Yuji Horii received an Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese government
Square Enix announced that Yuji Horii, the game creator best known for the Dragon Quest series, has received an Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese cabinet office. He has thus become the first-ever game creator to win such an order award.
The exact order Horii received (旭日小綬章) is the 4th-class Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. The Japanese government bestowed this order for his meritorious deeds in art and culture.
Yuji Horii also noted that Go Nagai, the mangaka artist best known for Mazinger Z and Devilman, also received the same order simultaneously with him. Horii then reminisced about how he previously aspired to be a mangaka by applying to become Go Nagai's assistant during the summer holiday season in his third high school year.
Horii has published a statement regarding the award on his own X account, and you can find our translation right below.
なんと、本日、旭日小綬章をいただくことが出来ました。 pic.twitter.com/4EQsz10Q9O
— 堀井雄二 (@YujiHorii) November 3, 2025
On this occasion I am basked in honor for receiving an award. I am deeply moved with the honor that is too great for me.
This award reception is not due to my own power alone. I'd like to express deep gratitude to all the players who enjoyed the games, all development staff who supported me until now, and everyone else related to games who have provided support.
Around the time when I started creating games, games by themselves were considered as a rather not good form of entertainment, and when children played games they would get scolded by their parents and teachers. Before I realized it, games had grown to become one of the industries that represent Japan and considered a culture that we can be proud of in the world.
As I am here able to become the first game creator to receive an award, I think it may have been caused by an assessment that games are contributing to the development of the society.
Games used to be seen as "simplistic recreations", but it is now acknowledge as a culture that stays close to people's minds, crossing over generations and borders, and gives joy, the power of imagination, and occasionally the power to live. I feel a very deep emotion from that.
I take this award conferment to represent everyone who are related to games, and I'd like to share the joy while giving hope to the young people who aspire to become game creators. With encouragement from this award, I would like to challenge myself in creating such titles that turn on the excitement in everyone's minds from here on.
A human's life is about role-playing. Thank you very much.
Yuji Horii, Game Designer