is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He is a senior officer of Nintendo EPD and executive at Nintendo. Career Upon graduating the Design Department of Osaka University of Arts, he joined Nintendo in April 1984 and became a co-designer of some of the most critically acclaimed Nintendo series, including Mario and The Legend of Zelda. Tezuka is fond of fantasy novels such as J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and wrote the story and script for The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Tezuka co-designed Yoshi, who debuted in Super Mario World after Shigeru Miyamoto had originally wanted Mario to ride a dinosaur since Super Mario Bros. 3. Games References External links 1960 births Japanese video game designers Japanese video game directors Japanese video game producers Living people Mythopoeic writers Nintendo people Osaka University of Arts alumni People from Osaka