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New Famitsu Interview with Tetsuya Nomura on FFVII Advent Children Complete

by March 25, 2009 0 comments

The Tetsuya Nomura interview from the March 21 weekend release of Famitsu has surfaced online and hitoshura has translated the important portions of the dialogue in reference Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete, its release and the Compilation of FFVII. Below are the key points from the interview.

EDIT: Hitoshura has now translated the interview completely. Not just key points anymore. Below is the actual dialogue that could be made out from the scan. Enjoy reading Tetsuya Nomura’s thoughts on Advent Children Complete! Big thanks to Hitoshura for squinting his eyes out for this!
cloud-complete


— You get a very different impression compared with FFVII AC.

Nomura: Thank you. I’m glad to hear you say that.

— I thought the graphics have gotten more detailed, such as dust floating in the air or the texture of the character’s skin being more realistic.

Nomura: Well, those are the kind of effects we wanted to have originally. Now that we’ve switched media from DVD to BluRay Disk, we’re able to show these with HD video quality. So the video is clearer now.

— With the added scenes, are they scenes you couldn’t add in AC and ones you decided to add after AC was completed?

Nomura: Yeah. What we decided early on wasn’t so much addition, but mainly small changes. For the added scenes, those were thought up later along with the overall composition.

— Rufus’ dialogue has increased as well.

Nomura: That was needed to explain the world’s situation so it’s easy to understand. As a result, there was a lot of voice over added overall. On the other hand, there are scenes when the same voices are used but the video has been remade.

— Were there any troubles when recording the new scenes?

Nomura: Well, Cloud and Sephiroth are used to it now, so that went smoothly. However, for the child roles such as Marlene and Denzel, because their voices have changed they have all been recast and everything recorded again.

— Some of the background music is different as well.

Nomura: For the tracks in the main film, I had some of my own wishes, but those were the parts Nozue (co-director Takeshi Nozue) was especially insistent about. The parts he said he want to change have been changed. They’re not so much new tracks, as much as arrangements.

— The sound effects also sound great.

Nomura: All the sound effects have been replaced from the original. In addition, more depth has been added to the sound of Cloud attack Bahamut, and sounds added to the crowd scenes. I think the number of sounds in a scene is more than what was in the original. We’ve retouched even rather fine details.

***

— I’ve seen a lot of the added scenes, but which scenes did you particularly want to include?

Nomura: I personally requested that the portrayals of the children be increased. In the film, we’ve included scenes of Cloud is talking with children such as Marlene and Denzel. Because I wanted to show depth, like the mental changes in Cloud. [???] tried our best not to include heavy explanations, but this time we’ve made it easier to understand. In addition we’ve added dialogue which [???] FFVII, and there are parts where we’ve made it so you can more deeply [???] the story.

— Reno and Rude in particular have more appearances, and I think their changes stand out.

Nomura: Nojima (scenario writer Kazushige Nojima) seems to have found those two easy to write (laughs). There are sides of the story which only members of Shinra can tell, such as what’s going on in the world. Also, another reason was that we were concerned about the gaps and modified them. The scene in the first half where Kadaj beats up Reno and Rude and goes to Rufus is an example. This time, we’ve added a scene of Kadaj making his way into the building, and I think improved on those gaps. For the other scenes as well, we rewatched AC and while thinking about the gaps between scenes, made additions and modifications to work on the gaps.

— I see. It was already revealed in the trailer, but at the start a scene of Elena and Tseng being attacked at the Northern Crater as been added too, hasn’t it.

Nomura: I think a lot of people wanted to see the details of that scene. That’s an image of Kadaj’s gang recorded on a camera Elena is wearing. The scene of them getting clothed, I thought there’s probably people wondering why remnants would be wearing clothes, so it was added to show that.

— As well as the addition of new scenes, there are a lot of scenes which have been replaced.

Nomura: Time has passed since the original, and after envisioning seeing it in HD quality, we changed all the parts that seemed a bit lacking. Originally after AC was completed, Nozue and the others corrected all the bits that bothered them themselves. But it was too detailed, and I think maybe you couldn’t notice all of it (laughs).

— So it’s the fruits of the creator’s dedication. There were some unexpected additions as well.

Nomura: We’ve included some surprise scenes, and scenes to stimulate the audience’s imagination. After the release of AC, a lot of “Compilation of FFVII” titles have appeared, so there are parts made with encompassing all of those in mind.

— Definitely, there were scenes which hit home more if you’ve played Crisis Core. Were there any requests from Nojima, who is one of the key people behind the Compilation?

Nomura: ‘Request’ might be a bit strong, but there’s a scene added at the end. This was original the climactic scene from the ‘illusive 20 minute version’ Nojima wrote at the early stages.

***

— The battle scenes also felt different compared with when I saw AC.

Nomura: The composition of the battle scenes, with the exception of the final battle and highway scene, haven’t been changed. However, with the changes to the sound effects, and direction changes such as the characters getting injured or clothes getting dirty, they might come across differently. In particular the Bahamut battle, where as the battle goes on it gradually loses its armor. I hope people will look out for these.

— In the battle scenes that have already been revealed, Cloud was surrounded by a blue light, and was injured and bleeding.

Nomura: The blue light is a Limit Break (laughs). The reason for showing blood was because I thought that if there’s no blood, the “pain” doesn’t feel realistic.

[Illegible]

[???] you can’t feel that this is a cruel disease. The cruelness of this disease is also portrayed in the bonus OVA.

— What was the reason for having an animated short based on the Denzel chapter of the novel as a bonus this time?

Nomura: If you watch “Reminiscence of FFVII”, you’re able to get a good enough grasp on the story from FFVII to AC, but for Denzel or Geostigma it’s lacking. I thought it was needed to get a deeper understanding of that aspect.

***

— Is there anything left to do as far as AC goes?

Nomura: I really feel we’ve done everything we can.

— The Compilation of FFVII has come to a stop with this. Will there be a next Compilation title?

Nomura: We’ve got ideas. But, it’s come to a stop here. I don’t think anything will be happening for awhile.

— Do you want to make another film?

Nomura: I would like to. I and Nozue have a project we’re thinking of. But with the current situation around here that might be difficult.

[skipped non-AC questions]

[text partly obscured, little guesswork done]

— Finally, do you have a message to the people looking forward to AC Complete?

Nomura: At first, we were planning to just replace some of the visuals and release it. But while waiting for the BluRay Disk market to develop, we decided to add more scenes, so I think people have waited quite a while for it. It’s become something that even people who have already seen the original can enjoy, so please watch it. The BluRay market is going to continue to grow. I think it’s a shame if people haven’t had the chance to see HD quality video yet, so I hope they will take this opportunity to experience it.

march-famitsu-interview-nomura

Source: FFVII AC Reunion

No comments yet

  1. Zephyr
    #1 Zephyr 25 March, 2009, 20:11

    “At the request of Nojima, at the end we’ve added the climatic scene from the ‘illusive 20 minute version’.”

    Uh oh, going to put the nail in the coffin of the LTD are we? Hello, cloti confirmation…even though technically it is, just not “officially.” Ten bucks says its a kiss scene.

    “There Compilation of FFVII has come to a stop with ACC. I don’t think anything will be happening for a while.”

    ….b-but why? You left us at a cliffhanger in DoC. I’m assuming they’re going to take a break from it and come back to it later…hopefully.

    “I’d like to do another film. There’s a project myself (Nomura) and Nozue are thinking of.”

    Ugh. Stick to games guys. You can tell a much more complicated and elaborate story than you can with a movie. I don’t want another ACC process happening again because you weren’t happy with the original.

    Reply to this comment
    • Tennyo
      Tennyo 26 March, 2009, 12:48

      I’d be down with a kiss scene so long as it isn’t all drawn out and awkward like the spring scene in FFX. XD

    • BBM
      BBM 26 March, 2009, 12:55

      I don’t know about a kiss scene. If they held hands, that’d be enough for me. :monster:

      I only say that because I think I would be too giddy. D:

  2. Dark & Divine
    #2 Dark & Divine 25 March, 2009, 20:14

    Interesting the statement about the Compilation coming to a stop with ACC.

    It’s like the circle is complete. It started with Ac and ended (for now) with ACC.

    Reply to this comment
  3. Masamune
    #3 Masamune 25 March, 2009, 20:18

    “…and the addition of blood is because ‘pain’ doesn’t feel real if there’s no blood.”

    ^ Were they not aware of this when they first produced AC? 😛

    “Because of their voices changing, all the child roles such as Marlene and Denzel have been recast and recorded again.”

    ^ I had a feeling Denzel sounded different in the new trailer.

    Reply to this comment
    • Suzaku
      Suzaku 25 March, 2009, 22:48

      They had to edit AC to keep the rating down. Director’s Cuts are typically uncut.

  4. Shademp
    #4 Shademp 25 March, 2009, 20:27

    So how did the old 20-minute version end?

    Reply to this comment
    • Zephyr
      Zephyr 25 March, 2009, 20:39

      SPOILER (I guess)

      Something like the letter is revealed to be from his girlfriend Tifa…going from a synopsis I read awhile back.

      ….use your imagination….

    • Makoeyes987
      Makoeyes987 Author 25 March, 2009, 20:50

      Wow..where did you hear that? That sounds awesome.

    • Zephyr
      Zephyr 25 March, 2009, 22:24

      From the Cloti forum affliate:

      Fans had to wait until 2005 to get the true sequel they wanted.

      It started as a simple visual presentation planned by Visual Works, Square’s in-house CG company, with VII as the theme. Nojima wrote a simple twenty minute script around Cloud receiving a note passed along by children. The sender was eventually revealed to be his girlfriend… Tifa.

      Towards the end of VII, subtle hints dropped that Cloud and Tifa had spent the night together and were starting a relationship. After all, Cloud kept his childhood promise to always be there when Tifa really needed him. Nojima felt certain they would be together in post-Meteor Midgar, and his enthusiasm to close the loop caught on fast.

      Advent Children opened the floodgates. Benny Matsuyama’s novella Maiden who Travels the Planet detailed Aerith conscious existence as a part of the Lifestream after her death, and her role in stopping Meteor. Nojima-penned short stories were collected as On the Way to a Smile; one, Case of Tifa was about Cloud’s uncharacteristic pursuit of his lady-love, resulting in that uncharacteristic smile when he finally admitted his feelings.

    • Makoeyes987
      Makoeyes987 Author 26 March, 2009, 01:41

      I found that stated by IGN in their retro coverage of FFVII and AC. So yeah..it does seem to be a reference to Cloud and Tifa right there. Makes sense, really.

    • BBM
      BBM 26 March, 2009, 04:53

      More showing about this ‘letter’ that the kids give to Cloud:

      According to Director Tetsuya Nomura in the DVD Commentary, the original movie was only supposed to be twenty minutes. The details of the original story are sketchy, but from what little Nomura has said about it, all we know is that it featured someone requesting a message to be sent to Cloud. The message is then relayed to Cloud through several children and, when the message finally reaches Cloud, we learn who the messenger is. Although Nomura insisted that he very much liked the original script, as it became the foundation for the theme of the final result of the movie, he decided to make the project more grand in scope only because early word of this movie generated so much interest that a demand for the film to be feature length eventually became so great that Nomura complied.

      Stating that, “when the message finally reaches Cloud, we learn who the messenger is.” What you posted above Zephyr, states that there is a note passed along by children. Meaning, that Tifa is the messenger, “his girlfriend.” Hopefully this’ll end the LT Debate once and for all. It seems a bit obvious right now.

    • Ravynne
      Ravynne 26 March, 2009, 17:16

      Be aware, however, that being told it’s “by his girlfriend, Tifa,” could be a third party description and not ncessarily reliable. It doesn’t mean the letter will be signed “love, your girlfriend, Tifa.” It could just be that whoever wrote this description of the piece said “we learned it was sent by Tifa, who is his girlfriend.” And then it becomes the third party narrator calling Tifa his girlfriend, and not the media content itself.

    • Makoeyes987
      Makoeyes987 Author 26 March, 2009, 22:00

      That’s true. It *is* IGN after all.

      However Tifa’s already called Cloud’s koibito (i.e. girlfriend) by the creators so it really doesn’t matter any way you slice it.

    • BBM
      BBM 27 March, 2009, 01:00

      Like what Mako said, after koibito, this can’t be wrong. We’ll have to see though.

    • BBM
      BBM 27 March, 2009, 00:59

      Yeah, that’s the one.

  5. OWA-2
    #5 OWA-2 25 March, 2009, 20:29

    “At the request of Nojima, at the end we’ve added the climatic scene from the ‘illusive 20 minute version’.”

    This is about Cloud and the letters, isn’t it?

    “The Compilation of FFVII has come to a stop with ACC. I don’t think anything will be happening for a while.”

    They have to be joking. We waited an entire year for only 30 minutes of new scenes in a movie we already watched, and now we have to wait even more for an actual “new title” in the Compilation?

    Reply to this comment
    • Zephyr
      Zephyr 25 March, 2009, 20:45

      Perhaps they need to brainstorm?

    • Makoeyes987
      Makoeyes987 Author 25 March, 2009, 20:50

      Better for them to stop now and take a break in order for them to focus and write a good story, than rush and turn out a mediocre product due to them spreading themselves too thin.

  6. LordNoctis
    #6 LordNoctis 25 March, 2009, 20:50

    This is some good stuff here. I like the compilation, but it would be nice to see these guys just work like crazy on something else for awhile. Another film would be nice as well, just so long as they didn’t try to tone it down like they did in AC, but instead leave everything on full-blast like I hope ACC will be.

    Reply to this comment
  7. KuraudoStrife
    #7 KuraudoStrife 25 March, 2009, 21:55

    Guys, it’s not an end to the Compilation, they’re just giving it a time. On the interview, Nomura says that he has some ideas for the next installment of the Compilation, but as the Compilation is now at a stop, it will take some time to appear.

    Reply to this comment
    • Ravynne
      Ravynne 26 March, 2009, 17:18

      Which is a good thing, btw.

      I don’t think we have to worry that there will be no more compilation. They didn’t invent Genesis for nothing.

  8. X-SOLDIER
    #8 X-SOLDIER 25 March, 2009, 22:01

    I’m kinda glad to hear that most of the existing fights will remain intact. Hopefully the new VAs for Marlene/Denzel do well. It’ll be interesting to see how their perofrmances compare to the originals.

    As for the revision to the ending – I don’t feel one way or the other about the LTD, so whatever it is, I’m sure that I’ll like it. The bits about extra explanation & more ShinRa contribution is appreciated.

    Overall, coming back to AC & polishing up everything is a suitable conclusion to the FFVII Compilation for me for the time being, even though there’s still the cliff-hanger situation with Genesis. it’ll give fans something to think and speculate about if/until they decide to pick it back up again. (It’ll also make the fan fiction kids happy)

    X

    Reply to this comment
  9. Zephyr
    #9 Zephyr 25 March, 2009, 22:03

    Synopsis of 20-minute thing:

    http://z13.invisionfree.com/cloti/index.php?showtopic=177

    Reply to this comment
  10. Masamune
    #10 Masamune 25 March, 2009, 22:39

    Hang on. They have 30 year-old women voicing kids in Japan, yet the kids from AC are suddenly too old to voice Marlene & Denzel? …Okay.

    Reply to this comment
    • Suzaku
      Suzaku 25 March, 2009, 22:50

      Puberty hitting a 13 year old boy is a bit different from a woman being able to voice kids and adults.

      Marlene I wouldn’t think would need to be recast, but whatever. I’m not a voice director.

    • Makoeyes987
      Makoeyes987 Author 25 March, 2009, 22:52

      Guess they feel they really want real children’s voices, voicing children in this. Weird, I know. XD

  11. Makoeyes987
    #11 Makoeyes987 Author 25 March, 2009, 23:24

    Can’t see the synopsis because apparently you have to log in and be a member to even view the threads. That’s kinda sucky.

    Reply to this comment
  12. raeofsunshine
    #12 raeofsunshine 26 March, 2009, 01:36

    This is some great stuff. AC needed these types of improvements desperately and I’m glad that the directors saw that. I can’t wait to see the final result of ACC.

    I really hope the 20 minute thing at the end shows us some confirmed Cloti. I’ve been a Cloti fan since the game came out, and I’ve been waiting so long for it to become official, because their characters are just made for each other.

    Reply to this comment
  13. BBM
    #13 BBM 26 March, 2009, 02:40

    Oh wow, this definitely sounds like some good news for Cloti! Thanks for bringing this up… whoever translated it. :monster:

    Reply to this comment
    • Tennyo
      Tennyo 26 March, 2009, 12:44

      It was hitobito! ^_^

  14. Tetsujin
    #14 Tetsujin 26 March, 2009, 07:04

    By the way…shouldn’t it be “climaCtic” instead of “climatic”?
    You know, from climax instead of climate? ;P

    Reply to this comment
  15. ForceStealer
    #15 ForceStealer 26 March, 2009, 08:59

    Hm, cool. The thing I least expected in there is that we’ll see Kadaj beat up Reno and Rude, lol.

    Reply to this comment
  16. Tennyo
    #16 Tennyo 26 March, 2009, 12:43

    “The scene of them getting clothed, I thought there’s probably people wondering why remnants would be wearing clothes, so it was added to show that.”

    *dies* Oh my that just takes the cake. XD

    Reply to this comment
    • raeofsunshine
      raeofsunshine 26 March, 2009, 19:18

      Haha, I know. My friend just about died when she saw the trailer where Kadaj has no shirt on for the briefest moment. I personally would like to see Cloud with no shirt…ahaha… XD

  17. amber michele
    #17 amber michele 31 July, 2009, 15:39

    they are good together i think

    Reply to this comment
  18. Tash
    #18 Tash 14 April, 2015, 00:08

    I know that I’m six years late on this subject, but I don’t think they’ll continue ever again. Despite the ideas, they probably realised that those ideas were more for other spin-offs outside of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and they had decided to leave the mystery of Genesis’s return as a cliff-hanger for all life, which, I think is utterly not fair. I loved the new added scenes, especially with the Turks.

    They did a survey last month and I told them that I wanted a sequel to Dirge of Cerberus, told them that I also wanted a full CG render remake of Before Crisis, and that in the list of characters of the new Dissidia Final Fantasy VII game coming out, I want Zack, Genesis, Vincent, Yuffie, the Turks(especially Reno) as playable characters, but I have a feeling that the survey itself was just a complete fake and a complete waste of time.

    Am I really the only one in the entire world who wants Square Enix to continue the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII and a remake of Before Crisis more than a remake of the original game?

    Reply to this comment

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