Miyazaki Puzzled by Foot‑Fetish Rumor While Unpacking Symbolism in The Duskbloods

When a rumor about Hidetaka Miyazaki’s alleged foot fetish started circulating on forums, the veteran FromSoftware director could have brushed it off with a chuckle. Instead, he actually addressed it—unprompted—during a September 2026 interview with The Guardian. “I’m honestly not sure where that rumor comes from,” Miyazaki said, sounding genuinely bemused.

Fans have long noticed a recurring visual motif in Miyazaki’s games: several female bosses and key NPCs stride barefoot. Think of the Maiden in Black from Demons’ Souls, Sister Friede from Dark Souls III, or Malenia, the scarlet‑tainted champion of Elden Ring. It’s a detail that sparked a tongue‑in‑cheek joke within the Souls community, but never a serious accusation—until now.

In the interview, the director clarified that his design choices weren’t driven by a personal fascination with feet. “It’s not something I’m consistently aware of – maybe it’s something subconscious coming through,” he explained. “I’m trying to depict a side of human nature that’s hard to put into words.” He linked the barefoot imagery to broader ideas of vulnerability, ruin, and the possibility of rebirth—a thread that weaves through his entire catalogue, and especially his upcoming project, The Duskbloods.

Speaking about that new title, Miyazaki expanded on the philosophical underpinnings that guide his worlds. “Ruin and rebirth is an ongoing theme in a lot of my games,” he said. “If we have two ideas of a brighter or darker future, I tend to sway toward the darker one, but exploring decay also lets you glimpse a tiny pinprick of hope. That contrast can be beautiful, even if fleeting.”

IGN’s Michael Higham, who previewed The Duskbloods, called it “FromSoftware’s most complex and interesting game yet.” During his hands‑on session, he asked Miyazaki about the studio’s continued devotion to single‑player experiences. The director reassured fans: FromSoftware remains committed to crafting solitary, introspective adventures, even as it experiments with new mechanics.

So, while the internet will keep spinning theories about a foot fetish, the reality seems far less scandalous. Miyazaki appears more interested in using visual symbols—bare feet included—to explore humanity’s darkest and most hopeful corners. And as for the rumor? He’s still scratching his head, wondering how it even began.