, nicknamed , is a fictional character from Kojima's Metal Gear series. Created by Hideo Kojima and designed by Yoji Shinkawa, Otacon was introduced in the series in Metal Gear Solid. In Metal Gear Solid, Otacon, an ArmsTech employee who designed Metal Gear REX, becomes a close ally of Solid Snake upon learning of REX's nuclear strike capabilities. After the events of Metal Gear Solid, he helped Solid Snake form Philanthropy, a group whose main objective is to prevent proliferation of Metal Gear-type weapons. Snake and Otacon infiltrate the military installations and facilities of the world, delving into their compounds through stealth and cyber hacking. In a sense, Snake is the brawn and Otacon is the brains behind "Philanthropy." A devoted fan of anime, Hal's chosen nickname is the short form of the Otaku Convention, with reference to Otakon held in Washington, D.C. each year. The name "Hal" is a direct reference to the computer HAL 9000 from Kojima's favorite film 2001: A Space Odyssey, one of several references to the film which is present in Metal Gear Solid; in the Otacon ending of the game, Hal and Snake make direct comparisons to the film. Critical reception of Otacon has been positive, with praise being particularly directed towards his and Snake's friendship. Concept and design "Hal" is a tribute to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kojima states that he created Otacon as his way of glorifying the otaku stereotype by having a character who fights the terrorists with his intellect rather than his brawn. He added that the original idea for Otacon was to make him "heavier, wearing a cap, and programming while eating a chocolate bar". However, the design Shinkawa did for the character was a slender one instead. Lead character designer Yoji Shinkawa stated in an interview that Otacon was designed to look somewhat "tougher" than he did in Metal Gear Solid for the second game. Appearances Hal Emmerich was born in 1980 to Dr. "Huey" Emmerich and Dr. Strangelove, a pair of former scientists. When Hal was still young, Huey attempted using him as a test pilot for the Metal Gear ST-84, as the machine could only be piloted by a child. Strangelove vehemently opposed this, leading to an argument between Hal's parents and to Huey ultimately killing Strangelove. Years later, Huey married a British woman named Julie Danziger with a child of her own (Emma). Hal and