If you haven’t heard of it, Akira Toriyama, the creator of the legend dragon ball Franchise and character designers for beloved games such as timed trigger and Dragon Quest series, Passed away at the age of 68.As fans and collaborators say Express condolences and condolences online, understandably his largest and most influential work, has received a lot of attention.But one game that deserves recognition today is 2006’s blue dragon. While it didn’t become a huge series, it is a case study in Toriyama’s influence and unparalleled character design. When Xbox wanted to attract a Japanese audience in the early days of the Xbox 360, it turned to Toriyama.
blue dragon Developed by Mistwalker and Artoon and published by Microsoft.At the time, an Xbox executive described the move IGN This is a deliberate effort to allow Japanese gamers to experience the Xbox 360 and future generations of consoles. “This is the first step for Microsoft to begin working with important Japanese developers and publishers,” said Xbox’s Peter Moore. “This is an investment that will pay off in the future and will be a platform driver for our next-generation systems. Game collection.”
Xbox has historically struggled in this area (This is still the case), and publish RPGs from Japanese developers such as blue dragon and lost odyssey It is a drama that has expanded its audience in Japan. blue dragonHowever, it has an ace up its sleeve: Akira Toriyama’s unique character designs.
Founder of Mistwalker final fantasy Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, so blue dragon There are some very influential people at the top.It was expected to be a hit and met internal sales expectations 200,000 copies sold a year later. But maybe if it hadn’t become an Xbox 360 exclusive a year after release, may have greater cultural impact. But those who played the game still cherish it, and for good reason.
blue dragon It tells the story of a group of children, each of whom has the ability to control shadowy dragons that are an extension of their fighting abilities. While the characters and story are relatively simple compared to some of its contemporaries, this is a well-crafted nostalgic game for fans of classic RPGs that helped Sakaguchi and Toriyama establish their own legend. Mistrunner’s debut harkens back to traditional turn-based combat just as established RPG series begin to experiment with new formats, such as final fantasy 12.
Characters designed by Toriyama blue dragon Evoking the same childlike wonder as the earlier arc dragon ball. Some of these heroes are easily recognizable as Toriyama’s designs, from the spiky-haired protagonist Shu who looks like Goku’s long-lost cousin to the shadowy Overlord figure that’s reminiscent of the wish-granting characters on Namek. Luang Phor Luang Ga. These monsters showcase Toriyama’s ability to design formidable creatures like the mermaid lizard, as well as strange little monsters like the bat-like Dib.While it wasn’t the flashiest or deepest RPG at the time (this was the same year Persona 3 After all, as the first game from a new studio, it’s a very solid game with the potential to grow into something bigger.
Not only did Mistwalker abandon the franchise, it never became a major console game again.In addition to the anime adaptation, two games were developed for the Nintendo DS, including one titled blue dragon plus Developed with Feelplus and Brownie Brown, and Azure Dragon: The Awakening Shadowis an action role-playing game co-developed with tri-Crescendo. While Microsoft isn’t releasing these games on competing platforms, they wouldn’t have happened if Xbox hadn’t partnered with Mistwalker and Toriyama to attract Japanese players.It does make one wonder if blue dragon Once had a more mature audience on other platforms. Still, if nothing else, it’s a testament to the influence and widespread popularity of Toriyama’s signature art style.