It sounds like a fever dream or some weird creepypasta from the early 2000s.
You’re playing a neon-soaked, retro-futuristic rhythm game about a space reporter named Ulala. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Michael Jackson appears. He’s not a parody. He’s not a lookalike. It’s actually him—voiced by him, dancing like him, and referred to as "Space Michael."
For most gamers in 1999, seeing Space Channel 5 Michael Jackson pop up was the ultimate "wait, what?" moment. But this wasn't just some random licensing deal. It was the result of a last-minute phone call that nearly gave the game's creator, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, a heart attack.
The 11th-Hour Phone Call
Honest truth? Michael Jackson was barely in the first game because he asked to be in it way too late.
The development of the original Space Channel 5 for the Sega Dreamcast was basically finished. We're talking 60% to 70% complete. Mizuguchi and his team at United Game Artists had been working their tails off for two years. Then, out of the blue, Shuji Utsumi (a Sega executive) shows Michael a near-final build of the game.
Michael loved it. He didn't just like it; he wanted in.
👉 See also: When Was Monopoly Invented: The Truth About Lizzie Magie and the Parker Brothers
Mizuguchi gets a call from the US. His partner tells him, "Michael wants to be in the game."
Mizuguchi’s response? "Who's Michael?"
"Michael Jackson! The real Michael Jackson!"
The team only had one month left before the game had to be finalized. Panic mode. Mizuguchi actually considered saying no because the schedule was so tight. But you don't really say no to the King of Pop when your game is literally built on the foundations of dance and rhythm.
How they squeezed him in
Since they didn't have time to build a whole new level, they did a quick swap. They took a group of hostages being controlled by the Morolians (the game's alien antagonists) and replaced one of the models with a character based on Michael.
They gave him his signature moves and prayed he wouldn’t hate it. When he saw it, he gave a high-pitched "Oh, OK!" and even recorded some voice lines. That’s why his role in the first game is essentially a glorified cameo. You rescue him, he joins your dance troupe for a bit, and he shouts a few "Hee-hees" and "Hoos."
Moving Into the Spotlight: Space Channel 5 Part 2
If the first game was a teaser, Space Channel 5 Part 2 was the full concert. By the time the sequel rolled around in 2002, Michael Jackson wasn't just a guest; he was a core part of the story.
✨ Don't miss: Blox Fruit Current Stock: What Most People Get Wrong
He plays Chief Space Michael, a 500-year-old reporter who eventually becomes the head of Channel 5. This is where things get genuinely cool for fans. In Part 2, he’s the deuteragonist. He has a massive role in the "Shadow" storyline where he gets kidnapped and brainwashed by the Rhythm Rogues.
You actually have to save him in a rhythm battle.
Once you rescue him, he teams up with Ulala and Pudding to save the galaxy. It’s wild. He’s not just standing in the background; he’s leading the choreography. The motion capture for this game was way more involved, and Michael provided a lot more vocal takes. If you listen closely to the raw audio files—some of which leaked online years later—you can hear him coaching the developers and doing multiple takes of lines like "Space Channel 5 is being attacked by robots!"
The Legacy of Space Michael
Sega and Michael Jackson had a weirdly long relationship. People always talk about Moonwalker on the Genesis or the (controversial) rumors about his work on the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 soundtrack. But Space Channel 5 feels different. It’s more "pure" Sega.
It was campy. It was bright. It was funky. It fit his aesthetic perfectly.
🔗 Read more: Why the Yakuza 0 Miracle in Maharaja Quest is the Peak of Sega Storytelling
Why it matters now:
- Historical Preservation: After Michael passed away in 2009, Sega basically retired the character. You won't see Space Michael in newer cameos or crossovers like Sega All-Stars Racing the same way you see Ulala.
- Licensing Nightmares: This is the big reason why re-releases are so rare or complicated. The rights to use Michael’s likeness and voice are a legal minefield. When the game was ported to Steam or the PlayStation Network, fans were terrified he’d be cut out. Luckily, he stayed in, but the future of the character in any potential remake is shaky at best.
- The "Scream" Connection: His outfit in the game—the silver, futuristic suit—is a direct nod to his look in the Scream music video. It’s a nice touch that showed the devs actually cared about the source material.
What You Should Do Next
If you’ve never played these games, you’re missing out on a very specific slice of gaming history.
Go grab the Dreamcast Collection on Steam. It’s usually cheap, and it includes Space Channel 5 Part 2. Don't expect a modern, easy experience, though. These games are brutal. The timing windows are incredibly tight, especially in the later levels. You’ll probably fail a lot before you get to see Michael in all his low-poly glory.
Also, look up the "Michael Jackson Vocal Takes" on YouTube. Hearing him record those cheesy sci-fi lines in a studio is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at a legend just having fun with a medium he clearly loved.
The collaboration was a moment in time where the biggest pop star on the planet and a niche Japanese dev team created something truly bizarre and beautiful. It shouldn't work. On paper, it’s insane. But in the game? It’s pure magic.
To dive deeper into the Sega/Jackson connection, look into the development of the Moonwalker arcade game—it’s a completely different beast than the console version and shows just how much input Michael really had in his digital appearances.