Earlier this month, I climbed up a dark staircase in NYC to an unlabeled art gallery holding an exhibition byFinal Fantasyartist Yoshitaka Amano. The space was small and barren, devoid of decoration except for the artwork hanging on the otherwise blank walls. Despite its hidden nature, there was still a steady stream of about a dozen people at a time, young and old, who had come to see the art of one of the most influential artists in video game history.
Admittedly, the art featured in this exhibit (hosted at theLomex Gallery) wasn’t focused on Amano’sFinal Fantasywork but on his 2013 seriesApocalypse, described in his own words as “paintings of salvation.” But it was hard to avoid the nostalgic feeling evoked by the instantly recognizable art style that’s been the face of theFFseries since the first title. By the time I walked away from this relatively small exhibit, I was more sure than ever thatFinal Fantasyas we know it today wouldn’t exist without Yoshitaka Amano.
Yoshitaka Amano’s Iconic Art Defined The Final Fantasy Franchise
Amano’s Art Style Is Unmistakable And Nostalgic For FF Fans
When Square (now known as Square Enix) first approached Amano,he was already an established manga and animation illustrator. The artist had been working on classic titles like the long-running mangaVampire Hunter Dand the popular Japanese animeTime Bokan. He had also already dabbled in the world of video games, producing cover art and character designs for a video game series calledFirst Queenfor the lesser-known Kure Software Koubou.
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Following his start with Square,Amano also began exhibiting his work in galleries and working on stage sets.The video game series earned him international acclaimand made Amano a household name amongFinal Fantasyfans, but it’s worth noting that he was a successful artist in his own right. In other words,Final Fantasydid not define the artist, who was doing quite well even without it, but the artist certainly definedFinal Fantasy.
Final Fantasydid not define the artist, who was doing quite well even without it, but the artist certainly definedFinal Fantasy.
Any trueFinal Fantasyfan can likely picture thedistinct artwork that graced the promotional materials and concept artwork of the iconic series.Amano’s art style mixes a unique blend of flowing lines with the suggestion of form, with well-defined areas of detail on what, I discovered, is not generally a very large space. From far away, his paintings feel ethereal and dreamlike, but stepping closer to the artwork reveals an incredible amount of detail.
It’s a style that’s absolutely unmistakable. Even though the paintings in the exhibit weren’t focused onFinal Fantasy,Amano’s style is so much a part of the franchisethat it’s impossible to look at his art and not be transported back to a time when a few pixels could be imagined to be the fantasticcreatures and characters created by Amano.
Amano’s Influence Can Still Be Seen In Recent Final Fantasy Titles
His Monster Designs Are Still Used In The Modern Games
Although the majority of the exhibit was focused on a different series of artworks unrelated toFinal Fantasy,there was one piece of art from the games on display. In a room of Sumi-e-inspired paintings made on traditional Japanese washi paper, the piece titledUniversestood out as something entirely different. This nearly8- by 16-foot artwork from 2002 was painted with automotive paint on aluminum, and it was the onlyFinal Fantasywork in the gallery.
The art is packed with characters and monsters from the first fewFinal Fantasygames, and a closer examination reveals many familiar faces. Among the many characters depicted in the painting are a multiple-eyed Marlboro, an extremely judgmental Coeurl, several goofy Flan, a floating Ahriman, and many others.These monsters would be recognizable even to the newestFinal Fantasyfans,even though the artwork was done in 2002 because they all still appear in the titles to this day.
Although Amano was responsible for the artwork and design of many of theFinal Fantasymonsters and characters, he did not create them on his own. Character design was a joint effort, and it’s alsoworth celebrating the other designers who made the first title happen: the incredible pixel work of Kazuko Shibuya, as well as game designers Hiromichi Tanaka, Akitoshi Kawazu, Koichi Ishii, Tetsuya Nomura, and everyone else involved in the creation of the first game.
Yoshitaka Amano didn’t just work on promotional or box art images for the original games. The artist played a hand in the concept and design of many of theFinal Fantasycharacters and monsters that still exist in the games to this day. Although they’ve been through several iterations and some look quite different from when they were originally created,Amano is behind countless designs that are now staples of the series,from the iconic summons that are still part of everyFinal Fantasytitle to a far less cuddly version of the Chocobo forFinal Fantasy 3.
Final Fantasy Would Not Be The Same Without Amano
The Artist Shaped The Video Game Into What It Is Today
Over the years, Yoshitaka Amano has become less and less involved with theFinal Fantasyfranchise, as many industry veterans likeYoshi-P step down from their roles. After working as the lead character, art, and title designer of the first six games in the series, Amano’s contributions werereduced mostly to making promotional artwork and title designs for the subsequent games.
Although new characters and monsters are no longer designed and illustrated by Amano, the artist’s work still graces the title of every newFinal Fantasy,as well as additional art like the recentMagic the GatheringxFinal Fantasycrossover. Despite no longer being the lead designer ofFinal Fantasy,Amano’s influence can still be seen in every singleFinal Fantasytitle.
As I walked through the exhibit, I couldn’t help but see the game in every painting. This is not to say that Amano’s work all stems from his art for the game, but rather quite the opposite: TheFinal Fantasygames, from the designs of their monsters to the very first artwork that you see on the title, will forever be linked to Amano’s work.
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Over 35 years after the firstFinal Fantasytitle marked the beginning of a legendary franchise, Yoshitaka Amano’s work still holds the same emotive power over me as it did the first time I ever saw it. The franchise might have lost Amano as a lead designer, but it has continued to produce unique and gorgeous art with the helpof amazing artists like Kazuya Takahashi, Isamu Kamikokuryo, Akihiko Yoshida, and many others.
“You are my inspiration. You saved my soul.”
Still, Amano was among the talented and creative people who formed the small idea for a fantasy game into the beloved behemoth it is today.Final Fantasywould just not be the same game if it weren’t for Yoshitaka Amano’s striking artworks and designs.He left as much of a mark as the games did, captivating fans' imaginations with his ethereal style.
As I prepared to exit the gallery, I spotted a guest book full of people thanking Amano for his work on theFinal Fantasygames, and one entry encapsulates the way the artist has touched people’s hearts. It reads: “You are my inspiration. You saved my soul.”
