Metal Gear Series/Otacon

Otacon

Japanese voice actor	English voice actor
Hideyuki Tanaka	Christopher Randolph

Dr. Hal Emmerich, nicknamed Otacon, is an American weapons designer and computer hacker who functions as a Q-like sidekick to Solid Snake, usually giving him support via codec.

Otacon is first introduced in Metal Gear Solid as the designer of Metal Gear REX, and is being held captive at the outset on Shadow Moses Island. After Snake rescues him, he joins the FOXHOUND team and guides Snake through the process of disarming and destroying Metal Gear. He also becomes infatuated with FOXHOUND member Sniper Wolf while in captivity and is crushed when she is later killed in battle by Solid Snake. During the cutscene where Snake reveals Metal Gear's true purpose, Otacon says nuclear weapons must be written into his genes. Genetics being a major theme of Metal Gear solid. He then reveals that his grandfather worked on the Manhattan Project and his father was born on August 6, 1945, the day Hiroshima was bombed.

In Metal Gear Solid 2, Otacon and Solid Snake form Philanthropy, an anti-proliferation organization. Otacon supports Snake via the radio as he infiltrates a converted tanker to photograph Metal Gear RAY, and later, supports Snake and Raiden as they infiltrate the Big Shell in a bid to rescue his foster sister, Emma, while attempting to destroy Arsenal Gear. Later on in the game, Emma is killed by Vamp. Lead character designer Yoji Shinkawa stated in an interview that Otacon is designed to look somewhat "tougher" than he did in Metal Gear Solid.

Though Otacon himself does not appear in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (the game being set in the 1960s), his grandfather (also a scientist) is mentioned in conversation between Naked Snake and Sigint and also appears in a photograph alongside Russian weapons designer Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin.

Otacon also appears in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots trailers, still supporting Solid Snake as a member of Philanthropy. In early trailers, he's remote controlling a robot reminiscent of the Metal Gear Mk. II from an earlier Hideo Kojima directed game, Snatcher.

References

Williamson, Colin, Yoji Shinkawa interview, 12 December 2000, accessed 1 January 2007 [1]