Hidetaka Miyazaki Dismisses Rumors of Foot Fetish
The FromSoftware director expressed confusion over community memes in a recent interview regarding his design philosophy.
FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki has officially addressed persistent community rumors regarding a personal foot fetish. In a September 3, 2026, interview with The Guardian, the acclaimed developer dismissed the claims, stating he is confused by their origin.
During the discussion, Miyazaki directly confronted the internet speculation. "Take a look online and there’s a rumor that I have a bit of a thing for feet, but I’m not honestly sure where this comes from," Miyazaki told the outlet. The director's comments mark a rare direct acknowledgment of the memes that have circulated within the "Soulslike" gaming community for years, which often highlight the barefoot design of various female characters across his titles.
Design Philosophy and Context
The conversation took place while Miyazaki was discussing his upcoming title, "The Duskbloods." The interview focused largely on the director's recurring thematic interests, specifically his fascination with the cycles of ruin, decay, and rebirth. These motifs have defined the atmospheric storytelling of the Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring series, where environmental storytelling often outweighs explicit narrative exposition.
The Meaning Behind the Imagery
Miyazaki clarified that his visual choices are rooted in philosophical inquiry rather than personal preference. He suggested that recurring character designs are intended to depict complex aspects of human nature and existence. By tying these aesthetic decisions to his broader themes of ruin and rebirth, Miyazaki emphasized that the imagery serves a conceptual purpose within the world-building of his games.
Industry Implications
The statement serves to decouple Miyazaki's professional design philosophy from community-driven memes. In an industry where auteur directors often have their personal tastes scrutinized, Miyazaki's insistence that his work is driven by philosophical themes of human existence provides a clearer window into his creative process. It reinforces the idea that the stark, often unsettling imagery in FromSoftware games is a deliberate tool for thematic expression.
What Remains
While Miyazaki has clarified his position, the specific catalyst for the rumors remains a point of community debate. The director did not elaborate on why certain characters are consistently depicted without footwear, leaving the exact artistic reasoning for those specific designs unconfirmed beyond his general comments on human nature.