Shutaro Iida worked for more than two decades on Castlevania at Konami and later helped bring Bloodstained to life at ArtPlay.
The action-platformer community has lost one of the creative forces behind Bloodstained and the later era of Castlevania. Shutaro Iida, known professionally as SHUTARO and whose work helped shape both Castlevania and Bloodstained, has been confirmed dead at age 52.
A statement shared by SHUTARO’s family on his X (formerly Twitter) account posted and confirmed his death, and that the cause was pancreatic cancer.
“SHUTARO, known as the Curry Sage, who had been battling illness for some time, passed away on February 10th due to pancreatic cancer,” a machine translation of the statement read. “We extend our deepest gratitude for the kindness shown during his lifetime and respectfully report this here. SHUTARO's adventures in this world have come to an end, but his works will remain.”
In accordance with their wishes, a private funeral was held with close family members.
Koji Igarashi says Castlevania and Bloodstained would not be the same without Shutaro Iida
ArtPlay co-founder Koji Igarashi also issued a statement and a tribute to SHUTARO on his X account:
Iida was a long-time collaborator of Igarashi and a key figure behind the modern “Igavania” style that so many players associate with tight combat loops, sprawling maps and that addictive hunt for 100 per cent completion.
“Since Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, we had been working together,” A machine translation of Igarashi's statement read, referencing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. “It would not be an exaggeration to say that many of the titles hailed as masterpieces could not have been achieved without his contributions. His talent was unparalleled.”
Igarashi explained that although their opportunities to collaborate became fewer after he left the Dracula series, Iida immediately agreed when invited to join his new company. “I feel that the success of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was largely due to his strong support,” he said. “Before I knew it, he had been supporting me for over 20 years. He was a person who always thought about the games and approached production with a passion that burned like his very life.”
Iida began his career at Konami in 1996 and worked on multiple Castlevania titles following Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, helping refine the exploration-driven formula that defined the series’ later era. He also contributed to Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain before leaving the company in 2015.
At ArtPlay, Iida served as director on Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which launched in June 2019 for PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One, and was widely regarded as a spiritual successor to the Castlevania formula.
In September 2024, Iida was diagnosed with terminal cancer, news Igarashi described as “a tremendous shock”. He said the following 18-month battle must have been “unimaginably gruelling”.
“His departure is far too regrettable but thinking that he has been freed from suffering brings a sense of relief as well,” Igarashi said. “Having run at full speed all this time, I now wish from the bottom of my heart that he can rest peacefully.”
At the time of his death, Iida was leading development on Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, announced by ArtPlay and 505 Games in June 2025. Igarashi stated that the game remains in production and that the team will carry on his legacy to complete the project with care.
For players who spent years exploring labyrinthine castles like Castlevania and Bloodstained, Iida’s work remains woven into the DNA of modern action-platformers, and his influence will continue through the games he helped create.
