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New Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV screens

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Kazuhira

Member
You really blew this out of proportion guys.
Is it that strange that there's more than one race in the XV universe? everyone has to be asian in this game?
King Regis,Gladiolus,Cor etc never looked asian and nobody ever gave a shit about it.
 

Inuhanyou

Believes Dragon Quest is a franchise managed by Sony
You really blew this out of proportion guys.
Is it that strange that there's more than one race in the XV universe? everyone has to be asian in this game?
King Regis,Gladiolus,Cor etc never looked asian and nobody ever gave a shit about it.

I don't think that's the problem and i think its getting a bit out of hand. The issue is that the style of FF protagonists is usually based on the artist's illustrations, usually with some sort of anime or japanese based flair, even in those designs intended to emulate western features.

So basing the characters off of real life western people complete with crew cuts and normal hair, and no real signs that a Japanese person even designed them is off putting to people who aren't used to that in Final Fantasy.

Comparing Advent Children's character design to something like Kingsglaive is very jarring
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
I don't think that's the problem and i think its getting a bit out of hand. The issue is that the style of FF protagonists is usually based on the artist's illustrations, usually with some sort of anime or japanese based flair, even in those designs intended to emulate western features.

So basing the characters off of real life western people complete with crew cuts and normal hair, and no real signs that a Japanese person even designed them is off putting to people who aren't used to that in Final Fantasy.

Comparing Advent Children's character design to something like Kingsglaive is very jarring
Someone in the other thread noticed that moreso than any recent FF design the way people in this look looks incredibly similar to the Amano designs. Besides the faces, these aren't very western designs at all. Especially with the battle gear There are a lot of unnecessary accessories which in things like this is the antithesis of core principles of many big studios which aim to make characters look as natural and believable as possible even when they're wearing super hero outfits or knight outfits. The battle outfits, (especially those strange feather wing things and the liberal use of purple), are the biggest giveaway of the origins. The only difference is that it doesn't look like yet another thing designed by Nomura. And that for many is a godsend.
 

Inuhanyou

Believes Dragon Quest is a franchise managed by Sony
Someone in the other thread noticed that moreso than any recent FF design the way people in this look looks incredibly similar to the Amano designs. Besides the faces, these aren't very western designs at all. Especially with the battle gear There are a lot of unnecessary accessories which in things like this is the antithesis of core principles of many big studios which aim to make characters look as natural as possible. The battle outfits are the biggest giveaway of the origins.

Eh, besides a few extra buckles and belts on his outfit, i keep thinking Nyx could be any western protagonist in Asscreed in a very flamboyant outfit.

These guys literally look nothing like amano designs which are super Japanese and whispy

latest

Again i don't see how the actual character models look anything like something Amano would draw, do you have any examples?
 

Balls

Banned

First comment says it best.
Cire27
Brian Ashcraft
10/15/12 8:48am

I'm so tired of this same stupid argument when that article from 2010 that was linked already sums up the problem of comparing 'Japanese' and 'White' features for anime characters:

"As it turns out, that is an American opinion, not a Japanese one. The Japanese see anime characters as being Japanese. It is Americans who think they are white. Why? Because to them white is the Default Human Being.

If I draw a stick figure, most Americans will assume that it is a white man. Because to them that is the Default Human Being. For them to think it is a woman I have to add a dress or long hair; for Asian, I have to add slanted eyes; for black, I add kinky hair or brown skin. Etc.

The Other has to be marked. If there are no stereotyped markings of otherness, then white is assumed.

Americans apply this thinking to Japanese drawings. But to the Japanese the Default Human Being is Japanese! So they feel no need to make their characters “look Asian”. They just have to make them look like people and everyone in Japan will assume they are Japanese – no matter how improbable their physical appearance.

You see the same thing in America: After all, why do people think Marge Simpson is white? Look at her skin: it is yellow. Look at her hair: it is a blue Afro. But the Default Human Being thing is so strong that lacking other clear, stereotyped signs of being either black or Asian she defaults to white."
 

stupei

Member
Whitewashing is totally a thing. It's very possible these characters are more explicitly western looking as an attempt at "broader" appeal, which is an uncomfortable possibility with a lot of potential implications.

It's possible they are just trying to demonstrate variety and variance in the landscape of the larger world. It's possible they just wanted some of the characters to look recognizably like their performers. A lot of variables probably influenced decisions over the course of ten years.

Race is not the only differentiating factor between these sets of characters and their designs, so I would be hard pressed to consider it the only reason someone would prefer one design over another. That's a vast oversimplification. While it's true that the race of most anime characters is pretty obviously intended to be asian (Japanese specifically), there are other design factors that apply to the genre of anime that might be what someone is referring to when they say something is "too anime."

Of course, if they wanted to make their point and intention clear, they could and most likely should elaborate further. In most instances, however, I'm sure this refers to clothing and hair style.

So could people take things down a notch or three?
 

Ran rp

Member
i don't get the amano comparison either. the only thing reminiscent of amano's characters is the hair and dark around the eyes.
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
Eh, besides a few extra buckles and belts on his outfit, i keep thinking Nyx could be any western protagonist in Asscreed in a very flamboyant outfit.
AC is a perfect example of what i'm talking about. AC characters never have an out of place color or belt buckle. And half the cast are minorities, including an asian character. Nyx would look incredibly out of place. These are recent Ubisoft designs:

The common factor is looking like actual people. A trait Nyx shares, other than that, he looks like nothing anybody at the studio would design based on their portfolios.

These guys literally look nothing like amano designs which are super Japanese and whispy. Again i don't see how the actual character models look anything like something Amano would draw, do you have any examples?
Here's the comparison I agree with them. The mistake is like so many others making the mistake of treating characters that resemble art as a direct translation of 2d illustrations, (compared to actual character concept art including turnarounds and expression sheets). The hair especially is the biggest improvement both in style and how it fits the model. So again I'd love more designs like this in future FF games especially if they're gonna continue their "fantasy based on reality" schtick.

Whitewashing is totally a thing. It's very possible these characters are more explicitly western looking as an attempt at "broader" appeal, which is an uncomfortable possibility with a lot of potential implications.

It's possible they are just trying to demonstrate variety and variance in the landscape of the larger world. It's possible they just wanted some of the characters to look recognizably like their performers. A lot of variables probably influenced decisions over the course of ten years.

Race is not the only differentiating factor between these sets of characters and their designs, so I would be hard pressed to consider it the only reason someone would prefer one design over another. That's a vast oversimplification. While it's true that the race of most anime characters is pretty obviously intended to be asian (Japanese specifically), there are other design factors that apply to the genre of anime that might be what someone is referring to when they say something is "too anime."

Of course, if they wanted to make their point and intention clear, they could and most likely should elaborate further. In most instances, however, I'm sure this refers to clothing and hair style.

So could people take things down a notch or three?
Part of the issue was that nobody denied that whitewashing existed in media. I'd find more logical explanations for the characters looking the way they do, (not looking out of place compared to the aesthetic for one). And yes, "too anime" in the vast majority of cases is referring to the hair style and clothing, not the vague race of the character. Hence people saying they look like a boy band in comparison to Kingsglaive. These are things that should be incredibly obvious considering we're on the most liberal gaming forum but somehow it turned into that shitshow.
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
PSY・S;205126483 said:
we've already seen amano's style in 3D tho. luna doesn't really fit.

deva-zan.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv4SvGn2bX0
That's much more a direct translation via cel shading. I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised if VW/Digic looked at some Amano work while producing the film. Ofc the goal was always photorealism. Still a huge fan of the way Luna looks, incredibly refreshing in a FF title to see a character actually look tired.
 
]It's possible they are just trying to demonstrate variety and variance in the landscape of the larger world.[/B] It's possible they just wanted some of the characters to look recognizably like their performers. A lot of variables probably influenced decisions over the course of ten years.
I think this. In the recent slew of screenshots, there's actually a Black and Asian member of Kingsglaive.

0DmUbdt.jpg


I've mentioned that, sure, there ARE more White characters, but with these three, there's already some sort of cultural diversity existing in FFXV's world(more so if had the world been completely Asian/Anime-like). I just say, I HOPE this kind of diversity carries over into the game itself. I want to see some Black NPCs walking around, EXISTING in the world. Hell, something more than White or Japanese Asian, especially considering there's a lot of Malaysian programmers working on the title.
 
I think this. In the recent slew of screenshots, there's actually a Black and Asian member of Kingsglaive.

0DmUbdt.jpg


I've mentioned that, sure, there ARE more White characters, but with these three, there's already some sort of cultural diversity existing in FFXV's world(more so if had the world been completely Asian/Anime-like). I just say, I HOPE this kind of diversity carries over into the game itself. I want to see some Black NPCs walking around, EXISTING in the world. Hell, something more than White or Japanese Asian, especially considering there's a lot of Malaysian programmers working on the title.

I fully expect these two to die and for all non euroasian NPCs to have no speaking lines, or to be cringey stereotypes. FFX was the last time the mainline series showed any serious aesthetic/racial/real level of diversity in its characters.
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
I think this. In the recent slew of screenshots, there's actually a Black and Asian member of Kingsglaive.

0DmUbdt.jpg


I've mentioned that, sure, there ARE more White characters, but with these three, there's already some sort of cultural diversity existing in FFXV's world(more so if had the world been completely Asian/Anime-like). I just say, I HOPE this kind of diversity carries over into the game itself. I want to see some Black NPCs walking around, EXISTING in the world. Hell, something more than White or Japanese Asian, especially considering there's a lot of Malaysian programmers working on the title.
Really big disparity between that guy, who's likely based off of an actual person, and Noctis and his crew. Pretty sure the whole point is that the majority of the cast is fucked considering the Insomnia invasion will most likely be successful and used as motivation for Noctis to go on a journey and "reclaim his throne."
 

Meliora

Member
I really like how weird Luna looks, she looks weird in a good and pretty way if that makes sense, not just boring beautiful, but interesting.
 

Brentonp

Member
Yes, the characters are built around their English voice actors. Even still, the lip syncing still looks weird even in with the English dub.

I noticed this, too. For Ardyn, it seems kinda off and strange in the newest trailer. But for that soilder talking to Nyx in the next scene, it looked just about perfect.
 
Wow this is amazing! I can't believe I hadn't heard about this move until now. I'm definitely watching this!

I can't believe this is CGI, this is mind-blowing!
 

Garuroh

Member
I think this. In the recent slew of screenshots, there's actually a Black and Asian member of Kingsglaive.

0DmUbdt.jpg


I've mentioned that, sure, there ARE more White characters, but with these three, there's already some sort of cultural diversity existing in FFXV's world(more so if had the world been completely Asian/Anime-like). I just say, I HOPE this kind of diversity carries over into the game itself. I want to see some Black NPCs walking around, EXISTING in the world. Hell, something more than White or Japanese Asian, especially considering there's a lot of Malaysian programmers working on the title.

Two minor characters? Racism is over guys!
 
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