CE Box Art? What?

[Chocobits]

Name one other piece of Amano art used in the Final Fantasy series that doesn't directly relate to the story.

The person fighting while riding a Chocobo on the Vanadiel Atlas cover. They never gave us mounted battle :/

[Jennestia]

I happened to look up at my collectors edition box today and wondered what the box art actually is? I have no knowledge of who the man standing is, nor the upside down floating lady.

Anyone know who these people might be and/or their reference to the XIV lore?

Picture of the CE Box art:
http://www.zam.com/Im/Image/width=401/174423.jpg

Take a look at this:

http://download.minitokyo.net/Minito...ano.320121.jpg

What we know of this, is we end up fighting Lilith Ascent (http://i53.tinypic.com/i22ikl.jpg), whom resembles Altana. So a lot of his artwork generally does foreshadow events. Even ToAU's box art had a mystery about it which a lot of the Empire's history/secrets and so on were shrouded in mystery when we first got there and knew nothing.

The person fighting while riding a Chocobo on the Vanadiel Atlas cover. They never gave us mounted battle :/

However 'Chocobo Knights' were indeed referenced in the Sandorian storyline in WoTG as a 'specialized unit'.

[Chocobits]

Take a look at this:

http://download.minitokyo.net/Minito...ano.320121.jpg

What we know of this, is we end up fighting Lilith Ascent (http://i53.tinypic.com/i22ikl.jpg), whom resembles Altana. So a lot of his artwork generally does foreshadow events. Even ToAU's box art had a mystery about it which a lot of the Empire's history/secrets and so on were shrouded in mystery when we first got there and knew nothing.



However 'Chocobo Knights' were indeed referenced in the Sandorian storyline in WoTG as a 'specialized unit'.

Yeah, I realized after I posted that it was referencing storyline and not in-game content. Maybe I'm just bitter because I've always dreamed of mounted combat in a SE MMO.

[Rhomagus]

I feel like a terrible person for saying this but that style of art always looked weird to me imo ><
I hate to admit it and I feel really bad saying it but am I the only one that think it looks weird? Please tell me I'm not the only one.
The guys look like girls and everyone's super pale white with black lips and everyone has white hair. I don't mean to start a flame war and I'm sorry if I offend anyone but I just had to let it out ><

I don't think you have to feel bad. It's definitely not traditional western so it's natural to think it's, out of place, especially when you note the lack of color. While earlier works by Amano are incredibly colorful, he is also known for doing some peices with merely a black crayon. Sometimes the method used to do the art is part of the expression. I imagine that the box art was supposed to do what this thread is doing. Generate a discussion about what exactly it is. It's provocative in that sense, but ya, I wouldn't feel bad as I too think it's "weird" but I also can respect "weird" stuff.

[Griss]

You know that part in kung pow:enter the fist where there spoofing the lion king?

the big lion in the clouds says something that makes no sense to the character at all, and then comments dont worry you will understand later? Yea its one of those things.

[Tibian]

I think saying it is Garuda is a bit of a reach. While reaching it may be, it was the only conclusion I could come to as well.

I honestly think that this might have just been a case of "we don't have any art for the box because we're shoving the game out too early, lets use something ununsed from Amano's collection."

I like the echo theory, but I'd still wish there was something more concrete as to what it is.

[Roll]

I don't think you have to feel bad. It's definitely not traditional western so it's natural to think it's, out of place, especially when you note the lack of color. While earlier works by Amano are incredibly colorful, he is also known for doing some peices with merely a black crayon. Sometimes the method used to do the art is part of the expression. I imagine that the box art was supposed to do what this thread is doing. Generate a discussion about what exactly it is. It's provocative in that sense, but ya, I wouldn't feel bad as I too think it's "weird" but I also can respect "weird" stuff.

Yeah exactly. I mean I don't hate it and I do respect him and his art. All art is beautiful even if some of it is a little strange.

[Meow_Zedong]

It wouldn't make sense if it was Garuda because she is the Primal of the Ixali, and therefore our enemy. I have a feeling the guy is Amano's representation of the nameless Echo user from the opening cinematic, and I'm pretty sure the angel woman is Nophica, it was implyed in the Gridania storyline that Nophica was the one that gave us the power of the Echo so we could speak her will through us, which would also make Nophica the Primal that we will be trying to awaken once they continue the main storyline.

[Tsukino]

It wouldn't make sense if it was Garuda because she is the Primal of the Ixali, and therefore our enemy. I have a feeling the guy is Amano's representation of the nameless Echo user from the opening cinematic, and I'm pretty sure the angel woman is Nophica, it was implyed in the Gridania storyline that Nophica was the one that gave us the power of the Echo so we could speak her will through us, which would also make Nophica the Primal that we will be trying to awaken once they continue the main storyline.

Nophica isn't a primal, she's one of the Twelve. Also, the reason they say that in Gridania is because Nophica is the most worshiped there; it has no basis in fact, they're just saying you have a gift and in general they attribute gifts to Nophica.

[OMEGA_HACK]

It's clearly a motif representing the chosen adventurers that are receiving/have received the echo. My personal reasoning for this would be the black armor, a classic yet effective way to state "in the dark" or lack of knowledge, we can see us, the adventurer being lifted up by this divine creature/being (what it is doesn't particularly matter, what matters is what it represents), enlightenment, or in our case this gift of the echo, to be an ascendant of enlightenment. This representation of enlightenment also happens to be in complete white, a classic way to suggest the previous statement.

Not to mention listening to Final Fantasy XIV's "theme" song, the one with the lyrics (the name escapes me), is talking about receiving a power, calling, or gift to aid us in our strife, enlightenment being something that would fall into that category based on real life history you cannot deny such a claim. Okay now that is my very basic opinion on the meaning behind the artwork, that said...

I don't think the primal Garuda is in that picture, Amano likes to make many summons in his artwork if that is his direction, there was this really cool picture (Cool Picture) where he showcases them (this is from FFXI mind you) but I think if he were to make an Eikon part of the artwork it would've been Ifrit or multiple ones to showcase more or to have a more direct suggestion to the storyline, as all of his boxart stuff has been directly tied to the storyline.


Chains of Promathia has a picture of a beast behind a boy (Sel'tehus-however you spell it- and Promathia of course), in the next expansion it was Treasures of Aht Urhgan which showcases the art of large city (Aht Urhgan) with lavish decorations around it, the queen in the middle below the city but if you look closely you can make out other things like monsters, and people in the decoration (Aht Urhgan's secrets) something that that expansion revolves around, the list continues, basically trying to say that his box art ties directly in some form with elements and things from the story. And well since Garuda is not in the story, I don't think the white being is her, also if you notice the white being has a human foot and some kind of hoof, I believe it represents something undefined like people are saying it to be visually representing the echo or enlightenment.

My thoughts.