From among the many Japanese magazine scans making their way around the NeoGAF Forums comes our first glance at Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers.


According to an interview at 1UP with Crystal Bearers director Toshiyuki Itahana, the character has "a world-weary weather-beaten image, my image was not to design a hero with curly hair, but to make it appear a little disheveled because it's supposed to be a little messy so that it appears that he's been through a lot of stuff and wanted to convey a rugged look for the hero. I want to write an exhilarating tale of this great hero set against sweeping blue skies, who has in his past gone around adventuring, so that's what I had in mind." This particular character appears to start the game as a hero of sorts, opposing the usual RPG tradition of starting out weak and growing more powerful.

Itahana also told 1UP that Crystal Bearers is much more focussed on the single-player experience. Mitsuru Kamiyama, director of upcoming Nintendo DS title Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates also dropped a little bit of information about the portable title: Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles' moogle painting is making an appearance.

Ring of Fates will appear on Japanese shelves August 23. Crystal Bearers' release is still TBA.