Akihiko Yoshida
Akihiko Yoshida | |
|---|---|
Cát điền minh ngạn | |
| Born | February 15, 1967 |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Occupation | Video game artist |
| Employer | CyDesignation |
| Notable work | |
Akihiko Yoshida(Cát điền minh ngạn,Yoshida Akihiko,born 15 February 1967)is a Japanesevideo game artist.Yoshida was born in 1967 and joinedSquarein 1995, before the company merged withEnix.He then leftSquare Enixin September 2013 and became freelance. In October 2014, he became the company director of CyDesignation, a subsidiary ofCygames.[1] He is well known for his work on theFinal Fantasyseries.[2]He is a frequent collaborator of game designerYasumi Matsuno.[3]
Biography
[edit]In 1995, Yoshida joined Square and with each project he took on, he experimented with different styles of graphic design.[2][4]He has compared his use of color to that ofKingdom Heartscharacter designerTetsuya Nomura,and the keeping of color consistent between the characters and the game world.[5]
For the gameTactics Ogre,pencil etchings and CG coloration were used together for the first time.[4]Yoshida considers the tone and style of the game to be the "ideal" art style and thus within his comfort zone.[4]The originaltarotcard illustrations for the game were done fordot graphics,and reflected a limited color index.[4]When remade for thePlayStation Portable,some staff wanted to use the original illustrations, but Yoshida requested to redraw the illustrations with more detail and color than was possible or required previously.[4]
In designing the character ofVaanforFinal Fantasy XII,initially the character was "rugged" and "tough", but after considering the demographics of the games audience, the character was made younger and thinner.[5]Once the actorsmotion capturedand voice actor Kohei Takeda did the part, the character became slightly lesseffeminatethan was originally designed.[5] Yoshida set out to create a cast of characters who looked unlike any previousFinal Fantasycast.[6]He also stated that the character reflected what Japanese audiences want, but that they try to design characters everyone likes.[6]
In addition to his work in video games, Yoshida designed the original characters for the 2018 directorial debut film of screenwriterMari OkadaentitledMaquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms. [7]
Reception
[edit]He has been cited as a "fantastic" artist byKotaku,and his work onVagrant StoryandFinal Fantasy XIIwas called "brilliant" and "refined" byIGN.[2][3][8]
Works
[edit]- Zeliard(1987): Graphic design
- Faria: A World of Mystery and Danger(1989): Graphic design
- Musashi no Bouken(1991): Graphic design
- Ogre Battle(1993): Character design, tarot card design
- Philip & Marlowe in Bloomland(1994[a]): Graphic design (uncredited)
- Tactics Ogre(1995): Background art director, character design
- Final Fantasy Tactics(1997): Background art director, character design
- Vagrant Story(2000): Background art director, character design
- Wild Card(2001): Main visual
- Final Fantasy Tactics Advance(2003): Artistic supervisor
- Final Fantasy XII(2006): Background art supervisor, main character design
- Final Fantasy III(Nintendo DS)(2006): Character design
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions(2007): Background art director, character design
- Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift(2007): Artistic supervisor
- Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System(2007): Background art supervisor, main character design
- Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light(2009): Character design
- Final Fantasy XIV(2010): Art director, main character design
- Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together(2010):Character design
- Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy(2011)): Special thanks
- Bravely Default: Flying Fairy(2012): Main character design
- Bravely Default: Praying Brage(2012): Main character design
- Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn(2013): Lead artist, main character design
- Knights of Glory(2013): Main character design
- Battle Champs(2015): Main character design
- Bravely Second: End Layer(2015): Main character design
- Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward(2015): Main character design
- Nier: Automata(2017): Main character design
- Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood(2017): Main character design
- Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age(2017): Promotional illustrator, main character design
- Lost Order(2017): Art director
- Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms(2018): Original character design
- Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers(2019): Main character design
- Nier Reincarnation(2021): Main character design
- Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139...(2021): Character illustration
- Little Noah: Scion of Paradise(2022): Character design
- Nier Automata ver1.1a(2023): Original character design
Notes
[edit]- ^Uncredited. Released in Japan asTaiyou no Tenshi Marlow: Ohanabatake wa Dai-Panic;an unreleased English prototype from 1991 crediting Quest staff, including Yoshida, was discovered in 2020.
References
[edit]- ^Thomas James (2 October 2014)."Final Fantasy designer appointed CyDesignation company director".Gematsu.
- ^abcIGN staff (18 July 2006)."Top 10 Tuesday: Best Art in Videogames".IGN.Retrieved4 May2010.
- ^abDavid Zdyrko (22 May 2000)."Vagrant Story review".IGN.Retrieved18 July2006.
- ^abcdeJeremy Parish (30 December 2010)."Walister Arts: An Interview With Tactics Ogre Art Team".1UP.Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved27 February2013.
- ^abcIGN Staff (20 November 2003)."Final Fantasy XII Q&A".IGN.Retrieved27 February2013.
- ^abBenjamin Turner (11 May 2006)."A Chat with the Final Fantasy XII Team".GameSpy.Retrieved27 February2013.
- ^Anime News Network Staff (18 August 2020)."Akihiko Yoshida".Anime News Network.Retrieved18 August2020.
- ^Luke Plunkett (6 July 2011)."The Fantastic Character Art of Akihiko Yoshida".Kotaku.Archived fromthe originalon 11 April 2013.Retrieved27 February2013.
