“So I feel like my life is following a similar path to Morricone's, especially after having watched the documentary. It made me cry.”
Watching the documentary Ennio, Kojima cried as he recognized himself: Morricone had a music teacher who never acknowledged him because film music was poorly regarded — the same attitude Kojima faced when he began making games. Morricone pursued an Oscar for decades without success until Tarantino revived interest in his work (the music in Malditos bastardos, an honorary award in 2007, and finally the competitive Oscar for Los odiosos ocho). Kojima said that times finally caught up, that there was a period when people doubted the legitimacy of the industry and he did not even tell people he was making games, and that finally his work has begun to be recognized; he felt his life was following a similar path to Morricone and saw himself in him. Kojima concluded that he believes he will keep doing this until he is 91.
“At the time though, film music wasn't very highly thought of. It was the same as when I started making games. […] Nowadays, people praise the game industry, but when I started, it was sort of looked down upon. I didn't even tell people I was making games. […] Yes, and so I think I'll keep at it until I'm 91 years old as well.”