It's been ten years since the legendary Satoru Iwata died at the far too young age of 55, but in some ways it feels like yesterday. Iwata-san was an absolute icon of the industry and his tenure as President of Nintendo from 2002-2015 is something that many of us will remember forever. He brought warmth to the role and clearly loved his job. This was often reflected in his “Ask Iwata” interview series.
Four years ago, many of these timeless interviews were reworked into a hardcover compilation by VIZ Media. Described as a “motivational collection”, the book covers a wide range of topics and includes Iwata's personal relationships with other icons such as Shigeru Miyamoto. If you missed your chance to get your hands on this sleek package, or you'd just rather not go the digital release route, the upcoming paperback version should do just fine.
Words of wisdom
I can confirm the quality of the bound copy after picking it up. Iwata had a voice and spirit unlike any other CEO I've ever read. In print, his friendly but thoughtful demeanor shines as bright as ever as the cameras roll and he dons that signature smile when he holds up his Nintendo DS.
'Ask Iwata' also details Iwata's pitfalls in sharp detail, so you get a very vivid look at what he's accomplished, as well as the more challenging moments in his storied career. So yes. It's a good thing. The paperback reprint currently has a vague 'Summer 2026' launch window, but I'm sure VIZ will keep us posted as we get closer to that time frame.
