Hidetaka Miyazaki's Favorite Elden Ring Boss Still Makes Me Chuckle

You\u2019d think that by 2026, the collective trauma inflicted by Elden Ring bosses would have finally faded. But no, my palms still sweat every time I hear the scrape of Malenia\u2019s prosthetic blades. After four years of dying, speedrunning, and watching countless \u201cLet Me Solo Her\u201d clones, the Lands Between still holds a vice grip on the entire gaming world. And one question keeps bubbling up in every tavern, online forum, and support group: which abomination does the mastermind himself, Hidetaka Miyazaki, secretly adore? I\u2019ve been obsessed with that little trivia nugget ever since an old interview resurfaced, and honestly, the answer still surprises me.

Back when Elden Ring was still fresh and we were all shiny-eyed Tarnished, Miyazaki sat down with Xbox Wire Japan and dropped a bombshell. His number one pick? Starscourge Radahn. Yes, that Radahn\u2014the mad stallion of a demigod who rides a scrawny horse into gravity-defying cosmic brawls. I remember laughing out loud when I first read it. The man who gave us Ornstein & Smough, the Orphan of Kos, and the literal embodiment of scarlet rot\u2026 chooses the festival-loving giant who holds back the stars. It\u2019s like discovering your favorite chef\u2019s best dish is microwave popcorn. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Radahn isn\u2019t just a boss; he\u2019s a whole theatrical event, complete with a chanting crowd, an army of summons, and a meteor phase that could make Godzilla flinch. Miyazaki said he loved the \u201csituation of the Radahn Festival,\u201d and even chuckled remembering how the dev team initially refused to take the concept seriously. Can you blame them? A war festival for a zombie demigod who has forgotten his friends but still cradles his scrawny steed? Pure, unfiltered FromSoftware madness.

Miyazaki also named his runner-ups: Godrick the Grafted and Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy. I can already hear the screeches of \u201cForefathers, one and all!\u201d and feel the slimy, lava-soaked horror of Rykard\u2019s arena. These choices reveal something deliciously twisted about the director\u2014he adores the grotesque theater of excess. Godrick chops off his own arm and grafts a dragon head mid-fight; Rykard is literally a giant serpent that wields a blasphemous sword made of writhing torsos. But Radahn stands above them both because he\u2019s a spectactle of tragic grandeur, not just body horror. The man learned gravity magic so his beloved horse wouldn\u2019t be crushed beneath him. How can you not sob a little while he fires a rain of spears at your face?

Of course, Radahn\u2019s status as Miyazaki\u2019s darling didn\u2019t shield him from controversy. Shortly after launch, FromSoftware released a patch that nerfed the poor general into the dirt. Oh, the outrage! Players who had endured ten-hour slugfests felt their victory cheapened. The lore fanatics argued that Radahn, the strongest demigod who fought Malenia to a standstill, should never become a pushover. The internet boiled over with hot takes. I remember a glorious meme where Radahn\u2019s horse was doing more damage than him post-nerf. Did Miyazaki sit back and watch the chaos? Probably with a bag of popcorn. Eventually, the developers did a partial reversal, buffing him back to a respectable level of terror. That patch note felt like a personal apology from the studio: \u201cWe\u2019re sorry we hurt your favorite brain-melting centaur.\u201d

But let\u2019s be real\u2014Radahn\u2019s popularity has never been just about difficulty. It\u2019s the whole ridiculous, heartwarming, and utterly terrifying package. I\u2019ve summoned Patches, only to watch him nope out of the fight immediately. I\u2019ve used Torrent to dodge flurries only to get sniped by a homing gravity orb. Every single time, the Radahn Festival felt like a celebration of everything Elden Ring does best: player-led storytelling, chaotic multiplayer, and a boss that doubles as a puzzle. Do you want a straightforward duel? Go poke Malenia. Do you want to lead an army of NPCs into battle while a dying warlord screams at the sky? Radahn\u2019s your guy.

Speaking of Malenia, she\u2019s the elephant in the rot-filled room. Everyone expected Miyazaki to pick her as his favorite, right? The blade of Miquella is the poster child of pain, the reason so many controllers got thrown, and arguably the most iconic boss from the game. But nope, the director went for the less obvious choice. And honestly, that\u2019s so Miyazaki. He loves the festival atmosphere because it\u2019s a communal experience, something that transcends the typical \u201cgit gud\u201d mantra. While Malenia isolates you in a sterile rot garden, Radahn throws a party and invites the whole neighborhood. It\u2019s the difference between suffering alone and suffering with friends. I, for one, will always prefer the latter\u2014especially when said friends include a pot warrior and a jar-headed madman.

Reflecting on it now, in 2026, with Elden Ring cemented as one of the greatest games ever made, Miyazaki\u2019s old confession feels like a wink across time. It tells us that even the creators get swept up in the goofy, chaotic spirit of their own worlds. Radahn is more than a boss; he\u2019s a memory I\u2019ve shared with millions, a reminder that no matter how grim the Lands Between gets, you can always count on a giant man to turn himself into a meteor and obliterate your entire squad with a smirk. And if Miyazaki ever decides to make a Radahn plushie, I\u2019ll be first in line\u2014right after I finish my 400th attempt at dodging Waterfowl Dance.