New Yoshitaka Amano CE Artwork

[Anonymoose]

We all loved the Garuda artwork on the CE so much that we came here to ask the name and discuss it. Let's do that again with the new one.

At the bottom, we see Bard, Dragoon, White Mage, Warrior, Paladin, Monk, Summoner, and Black Mage. (No Scholar. Big hint for people to give that one up?) Above that we see Gaius and Bahamut opposing one another over the mother crystal, which is being overseen by, or perhaps manifested as, ...

SIREN!?
BOW DOWN, FOR I AM YOUR LORE PROPHET.
(Kidding.)

It could very well just be Garuda again, however, Garuda's artwork had four head wings and this only has two; Garuda's had feathery shoulders and hers are bare; and Garuda is small potatoes these days. Thing is, Siren usually has her head wings in an upward point in contemporary representations. Does the consciousness of Hydaelyn manifest as a third woman with head wings?

Are you guys trolling me?

[Orophin]

I think the lady is just a humanoid manifestation of Hydaelyn. The bottom of course are the "Warriors of Light" with Bahamut to the right and Gaius to the left. Was trying to figure out what that was that looked so weird about Gaius but I guess it's a cape.

[Myranda]

Heh, I was wondering when this thread would show up. Definitely some Siren undertones in the image. :P

But now I also see something on the original CE's artwork... is that... the darklight gear??

[Anonymoose]

Is that... the darklight gear??

It's similar, but a good case against it would be that he has a sword and shield and isn't wearing that two-piece tank armor with the head blades. I'm actually getting kind of an Ark Angel vibe off it.

[Alaltus]

She lacks the talons on the wings if she is Siren. If it's any Summon at all, my guess going by the halo + wings is; it is an angel? so Seraph?

[Vilhem]

I think its the "Mother Crystal" or Hydaelyn, and the Warriors of Light are leaving her protection after a 5 year stasis. That's how I interpreted the image anyway

[Bowen]

That's Gaius? It looked like Odin to me at first glance. But now that I look at it, it does look like him.

Also, I hope to God they'll actually address the whole Scholar thing soon. It's gotten out of hand.

[Kinseykinz]

I think its the "Mother Crystal" or Hydaelyn, and the Warriors of Light are leaving her protection after a 5 year stasis. That's how I interpreted the image anyway

Agreed.

I see the being in the artwork as a protector as well. And if she is the 'Mother Crystal'/Hydaelyn, that would make sense.

Mothers are know for being protective...but sometimes, that protection is highly violent. But I see no violence in that image, only protection. She might actually be part of the storyline that explains how we got 'ported to the future' unscathed. I see it being more likely that she is tied into the 'how we got to this point of the story/world history' than anything else atm. Of course, down the road, we might get to see the 'violent side'....who knows really.

[Anonymoose]

I, too, get the impression that it's a physical manifestation of Hydaelyn more than Siren (unless it's both). It's just one of the many LOC/Lore running-gags I like to keep alive, at least until we find out what's really up with her.

It's a great piece, though. I've always loved Amano's art because it so rarely looks like the in-game rendering. He captures a traditional Japanese artwork vibe that doesn't change from installment to installment and, together, they make a timeless collection of memories of the saga. It's like a stand-alone bonus to the series as a whole.

[Magnesium02]

Bird Woman is Louisoux .... DUH!!!!




I get that the figure on the left is Gauis, but for the life of me I can't work out what position he is in. His horns are side on but I can't seem to figure out where his limbs are