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The most surprising influence on Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Studio Ghibli

Assassin's Creed Shadows takes inspiration from a variety of voices within Japanese cinema, including the beloved Studio Ghibli

A still from Assassin's Creed Shadows — Image credit: Ubisoft

News by Jules Chin Greene, Staff Writer

Published on Tue Mar 25 2025

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Ubisoft had a tall order when it came to Assassin's Creed Shadows. Not only did they have to deliver the next stellar entry into the Assassin's Creed, they also had to live up to the rich history of Japanese arts and culture. If you've seen a film like Akira Kurosawa's Ran, or any of the Zatoichi movies, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

This is a legacy that Ubisoft took seriously, evident in a new interview with The Guardian. While discussing what went into their vision of feudal Japan, creative director Jonathan Dumont noted that the game's influences ranged from, “Kagemusha from Kurosawa, 13 Assassins, Zatoichi, Sekigahara, The Tale of Genji or Musashi from Eiji Yoshikawa, to name the more obvious, have [all] helped shape our vision for the game. Even Studio Ghibli movies such as My Neighbor Totoro have helped us understand the countryside and vegetation.”

At first glance, it's not immediately obvious that My Neighbor Totoro would impact a game where the player can regularly slice off the heads of their enemies. But there's something to be said about the beauty of the landscapes in My Neighbor Totoro, as well as other Studio Ghibli films like Princess Mononoke. Princess Mononoke in particular doesn't skimp on violence, either.

Thus far, Assassin's Creed Shadows has had the second-best launch in the franchise's history with more than one million players signing up in its first 24 hours. The game features two protagonists, one of whom is the real-life historical figure, Yasuke, and a fictional shinobi named Naoe, living in Japan in 1579.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is available now.

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Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.