The Graphics update was unnecessary

[Gyson]

On top of that, the Japanese forum is providing a strong, clear, respectful and organized feedback on what must be improved.

I can only speak on what I'm seeing here, and I do feel like much of the feedback currently being provided on this forum fits that description. However (and I don't know if this is the case for the Japanese forum as well) here we also have the problem of players running defense for the developers and challenging any feedback people are attempting to provide, which in just causing additional frustration and degrading the quality of communication. Nobody wants to try and express their frustrations over how their character has changed while someone else is insisting it's a non-issue.

Additionally, the lack of communication here with the developers compared to the Japanese forums has always been a frustrating reality, and it just becomes more so at times like this. It should not be surprising that the temperature here is different, and to be fair it is something Square Enix could help address by being more present here.

they look the same but one has way darker shadows

Much of the life feels gone from my character's eyes. The older hair seemed much more detailed and the two color tones blended together much better with the original art. The lip shape has changed and become larger (particularly the upper lip), and the painted on eyebrows have moved to a higher location on the forehead. The chin has been shortened. The ridge of the nose has been widened. The skin tone has changed. The quality of the lighting seems to also have taken a hit in the update as that's the same angle/location/time in both captures.

If you told me the one on the right was the low graphic settings and the one on the left was the high graphic settings in a video game, I'd say "Yes, I can clearly see that". That's the exact opposite of how a "graphical improvement" should come across.