Takashi Tokita
時田 貴司
Born (1965-01-24) January 24, 1965 (age 59)
Japan
Occupation(s)Video game designer, director, producer
Years active1985–present
EmployerSquare Enix
Notable workFinal Fantasy
SpouseNaomi Orikasa

Takashi Tokita (時田 貴司, Tokita Takashi) (born 24 January 1965) is a Japanese video game developer working for Square Enix. He has worked there since 1985, and has worked as the lead designer for Final Fantasy IV as well as the director of Live A Live, Parasite Eve and Chrono Trigger.[1]

Career

Tokita joined Square in 1985 as a part-time employee, not becoming full-time until the development of Final Fantasy IV.[2] For the first three Final Fantasy games, he worked on graphic design, testing, and sound effects, respectively, before becoming lead designer of Final Fantasy IV in 1991.[3]

Tokita wanted to make a career as a theater actor, but working on Final Fantasy IV made him decide to become a "great creator" of video games.[4] He was one of only 14 people working on the game.[5] Tokita feels that Final Fantasy IV is the first game in the series to really pick up on drama,[5] and the first Japanese RPG to feature "such deep characters and plot".[6] He also felt that Final Fantasy IV was so good because it was the culmination of the best parts of the first three games.[2]

Chrono Trigger is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Director credits were attributed to Akihiko Matsui, Yoshinori Kitase and Takashi Tokita. Tetsuya Takahashi had the role of graphic director.[7] Additionally, Takashi Tokita, along with Yoshinori Kitase wrote the various subplots to the game.[8]

Following that title, he was also involved in the production of Final Fantasy VII.[3][9]

He handled the game design for Parasite Eve and wrote the game's story.[9] He considers the later games in the series as having been "handed off" to others.[10]

After the successful remakes of Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy IV, there was a desire by the team to make a new game in the same style.[11]

He was the lead developer on Final Fantasy IV: The After Years.[2]

His greatest inspiration was Dragon Quest II, since it emotionally engaged him like no game he had played before.[12]

Between 2003 and 2007, Tokita was the head of Square's Product Development Division 7.[13]

Currently, Tokita is a senior manager and producer in Square Enix's Business Division 8.

Works

Year Title Role(s)
1987 Aliens: Alien 2 Graphic design
Cleopatra no Mahō
Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School
1988 Hanjuku Hero
1989 Square's Tom Sawyer
The Final Fantasy Legend Character design, sprite graphics, scenario, sound effects
1990 Final Fantasy III Sound effects
Rad Racer II
1991 Final Fantasy IV Lead game designer, scenario
1992 Hanjuku Hero: Aa, Sekaiyo Hanjukunare...! Scenario director
1994 Live A Live Director, event design, scenario
1995 Chrono Trigger Director, scenario
1996 DynamiTracer Producer
1998 Parasite Eve Director, planner, scenario
1999 Chocobo Racing Director, scenario, lyricist
Parasite Eve II Special advisor
2000 The Bouncer Director, dramatisation, lyricist
2003 Hanjuku Hero Tai 3D Director, producer
2004 Egg Monster Hero Producer
Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls Producer, game design
2005 Hanjuku Hero 4: 7-Jin no Hanjuku Hero Director, producer
Final Fantasy IV Advance Supervisor
Musashi: Samurai Legend Producer
2006 Mario Hoops 3-on-3 Senior producer
2007 Final Fantasy IV DS Director, executive producer
2008 Final Fantasy IV: The After Years Producer, game design, scenario
Nanashi no Game Executive producer
2009 Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light Director, scenario
2011 Ikenie no Yoru Co-director
Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection Supervisor
2012 Final Fantasy Dimensions Producer, game design, scenario
Demons' Score Producer
2015 Final Fantasy Dimensions II General director, game design, scenario, illustrator, lyricist
Holy Dungeon Writer
2017 Itadaki Street: Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Final Fantasy character supervisor
2019 Oninaki Creative producer
2022 Live A Live (Remake) Producer, scenario, lyricist

References

  1. ^ "Takashi Tokita on the legacy of Final Fantasy IV". gamesradar. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Nutt, Christian (2011-04-19). "Years After: The Final Fantasy IV Interview". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2011-04-19.
  3. ^ a b jeriaska (2011-03-29). "Sound Current: 'Serializing RPG Storylines on Final Fantasy Legends'". Game Set Watch. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
  4. ^ Hayashi, Koichiro (2004-10-17). "Square Enix Discusses DS". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  5. ^ a b Xcomp (2007-05-31). "Final Fantasy IV DS Interview". GameBrink. Archived from the original on 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  6. ^ "Final Fantasy IV Fan-Powered Q&A Part 3". Square Enix. 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  7. ^ Square Co (1995-08-22). Chrono Trigger (Super Nintendo Entertainment System). Square Soft. Level/area: Credits.
  8. ^ "Procyon Studio: Interview with Masato Kato". Cocoebiz.com. November 1999. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved June 3, 2007.
  9. ^ a b Major Mike; Ken Ogasawara (September 1997). "Parasite Eve and Cyberbots". GamePro. No. 108. IDG. p. 74.
  10. ^ Spencer (2011-04-01). "Takashi Tokita Interview On Creating New IP & Focusing Less On Focus Groups". Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-02-28.
  11. ^ Torres, Tim (2010-09-14). "Interview: Takashi Tokita on 4 Heroes of Light". 2d-x.com. Archived from the original on 2010-09-18. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  12. ^ Cameron Teague (2011-03-08). "PSLS Presents – Takashi Tokita, Lead Designer for Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection". PlayStation Lifestyle. Retrieved 2013-02-28.
  13. ^ Winkler, Chris (2003-09-20). "Square Enix Talks Current Status". RPGFan. Retrieved 2013-12-07.

External links

Square Enix
Authority control databases
Categories