A two-part interview with legendary Final Fantasy alumni Koichi Ishii and Yoshitaka Amano, which focuses on Final Fantasy XI, has been published on the WE ARE VANA’DIEL website. For those who don’t know, Koichi Ishii has done everything from direct iconic Square Enix games (Various Mana titles, Final Fantasy XI) to produce games like Ocarina of Time 3D. Meanwhile, Yoshitaka Amano is the man behind many of the iconic illustrations that have defined Final Fantasy for years, a few of which you can find below.
Both legends sat down to discuss the process of working on various Final Fantasy titles, with an emphasis on the smash-hit MMORPG Final Fantasy XI. Though there are a lot of great insights and quotes in the article, Ishii-san’s appreciation for Final Fantasy XI‘s players is particularly moving:
“Thank you very much for taking such good care of FFXI. Considering how far things have come, all that comes to mind is a simple “thank you.” I simply couldn’t thank you enough to express the gratitude I feel. Recently, in various situations, I’ve come to realize just how fortunate I am to be in a situation where I can express my thanks. I sincerely hope that, with your memories of the game as its players, FFXI’s world will continue on as one that overflows with new feelings of compassion.“
