Legendary Zelda Producer Eiji Aonuma Has Turned 60 This Week

If you’re a fan of The Legend of Zelda, you know who Eiji Aonuma is.

While Shigeru Miyamoto is credited as the franchise creator and has played a prominent role in its growth, Aonuma has arguably had an even more significant impact on the franchise, serving as a director on classics like Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, The Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess.

He has since gone on to serve as a producer for every mainline Zelda game, including the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom while acting as supervisor for projects like Hyrule Warriors. This week, on March 16th, 2023, Aonuma turned 60 years old. Happy Birthday, senpai!

We at Nintendo Life are eternally grateful for the work that Aonuma has carried out over the years. Why, without his invaluable input, we’re not sure what kind of state The Legend of Zelda would be in now, or whether it would even exist.

We’re hoping that, much like Miyamoto, Aonuma continues to contribute to Nintendo’s stellar output in the foreseeable future; it just wouldn’t be the same without him. That said, we’re confident The Legend of Zelda will be left in good hands with Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Gosh, we’re so lucky to have such talented individuals working on our beloved Zelda franchise!

Be sure to let us know in the comments down below how you have come to appreciate Aonuma’s work over the years, and what your favourite Zelda game is.