Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Art Director Interview Sheds Light On Developmental History & Remastered Efforts

Square Enix Blog recently conducted an interview with Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster art director Kazuko Shibuya, who provided insight regarding her work with the company and the process for the remastered pixel artwork.

The majority of this interview comprises Shibuya’s memories about first working on Final Fantasy and her efforts for the first 6 mainline games. She played an unprecedented role in making each of those classics come to life.

When asked about how she manages to create such expressive pixel artwork, Shibuya stated the following:

First, I look at the illustration, grasp the characteristics, and then think about how I can effectively leverage them.

At that point, the pixel art is finalized in my mind, so I start placing the pixels one by one, heading towards the finalized image.

One of her favorite Final Fantasy characters is Kefka, as she accurately depicted his childish and cruel persona through her artwork.

Another response worth sharing is Shibuya’s thoughts on how pixel art has stood the test of time so firmly:

Unlike the latest computer graphics, which feel more “distant,” as something presented one-sidedly for your viewing pleasure, I believe the appeal of pixel art is that it feels familiar and close to you, like something you would be able to draw yourself.

After all, the first step in creating a pixel art is simply placing a single dot.

You can view the entirety of the interview for yourself on Square Enix’s official website.

If you missed it, check out our review of Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster’s PC release. Every Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster entry is now available on PC via Steam and mobile devices.