Final Fantasy 9 Character Designer Toshiyuki Itahana leaves Square Enix after 3 decades. Read on to learn more about his iconic works with the company and what lies ahead for the famed artist.
Final Fantasy 9 Character Designer Toshiyuki Itahana Bids Farewell to Square Enix
Three Decades of Service
Final Fantasy 9 (FF9) Character Designer Toshiyuki Itahana leaves Square Enix after three decades of creating classic artworks for various games. In a post on the Japanese content platform Note on January 5, 2025, the legendary artist bid farewell through a lengthy and heartfelt message.
Itahana is most recognized for his work on FF9, where he served as a lead artist responsible for the iconic character designs of Zidane, Vivi, Garnet, and Steiner. His whimsical, storybook aesthetic made him the lead character designer for the Chocobo series, including titles such as Chocobo’s Dungeon 2, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales, and Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon EVERY BUDDY!.
He also worked on other Final Fantasy titles, such as Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Series, Final Fantasy XIV, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, and Mobius Final Fantasy. Aside from the FF series, Itahana provided character designs and illustrations for the NieR series, specifically for NieR: Automata and NieR Replicant ver.1.22.
Beyond his role as a character designer, the famed artist also transitioned into game direction, leading the development of the action RPG Code Age Commanders and the Wii title Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers.
His most recent work was for the celebration of FF9’s 25th anniversary, where he created new art for exhibitions and a Vivi-themed picture book. Now that the festivities are over, Itahana feels a sense of accomplishment and wishes to see what lies ahead in his artistic journey.
"With the illustration work and supervision related to the 25th anniversary now complete, I feel a strong sense of accomplishment in having fulfilled the role entrusted to me. At the same time, I felt this was the right moment to draw a line under this chapter and take on new challenges," he said.
Moving Forward As A Freelance Illustrator
After his official exit from Square Enix, Itahana plans to continue his art as a freelance illustrator and character designer. Although being regarded as one of the most iconic and influential artists in the industry, he admitted that he is still finding his way in this new path as a freelancer.
"At the moment, I’m still finding my way—listening to advice and learning from senior freelance illustrators—but if you happen to come across my work somewhere, I would be truly happy if you could support me," Itahana said.
Despite his departure, Itahana could still be involved with several Square Enix projects, as some of his predecessors do. Previous artists who have left Square Enix, such as Yoshitaka Amano and Akihiko Yoshida, have continued to collaborate with the company to create concept art and illustrations for various titles.
However, his departure from the studio also casts doubt on the speculated FF9 Remake, which has still not been officially announced by Square Enix. Regardless, fans of the title continue to hold out hope for their beloved FF game.
Ultimately, he expressed deep gratitude to fans for their years of unwavering support and loyalty, sharing his hope that they would continue to join him on his journey as he enters this new chapter. As a side note, Itahana stated that he will be sharing his experiences as a freelancer, so he urged fans to check on his account from time to time for updates.
Source:
Toshiyuki Itahana Note post on Leaving Square Enix
