Masahiro Sakurai is a busy man, often to his own detriment. The creator of Super Smash Bros. has concerned fans over the years after troubling health reports, but he's saying he's "okay now."
"There really were a lot of questions concerned about your health," says Bandai Namco general manager Katsuhiro Harada, talking to Sakurai in a new video interview. The conversation, highlighted by Nintendo Life, was uploaded to Harada's Bar, the general manager's regular YouTube series which has hosted Sakurai a couple of times now. Harada says questions about Sakurai's health were the most common ones he received when he asked fans what he should talk to the Smash creator about.
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Sakurai was quick to respond with a brief, "I'm okay now," and added that his biggest problems were an annoying case of chronic dry eye and shoulder pain. Most of the video was pretty lighthearted, including Sakurai's response to the concern, but you can check out the full
The concern for Harada stems from a series of incidents over the last few years that seem to reflect a pattern of really overworking. Last year, Sakurai mentioned he passed out at the gym from exhaustion and dehydration. In 2019, the Smash creator admitted to working on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate while receiving an IV drip so he could avoid taking time off for food poisoning. The interview's tone was certainly more relaxed, but the worry over Harada's health isn't unfounded in an industry known for its relentless cycle of crunch.
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