizuguchi: I feel very, erm... negatively about this...

[Everyone now in hysterics]

SPOnG: Were you surprised?

Mizuguchi: Oh yeah! But, you know, he's a very good guy! But I told him, 'I think this is not good!". I think he knows. He made the Yakuza game, and he set his mind into the game.

SPOnG: So, he's dressed like he's Yakuza?

Mizuguchi: Yes, I think so.

Ah, so Nagoshi's like a "method actor" in the vein of Brando or DeNiro. Take back every snide remark, this man is creating art! Brian Ashcraft

Full Interview [SPOnG]

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