Eccentric Dead or Alive Creator Faced LAPD Standoff, Former Colleague Reveals

Tomonobu Itagaki's larger-than-life persona extended beyond his infamously difficult games.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 8:36pm

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A striking black silhouette of a person in a fighting stance, with sharp, angular edges and bold splashes of red, conceptually representing the larger-than-life personality of the Dead or Alive creator.The eccentric creator of Dead or Alive was no stranger to real-life drama, as evidenced by a tense standoff with the LAPD.Los Angeles Today

According to a former collaborator, the late Tomonobu Itagaki, creator of the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden franchises, was once involved in a tense standoff with the LAPD at a pre-E3 party in Los Angeles. The incident, which the colleague described as a 'real Dead or Alive situation,' saw Itagaki shouting from a hotel balcony that he was 'gonna take over the world' before police arrived with guns drawn.

Why it matters

Itagaki was known for his brash, unapologetic personality that was reflected in the over-the-top nature of his game designs. These new anecdotes from a former collaborator shed further light on the eccentric developer's larger-than-life persona, which extended well beyond the virtual worlds he created.

The details

According to Kengo Aoki, the CEO of Soft Gear and a former collaborator of Itagaki's, the incident occurred at a 'pre-E3 party' in Los Angeles. Aoki recalled Itagaki drunkenly shouting from their hotel balcony that he was 'gonna take over the world' and inviting Aoki to join him. This escalated until 10 LAPD patrol cars arrived, with the officers having their guns drawn. Aoki described it as a 'real Dead or Alive situation'.

  • The incident occurred at a pre-E3 party in Los Angeles.

The players

Tomonobu Itagaki

The late creator of the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden game franchises, known for his brash and eccentric personality.

Kengo Aoki

The CEO of Soft Gear and a former collaborator of Itagaki's.

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What they’re saying

“The officers had their guns drawn. It was a real Dead or Alive situation.”

— Kengo Aoki, Former Collaborator

The takeaway

Itagaki's larger-than-life persona, which was reflected in the over-the-top nature of his game designs, extended to his real-life behavior as well. These new anecdotes from a former collaborator provide a glimpse into the eccentric developer's colorful life and the lengths he would go to embody the spirit of his creations.