Masahiro Sakurai is a Japanese video game director, designer, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and director of the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series. Mostly working on games for Nintendo platforms, he is currently the Director of Software Development for his companies Sora Ltd. and Project Sora. He is also the author of a weekly column for Famitsu magazine and has developed a cult following for his streamlined, yet deep gameplay. Apart from his work in the Kirby and Super Smash Bros. series, he directed the acclaimed games Meteos and Kid Icarus: Uprising. He also voiced the character King Dedede in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards and in the Super Smash Bros. series. 

August 3rd, 1970 in Tokyo Prefecture (Age 54)