Tetsuya Nomura on Bridging Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering Through Art

The collaboration between Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering has captivated fans, largely due to the stunning artwork, particularly that created by Tetsuya Nomura, the Creative Director of Square Enix. A recent interview with Nomura, alongside key figures from both Square Enix and Wizards of the Coast, offered insight into the unique challenges and triumphs of bringing these two iconic worlds together.

A Different Canvas: From Animation to Still Imagery

Nomura highlighted a key difference between designing artwork for video games and card games. While video game art is conceived with movement and animation in mind, card game art must convey a complete story within a single, static image. He noted being impressed by how much information players glean from a single piece of art and the imaginative interpretations they create. “Artwork for video games is designed and built with movement and animation in mind, whereas with a card game you can convey everything through a single piece of artwork,” Nomura explained. Source

Capturing Essence and Meeting Expectations

The process of adapting Final Fantasy characters for Magic: The Gathering required a delicate balance. Nomura emphasized the importance of respecting fans’ existing perceptions of these characters. He aimed to build upon that established understanding, adding layers of detail to spark imagination, rather than creating something entirely disconnected. “People already know the characters to some extent, and they have personal feelings and attachments from playing the games, so you have to craft sure there’s no disconnect between the pieces and people’s expectations,” he stated. Source

Balancing Artistic Vision with Fan Familiarity

Throughout the project, Nomura reviewed hundreds of art pieces, focusing on maintaining a balance between the artists’ individual styles and the established image of Final Fantasy characters. He sought to preserve the uniqueness of each artist while ensuring the work remained true to the source material. Source

Standout Art and Nostalgia

Nomura specifically praised the artwork for Sephiroth, Fabled Soldier and Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir, as well as a reimagining of Locke Cole from Final Fantasy VI. He was particularly impressed by how the artists incorporated detailed backgrounds, adding depth and world-building to the cards. The Locke Cole card, based on classic pixel art, was described as a successful blend of nostalgia, and fantasy. Source

A Generational Connection

Nomura observed a significant overlap between fans of Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering, suggesting a generational connection between the two franchises. He expressed excitement about the positive reception at PAX East, noting that the reveal of the collaboration exceeded many fans’ expectations. Source

Revisiting Past Work

Nomura also revisited a character he created almost 30 years ago: Sephiroth. With the ongoing development of the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, revisiting Sephiroth felt like a welcome reunion. He noted the character’s enduring popularity, with many fans requesting similar characters in other projects. Source

A Humbling Experience

Interestingly, Nomura admitted to feeling somewhat embarrassed when reviewing his older artwork alongside the new pieces created for the collaboration, describing it as akin to “someone in their 30s looking at sketches you drew when you were a toddler.” Despite his initial reservations, he acknowledged the significance of these older pieces to fans and their ability to evoke powerful memories. Source

Expanding the Collaboration

The Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY collaboration extends beyond the cards themselves. A special edition of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on Nintendo Switch will include an exclusive Magic: The Gathering variant card featuring original artwork of Zack Fair by Nomura. Source