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Yusuke Naora (FFVII/VIII/X/XV art director) has resigned from Square Enix
- Thread starter qualitydisc
- Start date
So the best part of FF, got it.
Spieler Eins
Member
Oh, right, I forgot. The worlds were good. So the characters will remain trash, I guess.
He was the art director for the world setting and environment designs, not for the character designs. Funnily Old Noctis' design was made by Naora and it's absolutely not J-Pop:
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[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/fFr0t7F.jpg[/IMG]FF games are huge so they get lots of random books before and after release. I think I have the pre-release hype books for FFVIII, FFIX, and FFXII. They're not really comprehensive artbooks or anything, those are reserved for the post-release books like the Ultimanias and Complete Visual Guides. These are magazine sized promotional stuff with creator interviews, and a mix of designs and screenshots of various stuff, usually from earlier in the game.
FantasticMrSnake
Member
this and done.
That slide is from Naora's SMU lecture from last year where the release date wasn't revealed yet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E63MciSH_-E
So you like repeating things other people say which aren't true to show your ignorance on a subject?
this and done.
NinjaCoachZ
Member
Oh man, this puts things in perspective for me.
Dude will be missed for sure. Wish him all the best.
Also interesting is his early concept art for the original version of FFX called "Seventeen":
The reason FFX is so grim compared to previous FFs is because the project started out as an original concept, titled "Seventeen: Angelic Impact X Devil's Shock" and unrelated to the FF series. It was conceived by Yusuke Naora, the art director.
When the project became FFX they toned down the heavy Moebius influence and integrated Sakaguchi's Gaia philosophy in the world setting, but the story is still very different than anything they did before in the series.
Yusuke Naora's early concept art for Final Fantasy X was very Moebius-like:
vainglorious
Member
Disagreement with FF7R development? :O Dun dun dun
He was in part responsible for giving the PS1 FFs that otherworldly atmosphere. I'm looking forward to his next work. Perhaps now that he isn't tied to Square-Enix anymore we'll see him working with Mistwalker some time in the future? I'd love to see a new console RPG with Sakaguchi, Uematsu and Naora on board.
MagnaderAlpha
Member
Always loved how he drew inspiration form Jean Giraud for some of those concept arts. Even the one where the guy has his sword out and he is fighting that giant purple thing with the tree on its back givens me some 70s/80s fantasy artwork vibe(like taking Frazetta and injecting it with "bizarre fantasy"). I love what FFX became, but also would've loved to see something like this concept art. Maybe it was too out of the box and strange? I don't know, I like strange.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
So he was more of a background artist and responsible for the visual themes and tones? A big deal and a big loss.
Thanks for the replies.
NinjaCoachZ
Member
Whoa, I think I'd vaguely heard about Seventeen before (mainly for those proto-Tidus and Auron designs), but most of this artwork is new to me.
This is really cool stuff. Kind of reminds me of Panzer Dragoon's artwork. You can tell this early stuff, while different, really shaped the tone of the final product.
Hehe, coincidentally the second post was from a string of posts where Diipu and I were phantasizing about a Giraud/Moebius-inspired FF and I also posted some of the Panzer Dragoon art in that style, which I find really cool:
Moebius:
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[IMG]http://www.artfutura.org/02/imagenes/moebius04_big.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/1/60195/2977107/moebius-09.gif[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.dm.unipi.it/cluster-pages/alberti/files/autori/Moebius/Moebius-Metreon-2.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/1/60195/2977107/MoebiusLevitation.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/mcKHuhU.png[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/8F2NzGu.png[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.dm.unipi.it/cluster-pages/alberti/files/autori/Moebius/Moebius-GrandsAncetres.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.dm.unipi.it/cluster-pages/alberti/files/autori/Moebius/Moebius-Hendrix.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.dm.unipi.it/cluster-pages/alberti/files/autori/Moebius/Moebius-LosAngeles.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.williamstout.com/news/journal/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/arzak.jpg[/IMG]Panzer Dragoon Saga:
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[IMG]http://panzerdragoonlegacy.com/system/pictures/1464/embedded/panzer-dragoon-saga-cd-change-screen-1.jpg?1462885995[/IMG]
[IMG]http://panzerdragoonlegacy.com/system/pictures/1465/embedded/panzer-dragoon-saga-cd-change-screen-2.jpg?1462885996[/IMG]
[IMG]http://panzerdragoonlegacy.com/system/pictures/1470/embedded/panzer-dragoon-saga-end-result-screen-3.jpg?1462885999[/IMG]
[IMG]http://panzerdragoonlegacy.com/system/pictures/1081/embedded/grig-orig-02.jpg?1462885641[/IMG]He's been huge in the development on the series over the last 20 years. I wish him the best. Being a freelance artist in the countryside might be just what he needs at this point in his life.
Overall, I think it is good for the series to get new blood working on it. It's a shame we didn't get to see more mainline entries with him leading the art direction, but I also look forward to seeing what newer artists bring to the series in the future.
I'm excited to play XV but I'm also dying to move on to what's next.
Overall, I think it is good for the series to get new blood working on it. It's a shame we didn't get to see more mainline entries with him leading the art direction, but I also look forward to seeing what newer artists bring to the series in the future.
I'm excited to play XV but I'm also dying to move on to what's next.
I seriously think people are mixing up character design with world design, which was the main concern of art directors like Naora and has always been stellar. I'm curious, what about FFVI, FFVII, FFVIII, and FFX don't you like?
D
Deleted member 20920
Unconfirmed Member
So you only liked Final Fantasy V and before? Maybe XII?
https://twitter.com/NaoraYusuke/status/782238605712297986
In case anyone was worrying, he's saying he will continue designs and do illustrations for SE.
In case anyone was worrying, he's saying he will continue designs and do illustrations for SE.
It's probably not right to throw VI in with the rest because he had a different role in them, as to the games he was Art Director they're lacking in the classical fantasy stylings that some people like, not that I agree with them.
X is a bit of a stand out but VII, VIII, XIII, Type-Zero and XV all have a similar near-future aesthetic.
Go_Ly_Dow
Member
Great news!
Although I hope now he works by his own terms and not the companies. The guy has earned his rest and then some.
Wow. Dude is one of the most talented and key people of FF. easily my favourite art director in Videogames.
Glad he's still contributing but hopeful someone else gives him the opportunity to do what he wants while not being constrained to crazy S-E politics
Glad he's still contributing but hopeful someone else gives him the opportunity to do what he wants while not being constrained to crazy S-E politics
this is the dumbest post
I'm imagining he will join one of those cash rich studios like CyGames where he gets a fancy title, a big paycheck, notable influence on his own games, and can seemingly still do contract work on whatever he feels like.
Spiritwalker
Member
IX had the best art direction imo, but VII, VIII and X looked amazing too. Wish him the best of luck.
Whompa02
Member
24 years is a good reason I'd say.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Getting a game that LOOKS like his key art would be a delight, true. Here's to hoping.
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
Wish him the best for his future.
I see, i see. Thank you very much about clarifying that distinction, just so you know, i really appreciate it.
It does sound like a very significant loss the more i hear about it. Just as important as one of the more well known character designers leaving the company. I guess his work on FF15 was fully done, so no reason to stick around,and he wanted to go and do new things anyway.
Best of luck to him.
It seems like some people just throw everything at the wall at 500MPH will no regard to how it comes out.
There's not even context for your statement. Which characters will remain trash that Nomura actually created over just character designs, and which ones did you dislike over the last 20 years that made you paint them with such broad generalizations?
I think people consistently mix up/undervalue Naora's contributions to the games he's worked on. His style was all over FFVII, FFVIII, FFX. Visually, it feels like he was the biggest proponent to those game's successes. Especially FFVIII and FFX, the latter of which had some amazing concepts all thanks to Naora.
Word. Only in the last few years I realized how big his creative impact has been on the series' signature look post-FFVI. Based Naora.
Time for Yuki Matsuzawa to shine now. Give him his first mainline FF as Art Director, SE
EDIT: Okay, technically he is already one of the 3 (?) Lead Art/Art Directors on FFXV, but I mean for a new FF with his lead vision.
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Cindi Mayweather
Member
This saddens me. What a talent.
DarkLordMalik
Member
Yes, he is also good
rackham
Banned
FFVI was the last one with art I liked. The worlds of VII and VIII were pretty cool but everything else has been pretty bad imo.
I'm not even one of those people that loves VII.
MagnaderAlpha
Member
What would annoy me is how people who know little about the FF series tend to give ALL artistic credit to Nomura for those games(Nomura's just a part of it). Yeah, Naora's "look" shaped the look of modern FF, though given he was an environment artist for FFVI, it even shaped that one too!
Earthpainting
Member
Looks like I finally figured out who in Square Enix was obsessed with white circles, random pillars and golden doilies. Curious to see what he'll do next.
That was from March 2015.
KingdomHeartsFan
Member
Wish him all the best.
YankeeDonB
Member
Truth - Naora is awesome, but Matsuzawa may be my favorite at SE currently.
Stalactite
Member
Along with the soundtrack, his art direction pulled me into FF8's world, and I'm very thankful for it. Balamb, the Gardens, Winhill, Esthar, Fisherman's Horizon, Deling City, Timber, and of course Ultimecia's Castle... really, too many to mention, all amazing.
I wish him the best wherever the future takes him.
I wish him the best wherever the future takes him.