The early 2000s saw the introduction of new, artistically independent video games that deviated from the mechanic styles of their predecessors. Game developing companies were constantly competing to create games that were both enticing and contemporary while remaining unique. In an attempt to set new creative goals for themselves, an independent studio founded by Capcom entitled Clover Studios began their new “big” project after the success of Viewtiful Joe with the game Okami. At the time, the biggest goal of Clover Studios was to increase the amounts of intellectual properties under the company. Hideki Kamiya, a game designer under Capcom, was put in charge of the direction of Okami.
Kamiya himself has stated that his personal inspirations, artistically and plot-wise came from the games The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Gradius. These and many others were important in the conception of his own style and taste in game development. Many players have noted that the various puzzles and platforming-style minigames are reminiscent of the Legend of Zelda games to which Kamiya took inspiration. His goal in creating Okami was to incorporate nature as much as possible into both the design and function of the game.
Much of the visual inspiration for the game comes from Japanese (primarily Shinto) folklore. The greatest change that appeared between the introduction of the prototype was the incorporation of Japanese watercolor and wood-carving art of the Ukiyo-e era opposed to a photorealistic 3D style. The Clover Studio team decided that the colorful sumi-e style was better suited to portray the historical Japanese allusions and convey the beauty of the story’s message. Even the music found roots in classical Japanese works, often incorporating wood flutes and drums that further accentuate the historical message of the game.
The characters, setting, and motifs of the game all have roots within Japanese folklore. For example, the main character Amaterasu is a major deity of the Shinto religion. She is the goddess of both the sun and the universe. Her full name, Amaterasu-ōmikami, translates to “the great august god who shines in heaven”. Similarly, her “Poncle” or insect-sized sprite friend Issun has origins in Japanese folklore. Known in Japanese fairy tales as Issun-bōshi, translated as “the inch-high samurai”, Issun shares a similar story to The Tale of the Bamboo Princess, who coincidentally makes a cameo in the game as the character Kaguya. Nearly every character in the game has historical origins: the queen Himiko was made to resemble the shaman queen of the same name in Yamataikoku in the Wa ear of Japan, Amaterasu’s mortal sidekick Susano shared the same name as Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the Shinto god of the sea and soldier of Amaterasu, and the wood sprite Sakuya, the spirit of the peach tree Konohana, is representational of Konohanasakuya-Hime.
The main villain of the game, the eight-headed dragon Orochi, is literally Yamato no Orochi or the “eight-forked/headed serpent”. The Story of Orochi is paralleled in Okami, as the in-game dragon who acts as the embodiment of evil and darkness is slain by Susano. In the original story, Susanoo-no-Mikoto takes revenge against Orochi for tricking Amaterasu and slays the beast. Nevertheless, the many monsters encountered in the game besides Orochi continue to represent Japanese deities, monsters, and spirits, as did the characters.
Many of the in-game weapons have resemblance to the Imperial Regalia of Japan: the sword, the mirror, and the jewel. In the game, they may be equipped as weapons and used in melee, but in Japanese history, the treasures were brought down to Earth when Amaterasu’s grandson was sent to pacify Japan. The mirror, jewels, and sword were all representational of parts of the Story of Orochi, the sword for example being the sword with which Susano slayed Orochi.
The main mechanic of the game that functions as both an offensive and defensive move is the use of Celestial Brush techniques. Deities inspired by the Chinese Zodiac teach Amaterasu various techniques throughout the game that require the player to write or draw out symbols similar to kanji characters. This particular aspect of the game was difficult for the producers to localize, as not all players would have familiarity with kanji as the Japanese or eastern Asian players would.
Through utilizing subtle references to Japanese folklore, culture, and history as the background to an extravagant adventure, Kamiya and his team were able to create an emotionally impactful tale that was not expressed in the individual fairy tales and religious anecdotes. As a game revolving majorly around nature, animals, and the religious dissonance between darkness/evil and good/light, the themes and motifs presented throughout the game are not ones regularly seen in modern videogames. The major theme the game wishes to portray is the importance and power of gods and the ability to do good without recognition (as displayed by a character who was a god). Both of these themes, in accordance with the many others that boast the futility of mankind and machinery, are extremely Shinto in their roots and emphasize the selflessness the religion finds importance in.
As the main character is a representation of a Shinto god, the importance of gods is a message that is easily forgotten but upon realizing the climax of the story, blatantly obvious. In the end of the game, Amaterasu encounters Yami, the demon controlling all other demons and the current embodiment of all the evil spirits in the game. Throughout their fight, Amaterasu periodically loses her Celestial Brush techniques but is able to gain them back upon attacking Yami. Just when the player has the upper hand, Yami destroys the Celestial Brush techniques, leaving Amaterasu on the verge of death and the land of Nippon close to being totally shrouded in darkness. But, her celestial envoy Issun encourages all of those who Amaterasu has helped throughout the game, from princesses, frogs, bears, and orange farmers alike, to send their prayers to her. In an emotionally orchestrated cutscene, all the wolves’ friends send their prayers. Through the power she gains from these prayers, Amaterasu is able to regain her Celestial Brush techniques and overpower Yami, destroying the demon and taking back Nippon.
While this particular scene not only stirs a multitude of emotions within the player, it is important in emphasizing a belief important to the Shinto religion: the power and importance of prayer. As Amaterasu was stripped of her godly powers, simply resembling the form of a mortal wolf in front of the king of demons, the prayers mortals sent her gave her the power to retake her godhood. As such, it implies that prayer is very important and central to the power of gods. Had Amaterasu not received their powers at that very moment, she would have perished in battle, forsaking all of Nippon. The importance and significance or prayer is further accentuated in in Issun’s persuasion of others to pray: “We shouldn’t only pray when we need something. We should consider how the gods must feel. We should even take on some of their burden.” It is this message that Kamiya wished to portray: prayer is the power of the gods, and as mortals, it is important for us to give and help them for it is they who supply us with life and sunlight and all that is good.
This particular scene also acts to emphasize the second message Kamiya wished to tell through Okami: how acts of kindness may easily be forsaken. To the others, Amaterasu appeared as a simple white wolf. Nobody knew she was a god until the final scene in which Issun uses his powers as a Celestial Envoy to gather prayers for her. Before this, they had regarded her simply as a wolf, and taken all the good she has done as a miracle or accredited it to another human or someone of ample responsibility. Despite lacking the recognition for her good deeds, Amaterasu proceeded to help others without seeking retribution. This is another important Shinto teaching: doing acts out of kindness without seeking something in return. As Amaterasu displayed throughout all of the events of the game that allowed her to establish all these friendships and relationships, true kindness and friendship may be found when nothing is sought in return.
There are many aspects of this game that is beautiful: physically, the music, art design, gameplay, and setting, and emotionally, from the characters interactions, the relationship between a god and her people, and the power of friendship and the connections said god had. Primarily, the game itself is beautiful: the developers paid special attention to perfecting the allusions to Japanese folklore and put detail in the subtle references to the Story of Orochi and the folklore surrounding Amaterasu. Despite not being Japanese or learning about Japanese folklore, the connections and parallels are sufficient in understanding all the work that went into creating such a piece of art. 
The in-game graphics are beautiful as well. Flowers sprout in Amaterasu’s steps, nature bends for her and wherever she goes flowers and beauty follow.. A mechanic in the game, and an objective, is to make the setting more “beautiful”: from sprouting flowers everywhere, making dead trees blossom and the barren lands flourish. The developers successfully utilized the contrasting colors of red and ragged ink-like strokes of black to contrast the multitude of greens and bright colors that signified nature and goodness. The many characters are representative of this colorful beauty as well, incorporating not only the historical references but also subtle allusions to nature, as seen in the design of Kaguya or the tattoos and symbols on Amaterasu.
Beside the physical beauty of the game, there is also emphasis on the beauty of the underlying relationships. The relationship between Issun and Amaterasu may be considered beautiful, as both are willing to risk each other’s lives to save each other. The two form an uncanny yet lovable bond as Amaterasu guides Issun towards his future and Issun aids Amaterasu in a friendly and youthful manner. The relationship Amaterasu shares with the other characters is similar, as she shows her selflessness in an ungodly yet childish manner that the mortals seem to adore. Despite her wolf-like appearance, she is able to create relationships and friendships based off trust and kindness that is later repaid as they all send their thanks and prayers to her.
Okami holds a timeless message of friendship and selflessness that even ten whole years after its release is important to me. As a child, only seven or eight years old, I remember sitting around our Play Station 2 with my sister and watching her play the game. At the time, I didn’t understand anything, between the complicated plot or the wolf that seemed quite skilled in melee. Nevertheless, I do remember her crying at a particularly emotional part and being unable to understand it. Years later, when I replayed the game myself and finally understood everything, from the emotional value of a cricket-like boy to the friendship a wolf established with a bamboo princess, I found myself displaying a similar emotional reaction as well. Yes, the game is aesthetically beautiful, presenting a unique style reminiscent of Japanese watercolor. But, it is still more than that; from the themes of friendship and selflessness, the bonds a god is able to have with a creature as small as a cricket, and the pure message of light overpowering darkness, the game has such a deep message that is so easily relatable to any person, no matter their understanding of Japanese culture or ability to play the game. Although the protagonist isn’t entirely human and doesn’t even speak throughout the entire game, the relationships the player is able to establish through her and the tumultuous adventure they embark on together is both an emotional roller coaster yet also one of knowledge and discovery. Every aspect of this artfully produced game were so thoroughly organized and thought out, from conception to marketing. As such, it would be an understatement to consider this game anything less than a piece of beautiful artwork.
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