Editing Solid Snake (section)

==Creation and development==
{{quote box|quote="The name 'Snake' in ''MGS'' comes from creeping up on someone silently like a snake. The adjective 'Solid' expresses Snake's strong and blade-sharp image - paradoxical when combined with a snake's litheness. Normally, 'snake' and 'solid' do not go together. It's like talking about 'hot ice.' I came up with the name to express this lack of balance and equilibrium. But when I decided the codename would be Snake, the character was more Plissken than snake-like at the subconscious level. If I had used a different name for 'Snake' in ''MGS'', he probably would have been a totally different character."| source= – Hideo Kojima<ref>{{cite magazine
| last         = Kojima
| first        = Hideo
| date         = Christmas 2002
| title        = Hideo Kojima at the Movies: Escape From New York
| magazine     = [[PlayStation Official Magazine – UK]]
| location     = Bath, Somerset
| publisher    = Future Publishing Ltd.
| url  = https://retrocdn.net/images/4/44/OPS2_UK_028.pdf
| access-date  = 30 October 2023
}}</ref>
|align=left|width=30em}}

Solid Snake was apparently named after the fictional special forces operative [[Snake Plissken]], [[Kurt Russell]]'s character in ''[[Escape from New York]]''.<ref name="Kent">{{cite web|author=Kent, Steven|title=Hideo Kojima: Game Guru, Movie Maniac|work=Gamers Today| access-date = 2005-07-15|url=http://www.gamerstoday.com/world_tours/tour9.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010727020355/http://www.gamerstoday.com/world_tours/tour9.html|archive-date=2001-07-27}}</ref><ref name=interview/> However, Kojima revealed in March 2014 that the character's name origins were something else. According to Kojima, he was given the "Snake" name because snakes are a symbol of stealth. Additionally, the "Solid" part of his code-name was given to give the opposite impression of a soft image.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-metal-gear-solid-s-snake-called-solid-snake-kojima-explains/1100-6418140/|title= Why is Metal Gear Solid's Snake called Solid Snake? Kojima explains|author= Martin Gaston|work= [[GameSpot]]|publisher= [[CBS Corporation]]|date= March 6, 2014|access-date= February 3, 2016}}</ref> Kojima has compared Snake's personality with [[Lupin III]] of [[Monkey Punch]]'s ''[[Lupin III]]'' franchise, stating that in "''MGS'', Snake became this sharp-tongued, Lupin III-like guy who flirted with women and told lots of jokes".<ref name="1up_famitsu">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177896|title=Snake Beats Mario, Is Coolest Video Game Character Ever|author=Glifford, Kevin|website=1UP.com|date=February 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622072101/http://www.1up.com/news/snake-beats-mario-coolest-video|archive-date=June 22, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> His real name David<ref name=mynameisdavid>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid|developer=KCEJ|quote='''Meryl''': So...where to, Snake?//'''Snake''': David. My name is David... '''Meryl''': Okay, so where to, Dave?}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game|title=Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots|developer=Kojima Productions|quote='''Big Mama''': My, how you've grown...David...}}</ref> is a tribute to the film ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' that has a character with the same name (and coincidentally shared with his English voice actor [[David Hayter]]).<ref name="Making">{{cite video game|title=The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2|year=2002|developer=Kojima Productions|publisher=Konami|level=Making of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty}}</ref> Kojima later described Snake's role in the original ''Metal Gear'' as the "player's presence", contrasting the defined personality acquired in ''Metal Gear Solid''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs4_inte/en/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304105426/http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs4_inte/en/|archive-date=2008-03-04|title=METAL GEAR SOLID 4 INTEGRATED SITE}}</ref>
{{multiple image
 | total_width = 280
 | footer    = Solid Snake was created by [[Hideo Kojima]] (left) and designed by [[Yoji Shinkawa]] (right).
 | image1    = Hideo Kojima - Tokyo Game Show 2011 (1) (cropped).jpg
 | alt1      = 
 | caption1  =  
 | image2    = Yoji Shinkawa.png
 | alt2      =
 | caption2  =
}}
In addition to expanding Solid Snake's backstory, as the first ''Metal Gear'' game to feature voice acting, ''Metal Gear Solid'' established his characteristic voice and appearance.<ref name="retroactive">{{cite web|author=Chen, David|title=Retro/Active: Kojima's Productions|work=1up.com|access-date=2005-07-15|url=http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3146356|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194345/http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3146356|archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref>

Various scenes from the games relate Solid Snake's ideals with Hideo Kojima's. During ''Metal Gear Solid 2'', Snake encourages Raiden to trust himself in making his own choices with the former representing the veteran developer and the latter the younger staff who are to decide whether a sequel to the series would be made without Kojima.<ref name="Making"/> In ''Metal Gear Solid 4'', Snake tries to protect the next generation by stopping Ocelot which represented Kojima working with the staff to avoid bugs from occurring within the game.<ref name="solidfourmaking"/> Kojima introduced the cloning origins of Snake to ''Metal Gear Solid'' in order to provide Snake with an adversary who would be his equal, since the story, being a continuation of the original MSX2 games, established Snake as an experienced soldier.<ref name=tgs07>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6179757.html|title=GameSpot: TGS '07: Kojima speaks|date=2007-09-25}}</ref> Kojima explained that his decision to introduce a new playable character in Snake's place for ''Metal Gear Solid 2'' was done in order to develop Snake from another character's perspective, but also to avoid treating Snake as a rookie by having a new character be instructed via Codec instead.<ref name=finalhoursofmgs2>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/btg_mgs2/index.html|title=The Final Hours of Metal Gear Solid 2}}</ref> Snake was written to act as father figure not only to protect those he cares but also leave a message for the future generation despite his imminent death. As a pacifist message, Snake's stress increases when killing enemies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/mgs4/uk/interview/03.html|title=Hideo Kojima interview|publisher=Konami|access-date=August 28, 2018}}</ref> Snake and Otacon were meant to die in the game, with Kojima being inspired by the movie ''[[Sacco & Vanzetti]]'' in regards to how the duo use death as a penalty for how they are criminals rather than heroes. While the novel retained this idea, the ending in the game was changed with Snake and Otacon surviving.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://webnewtype.com/special/metalgear/en_01/|title=Manabu Makime & Hitori Nojima Metal Gear discussion vol.1|website=Newtype|access-date=April 5, 2020}}</ref> Following Kojima's departure from Konami, the company indicated that it does not intend to produce further ''Metal Gear'' games with Solid Snake as the protagonist;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_More_Metal_Gear_No_Solid_Snake_17802.html|title=More Metal Gear, No More Solid Snake|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923222834/http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_More_Metal_Gear_No_Solid_Snake_17802.html|archive-date=2009-09-23}}</ref> Kojima has himself stated that Solid Snake "is one character that I don't want to entrust to other people".<ref name=tgs07 />

===Design===
[[File:Van Damme Cannes (cropped).jpg|thumb|The Solid Snake design created by [[Yoji Shinkawa]] for ''Metal Gear Solid'' is inspired by actors [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]] (pictured) and [[Christopher Walken]].]]

Much as ''Metal Gear'' began as a [[Genre parodies|pastiche]] of [[action film|action movies]] of the time, Solid Snake began as a pastiche of action movie heroes. On the cover artwork of the original ''Metal Gear'' he resembles actor [[Michael Biehn]] as [[Kyle Reese]] in the 1984 film ''[[The Terminator]]'',<ref name="Saga"/> although Kojima claimed to have no involvement in the production of the game's packaging illustration.<ref name=kojimaonmg1cover>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/kojima_hideo/status/437060441575927808|title=小島秀夫 on Twitter: "MG1の時は新人でパッケージには全く関与出来ず不本意なものになったが、「スナッチャー」では開田裕次さんにMG2では高荷義之さんにMGSでは生頼範義さんにメインビジュアルやポスターをお願いできた。当時はゲーム自体のビジュアルが陳腐だったのでイラストでのメインビジュアルは重要だった。"|language=ja}}</ref> In the in-game portrait of ''[[Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake]]'', he resembles [[Mel Gibson]].<ref name="Saga">{{cite video|title=Metal Gear Saga Vol. 1|medium=DVD|publisher=Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.|date=2006}}</ref>

[[Yoji Shinkawa]]'s Solid Snake design, characterized by his navy blue bandanna and "sneaking suit", would serve as the template for all future incarnations in later ''Metal Gear'' games. According to Shinkawa, Snake's physique in ''Metal Gear Solid'' was based on that of action star [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]], while his facial appearance inspired by actor [[Christopher Walken]]. Shinkawa described his rendition of Solid Snake from ''Metal Gear Solid'' as a "middle ground" between the younger Snake who was in the cover artwork of the first ''Metal Gear'' and the middle-aged Snake from the MSX2 version of ''Metal Gear 2''.<ref name=interview>{{cite book|title=Metal Gear Solid: Official Mission Handbook|last=Hodgson |first=David S.J.|year=1998|publisher=Millennium Publications Inc. |page=142}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/metalgear/art/snake_v.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060716131123/http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/metalgear/art/snake_v.html|archive-date=2006-07-16|title=Yoji Shinkawa's Art Gallery from the official ''Metal Gear Solid'' website| access-date = 2006-07-19|date= July 9, 1998 |publisher=Konami|language=ja}}</ref> For the initial events from the Big Shell chapter from ''Metal Gear Solid 2'', Snake's visual appearance was sightly modified with his hair being more blonde, and his appearance somewhat resembling the [[Man with No Name]] (as portrayed by [[Clint Eastwood]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/mgs2/art/fourth.html|title=Yoji Shinkawa Interview: Segment 4| access-date = March 2, 2012|publisher=Konami}}</ref> Shinkawa commented that Snake was one of the easiest ''Metal Gear'' characters for him to draw, as his appearance is consistent across games with only minor changes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mp.i-revo.jp/user.php/kp-ryan/entry/52.html|title=The KP Report Session 027|publisher=mp.i.revo|work=Kojima Productions Report|author=Payton, Ryan|access-date=February 17, 2012|archive-date=July 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703183506/http://mp.i-revo.jp/user.php/kp-ryan/entry/52.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to Kojima, Snake's character model was specifically designed to have a well-sculpted buttocks, as the player spends the majority of the game staring at the character's back from a [[third-person view]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Rogers |first1=Tim |author1-link=Tim Rogers (writer) |title=Jungle Fervor |url=https://www.wired.com/2004/11/jungle-fervor/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=June 20, 2023 |date=November 4, 2004}}</ref>

By the time ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' started development, Kojima told Shinkawa about his idea of making Snake look elderly, which surprised the designer. Once Shinkawa showed his artwork of Old Snake to the staff, they were all also surprised by the idea of playing as an old version of the character. However, they were satisfied with the end product as the staff began to like the character.<ref name="solidfourmaking">{{cite video|title=Making of Metal Gear Solid 4|medium=Blu-ray|publisher=Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH|date=2008}}</ref> In ''Metal Gear Solid 4'', one of Kojima's endings would have had Snake and Otacon turn themselves in for breaking the law, and subsequently they would be convicted and executed.<ref name="tgs07"/> However, comments from Kojima's staff who were disappointed with his death resulted in the character's survival.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gamerant.com/hideo-kojima-solid-snake-project-ogre-metal-gear-rising-ts-123571/|title=Hideo Kojima Talks Killing Snake, Project Ogre, Metal Gear Rising & More!|publisher=GameRant|author=Schirado, Tyler|date=January 5, 2012|access-date=February 20, 2012}}</ref>  In ''Metal Gear Solid 4'', Old Snake is modelled after [[Lee Van Cleef]] who appeared in ''Escape from New York''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/metal-gear-retrospective?pager.offset=2&cId=|website=1UP.com|access-date=February 18, 2012|author=Parish, Jeremy|title=Gear Up! A Metal Gear Retrospective|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610180934/http://www.1up.com/features/metal-gear-retrospective?pager.offset=2&cId=|archive-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref>

===Voice actors===
{{multiple image
| total_width       = 280
| footer            = Solid Snake is voiced by [[Akio Ōtsuka]] (left) in Japanese and [[David Hayter]] (right) in English.
| image1            = Akio Otsuka 2018.jpg
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = 
| image2            = David Hayter 2006-09-21.jpg
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = 
}}

In the games, Solid Snake has been voiced by [[Akio Ōtsuka]] in the Japanese version, and by [[David Hayter]] in the English adaptations. When working in ''[[Captain Planet]]'', Hayter met the casting director of this show, [[Kris Zimmerman]], who would later also be the voice-over director for ''Metal Gear'' games. When debuting in ''Metal Gear Solid'', Hayter was impressed by the game's cutscenes and the amount of dialogue. One of Snake's lines that Hayter liked was "I just didn't expect a world-class designer of military technology to be so… cute." when Snake interacts with Mei Ling, believing it showed a more fun side of him. Solid Snake's English voice was inspired by Hayter's experience with Japan's storytelling, resulting in minor changes for the script. Hayter himself felt shocked when ''Sons of Liberty'' was released as the narrative focused more on newcomer Raiden rather than him. Although there were no news about Snake's future role in ''Metal Gear'', the actor believes ''Guns of the Patriots'' gave the character a proper closure.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metalgearinformer.com/?p=13843|title=DAVID HAYTER ON HIS ROLE AS SNAKE: 'I TRIED TO DO SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC WITH THIS CHARACTER'|website=Metal Gear Informer|date=6 April 2014|access-date=March 26, 2020}}</ref> One of Snake's final scenes in this game bothered Hayter as during the ending the character hesitates to kill himself despite having killed multiple enemies in fights. Nevertheless, Hayter stated that he "loves" the character he was given to portray.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2016/05/11/david-hayter-on-voicing-snake-in-metal-gear-and-the-joys-of-being-covered-in-goo/#2c7aa2615bcb|title=David Hayter On Voicing Snake In 'Metal Gear' And The Joys Of Being Covered In Goo|website=Forbes|access-date=March 26, 2020}}</ref>

Other than the aforementioned voice actors, Solid Snake has also been dubbed in four different languages for the European localization of ''Metal Gear Solid''; in French by [[Emmanuel Bonami]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fr.ign.com/metal-gear-solid-gb/55923/news/framboise-gommendy-mgs-une-interview-touchante |title=Metal Gear Solid : Framboise Gommendy, traductrice et doubleuse, livre une interview touchante |access-date=October 7, 2022 |date=September 9, 2011 |publisher=IGN France |language=fr |archive-date=September 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909131506/https://fr.ign.com/metal-gear-solid-gb/55923/news/framboise-gommendy-mgs-une-interview-touchante}}</ref> in German by [[Stephan Grothgar]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.turn-on.de/article/unterirdisch-13-spiele-mit-einer-grausigen-synchronisation-76465 |title=Unterirdisch: 13 Spiele mit einer grausigen Synchronisation |language=de |date=September 6, 2016 |author=aktualisiert |access-date=October 7, 2022 |website=Turn on}}</ref> in Italian by Alessandro Ricci,<ref name="player">{{cite web|url=https://www.player.it/speciali/352195-intervista-ad-alessandro-ricci-la-storica-voce-di-solid-snake.html |title=Intervista ad Alessandro Ricci, la storica voce di Solid Snake |website=player.it |author=Amerigo "ilCirox" Cirelli  |date= August 19, 2018 |access-date=October 7, 2022 |language=it}}</ref> and in Spanish by [[Alfonso Vallés]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.gamefilia.com/momone/11-07-2010/34371/dobladores-ilustres-05 |title=Artículo acerca de la carrera de Alfonso Vallés |language=es |date=July 11, 2010 |author=momone |access-date=October 7, 2022 |archive-date=October 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018040221/http://blogs.gamefilia.com/momone/11-07-2010/34371/dobladores-ilustres-05}}</ref>