Tetsuya Nomura’s designs embraced Y2K fashion and never let go

Tetsuya Namura is a well-known name over the last three decades thanks to his work on the Final Fantasy series and Kingdom Hearts. Nomura isn’t just known as a game designer and director — he’s also famous, and sometimes infamous, for his fashion designs. He is known for his fashion designs, which have made him a standout in the gaming world. These outlandish outfits tend to have something in common: They’re inspired by real-life street fashion trends.

With this in 1997 Final Fantasy VIITetsuya Namura was responsible for some of the most iconic character designs. But it wasn’t until Final Fantasy VIIIAnd The Bouncer, released in 1999 and 2000 respectively, that the influence of real-life trends became undeniable in Nomura’s work. One of Square’s lesser-known titles, The Bouncer was chock-full of eclectic character designs; the PlayStation 2 beat-’em-up remains one of Nomura’s standout projects, at least from a fashion point of view. It propelled players into the modern city of Edge, populated by people dressed in some of the strangest and most popular fashion trends of the early 2000s: high-waisted camo pants, cropped leather jackets, and oversized yellow jumpers scrawled over with “gothic” text.

IGN interviewed me about 2000 in a interview The Bouncer, Nomura disclosed his inspiration for the game’s character designs, and the answer was surprisingly simple: “Basically, most of my ideas come from movies and magazines, or I just create them in my head.” Nomura’s mix of real-life trends and his own imagination in The Bouncer results in some of his most visually striking work, like Volt Krueger’s infamous denim jeans and Kou Leifoh’s faux tribal tattoos and loose-fitting camo pants. Final Fantasy VIIIThe year before, it was published as. The Bouncer, feels similarly ripped right from the 2000s, with Zell Dincht’s high-waisted jean shorts and Rinoa Heartilly’s bike shorts and denim skirt combination. This design perfectly reflects the time when the game was created.

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Bits and pieces of contemporary design through the years are found in Nomura’s work at large, which samples from various different styles of Japanese or international fashion. Nomura then tried to create outfits for characters using real-life inspirations. In an interview with Bloomberg in 2016, Nomura stated that “there are various ways to show an individual’s uniqueness in the real world, but within the limited world of a video game, clothing is one of the most important elements that express and define a character’s individuality.” This feels especially true with the younger members of any Final Fantasy ensemble cast that Nomura has had a hand in designing. Squall Leonhart, dressed in black leather pants, and a fur-lined, cropped leather jacket makes him look cool yet rebellious. It gives the player an immediate idea of what he is like, and how “modern” the world of Final Fantasy VIIICompare this to other similar products Final Fantasy IIIOder IV.

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Final Fantasy XAnother example is the 2001 film, titled “The Future of Y2K”, which was released. The 20th anniversary celebrations of Final Fantasy XFamitsu spoke with several members of the team who were involved in the design of Tidus and Yuna. Tidus’ design went through various iterations, according to Nomura, evolving from a plumber to the Blitzball player fans are familiar with by incorporating more late-’90s athletic wear elements into his outfit.

Nomura created character designs in the sequel to 2003’s divisive film. Final Fantasy X-2This saw Yuna, along with the alchemist Rikku, return to Al-Bhed. The updated designs feel even more contemporary than the characters’ fashion choices in Final Fantasy X. Yuna is dressed in a lace-lined, low-rise halter top and shorts. Rikku’s redesign stands out in particular; her attire feels deeply inspired by various elements of Y2K fashion, down to her miniskirt and calf-high cowboy boots, which feel apt considering popular trends just years before the game’s release.

Throughout Nomura’s storied career as a character designer and art director, he’s inched closer and closer towards more overt inspirations from popular fashion trends or notable designers. This includes a collaboration for Hiromu Takahara and Vivienne Westwood. Final Fantasy XV. Takahara created the last outfits for Gladio and Ignis. Near the release of Final Fantasy XV, an official clothing line was released by Takahara’s clothing brand, Roen. It consisted of reproductions of outfits Takahara had designed.

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It feels like a natural progression, as Nomura’s designs have remained some of the most influential and recognizable designs within the past two decades of gaming. Nomura remained true to the silhouettes of the Y2K era, even as fashion shifted away from louder and more visually appealing designs. It is evident in his designs that he never strayed from this particular aesthetic. Final Fantasy XVAnd to a certain extent Kingdom Hearts 3, especially when factoring in the plethora of post-grunge, late-’90s plaid that has made its way into the designs. And while Nomura didn’t necessarily oversee the Super Groupies collaboration that would appear in 2018, there are still some subtle notes from the resurgence of Y2K fashion alongside the clear nods to the more subdued stylings of normcore.

Although Nomura’s work may have felt embarrassing or out of style for the past couple of decades, the Y2K revival has arrived in 2021 and 2022, with Nomura’s designs coming back en vogue once again. This shows us that fashion trends can change over time, and it is not always a smooth process. Nomura’s ability to weather the storm and stay true to his passion has produced some amazing work. Nomura’s coolness, whether it is true or false, has made a lasting impression on gaming.