Shigeru Miyamoto

Shigeru Miyamoto (Japanese: 宮本 茂) (born November 16, 1952 in Sonobe, Kyoto, Japan) is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Responsible for some of Japan's biggest cultural exports—Super Mario, Donkey Kong, and The Legend of Zelda—Miyamoto is perhaps the most lauded game designer in the world; his accolades, which include the title of chevalier (knight) of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, belie his humble beginnings designing artwork for arcade cabinets at Nintendo. He has since become a central figure at the company and now manages its venerable Entertainment Analysis and Development (EAD) branch.