Hiroshi Minagawa
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese game director
and game artist
who has been working for Square Enix
since 1995. Prior to working for Square Enix, he worked for Quest Corporation
.
and the art director and character model supervisor of Vagrant Story
. He became the co-director of Final Fantasy XII
(with Hiroyuki Ito
) when Yasumi Matsuno
, the original producer and co-director, left Square Enix during the development of the game due to sickness. Minagawa also served as the game's visual designer and character texture supervisor. Minagawa and Matsuno remain close friends and keep in regular contact despite Matsuno no longer working for Square Enix. They recently worked together on Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together for the PSP
.
In December 2010, it was announced that he had been brought into the development team of Final Fantasy XIV
. This happened because the development team of Final Fantasy XIV was restructured due to the negative reception of the initial Windows version. The new director, Naoki Yoshida, specifically asked Minagawa to join the team and help with the improvement of the game.
Game director
Game director may refer to:* Video game producer, the person in charge of overseeing development of a video game* Technical director, usually a senior technical person within creative group...
and game artist
Game art design
Game art design, a subset of game development, is a process of creating 2D and 3D game art for a video game. A game artist is a visual artist who creates video game art, such as concept art, item sprites, character models, etc.- History :...
who has been working for Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
since 1995. Prior to working for Square Enix, he worked for Quest Corporation
Quest Corporation
was a Japanese video game company founded in 1988. They were originally known as Bothtec, which had developed The Scheme, a Metroidvania-style open world action role-playing game featuring music by Yuzo Koshiro, that same year....
.
Biography
He is best known as the art director of Final Fantasy TacticsFinal Fantasy Tactics
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998...
and the art director and character model supervisor of Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story
is a Japanese-developed console role-playing game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation video game console. The game was released in 2000, and has been re-released through the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable consoles eleven years later...
. He became the co-director of Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy XII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform...
(with Hiroyuki Ito
Hiroyuki Ito
, also credited with the spelling Hiroyuki Itou, is a Japanese game producer, game director and game designer who has been working for Square Enix since 1987. He is famous for being the creator of Active Time Battle and Active Dimension Battle...
) when Yasumi Matsuno
Yasumi Matsuno
is a video game designer. He is one of a few designers to have two games receive a perfect score by Famitsu magazine. Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy XII were critically acclaimed by the magazine with a 40/40 score.-Early projects:...
, the original producer and co-director, left Square Enix during the development of the game due to sickness. Minagawa also served as the game's visual designer and character texture supervisor. Minagawa and Matsuno remain close friends and keep in regular contact despite Matsuno no longer working for Square Enix. They recently worked together on Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together for the PSP
PSP
PSP most commonly refers to the PlayStation Portable, a handheld game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment.PSP may also refer to:-Computing and programming:*Corel Paint Shop Pro, a graphics editor...
.
In December 2010, it was announced that he had been brought into the development team of Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV
, also known as Final Fantasy XIV Online, is the fourteenth installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in September 2010 for Microsoft Windows, with a PlayStation 3 port in development. The game is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game and is developed and published by...
. This happened because the development team of Final Fantasy XIV was restructured due to the negative reception of the initial Windows version. The new director, Naoki Yoshida, specifically asked Minagawa to join the team and help with the improvement of the game.
Game design philosophy
When directing a video game, Hiroshi Minagawa creates using the mentality of what it would be like to experience the game as a player. He also cares more about the reception of his games from critics and players than than how much they sell.Works
| Game | Released | System(s) | Credit(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magical Chase Magical Chase is a scrolling shooter video game developed by Palsoft and released by Quest on the TurboGrafx-16 platform in 1991 in Japan, and 1993 in the U.S.... |
1991 | PC Engine, TurboGrafx-16 TurboGrafx-16 TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989.... |
Art director, game designer |
| Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen is a 1993 real-time strategy role-playing video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, directed by Yasumi Matsuno with artwork by Akihiko Yoshida... |
1993 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short... |
Art director, main graphics design, visual effects |
| Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together | 1995 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short... |
Art director, main graphics design, visual effects |
| Final Fantasy Tactics Final Fantasy Tactics is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998... |
1997 | PlayStation | Art director, event director |
| Vagrant Story Vagrant Story is a Japanese-developed console role-playing game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation video game console. The game was released in 2000, and has been re-released through the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable consoles eleven years later... |
2000 | PlayStation | Art director, character model supervisor, menu & layout artistic supervisor |
| Final Fantasy IX Final Fantasy IX is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation video game console. It is the ninth title in the Final Fantasy series. The game introduced new features to the series like the 'Active Time Event', 'Mognet' and a unique equipment and skill system.Final Fantasy IXs... |
2000 | PlayStation | Special thanks |
| Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. A spin-off of the popular Final Fantasy series, the game shares several traits with 1997's Final Fantasy Tactics, although it is not a direct sequel. The player assembles a clan of characters, and... |
2003 | Game Boy Advance Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... |
Artistic supervisor |
| Final Fantasy XII Final Fantasy XII is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform... |
2006 | PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... |
Director, visual designer, character texture supervisor |
| Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings is a real-time strategy RPG developed by Think & Feel and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS. It is a sequel to the best-selling 2006 PlayStation 2 role-playing game Final Fantasy XII.... |
2007 | Nintendo DS Nintendo DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP... |
Special thanks |
| Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation Portable and iOS. The game is an updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics for the PlayStation video game console.... |
2007 | PlayStation Portable PlayStation Portable The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004... |
Supervisor, art director, event director |
| Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System Final Fantasy XII is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the Final Fantasy series and the last in the series to be released exclusively on the PlayStation platform... |
2007 | PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... |
Director, visual designer, character texture supervisor |
| Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld game console.Grimoire of the Rift is the sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as well as an iteration in the Ivalice Alliance.- Gameplay :... |
2007 | Nintendo DS Nintendo DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP... |
Visual design supervisor |
| Final Fantasy XIII Final Fantasy XIII is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series... |
2009 | PlayStation 3 PlayStation 3 The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles... , Xbox 360 Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles... |
Crystal Tools development staff |
| Final Fantasy XIV Final Fantasy XIV , also known as Final Fantasy XIV Online, is the fourteenth installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in September 2010 for Microsoft Windows, with a PlayStation 3 port in development. The game is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game and is developed and published by... |
2010 | Windows, PlayStation 3 PlayStation 3 The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles... |
(Since December 2010) Lead UI designer, lead web designer |
| Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together | 2010 | PlayStation Portable PlayStation Portable The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004... |
Director, artistic supervisor |
External links
- Square Enix official video interview with Hiroyuki Ito and Hiroshi Minagawa about Final Fantasy XII
- G Wie Gorilla text interview about the PAL version of Final Fantasy XII
- PlayZone video interview about Final Fantasy XII
- GameSpot video interview about the PSP Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
- 1UP text interview about the PSP Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together