Rieko Kodama

Developer BIO

Rieko Kodama (小玉理恵子, sometimes nicknamed Phoenix Rie) is a Japanese video game designer. She has been involved with some of Sega's high profile projects such as Alex Kidd, Phantasy Star, Sonic the Hedgehog, and others.

Born in Kanagawa, Japan, she began her education undecided between art and archeology. She opted for art and enrolled in a trade school for advertising design. In 1984, a fellow student brought her to work at Sega. Influence of archeology can be seen in several games that she has worked on, including Phantasy Star and Skies of Arcadia, where the player often has to travel and discover past civilizations.

Kodama started in character design for arcade titles such as Champion Boxing (1984) and Ninja Princess (1984). As one of the few designers at the company, she found herself working on multiple titles at once, being credited on as many as five or six games a year. Kodama built up a reputation as an artist and was soon given a chance to work on larger projects, such as Phantasy Star the main designer, Kodama was responsible for creating all the character designs, the 2D maps, battle-scene backgrounds, and townspeople, among other things.

Also Known As

• Phoenix Rie
• Phenix Rie

Websites

• Sega Stars: Rieko Kodama -- A feature article on the fansite Sega-16, which provides a history of the developer, as well as an extensive gameography which discusses Kodama's work in the industry on a game by game basis (Aug. 06th, 2004).
• GotNext Interview -- New interview conducted with Ms. Reiko Kodama.

Games Credited

• Altered Beast (2005), SEGA Europe Ltd.
• SEGA AGES 2500 Vol.17: Phantasy Star - Generation:2 (2005), 3D Ages
• SEGA AGES 2500 Vol.1: Phantasy Star - Generation:1 (2003), 3D Ages
• Skies of Arcadia: Legends (2003), SEGA of America, Inc.
• Phantasy Star Collection (2002), SEGA of America, Inc., THQ Inc.
• Skies of Arcadia (2000), SEGA Corporation
• Deep Fear (1998), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Magic Knight Rayearth (1995), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• The Hybrid Front (1994), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Phantasy Star IV (1993), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Sonic CD (1993), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Tōgi Ō: King Colossus (1992), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Riddle Wired: Quiz Dokusen Kigyō no Hōkai (1991), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
• Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom (1990), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi (1990), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Sorcerian (1990), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Mystic Defender (1989), SEGA of America, Inc.
• Phantasy Star II (1989), SEGA of America, Inc.
• SpellCaster (1989), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Altered Beast (1988), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Hoshi o sagashite... (1988), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Poseidon Wars 3-D (1988), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• SpellCaster (1988), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Phantasy Star (1987), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.