Shining Force Series Artist, Yoshitaka Tamaki, Has Passed Away

Sadly, Yoshitaka Tamaki, an artist primarily known for his efforts for the Shining Force series alongside other titles like Landstalker, passed away on July 13, 2023, at age 55, due to lung cancer, as announced by his official Twitter account.

Tamaki is also known for having helped pen the scenario of Shining Force and designing its characters, with him having done the latter for Shining Soul. He worked freelance for many years before forming Salamander Factory in 1999. Then, in 2006, he joined Swallowtails as an artist.

Tamaki’s family chose to reveal the news now, following a funeral involving his close friends and family members.

You can view a translation of the tweet announcing his passing below via our team’s Ryuji:

“Yoshitaka Tamaki has passed away from lung cancer on July 13, 2023.

He had been under medical care, and in accordance with his wishes, he continued working until the end, but he ultimately did not survive the disease.

The funeral service was held with only his near relatives present.

I hope you will always remember the works he has devoted his life to as a game creator.”

For a deeper dive into the life of Yoshitaka Tamaki, check out this post by Sega Saturn Shiro.

Shining Force is the second entry of the Shining series, debuting on Sega Genesis as a tactical RPG in 1992. Several sequels and supplemental material have launched since.