Yoshinori Kitase (北瀬 佳範, Kitase Yoshinori?) is a Japanese game producer and former game director who has been working for Square Enix since 1990. He has directed four Final Fantasy games: Final Fantasy VI (1994), Final Fantasy VII (1997), Final Fantasy VIII (1999), and Final Fantasy X (2001).
He became a producer after Hironobu Sakaguchi promoted him to the position. He made his debut as a producer with Final Fantasy X (2001), while simultaneously directing the title. Since then, he has produced Final Fantasy X-2 (2003), the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII (2004–2009), the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy (2009–2013), Mobius Final Fantasy (2015), and Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020).
He was the division executive of Square Enix's Business Division 1 and also a member of the Final Fantasy Committee.[1][2] He is currently an executive officer, a member of the board of directors, and the vice president of Creative Business Unit I. He was named the brand manager for the Final Fantasy series in April 2021, taking over for Shinji Hashimoto.
Profile[]
Kitase graduated in cinema at the Nihon University College of Art. In 1990, he was hired by Square, even though he didn't have any computer knowledge. His role was that of an "event scripter"; he would direct the characters' expressions and movements, the settings and the timing of music transitions, much like a stage director.
Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy series, chose Kitase to be producer of the mainline Final Fantasy games developed by Product Development Division 1. Kitase chose Motomu Toriyama as his successor as director.
He is currently working as producer on the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, with the project being directed by Tetsuya Nomura, the director of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005).
Works within the series[]
| Game | Release | Work |
|---|---|---|
| Final Fantasy Adventure | 1991 | Game Design, Scenario Writer |
| Final Fantasy V | 1992 | Field Planner, Scenario Writer (with Hironobu Sakaguchi) |
| Final Fantasy VI | 1994 | Director (with Hiroyuki Ito), Event Director, Scenario |
| Final Fantasy VII | 1997 | Director, Scenario Writer (with Kazushige Nojima) |
| Final Fantasy VIII | 1999 | Director, Game Design, Story |
| Final Fantasy X | 2001 | Director, Producer, Game Design, Story |
| Final Fantasy X-2 | 2003 | Producer |
| Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- | 2004 | Executive Producer |
| Final Fantasy VII Technical Demo for PS3 | 2005 | Supervisor |
| Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children | 2005 | Producer (with Shinji Hashimoto) |
| Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- | 2006 | Producer, Original Concept |
| Final Fantasy V Advance | 2006 | Supervisor (with Hiroyuki Ito) |
| Final Fantasy VI Advance | 2006 | Supervisor (with Hiroyuki Ito) |
| Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- | 2007 | Executive Producer, Event Planner |
| Dissidia Final Fantasy | 2008 | Producer |
| Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete | 2009 | Producer (with Shinji Hashimoto and Ichiro Hazama) |
| Final Fantasy XIII | 2009 | Producer, Game Design, Story Supervisor, Crystal Tools Development Staff |
| Final Fantasy XIV 1.0 | 2010 | Crystal Tools Development Staff |
| Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy | 2011 | Special Thanks |
| Final Fantasy Type-0 | 2011 | Producer |
| Final Fantasy XIII-2 | 2011 | Producer |
| Theatrhythm Final Fantasy | 2012 | Special Thanks |
| Final Fantasy All the Bravest | 2013 | Special Thanks |
| Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII | 2013 | Producer |
| Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster | 2013 | Producer |
| Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call | 2014 | Special Thanks |
| Final Fantasy VII G-Bike | 2014 | Executive Producer |
| Mobius Final Fantasy | 2015 | Producer |
| Final Fantasy Brave Exvius | 2015 | Special Thanks |
| Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV | 2016 | Special Thanks |
| Final Fantasy XV | 2016 | Special Thanks (served as Producer when the project was Final Fantasy Versus XIII) |
| Final Fantasy Dimensions II | 2017 | Special Thanks |
| Dissidia Final Fantasy NT | 2018 | Special Thanks |
| Final Fantasy VII Remake | 2020 | Producer[3] |
| Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier | 2021 | Executive Producer |
| Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin | 2022 | Executive Producer |
In-game appearances[]
Final Fantasy Type-0[]
Yoshinori Kitase.
Yoshinori Kitase appears as a Support Personnel of Akademeia. He shares the character model with Machina Kunagiri. His code name is "Producer".
Trivia[]
- Kitase has stated that his favorite game in the series is Final Fantasy VII and his favorite character is Cloud Strife.[4]
- Tetsuya Nomura stated he considers Yoshinori Kitase one of his four "seniors", and an influence on his game direction.[5]
- Kitase has stated his favorite Final Fantasy X scene is the ending. Specifically when Yuna attempts to run into Tidus's arms.[6]
External links[]
References[]
- ↑ FF Committee members[1]
- ↑ 『ライトニング リターンズ ファイナルファンタジーXIII』開発者・宣伝担当インタビュー (Accessed: UnknownError: See this for how to archive.) at Famitsu.com
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1OvupaRYCM
- ↑ http://www.videogamer.com/psp/dissidia_final_fantasy/news/yoshinori_kitase_on_ffxiii_ffvii_and_dissidia.html?page=2
- ↑ http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-Nintendo-3DS-Third-Party-Game-Developers/Vol-11-KINGDOM-HEARTS-3D-Dream-Drop-Distance-/3-Square-s-Intentions/3-Square-s-Intentions-839620.html
- ↑ http://www.denkiphile.com/2014/03/16/interview-with-final-fantasy-director-kitase-yoshinori-and-art-director-naora-yusuke/
