Akihiro Hino

is a Japanese video game designer, producer, scriptwriter, and businessman. He is the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Level-5. Hino has held multiple roles in game development, including programming, scenario writing, directing, and executive production.

Biography

Early life and education Akihiro Hino was born in Ōmuta, Fukuoka Prefecture. Hino credited titles like Dragon Quest III as formative experiences that shaped his understanding of video games as a medium capable of emotional storytelling. He also developed an early interest in three-dimensional graphics, which influenced his later work at a time when most Japanese games were two-dimensional.

Early career Hino began his professional career in the late 1980s at Riverhillsoft, a now-defunct Japanese developer. He contributed as a programmer to several early titles, including Doctor Hauzer, before serving as lead programmer on OverBlood (1996). He was promoted to lead designer and director for its sequel, OverBlood 2 (1998), marking his first major leadership position.

Founding Level‑5 In October 1998, Hino founded Level‑5 in Fukuoka with a small team of collaborators. Level‑5’s first major release was Dark Cloud (2000) for the PlayStation 2, combining action role-playing gameplay with town-building mechanics. This was followed by Dark Chronicle and Rogue Galaxy, with Hino serving in roles spanning game design, scenario writing, and production.

Major works and collaborations Hino directed Dragon Quest VIII (2004) in collaboration with Square Enix. He later led Level‑5’s collaboration on Dragon Quest IX. He also directed Inazuma Eleven, a football-themed role-playing series that expanded into anime and merchandising. and oversaw the launch of Yo-kai Watch (2013), which became a cultural phenomenon in Japan.

As president and CEO of Level‑5, he was appointed Principal (head supervisor) of the Top Game Creators Academy (TGCA), a professional development program launched by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) to cultivate the next generation of game developers.

In 2014, Hino received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the Japan Game Awards for his contributions to Japanese interactive entertainment, recognizing his work in creating cross-media franchises that have influenced both domestic and international audiences.

Works Year Title Roles 1989 Burai: Jōkan Programmer 1991 Tōdō Ryūnosuke Tantei Nikki: Ōgon no Rashinban Main Programmer 1992 Prince of Persia (FM Towns) Programmer 1994 Doctor Hauzer Main Programmer 1995 The Doraemons: Yūjō Densetsu Main Programmer 1996 OverBlood Lead Programmer 1998 OverBlood 2 Director, Game Design, Story 2000 Dark Cloud Producer, Game Designer, Story 2002 Dark Chronicle Producer, Game Designer, Story 2004 Dragon Quest VIII Director 2006 Jeanne d'Arc Producer, Game Designer 2007 Professor Layton and the Curious Village Producer, Designer, Story 2007 Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box Producer, Designer, Story 2008 Professor Layton and the Unwound Future Producer, Designer, Story 2008 Inazuma Eleven Producer, Designer, Story 2009 Professor Layton and the Last Specter Producer, Designer, Story 2009 Inazuma Eleven 2 Producer, Designer, Story 2009 Dragon Quest IX Director 2010 White Knight Chronicles: International Edition Director, Producer, Designer, Story 2010 Inazuma Eleven 3 Producer, Designer 2011 Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Executive Producer, Story 2011 Inazuma Eleven Strikers Producer, Designer 2011 Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Producer, Designer, Story 2012 LBX: Little Battlers eXperience Producer, Designer, Story 2012 Time Travelers Producer 2012 Mobile Suit Gundam AGE Producer, Designer, Story 2012 Layton Brothers: Mystery Room Producer 2012 Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Story 2012 Inazuma Eleven GO Strikers 2013 Producer 2012 Fantasy Life Producer 2013 Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy Producer 2013 Yo-kai Watch Producer, Designer, Story 2014 Wonder Flick Director, Producer 2014 Yo-kai Watch 2 Producer, Designer, Story 2015 Yo-kai Watch Blasters Producer 2016 Yo-kai Watch 3 Producer, Story 2017 Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy General Director, Designer, Story 2017 Snack World: Trejarers General Director, Designer, Story 2018 Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom General Director, Story 2018 Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl - Gold General Director, Designer, Story 2019 Yo-kai Watch 4 Producer, Story 2025 Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Producer, Executive Producer