is a Japanese game director and producer who is currently CEO of SNK VS Studio. He is best known for his time at Bandai Namco Entertainment and for his work on the fighting game series Tekken.
Biography Harada was born in Osaka, Japan, and grew up within the Nara Prefecture region. He later moved to Tokyo, Japan. During his childhood, video games were viewed with a great deal of suspicion in Japan. His parents would not buy him a home console, and as a result often sneaked into arcade centres, where he would occasionally be discovered and dragged out. He worked hard and ended up securing a place at Waseda University. He has studied judo, karate, and a little bit of taekwondo in the past. He attended Waseda University along with Dead or Alive creator Tomonobu Itagaki and holds a degree in psychology. While studying, he took a few Chinese language courses, albeit finding it very difficult. After graduating from university, he joined Namco to become a promoter. His parents were initially unhappy with his pursuit in a career with the video game industry, but have since accepted him in his work.
Harada achieved his success by appealing to higher-ups. Towards the end of the first year at Namco, they gave him a position on the first Tekken title.
He voiced Forest Law in Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament, Marshall Law from Tekken until Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, Yoshimitsu from Tekken until Tekken Tag Tournament and Kunimitsu in Tekken. He is known within the fanbase for his sense of humor, such as his comical rivalry with former Street Fighter producer (producer from 2008-2020), Yoshinori Ono, jokes around the character Leo Kliesen in Tekken 6 because of their ambiguous gender, and for attending EVO 2017 in a shirt that read "Don't Ask Me for Shit". Harada was also a member of Project Soul (the team behind the Soulcalibur franchise) and makes an appearance in Soulcalibur V as a bonus character.
In 2019, Harada had been promoted to lead the fighting game esports division of Bandai Namco, as well as to being a general manager at the company overall. On December 8, 2025, he announced that he would be departing from Bandai Namco at the end of the year, ending his thirty-one year tenure with the company.
In May 2026, it was announced that Harada established VS Studio, a subsidiary of SNK, where he became the CEO.
Ludography
Year Title Position 1994TekkenVoice actor (Marshall Law, Yoshimitsu, Kunimitsu) 1995Tekken 2Voice actor (Marshall Law, Yoshimitsu) 1997Tekken 3 Director, voice actor (Yoshimitsu, Forest Law)1999Tekken Tag Tournament 2001Tekken 4 Director, voice actor (Marshall Law)Tekken AdvanceDirector 2004Tekken 5 Director, voice actor (Marshall Law) 2005Tekken 5: Dark ResurrectionProject supervisor, voice actor (Marshall Law) 2007Soulcalibur LegendsContributorTekken 6Executive producer2008Tekken 6: Bloodline RebellionSoulcalibur IV Co-director 2011Ace Combat: Assault HorizonGame concept supervisorTekken Tag Tournament 2Executive producer2012Project X ZoneSupervisorStreet Fighter X Tekken DirectorTekken 3D: Prime Edition Executive producerHyperdimension Neptunia VictoryVoice actor (Kuma)PlayStation All-Stars Battle RoyaleSupervisor 2013Tekken RevolutionExecutive producer2014Ace Combat InfinityProject leader2015Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth SupervisorTekken 7 DirectorPokkén Tournament ProducerLost ReaversExecutive producer2016Tekken 7: Fated RetributionDirector Summer LessonChief producerProject X Zone 2Supervisor, global marketing general managerDark Souls IIIGlobal marketing general manager 2017Pokkén Tournament DX Producer 2018Katamari Damacy RerollGeneral producerSoulcalibur VIExecutive advisorNi no Kuni II: Revenant KingdomGeneral manager, worldwide marketing departmentNaruto to Boruto: Shinobi StrikerGlobal marketing general managerMy Hero Academia: One's JusticeGod Eater 3Global marketingDark Souls: RemasteredGlobal marketing general managerBlack Clover: Quartet Knights11-11: Memories RetoldGeneral manager of marketing2019The Dark Pictures: Man of MedanGeneral producerCode VeinAce Combat 7: Skies UnknownMarketing general manager2021Tales of AriseGeneral producer 2022Tekken: BloodlineExecutive producer 2024Tekken 8 2025Shadow Labyrinth
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