Square-Enix New Interview with Nomura

Alpha Sonix · Feb 7, 2008

In order to celebrate their 1000th issue, Famitsu has decided to interview Square Enix's legendary character designer Tetsuya Nomura. Thanks to our friends over at FF-XIII.net, here's a proper translation:

- While designing Final Fantasy VII, they were indecisive about how spiky to make Cloud's hair.
- Since people are more used to the beautiful CGs of FF characters, he prefers his own artworks to not be shown out in the open too often and thinks that the Final Fantasy illustrations done by Yoshiyuki Amano are what people prefer to see.
- Normally draws with just a mechanical pencil, then scans and digitally colours his artworks.
- Buys games based on Famitsu reviews.

- Lightning from FF XIII: Has muscular legs, she isn't sweet, strict to herself and to others, and doesn't like whiners.
- Aya (Aya Brea from PE3) is a bid more rounded than Lightning.

- Versus 13 heroes' clothes will probably be revised.
- Versus 13 main character is unlike Cloud nor Squall as people are expecting. Everyone's impression on him will greatly change once they hear him speak. Many people may not like him.
- His name will be related to weather just like Lightning, but personally Nomura has gotten bored of this naming tradition.
- The next time they reveal new Versus 13 info, they will reveal the main character's name.

- Agito characters are being called after their weapons between the development staff members, like how the boy with the cards is known as "Card-kun". The girl with glasses is being called "Class President" just because of her image, though.
Click to expand...

http://www.forever-fantasy.net/

Well now we know we know Lightning will be a muscular female and the protogonist might have a annoying voice or says thing that are annoying, who knows, he may even be gay, a lesbian and a gay, that would be intresting to see in a Final Fantasy game.

Xendran · Feb 7, 2008

Alpha Sonix said: ↑

http://www.forever-fantasy.net/

Well now we know we know Lightning will be a muscular female and the protogonist might have a annoying voice or says thing that are annoying, who knows, he may even be gay, a lesbian and a gay, that would be intresting to see in a Final Fantasy game.
Click to expand...

yeah, when i saw "when you hear him speak" i was thinking, it would be kindof cool, if he was gay, but still kicked ass.

exile0025 · Feb 7, 2008

i cant believe i never notice the names

Xendran · Feb 7, 2008

exile0025 said: ↑

i cant believe i never notice the names
Click to expand...

start noticing nao! D:<

xD

Hero Form · Feb 7, 2008

Xendran said: ↑

yeah, when i saw "when you hear him speak" i was thinking, it would be kindof cool, if he was gay, but still kicked ass.
Click to expand...

I can't believe that. Are you sure, Xen? That doesn't make much sense.

Hero Form · Feb 7, 2008

Xendran said: ↑

what doesnt make sense.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter.

Hero Form · Feb 7, 2008

Xendran said: ↑

altight, wahever.
Click to expand...

Good luck with becoming premium then, Xen. I can't play FFXIII cuz I don't have a PS3 anyway. XD.

Solid Snake · Feb 7, 2008

Dear God plz dont tell me he's gay

Hero Form · Feb 7, 2008

Solid Snake said: ↑

Dear God plz dont tell me he's gay
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the exact same thing right now.

no-reality_allowed · Feb 7, 2008

I hope the main character has a black voice and before each battle he says "GET CRUNK!"

>.>

<.<

I would so buy that game.

Hero Form · Feb 7, 2008

no-reality_allowed said: ↑

I hope the main character has a black voice and before each battle he says "GET CRUNK!"

>.>

<.<

I would so buy that game.
Click to expand...

That's freakin hilarious.

HOSPITAL STAT! · Feb 8, 2008

Solid Snake said: ↑

Dear God plz dont tell me he's gay
Click to expand...

Wait, I don't see how sexuality counts as a personality trait. |:

no-reality_allowed said: ↑

I hope the main character has a black voice and before each battle he says "GET CRUNK!"

>.>

<.<

I would so buy that game.
Click to expand...

I'm so quoting this. <333

Alpha Sonix · Feb 8, 2008

The Full interview has appeared translated by Blankchocobo at finalfantasy-xiii.net.

Lightning's muscles and such make an impression, don't they? She is muscular, but attractive.

Nomura: In drawing Lightning, the most essential thing was that she is a "cool character." You can't have a cool character without sex appeal.

What kind of "cool" is she?

Nomura: Serious, and unforgiving, yeah, she is a relentless character, isn't she? Maybe she is harsh on herself too, but she is not the type to coddle people. When she meets other people, she's not the kind who changes according to them, but instead you can see that she is a kind of individualistic person who gives off the image of someone who unswervingly follows the guidelines within herself.

Was that harshness more than was intended in the design?

Nomura: I was asked to make her strong and beautiful, but when I read the scenario, I thought "Is that all?" They were saying that she is a soldier, and her personality was certainly of one. She is not a "whiner." Actually, before we decided on the type we have for her now, there were a variety of different Lightnings. There were some by other staff members, too, and in the beginning, she didn't have the same image as she does now.

Like what, for example?

Nomura: She was Asian. The final Lightning is considerably more chiseled. Her eyes are more deeply set in than a typical heroine. Also, her cheekbones are more prominent than other female characters. In these ways, Lightning's design changed considerably. Other things are hidden, so you can't tell, but her legs are lean and her abdominal muscles are defined. Toriyama was particular about her having an athlete's body. However, if the heroine was too "macho," it would be difficult for players to associate emotionally with her, and so, while serving the director's intentions for her, I tried to make her a bit sweet. That intent appears in things like her hairstyle and hair color.

â€¦(stuff about Aya from Parasite Eve goes here)â€¦

Then, about the yet unnamed protagonist of Versus XIII, his outfit is temporary, isnâ€™t it?

Nomura: We intend to completely redo his design. The concept for him is that his hairstyle will give a different impression when viewed from the front than from the back. From the front, his hair is calm and tame, but from the back, it is quite intense and violent-looking. Because his design is temporary, weâ€™re having him face the back as much as possible, like on the cover. (Haha)

I see. There are a lot of things that are unclear, arenâ€™t there?

Nomura: The Versus protagonist is not a character with a Squall-like or Cloud-like personality like everyone is thinking now. He is a type that has not been seen in the generations of the series yet. For a long time now, I have wanted to try making a character like him, but I hesitated because he is a type of character that might fall close to â€œout of bounds.â€

Are you really that critical of him!?

Nomura: Yes. (Haha) There are probably people who dislike his type. Usually, protagonists do not have strong personalities to avoid having the personality interfere with the playerâ€™s empathy, and so very distinctive characters are relegated to side-roles, but not this time. He has a bit of an overabundance of p idiosyncrasy. I think that when he speaks, the impression of him will change considerably.

Will his voice be so high that weâ€™re surprised? (haha)

Nomura: (Haha) The concept for his voice has not yet been finalized. People who thought â€œThatâ€™s great!â€ to his current impression will probably think â€œWhat did they do!?â€ upon seeing him. So, as much as possible, please try not to hold any preconceptions about him! He is not the least bit a silent, gloomy little boy.

He can show an apathetic face to the world, but is he the type that can adjust and let his guard down?

Nomura: There is that type in reality, too, and there it depends on whether or not their friends accept them, doesnâ€™t it?

Will this be a story of male camaraderie, similar to Crisis Core?

Nomura: No, for instance, someone [important] dies, and you must take revenge, well it wonâ€™t be a soppy story like that. It will adopt a more general â€œroad movieâ€ (a specific type of journey genre, not a road trip movie. >__>; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_movie) sense. As to why I chose a story about men, well, for example, among school friends, when they go traveling, itâ€™s normal to see any combination of fellows in groups of all one gender. Thatâ€™s all. We can look back on when we were students, and remember enjoying horsing around with our peers with no particular aim in mind.

And a member of a royal family just happens to be one of their number?

Nomura: Thatâ€™s right. They have not banded together for any purpose or destiny. This lot, who are always horsing around find themselves at the heart of the story by chance. I wonder if one was a student, would one feel the story even more familiar? Of course, if one was an adult, they might feel nostalgic and enjoy remembering how they horsed around like that, I think. Talking about girls, for instance. In thinking about how to make it more familiar, it turned out this way. Next time we give information, we will reveal his name. It doesnâ€™t have much to do with anything else, though.

Weâ€™re looking forward to it. Will it be a name associated with the weather or the skies, following Cloud, Squall, Tidus, etc.?

Nomura: I thought â€œshould we stop with the weather names, already?â€ but the FFXIII team named heirs Lightning, and so Versus XIII will follow suit.

Lightningâ€™s name was quite a surprise, wasnâ€™t it?

Nomura: Lightningâ€™s name also surprised me, even though I was already familiar with her. If they started to use another name at this late date, I wouldnâ€™t be able to get used to it, though.
Click to expand...

http://finalfantasy-xiii.net/2008/02...-like-him.html

Looks like the Prince will have a gang of men, maybe no women party members (except possibly the rival if she dicides to join them).

HOSPITAL STAT! · Feb 8, 2008

What does "overabundance of p idiosyncrasy" mean? ...D:

Thanks for the heads up, Alpha.

Log in or Sign up

Square-Enix New Interview with Nomura

Alpha Sonix Why so asymmetrical?

Premium

Xendran Banned

exile0025 Gummi Ship Junkie

Xendran Banned

Hero Form Hollow Bastion Committee

Hero Form Hollow Bastion Committee

Hero Form Hollow Bastion Committee

Solid Snake Kept you waiting, huh?

Premium

Hero Form Hollow Bastion Committee

no-reality_allowed Â¢ℓαιяνσуαηт ℓσνєкιℓℓ

Hero Form Hollow Bastion Committee

HOSPITAL STAT! i knock tits

Alpha Sonix Why so asymmetrical?

Premium

HOSPITAL STAT! i knock tits