Metal Gear Creator Hideo Kojima Issues Official Statement Distancing Himself From Italian Cartoonist After Now-Deleted Photo Sparked a Backlash
Hideo Kojima, the renowned creator behind iconic video game franchises such as Death Stranding and Metal Gear, has found himself at the center of controversy following a brief encounter with Italian cartoonist Michele “Zerocalcare” Rech at the Lucca Comics and Games convention in November 2025. The two posed for a photo that Kojima later deleted from his social media, which sparked significant backlash, particularly from Turkish media and nationalists. The image featured Kojima holding a copy of Rech’s graphic novel, “Kobane Calling,” which depicts the struggles of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia—a group that has faced accusations of employing child soldiers. While the United States does not classify the YPG as a terrorist organization and has allied with them in the fight against the Islamic State, Turkey views the YPG as a terrorist group due to its links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., EU, and Turkey.
In the wake of the uproar, Kojima Productions issued a statement clarifying the nature of the interaction between Kojima and Rech. The company emphasized that there was no prior knowledge or endorsement of Rech’s works or political stances by Kojima. The photo was merely taken after a brief introduction, and the intention was not to express agreement with any views presented in Rech’s graphic novels. Rech himself responded to the situation, stating that it was not his idea to share the novel with Kojima, attributing the decision to his publisher. He expressed his dismay at the backlash, noting that Turkish media had misinterpreted the encounter, leading to accusations against Kojima of supporting terrorism. This incident highlights the complex political sensitivities surrounding the Kurdish issue and the potential ramifications for public figures like Kojima, who often navigate a landscape fraught with cultural and political implications.
The controversy also draws attention to the themes explored in Kojima’s own work. Despite the backlash, fans noted that Kojima has previously created a prominent Kurdish character, Sniper Wolf, in the Metal Gear series, which complicates the narrative surrounding his alleged endorsement of Rech’s political views. This incident serves as a reminder of the intricate relationship between art, politics, and public perception, particularly in the realm of video games where creators often engage with complex social issues. As Kojima continues to navigate the fallout from this encounter, it raises questions about the responsibilities of artists in representing controversial subjects and the interpretations of their work by audiences worldwide.
Death Stranding and Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima has issued a statement distancing himself from an Italian cartoonist after deleting a photo of the pair meeting at the Lucca Comics And Games 2025 convention earlier in November.
In the now-deleted image, below, Kojima posed alongside Michele “Zerocalcare” Rech, author of the graphic novels Kobane Calling (2015) and No Sleep Till Shengal (2022), while the legendary developer held up a copy of the former. Both novels document the struggles of war, but sympathize with the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, accused by some humanitarian groups of using child soldiers.
The U.S. does not classify the YPG as a terrorist organization. Instead, the U.S. has partnered with the YPG and the broader Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as an ally in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria.
However, the U.S. position is in contrast to that of Turkey, a NATO ally, which views the YPG as a terrorist group due to its close ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK is designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the U.S., the European Union, and Turkey.
As the image was picked up by Turkish media and fans wondered if it suggested Kojima endorsed Rech’s views — views that
run contrary to many of the themes explored in the Metal Gear series
— Kojima deleted it from his social media.
Now, in a fresh
statement
, Kojima Productions said:
We would like to clarify the facts regarding the photo featuring Hideo Kojima and Italian cartoonist Zerocalcare as follows:
There is no personal or professional relationship between the two individuals. The photo was taken briefly at the Lucca Comics & Games venue after a short introduction through an acquaintance. Neither Mr. Kojima nor KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS had any prior knowledge or understanding of Mr. Zerocalcare’s works or political positions, and there was no intention to express agreement with, or support for, any particular stance or opinion.
In light of certain misunderstandings that have arisen in some media reports and on social networks, we would like to take this opportunity to accurately convey the facts.
As spotted by
Kotaku
, Rech released his
own video
, and told
Fatto Quotidiano
that it wasn’t his idea to share the novel with Kojima, but his publisher’s.
“I opened the internet and saw two hundred Turkish sites saying that Kojima had published a post in favor of terrorism,” Rech said (machine translated). “Of course, for the Turks, they’re all terrorists, and now they’re harassing poor Kojima.”
Kojima had suffered a backlash online from some Turkish nationalists after posting the photo, which ended up with a community note on X / Twitter. Fans were quick to point out that despite deleting his social media post and issuing a statement, Kojima created the iconic Kurdish character Sniper Wolf in Metal Gear Solid.
Photo by Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at
BlueSky
.
