Alright, normally I’d have post a rebuttal over my personal and not clogging my art blog over little things like this, but I want to make one thing clear with you guys– the FE fandom– in general, as this as crossed the line when it comes to giving feedback on the series’ new direction.
While admittedly, FE14 designs lack the practicality: most of the female cast has some way of skin-showing, or armour lack of movement. For more general speaking, almost all of FE13/14 design are impractical for actual war. But that’s a stylistic choice they made decided for the game’s world since it sets in a fantasy setting.
Putting that aside, as I couldn’t disagree any less for the lack of practicality, knowing myself one of those who likes well equipped, full armour set and all; I’d have to call out and address about you referring Kozaki Yusuke as “horny dudes who draw with their dicks.” (bolded by me)
First off, dick can’t draw. Stick it in the paint and splat over canvas, it still can’t whip up a drawing like the concept and official art we have now.
Second, and more importantly, do not refer the artist as such. Do not call Kozaki, or any other artist, as such. That’s really insulting when you don’t know anything about Kozaki besides the fact they worked for Nintendo, under Intelligence System team, for FE13/14. For the one who brought you your (beloved) Awakening characters, and the game that you have now, this is not a good way to respond to the concept artist who worked hard for it.
Do you even know how hard it is to be a concept artist? Let me show you. This is Hidari’s work– the current artist for Atelier series. This is how many concept sketches they have to do for the character Escha, before they finalized it. And that’s what they only showed in the artbook, there might have been more sketches that they weeded out for the book’s aesthetic aspect. And with that, multiply by the number of cast in one game, let alone, 3 games in a row, you could only imagine how much they have to draw.
For more example, this is Ludger Will Kresnik from Tales of Xillia 2, the character who has been built up the same way.
Now back to FE. FE is a game that has a lot of character, for both the player and the enemy/NPC. With FE:If, there’s more for Kozaki to work since there’s to side. So you need to think about the process Kozaki has to go through to design the all the important characters. And it looks like he’s also the one who designed the NPC classes for consistency as well. So that’s a lot of hard work they have to put in for one game. But here you call them “horny dudes who draw with their dicks“– it’s like you don’t appreciate the hard work they put in and just straight on bashing on the finalized work. Disregarded of how many designs that has been scrapped that we don’t know.
If you look at Kozaki and their works, example I gathered here, here, here and here. Hell even if you look up Google yourself, you can see their work is outstanding. And keep in mind, Kozaki Yusuke isn’t some 13 years old on DevientArt, Kozaki Yusuke is an artist– an illustrator. They know what they’re doing. They’re more than capable to pull off a whole game of practical armour and designs if they need to, like FE9/10 illustrator themselves.
But have you taken into account about they have to go along with the development team and not all designs are passed at first glance like the examples on top? No? Good, because then you realize you need to take back your words. Kozaki is the illustrator but that doesn’t mean they have the final say. They have to take the inputs of others in their team. They have to cut and add things to their work that they don’t originally intended (or not even enjoy doing so- I know that myself)
Here comes the “But they’re females! Can’t they tweak it better?!?!?!”
–The thing is, Kozaki designs on “class-based” not “individual appearance” like other FE arts. Each class has a set appearance already and they have to design from said elements. I’d say to keep the consistency as well when they class change and switch model (sticking in the head- by the influence of the second seal)
So even if Kozaki wants to add or subtract some things, they probably can’t for the sake of the team. That would mean doubling the work. But that would also explain why Charlotte, the character everyone hates so much, is so exposed– since she looks like what her class is, a warrior, like Vaike. I will keep it short here and won’t go into the debate of Rinka vs. Charlotte.
Bottom line is, do not talk trash of the illustrator, who’s more than capable of doing the things “we could have”. They have already put enough hard work into the game themselves more than what you see. So it’s disrespectful to assume them like what you said on top.
More so when you can’t draw shit yourself.
This honestly goes for all members in FE fandom, because right after Awakening, there has been a lot of entitled cases who talk and whine when they know nothing. Being salty is a shitty excuse for disrespecting the developers. You can question why they make things as they are, you can criticize how the designs look, or how character profile is written. And while in the aspect of critiques itself, there’s a difference between constructive criticism and just simple bitching over something.
But in the end, you do not have any rights to assume and put in your inference about someone like this. That is a blatant insult, not criticism.
FE fandom needs to learn and grow the fuck up about this.
