Tetsuya Nomura has been invited by Famitsu to draw their 1000th Famitsu cover, in regards to celebrate Famitsu's 1000th issue.. Here the drawing:

There are Cloud, Squall, Aya Brea, Lightning, the FFVXIII and Agito's heroes in the drawing, along with Famitsu's mascot, "Necky", fox dressed up in an outfit very similar to Sora's from Kingdom Hearts.. The reason why all of Nomura's characters are wearing fox ears is because of "Necky", which is a fox..
Actual scans:
Famitsu 1
Famitsu 2
Famitsu 3
Famitsu 4
Source:ruliweb.empas.com


The issue contains an interesting interview with Nomura, featured various bits of info about himself, his art, the characters he designs and the progress of FFXIII.
Summary:

- While designing Final Fantasy VII, they were indecisive about how spiky to make Cloud's hair.
- Since people are more used to the beautiful CGs of FF characters, Nomura prefers his own artworks to not be shown out in the open too often and thinks that the Final Fantasy illustrations done by Yoshiyuki Amano are what people prefer to see.
- Normally draws with just a mechanical pencil, then scans and digitally colours his artworks.
- Buys games based on Famitsu reviews.

- Lightning from FF XIII: Has muscular legs, she isn't sweet, strict to herself and to others, and doesn't like whiners. She is quite like a military soldier.
- FFXIII scenario writer, Motomu Toriyama wanted her to be more muscular and macho, but Nomura thought people wouldn't be fond of her as a main character if he designed her that way.
- Aya (Aya Brea from PE3) is a bid more rounded than Lightning.

- Versus 13 heroes' clothes will probably be revised.
- Versus 13 main character is unlike Cloud nor Squall as people are expecting. Everyone's impression on him will greatly change once they hear him speak. Many people may not like him.
- His name will be related to weather just like Lightning, but personally Nomura has gotten bored of this naming tradition.
- The next time they reveal new Versus 13 info, they will reveal the main character's name.

- Agito characters are being called after their weapons between the development staff members, like how the boy with the cards is known as "Card-kun". The girl with glasses is being called "Class President" just because of her image, though.

Source:ACF.net
Thanks, Makoeyes987! :gift:

heheh its awesome that the first thing i see when i get back is Sha's super informative posts.. but Sha the links arent working!.. i love the cover with all the "Nekos" but Nomura we love your art works!!! and Lightning still seems kick ass from her character description.. what surprised me the most was the information on Mr.Unknown.. most people expect him to have that i dont care enigmatic type of thing going on but from what Nomura is saying... hmm will he be cheerful or what.. and i wounder why they dont think many people wont like him? i already know he has got legions of fangirls but is something really that weird about him that people might not still like him.. ahhh confusing.. and I CANT WAIT TO FIND OUT HIS NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it might really end up being Storm but if Nomura is bored with it and he is in charge of the game maybe that might change.. and his outfit is gorgeous!! why would they want to change it.. well i hope they make it for the better and dont change it into yellow or orange or something like that .. CONGRATS NOMURA ON SCORING THE 1000TH COVER!!!! AND THANKS SHA!!!!!!

After squeeing like a little fangirl, I finally posted. lol

I can't wait to get the insider information! Keep us updated! And the links aren't working for me either... :(

~SQUEE. That looks really cool, I love it. :lol: Everyone with fox ears... Thank you for posting it, sha.

:mellow: ... *is interested*

Ah, so Mr. Unknown's name will be related to weather, like Lightning. Very similar to Cloud and Zack. Lol, Nomura's bored of the tradition.

... :o :woot:

Woo! Finally! Mr. Prince's name is coming!

:lmao:

Hmm... He seems like either a fire or ice element. Inferno? Blaze? Ash? Flint? Lol... it's like the fire names are getting weaker... And for ice? Uhh... Hail? Yuki?

I'm probably way off anyway though. Hah. Thanks for the info Sha. =)

You're very welcome, guys.. :huggle:

Aerithstrife_7, I'll always very happy to post any new infos on Mr.Unknown and FFXIIIs, especially for you!! :huggle:

And for the forbidden thing, the links are all working now.. It's just internet always hates me for some reason, it always vanishing links that I've provided.. :lol:
If they not working after this, just go to the source link:
Famitsu
They are all very well in there.. :P

Think you could find someone to transalte it for us? I can't read a thing!

AHH!!! i want to know his name! xD

And they are going to make him different? i wonder how thats going to work D;

More summary:(my translation)

-Originally, the design of Aya was requested by Sakaguji-san to have her with loose hair like Aerith, and to have ponytail, but gradually, in order to distingrish her from Aerith, he cropped her hair.


....What a shock. :o *imagining Aya with long hair*

OHH!! aerith xD hehe, Aya is from Parasite eve correct?

Lol, that is just surprising. I always thought they made her similar to Tifa, but I guess, I was wrong again. :lol:

Who is the cat in the middle with the keyblade,..... sora??

I translated in full the FFXIII and Versus portions of the interview. ^_^

http://finalfantasy-xiii.net/2008/02/07/ve...t-like-him.html

Some of the details in the gist translation done previously don't match mine.

:lmao: Couldn't help but notice that... :lmao:

Thanks Blank Chocobo!!! and now im getting scared.... from what Nomura is saying Mr. Unknowns character is going to be severely different from what we expected.. "out of bonds" just what are they planning to do with his character that would fall into out of bounds.. ahh its so interesting i cant wait... but as FF Goddess quoted above that line made me crack up as well.. and his design oh please let it be good .. from the assumption of him having an uber high pitched voice you never know we might have a Male protagonist wearing pink!! heheh it would be funny if he turned out to be gay now that would be a change!.. but i still love you Mr. Unknown and i cant wait to hear more!!

xD god i hope he's not gay D;

And if they give him a high pitches voice, i will do the honor of killing SE xD

That would just be great! :lmao: I couldn't help but to buy the game to to hear him talk if he is gay; and wearing pink to boot! I think he's a fan of Aerith... hmm... Looks like Cloud has some competition... *dodges tomatoes*lol

Don't shoot me, I was kidding. Only Aerith can be with Cloud.

He'll be a reincarnated Tidus with Seymour's voice. Just watch. :fish:

I'm more interested in that girl that fights him anyway. D:

xD LOL!!! gah seymour was gay! xD lol

CG, what girl? D;

Annnnnd Nomura put Fox ears on Cloud Because Cloud IS a FOX <3
It only makes sense xD
And I like these pics they are cool <3

hahah a fan of Aerith's eh? next thing you know the new Versus trailer will be him coming out in pink boots singing YMCA... haha and Kaleta CG is talking about the girl in this scan http://ffversusxiii.net/images/finalfantas...tsu/FF13-09.jpg

You're welcome. ^___^

I think when he was saying "out of bounds" he was talking about the protagonist having a "strong personality," and that this is "out of bounds" in the RPG making world because of the fear that a protagonist with a strong personality is difficult to associate oneself with. So everybody avoids making a main character with lots of flavor and tends to make them bland so that players can just project themselves onto the main character.

Nomura doesn't really say what kind of personality it is that the protagonist has, though. ^^;

yeah probably because if you look at the trend most of the Protagonist have a kind of silent demur whose personalities aren't usually that bold so the player really can put their own feeling into it.. but it would be a nice change to have a main character with a strong personality.. but the term "out of bounds" makes it seem likes theres also something extra to this.. not just in terms of him having a strong personality.. they would have just used terms like bold and such. but this is exciting i cant wait to see what it will be!

Mm... Just random thought on vsXIII... the comments on the trailer said that his skills shown there are examples of him near the end of the game correct?

I'm guessing since his friends aren't around, maybe S-E is going to pull the FFIV card and do as "Everyone is dead"(or thought to be anyway) kind of thing, where his friends die and he goes berserk.

And as for his personality. Since Lighting is already said to be pretty strong willed... I think this guy is going to be a weakling. >=(

And I don't mean, Cloud weak minded kind of weakling. I mean Shinji Ikari weakling... or at least he's the only character I can come up with where not many people like him. So he'll be relying on his friends for a good portion of the game ad he loses them at some point and then goes crazy and kills. >=)

Yeah, I know... alot of assumptions for a game that hasn't even revealed the main characters name, but I just doing this kind of thing. =D

Oh thank you Aerithstrife_7! I have seen her before, but i didnt know she fights him xD She kinda reminds me of Aerith & Yuna xD and i thought she was the heroine of versus =P

Or, perhaps, Prince is going to be a silent protagonist. XP *get shot for the idea* Nah, that either get SE killed (literally) or supported.

Though, I have assumptions that he'll do his princely duties, but didn't care about his status.

Nooo~ I hope he won't be a Shinji! I don't have any evidence to back up him not being one though, haha. That would certainly be a "strong personality" and possible close to the "out of bounds" line too. ._.

I like MistaCloudStrife's idea about what's up with the trailers... I think that makes a lot of sense~

I don't think he will be a silent protagonist because then how could they still be deciding on the concept for his voice? XD Unless they change their mind later and make him mute~

That would be the scariest thing I have ever seen. Unless SE release Kefka's underpants for some bizarre reason.