Fates Art Style...

[Camus The Dark Knight]

I am going to get some hate I am sure, but am I the only one who thinks the art style has been getting worse since Radiant Dawn? It's gotten darker and more dreary and more over the top (Minus FE4s hair styles) since then it feels like, and I am not fond of it.

Again all opinion, but I can't be the only one who feels that way.

[Hatsuoki]

I personally like Kozaki's style a lot but I do think Senri's style is more suited to FE. Still, I kind of hope they change it up for the next one and maybe go back to less otaku pandering in design (I also don't know who actually designs the characters though).

[nyainou]

I personally like Kozaki's style a lot but I do think Senri's style is more suited to FE. Still, I kind of hope they change it up for the next one and maybe go back to less otaku pandering in design (I also don't know who actually designs the characters though).

Kozaki is the character designer, but I don't know who designs armor specifically. May also be Kozaki.

[December Knight]

Yes, you are the only person in this whole fandom to feel this way, I'm sure.

But really, there have been threads (both here and other places) that had this thought as well, so no you are not the only one. If it makes you feel any better, and if the other games are telling, then Yusuke Kozaki most likely won't be back for FE 15.

I personally don't see how the art style is any darker and dreary then the other games but that's me. In fact, I love Yusuke Kozaki's art style. I think it's nice to look at.

(Also, I'm so sorry if I came off as rude but I really don't think you are the only one to feel this way.)

Edited April 18, 2016 by December Knight

[twice]

I've liked all the art styles! (So far.)

Edited April 18, 2016 by Jin

[saisymbolic]

Senri Kita's was the best, in my opinion. I felt her art style best fit the fantasy medieval setting of FE with the pinnacle being Radiant Dawn. I drool at the thought of seeing her draw some of the current characters, such as Xander and Ryoma.

In my opinion, the art of the series started out bad then gradually got better with each installment, possibly stemming from the shift in how anime was drawn as well as how each individual artist of the series drew.

[Roflolxp54]

It's not much different than Awakening's though that's because of it having the same character designer. Overall, I like all of the art styles for the official video game artwork.

If you want to see some... interesting artwork, just look through the 100 Song of Heroes karuta set.

[CobyTheGoober]

Guys guys, you all know that FE1 and 2 had the best art style right? if you din't agree, then you guys have awful taste

Anyways, I thought the art style worked for some portraits, but not others. Like I think Kaze had a sick portrait, but when I looked at Hans i went echk.

[Thor Odinson]

I like Kozaki as an artist. Not big on the designs (is it him or Toshiyuki Kusakihara?) from Awakening but overall I like the aesthetic in fates, bar some...egregious offenses involving ass-windows.

I actually prefer the shift away from super saturated colors designwise. I don't want everything to go the other end and be all dreary and brown either and colorful is great, but I also think some stuff from earlier games can get too saturated--having worked with those sprites first hand (FE8 I'm looking at you)

Not Sachiko Wada's art, though, just the sprites. If I didn't suck at making FE7 palettes I'd use those instead. Sachiko Wada's art, on the other hand, especially her coloring skills are top tier.

Of course were Senri Kita to come back I would have no objections because Senri Kita is fucking great.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Thor Odinson

[Mox]

To be honest I adore Kozaki's art style. The issue I have is the character design (even though I vaguely remember hearing that this was another departments idea... don't quote me on that though). I mean, butt windows in armoured knights, thigh less pants for horse riding, berserker battle thongs... these people are going to war for god sake. They need better coverage. I adore Senri Kita's art style just as much though and in general, for the next game, I hope that we'll see something similar.

[Sentinel07]

Kozaki is the character designer, but I don't know who designs armor specifically. May also be Kozaki.

According to the developers themselves, Toshiyuki Kusakihara, the art director, was in charge of the armor designs and then Kozaki did the characters in the armor. So if you're not fond of the fanservicey armor designs, he's the one to blame.

Kozaki has shown he can do characters brilliantly judging by the sketches he's posted of characters in casual looks.

That all being said, Senri Kita does remain my favorite. I wish she and Taeko Kaneda would return.

[Hardin]

Honestly I think Kozaki has been the best illustrator for the series since Sachiko Wada, he gives the characters a kind of levity and sparkle that really makes them pop. I enjoy the works from all the illustrators, but Wada and Kozaki stand above the rest.

[Maritisa]

I honestly don't really like Fates' style... You're not the only one. It has its pluses, but... Like, you're probably right in that it's the palette choice. Even Sacred Stones still felt vibrant-like because it made use of high contrast.

[The Geek]

I don't really have a problem with the art style (armor designs are a completely separate issue). Each character's design really helps to convey their personality and each one stands out from the others.

And on the subject of all the praise that Senri Kita gets, I'll say I honestly don't get it. I mean, Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn have good character and armor designs, but I honestly don't care too much for her art style. The girls in Radiant Dawn especially look too moe-blob to me.

[Thane]

Just chiming in to say that I really like Kozaki's art style, and judging by his Twitter, the guy is also good at drawing normal clothing that fit the characters. I think the characters he draws have a lot more life to them than previous artists. That's not to say he's perfect by any means, since I think Elise just looks dumb with her gigantic drills.

Almost all of my issues come from the armor designs either being completely impractical or over the top; where do I even begin to look at Orochi's character portrait? Also, an ass crack? Really?

[eclipse]

The answer is to have Daisuke Izuka do the next FE, so we can have glorious Ryoma-hair like this on everyone

Kozaki as an artist is amazing. It would be great if he was given a little more liberty as to what he could draw, so we don't have to deal with idiotic things like armors in thongs. Not sure how much say he had in the colors, either (since he also did DLC Katarina in Awakening, and she had quite a bit of color).

Edited April 18, 2016 by eclipse

[Time the Crestfallen]

The thing that bothers me the most is the hair in Fates.

[spoiler=Seriously, what the hell?]

It's like the people got all their ideas about how to draw hair from anime. Wait...

Edited April 18, 2016 by Phillius

[claire]

i like his art style a lot actually. iirc kozaki only designed the armor-less units. i think he's a very good artist so he should be given more freedom with what he draws.

[NekoKnight]

I like be happy to have Kozaki or Senri Kita back for the next game. Some of the armor designs could use work but I'm not really sure who is the driving force between battle panties.

As long as it's not Shadow Dragon art, FE15 should be okay.

[semolinaro]

I actually really like Kozaki's art style and thought he nailed the Awakening art direction. What I don't like about Fates is that a lot of the character designs lacked that rustic subtly and became over-the-top anime style with wild hair and outlandish armor, not to mention blatant fanservice galore (seriously Camilla??) As much as I love Senri's style, I think the new generation of FE is better off with Kozaki, I just hope he tones it down a bit for the next game.

Edited April 18, 2016 by semolinaro

[nordopolica]

I like Kozaki's art a lot, and I think technically he's very, very, skilled, if a little on the anime side (most games have been, but for some reason Awakening and Fates are more evidently identified as anime). As for actual character design, however, I do find myself yearning for the days of Sachiko Wada. I adore FE8's art style, colour, and (for the most part) character design, so I wouldn't mind her coming back, her recent work for the series especially is absolutely phenomenal. I also really liked Eiji Kaneda's FE7 designs, though his FE6 designs weren't my favourite unfortunately. And as much as I like Senri Kita's male designs, I can't say the same for the females. Something about the dead animu eyes, maybe, at least for the younger-looking ones.

Basically, every FE game has had its ups and downs when it comes to design, however I do think that Kozaki's designs do lean a little too much towards the fanservicey. Whether this is because of his art direction, his designs, or the direction of the series, is anyone's guess, but I do hope that maybe they try out someone new for FE15 and maybe tone down the butt-and-panty windows (and please... no Shadow Dragon-esq portraits again.)

[shadowofchaos]

It takes some getting used to, but I like Kozaki's style.

It made me happy a fan tried drawing Serra and Florina in that style:

http://jaeon009.tumblr.com/post/142592825857/last-art-break-the-high-maintenance-student-of-st

http://jaeon009.tumblr.com/post/142586520447/who-here-remembers-this-adorable-cinnamon-roll

And I was surprised to see them draw an FE4 character in that style:

http://jaeon009.tumblr.com/post/142605586917/ok-heres-the-last-one-the-flirtatious-prince-of

And for Senri Kita fans, here's the same person trying some Awakening characters in that style:

http://jaeon009.tumblr.com/post/142855483647/chrom-drawn-in-senri-kitas-ish-style-plus-i-gave

http://jaeon009.tumblr.com/post/142883201902/tharja-senri-kita-ish-style-sorry-if-umm-shes

[Tolvir]

I like Kozaki. I think he does a good job with the character portraits. Something I really have enjoyed is how all the characters look different. A lot of the anime style has problems with characters looking like each other, but Kozaki does a good job of adding features to make them stand out more, and makes it a little more "realistic" in that aspect. I think he also does a good job of showing who the character is through the portrait and adding personality to them. For example Oboro's smug look, or Laslow's cocky smile.

I wouldnt mind having the artist from the Tellius series back though if we were going to go with a different artist. I think besides Kozaki, that person did the best job for the series. I will say when it comes to armor designs, I think its someone else who designs them. Typically artists may draw some concept art, but its up to the designer to really come up with the ingame model and design. So while Kozaki does have an influence on the "fanservice" we have been getting lately, so does the designers of the ingame models. Im not big on the armor designs lately, I feel overall they are a downgrade compared to the designs in the Tellius series, but Fates really did a lot better than Awakening. We got more fanservicey designs, but at least we got rid of toilet lid Paladins and trash can Knights.

[Sartek]

Again all opinion, but I can't be the only one who feels that way.

To be honest, I really hated 11-12 except for Tiki (especially Camus that lost all of his charisma, and Linde who was nearing Tharja's "boinginess" when she is supposed to be able to masquerade as a boy), and I didn't like Awakening either (as for fates, I try to not even think of those as FE characters at this point).

While I love Kita's work (her take on Sigurd, and for what we can see of Deirdre, in the 100 songs is gorgeous), I'm more at ease with Wada's and Koya's

Edited April 18, 2016 by Sartek

[Book Bro]

See, those badass pictures soc posted just confirm to me that what I dislike is the costume designs in the newer games, which is something I realized when Kozaki started drawing past FE lords and they actually looked good. Both Kozaki's and Senri Kita's styles are great tbh. It's the costume designer that needs to go.