“I realized you had to do it directly, which is my current style. If the actual person says they can't do it, then I will give it up.”
Kojima revealed a Metal Gear Solid casting secret (recorded in 1997) and the lesson that changed his method: he said Naomi Hunter was supposed to be Kikuko Inoue. He explained he asked for Inoue during casting and was told she could not do it; at that time he was not negotiating directly with talent and was not told the exact reason. Other offers from the same agency, such as Akio-san’s, did go through, so he was told there was no way to book Inoue and he had to choose someone else. He chose Tsuru-san and was glad it went well, but he could not forget the incident. Kojima said the moral was that he realized he had to deal with talent directly, which he described as his current style: if the person in question tells him they cannot, he will accept it, but often the person will say they knew nothing about it, and hidden affairs get in the way. Inoue, present, said it was the first time she had heard this.
“Just between the two of us, well, it won't be after I say this, but Naomi Hunter was supposed to be you. […] I don't know why this happened, but I asked for you during casting, and I was told you couldn't do it. This was back when I wasn't doing talent negotiations directly. […] They told me there wasn't any way I could book you, so I had to choose another. I chose Tsuru-san and I'm glad it went well. But I couldn't forget that incident. […] And it's because of the hidden affairs that get in the way.”