Fans of Kojima Productions’ games have suspected for years that the various games directed by the Metal Gear creator were somehow connected, but for a long time, that connection remained below the surface, hidden only in easter eggs.
With the release of Metal Gear Solid 4 and the Metal Gear Solid 4 Database, Kojima has shown quite a bit of his hand, revealing connections to other games that most uninformed gamers might miss completely.
In this week’s column, we take a look at the World of Kojima, and finally connect the dots that have been milling around in all of our minds for years.
NOTE: Parts of this article will reference later portions of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Those who haven’t finished the game should steer clear from the rest of the article until they have finished the story portion of the game.
The Metal Gear Incident
It’s probably best to start with the most obvious reference. While the Metal Gear series has been full of incidents, the one in particular refers to the events of the original Metal Gear for MSX and NES. It is not only one of the most pivotal events in the Metal Gear universe, but it also affects the content of others.
The event is mentioned as a pivotal point in history in Snatcher (MSX, Sega CD, Saturn, PS1), and influences JUNKER mechanic Harry’s work on hero Gillian Seed’s robotic partner.
Metal Gear Mk. II
Metal Gear Mk. II actually does not first appear in Metal Gear Solid 4, but in fact makes its first appearance in Snatcher. Designed by JUNKER mechanic Harry, the Metal Gear Mk. II is an autonomous AI controlled partner for hero Gillian Seed.
It is unclear whether or not Otacon’s Mk. II is the direct precursor to the JUNKER Mk. II or their connection is merely an easter egg, but in both instances, dialogue specifies that they are directly inspired by the design of Metal Gear. The difference, though, is that the JUNKER Mk. II was inspired by the first Metal Gear, while Otacon’s Mk. II was inspired and modeled after Metal Gear Rex from Metal Gear Solid.
Mk. II, as it appears in Snatcher
Pettrovich Madnar
Madnar was a cybernetics genius that made his mark on the world more than any other character in the Kojima mythology. Specializing in Physiology, Mechanical Engineering and Systems Engineering, he used his wide knowledge base to develop the original Metal Gear with Big Boss during the events of Metal Gear.
Despite being rescued by Solid Snake after the events of Metal Gear, Madnar secretly began the “Snatcher Project,” using his knowledge of medical cybernetics to reanimate the defeated Big Boss, directly causing the events of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX). This is indeed the same Snatcher project that Kojima’s Snatcher revolves around.
After learning of his treachery, Solid Snake captured Madnar in hopes of turning him over to the authorities. After the events of Metal Gear 2, Madnar went into hiding somewhere in Eastern Europe, using his knowledge of medical cybernetics to develop a number of medical breakthroughs, including an artificial blood known as White Blood.
Sunny and Naomi Hunter go in search of Madnar’s hidden laboratory in Metal Gear Solid 4 to get a dialysis machine and enough white blood to restore Raiden’s cyborg body to battle-ready shape.
An unspecified time after that, well past his 90’s, Madnar is captured by his despotic son Elijah in hopes of using him to develop a perfect artifical skin for his army of snatchers, but not before Madnar is able to finish work on his sentient bioroid Random, a Snatcher hunter.
The late Dr. Madnar, as he appears in the ending to Snatcher.
White Blood
While MGS4 might be the first time you have heard of white blood, it is not the first time the substance has appeared in a Kojima story.
Shiroichi (白い血), literally translated as white blood, originally appears in Policenauts (PC-98, Saturn, PS1). When Jonathon Ingram pursues his ex-wife’s killer, he finds himself following a trail of white blood down an alleyway, all the way to the word’s “I’ll Kill You” written in the same blood. It is revealed shortly afterward that white blood is a synthetic blood substitute used most commonly by Frozeners, artificially conceived humans with altered genes. The first Frozener Ingram meets is Tony Redwood, aboard a shuttle headed for the space station colony Beyond Coast.
The second time White Blood is mentioned is after Raiden’s appearance in Metal Gear Solid 4. Having been tested by the Patriots and cybernetically modified to a cruel degree, Raiden’s outer body is no longer human. After escaping from the Patriots, he is saved by Madnar himself, who outfits Raiden with a cybernetic battle suit, and veins full of white blood.
Ingram and Redwood meet for the first time in Policenauts
Powered Suit Soldiers
This particular reference appears a number of times, but unlike Madnar, these don’t always have a story connection.
Powered Suit Soldiers (humanoid mechanized units) first appear in Policenauts, where the Advance Police (AP) unit within the Beyond Coast Police Department (BCPD) use them for a number of sensitive operations.
They appear again in Metal Gear Solid. When Otacon first meets Solid Snake after the Cyborg Ninja boss fight, he talks about his love of anime and manga, during which time, an animated video from Policenauts plays.
The exact same soldiers appear again in Metal Gear Solid 4 as Powered Suit Soldiers; mechanized ground units developed by ArmsTech Land Systems for the purpose of providing heavy artillery and supplies by travelling over long distances or through mountainous areas in a short time.
Meryl Silverburgh
The estranged daughter of Colonel Roy Campbell, Meryl played a pivotal role both in the original Metal Gear Solid, as well as in Snake’s finale, Metal Gear Solid 4. Before her appearance in Metal Gear Solid, though, Meryl was first introduced in Policenauts.
Assigned to Ed Brown’s Vice dept. in the BCPD, Meryl tells Ingram when they first meet that after spending time in Foxhound, she left the unit in favor of joining the ever-famous Policenauts. Unfortunately, considering how young Meryl is in Policenauts, it is near impossible that she would be the same Meryl in Metal Gear when one considers the time discrepancy between the two games.
Meryl was likely originally inserted into Policenauts as a simple Foxhound/Metal Gear easter egg in Policenauts before she was ever considered as a character in the Metal Gear series. Kojima likely liked the character so much, that he decided to insert her into Metal Gear Solid as well.
Meryl as she appears in Policenauts
UPDATE: Tokugawa Heavy Industries
Keen eyes notice that several labels on Raiden’s cybernetic parts in Metal Gear Solid 4 say “Tokugawa Heavy Industries.” It is not confirmed, but it is highly possible that Tokugawa Heavy Industries is the same umbrella corporation that Policenauts character Kenzo Hojyo worked for: Tokugawa Pharmaceuticals.
The Truth is Out There
While some science and technology in Metal Gear might seem bizarre and invented on the spot, much of it, as well as some of its characters, appear far before the modern day Metal Gear Solid series, and the connections are almost endless. This article tries only to mention the most firm of connections, but a number of tenuous or iffy connections could be made, including connections to Zone of the Enders and even Boktai.
Did you like this article? Do you have any Kojima story connections we missed? Let your voice be heard by dropping a comment in the box below!
Very Cool article nice read
Very interesting article! I enjoyed reading it