- Hideki Kamiya, the director of Okami, has revealed that the game's initial sales were a "huge failure." Despite critical acclaim and a strong cult following, the game struggled to find commercial success when it first launched in 2006. Kamiya attributes this to the game's unique art style and gameplay, which may have been too unconventional for mainstream audiences at the time.

- Okami's sales struggled to reach even 600,000 units in its first year, which Kamiya considers a disappointing result. The game's unique blend of Japanese mythology, action-adventure gameplay, and a distinctive visual style based on traditional Japanese ink painting may have been a barrier for some players, who were more accustomed to more conventional video game experiences.

- Despite the initial sales struggles, Okami has gone on to develop a strong cult following over the years. The game has been re-released on various platforms, including the PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, and PC, allowing new generations of players to discover and appreciate its unique charms. Kamiya's comments highlight the challenges that innovative and unconventional games can face in the video game industry, where commercial success is not always guaranteed, even for critically acclaimed titles.