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Tetsuya Nomura was ordered to design Lightning’s new outfit like “a leather body suit” By Erren Van Duine on January 23, 2013 at 12:08 AM

If you’ve been wondering about the inspiration for Lightning’s new outfit in Lightning Returns, look no further.

Speaking in an interview with Famitsu this week, character designer Tetsuya Nomura shared a few bits and pieces regarding his involvement in the upcoming title. The basic order for the design was to create something fashioned after “a leather body suit.” The image for the arms was to be modeled off of a spinal column, however the sunglasses and shield were possibly designed by another person.

Other design news has come about for newly revealed character Lumina as well. Her design, as well as the design for Lightning’s other costumes, were created by Toshiyuki Itahana of Final Fantasy IX fame.

Most of the other information found within the magazine has already been extensively covered in our own hands-off preview, as well as our developer Q&A and final impressions.

Via: GameNyarth.

Posted in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.
  • http://twitter.com/AcolyteHalcyon Acolyte Halcyon

    …still looks weird though; but I can live with it, no big deal :)

  • Ehren Rivers

    Itahana, eh? Well, that’s interesting enough. Is this the same person that brought us Kuja, then? Because that instills in me a mighty fear.

  • Tenjyusei

    Ordered is such a harsh word. As an artist, having a PEG is just right to follow. It was still up to Nomura to interpret that leather body suit in the end.

    In any case, that inner leather body suit is the best thing he did for that costume. The cape and spine is just ridiculous.

    And I praise the one who did the shield, most awesome thing in that outfit.

  • Protosin

    Oh, and here I was thinking Nomura was just out to get revenge.

  • Hedge

    Ithana was also in charge of some of the XIII-2 DLC costumes. If he’s the one who made Serah’s white mage outfit AND if he’s the one who did Kuja.. then I really hope he has done more costumes for this game. His style is so quirky and unique. Really fitting for Luxerion. :)

    As for the fact that it might be another person who designed the sunglasses of Lightning – I hope so! They look really odd on her, and in general. Like those 1950′s glasses that makes everyone look like aliens, haha. The shield, however, looks wonderful, if maybe a bit big. Oh well, at least it’s not Caius’ Ragnarok! ;)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Priscilla-Tang/100000510298264 Priscilla Tang

    No love for Noel? Where’s his new costume?

  • Tenjyusei

    That shield is perfect hahaha!

  • http://twitter.com/Nova_Crystallis Nova Crystallis

    It’s the word used in the interview.

  • stevenm281

    For me, I love the sunglasses, altho they make her look slightly too much like a Batman wannabe, or Catwoman.

    What I really dont dig is the shield, way out of proportion, and dont fit with the elegant side of Lightning. It seems more made for a brute.

  • stevenm281

    this early in development, they probably are focusing on Lightning at the moment, and Lumina since she’s a new character, they probably didnt made the new outfits yet which is why we havent seen Snow, and etc.

  • stevenm281

    maybe harsh but probably is the truth.

  • juma086

    snow’s costume is done apparently. we just havent seen it yet.

  • stevenm281

    yes Nomura did say so, but nothing has been said about the others, they might get new costumes too, or not….

  • Murasame

    Lumina’s design reminds me a lot of Misa from Death Note. Anyone else? Regardless, I love it.

  • Tenjyusei

    Hmm yeah but it’s different how I read it as basically: “The order was to…” You know, like I when you order something that’s made-to-order . Hahaha! But it felt like a chop at the nape when you say he was ordered to do this like Nomura is shaking in a corner: “Ok ok please stahp ittt I will do it aaahh”. Ugh I’m not making any sense here.

    Anyway, well, whatever. It’s still his interpretation. Whether he were “ordered” to or not.

  • James

    I wouldn’t be surprised if no one else got new costumes. I think this new world is suppose to be stuck in time, with no progression, so I would understand the characters looking exactly the same as their FFXIII-2 duds.

    Then again, Snow is getting a new costume…

  • James

    Wow, I’m actually really proud of Famitsu here. They usually take any shot they can get to ask about a Versus update from Nomura.

    Unless he gave them the his “please be patient” catchphrase and they decded to omit it -_-

  • http://twitter.com/Nova_Crystallis Nova Crystallis

    No mention of Versus.

  • Murasame

    Oh, and Lightning’s default outfit is called “Equilibrium” if anyone wanted to know…it’s supposed to have balanced stats…kind of how Lightning was in the first game, I guess. An all-round character who could pretty much do anything.

  • Ehren Rivers

    Whoops. I didn’t catch this forever ago. Snow was in the Coliseum when time ended, so unless he left it very early in the 500 year gap between XIII-2 and Lightning Returns he would also have technically been outside of time.