Continuing our week of Phantasy Star Universe coverage, we bring you our interview with Kosei Kitamura, Chief Artist on Phantasy Star Universe. We got a chance to discuss art, the game's environments and the visual design behind Phantasy Star Universe.



GameSpy: What basic visual style would you say defines Phantasy Star Universe for the art team?
Kosei Kitamura: The Phantasy Star Universe art style stems from a sci-fi fantasy-themed world borrowing from Japanese anime-style illustration and design.
GameSpy: What inspired the visual design process for PSU? Was the art from the original RPGs referenced? What about science fiction staples like Star Wars?
Kitamura: Of course the foundation of the Phantasy Star Universe art style references the older Phantasy Star artwork, but we also referred to futuristic renditions of architecture and designs, as well as visiting Shanghai for inspiration of futuristic-style buildings. In addition, sci-fi movies and Japanese anime heavily influenced the game. Thus, Phantasy Star Universe is a combination of many elements that we've created by mixing up different styles and elements to create a unique world.

GameSpy: The characters in the single-player portion of Phantasy Star Universe have their own personalities and backstories. What direction was taken in designing Ethan Waber and the rest of the starring cast of the game?
Kitamura: In Phantasy Star Universe, there are many species in the universe. In designing Ethan Waber, we felt that the main character should be the averaging of all species, so that he essentially is representative of all the species.
GameSpy: You can create your own customizable character for the multiplayer portion of Phantasy Star Universe. What kind of customization options are available so that each player can have a unique, yet cool-looking personal character?
Kitamura: There are even more customizable physical attributes for characters in Phantasy Star Universe that have been integrated seamlessly into the onscreen avatar and gameplay. There are customizable points in the face including the shape and proportion of it, the eyebrows, lashes, eye color and eye shape. Hairstyle, color, and headgear can be tailored along with the height and body shape of the character. Players can change their character's clothes with different shirts, jackets, pants, shoes, outfits and ceremonial gear.

In addition, part of the character appearance integration into in-game characters means that the armor that players equip will not affect their external appearance or change the look of their physical appearance.
GameSpy: Will the look of the characters change during gameplay?
Kitamura: At the beauty salon, players can change their hairstyle and facial features, and at the tailor, players can change and customize their clothes. In these shops, players can really spend some time detailing their character's features.