Hideo Kojima is born in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan. His early childhood was marked by frequent moves due to his father's business. These nomadic experiences, combined with his father's encouragement to watch movies and read books, fostered his imagination and storytelling abilities – seeds that would later blossom into his unique design philosophy.

During his teenage years, Kojima aspired to become a filmmaker. He experimented with making amateur films, often utilizing his friends as actors. These early forays into visual storytelling honed his understanding of narrative structure, camera angles, and creating atmosphere – skills highly evident in his later video game work. His short films weren't commercially successful, leading him to explore other avenues for creative expression.