Itsuno was quite hands-on with DmC, and as he says in the interview, he went to Cambridge every two months minimum during its production - and that's not going there for a day, that's like going for a week or two or more every two months for the better part of three years. He was really deeply involved, as was a good group of Osaka staff - which is why he feels so closely to it, probably.
This interview is mine, btw, and I spent a chunk of last week with the DMC5 guys, playing the latest build, etc etc. If one thing is absolutely clear to me from spending a little time with them, it's that the respect and even love for DmC is real.
The thing I'd like them see them do (and I said this to them) is eventually find a mind-bending way to bring the two continuities together, tbh. I'm sure it'd be very silly, but DMC already is.
