Requiem director explains how Resident Evil 9 avoids RE6’s multi‑protagonist pitfalls

Koshi Nakanishi, director of the Resident Evil: Requiem anime, outlined why Resident Evil 9 will not repeat the structural and tonal problems associated with Resident Evil 6. In an interview with Eurogamer, Nakanishi used a striking sushi analogy to describe Requiem’s creative approach and its relationship to the mainline games.

Nakanishi argued that Requiem’s short‑form, focused storytelling treats each narrative element like a single piece of sushi: concentrated, deliberate and designed to highlight one core flavour rather than mixing many competing ingredients. That focused method, he said, informed how the anime ties into the wider Resident Evil universe without scattering attention across multiple lead perspectives.

The director contrasted that approach with the structure of Resident Evil 6, which is widely regarded as suffering from a fragmented narrative and tonal inconsistency due to its multiple protagonists and intersecting storylines. Nakanishi emphasised that Requiem and the team behind it prioritised a coherent throughline and tighter character focus, aiming to expand the universe while preserving a singular narrative tone.

Collaboration with Capcom featured prominently in the discussion. Nakanishi described ongoing consultation with the game studio to ensure the anime complements and supports the direction of the mainline series rather than competing with it. The intent is to use the anime to explore facets of the franchise and its characters in ways that enrich, rather than dilute, the core game experience.

Requiem’s format, according to Nakanishi, allows side stories and character moments to breathe without forcing the game to juggle multiple lead narratives. That balance aims to give fans additional context and texture while keeping the mainline entries streamlined and cohesive.

Eurogamer’s interview captures Nakanishi’s broader creative philosophy: concentrated storytelling that privileges clarity and tone over breadth, a strategy designed to avoid the pitfalls of past experiments in sprawling, multi‑protagonist Resident Evil storytelling.