Yoshihisa Kishimoto, the visionary Technōs developer who birthed the Renegade and River City series has passed away, leaving behind a profound legacy in the beat ’em up genre.
Kishimoto began his career in the early 1980s at Data East, contributing to laserdisc titles like Cobra Command and Road Blaster. What he is better known for is his work at (sadly now-defunct) Technōs Japan, where he spearheaded the development of the iconic beat ’em up Double Dragon.
【訃報】
— くにおくん公式アカウント (@Kunio_Kun_PR) April 7, 2026
「くにおくん」や「ダブルドラゴン」などの
名作シリーズを生み出した岸本良久氏が4月2日に逝去されました。
世界中のファンから愛される伝説的クリエイターの
早すぎる訃報に接し、誠に残念でなりません。
楽しい思い出の数々をありがとうございました。
心よりご冥福をお祈りいたします。 pic.twitter.com/z3knPNFxJ7
Translated:
Mr. Yoshihisa Kishimoto, who created renowned series such as “Kunio-kun” and “Double Dragon,” passed away on April 2.
We are truly saddened to learn of the untimely passing of this legendary creator, beloved by fans around the world.
Thank you for the many joyful memories.
We offer our heartfelt prayers for his eternal rest.
After Technōs collapsed in 1996, Kishimoto transitioned into doing freelance design and production. While he stepped away from major AAA development, his legacy remained central to his most famous franchises. Kishimoto has served as a consultant or received official credit on nearly every modern entry in the Double Dragon and River City series, including bangers like Double Dragon Neon and River City Girls.
At only 64 years of age, it is a tragedy that one of gaming’s most influential creatives has been lost to us – but there is no doubt that his legacy is undeniable. Rest well, Kishimoto-san.
Known throughout the interwebs simply as M0D3Rn, Ash is bad at video games. An old guard gamer who suffers from being generally opinionated, it comes as no surprise that he is both brutally loyal and yet, fiercely whimsical about all things electronic. On occasion will make a youtube video that actually gets views. Follow him on YouTube @Bad at Video Games
