Toru Iwatani is a Japanese video game designer who is best known for creating the iconic arcade game, Pac-Man. Born in 1955 in Tokyo, Iwatani was interested in art and design from a young age, and he went on to study industrial design at the Tokyo Polytechnic University. After graduation, he joined the video game company Namco, where he worked as a designer and programmer. In 1980, Iwatani was tasked with creating a new arcade game that would appeal to a wider audience than the company's existing games. Drawing inspiration from the shape of a pizza with a slice missing, he came up with the idea for Pac-Man, a game in which players navigate a maze and eat dots while avoiding colorful ghosts. Pac-Man was an instant hit, and it went on to become one of the most popular and influential video games of all time. Iwatani continued to work on video games throughout the 1980s and 1990s, creating titles such as Pole Position, Libble Rabble, and Pac-Mania. In addition to his work in the video game industry, Iwatani is also an accomplished lecturer and writer. He has given talks at universities and conferences around the world, and he has written several books on video game design and culture. He is known for his innovative and playful approach to game design, and he has been recognized with numerous awards and honors throughout his career.
Toru Iwatani, Pac-Man, video game designer, Namco, arcade game, maze, ghosts, Pole Position, Libble Rabble, Pac-Mania, lecturer, writer, innovative, playful, awards
CITATION : "Daniel Martin. 'Toru Iwatani.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=316254 (Accessed on July 16, 2025)"
Toru Iwatani is a Japanese artist known for his abstract art, which often has geometric elements. His work often explores the relationship between nature and human experience. He has exhibited his paintings in exhibitions around the world, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. He has won several awards, including the Grand Prize at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum's Biennial exhibition in 1984. One of his most celebrated works is Cosmos and Fire, a large painting that explores the harmony between chaos and order. Other notable works by Iwatani are The Night and the Moment, Sky and Horizon, and The Voice and the Wind.
Toru Iwatani, Japanese artist, abstract, geometric art, Cosmos and Fire, The Night and the Moment, Sky and Horizon, The Voice and the Wind
— Mei Wang
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