Toshiyuki Itahana, the visionary artist behind the iconic character designs of Final Fantasy IX, has officially ended his thirty-year tenure at Square Enix. The recent year was massive for the designers, which marked the 25th anniversary of the 2000 celebrated PlayStation classic. With the anniversary artwork completed, he took the transition to write his final chapter that was lost to us. This transition was natural for him, having done so much. There was a sense of fulfillment, he felt a strong sentiment that it was now time for another fresh start.
Though he made his mark painting the whimsical, specifically storybook charm for the ninth main installment, Itahana literally wrote the story of the Final Fantasy Franchise. He had rendered his art right from the SquareSoft days on the Crystal Chronicles series to Final Fantasy XI, and on toward Final Fantasy XIV. The Final Fantasy XIII spinoff trilogy was also amenable for said recognition, including other core and band-supported software titles-a plus to show versatility and interrelation between the series’ nurtured roots and exploring modernity.
It is also interesting, though, that this departure corresponds to another hot topic- the upcoming fate of the “IX” brand in the world of Final Fantasy. Ever since an outbreak of leaks bubbled out in 2021 out of Nvidia’s wrongful leak of the facts, kinshp between this identity and the exciting project of a complete rebuild remain all but reasonably reversible. This recent development would have a stark contrast when he leaves a taxing issue on whether he would be virtually or only hypothetically involved in anything related to IX in the future, though Itahana’s words hint with a nearly ominous tone that he is certainly alive while hanging around in this industry as an independent illustrator and designer full-stop.
He concluded by thanking fans and his colleagues who had shared the journey with him for three decades. His resignation from Square Enix means that another part of the “Golden Era” now belongs to history. His new life as a freelancer might leave us at his sudden return to someday awe us all with the amazing art for which we all used to love him while at Square.
