Creator's Salon: Scenario Team
"Members of the Scenario, Sound, Movie, and Graphic teams shared their experiences working on their respective parts. Enjoy the many episodes that have never been revealed before."
The initial plot of the FFX scenario is unveiled for the first time. We will introduce it with comments from the four members of the scenario team, focusing on parts that differ significantly from the actual game.
From the left, Yoshinori Kitase (Director), Motomu Toriyama (Event Director), Daisuke Watanabe (Scenario Planner), and Kazushige Nojima (Scenario Writer) [Titles omitted]
Opening
● The ruins of the ancient city of Registan (a scene indicating that what follows is a flashback)
Travelers are dejected. A young man stands up and enters the water. He swims a little and then does the backstroke. He stops and floats.
Narration: "This might be the last time, so I want to talk a lot." (Tidus' first line)
● Underwater in the capital city of Registan
A young man swims, powerfully heading for the surface.
● Sea looking up at the floating city of Registan (night)
The young man surfaces, looking up at the illuminated skyscraper city of Registan. The Hymn of the Fayth can be heard faintly.
● Outside the Yevon Dome (night)
The "Hymn of the Fayth" is playing. Young people sit on the stone steps, wasting time. A demi-human couple is waiting. People coming to pray walk by. (The scene shows how the temple is integrated into everyday life.)
● Inside the Yevon Dome (night)
The "Hymn of the Fayth" is playing. Three people (Tidus' friends A (male), B (female), and C (female)) are having a lively conversation. People praying can be seen in the distance. One checks their "wristwatch" (or a large decorative "wall clock"). It's a little before 7 PM in 24-hour time. A gesture that indicates it's late.
Commentary on the "Yevon Dome"
A place dedicated to Yevon, the founder of Registan. It's spacious enough to hold a large number of people. The surroundings are tiered to allow people to enter (like a mortar). In front is an altar with the emblem of "Inverted Yevon." Yevon’s image is painted on the ceiling. Residents of Registan come here to pray and meet acquaintances. It's a social hub (there's hardly any entertainment in Registan). People pray to Yevon for their daily well-being. In Registan, Yevon is deified but not worshiped as a religion. Yevon does not make any demands.
The "Hymn of the Fayth" is broadcasted from this dome to the city.
● Underwater facility in Registan
A young man is in a facility located in the underwater part of Registan.
● Enter Name
We learn that the young man is named Tidus. The fiend is trying to attack Tidus, but is unable to break through the wire mesh. Tidus laughs at the fiend and heads towards the damaged part of the facility.
After finishing the repair, as Tidus is about to leave, a fiend that has broken through the mesh attacks him.
● Encounter & Battle "vs. Underwater Boss"
Tidus defeats the fiend with agile movements.
Tidus leaves the facility through a hole in the mesh. He witnesses the giant creature Sin coming from the bottomless depths of the ocean. Smiling, Tidus watches Sin pass by.
Tidus checks his "wristwatch." He realizes the time with a start. It's a little past 7:10 PM in 24-hour time.
Toriyama: Registan! That's a nostalgic name.
Kitase: Why did we change the name from Registan to Zanarkand again?
Watanabe: Because Registan is the name of a real square.
Toriyama: Zanarkand came from Samarkand?
Nojima: Anyway, we wanted to use either "stan" or "kand." Tidus was initially a plumber and looked like a street gang member. He wasn't tired of life but always seemed angry. Kitase said, "This is a weak main character," so he was eventually made into a sports star.
(Concept art of Registan drawn early in development. It closely resembles Zanarkand in the actual game.)
Auron of the Crimson Squad
● Inside the Yevon Dome
The "Hymn of the Fayth" is playing. The young people outside look around. A painting of a middle-aged man is on the ceiling. Tidus' friends feel like it's time to leave and exit the dome.
● Road to the Yevon Dome
Tidus runs at an incredible speed.
A vision sphere at a street corner announces the number of casualties from a fiend attack.
● Bustling streets of Registan
The Hymn of the Fayth is faintly heard. There are fiends. Surrounding the fiends is a combat group dressed in red. They wear red masks to hide their faces. Only one man, who seems to be leading the group, has his face uncovered. The scene shows the fiends surrounded by the red combat group, and they, in turn, are surrounded by a large crowd of onlookers (it feels like the group is being seen over the onlookers' shoulders). The vision sphere shows an out-of-place canned food advertisement. Then it displays the time.
When the combat group attacks the fiends, they defeat them surprisingly easily. The group strikes a signature pose (like a salute). The onlookers are impressed by the group's discipline. The onlookers cheer. From their cheers, we learn that the group is called the Crimson Squad and their leader is Auron.
Auron notices a man in black standing among the onlookers. The man in black (a Guado) tries to leave.
The Crimson Squad pursues the man in black, moving through the crowd.
● Outside the Yevon Dome (night)
Tidus runs past young people sitting on the ground and people coming to pray, climbing the stairs two at a time.
● Inside the Yevon Dome (night)
Tidus seems to be looking for someone. In the distance, couples wait for each other. He checks the wall clock. It's around 7:25 PM. (He also sees the painting of the middle-aged man on the ceiling.)
Tidus is at a loss. Looking bored, he leaves the dome.
Nojima: In this plot, Auron's job in Zanarkand was to exterminate fiends as part of the Crimson Squad. He wasn't an unsent at that time.
Toriyama: But when considering the setting of traveling to and from Zanarkand, we had to make Auron an unsent.
Kitase: There was also a plan where Tidus was an unsent.
Nojima: I wrote that scenario, but the next day I saw a certain movie and thought, "Ahh!" (laughs).
Kitase: Because the "main character was actually dead" part was the same, that scenario was almost scrapped... but Auron isn't a main character, so it was okay to make him an unsent.
Watanabe: I once considered a plot where Auron was actually Jecht. He pretended to be Auron but was actually Jecht, watching over everything. But it seemed like Jecht would become a main character, so I abandoned that idea.
(Early concept art of the Crimson Squad. In the game, Masamune, Auron's Celestial Weapon, was originally their standard equipment.)
Tidus' Cooking
● Tidus' Ship (Lunchtime)
(Tidus lives on the sea)
● Kitchen/Dining Area
Tidus is preparing breakfast. The amount is ridiculously large. Living alone for a long time, cooking every day has become his routine. Since it's boring, he has developed various cooking techniques. Flashy frying pan skills, etc.
*The reason the portions are so large is because he's always made three servings a day. He can't cook small portions. Tidus eats a lot, but even so, he can't finish it all. His mother was sickly, so Tidus was in charge of all the housework.
[Direction Ideas]
● Inside a charcoal grill?
A roaring charcoal fire.
● The Internal System of a Fish
The viewpoint rises, passing through the inside of a living creature (movie). After passing through, it shows the charred skin of grilled fish. Oil drips and sizzles. The viewpoint rises further amidst the smoke.
● Tidus' Ship (Day)
Tidus can be seen through the window.
● Close-up of Tidus' Waist
The hilt of the sword holstered on his waist is swiftly drawn.
● Close-up of Tidus' Sword Hilt and Hand
Tidus' fingertips tap the hilt of his sword. Clink, click, click.
● Tidus' Sphere Sword
The sword's effect activates. The water sword solidifies into a short sword.
● Kitchen
From a corner of the kitchen, the camera moves with a cockroach's perspective (up to the front). The stove (or similar appliance) has a flame rising. The frying pan is so hot it looks like it might explode at any moment. Tidus holds his sword in hand. There are many ingredients and canned goods on the kitchen counter. Strange-shaped vegetables are in the foreground. His hand reaches out and tosses the ingredients one after another.
The ingredients fly in slow motion towards the camera.
Show flashy movements of Tidus' waist and legs.
Chopped vegetables are thrown into the frying pan. The frying pan is shaken, and flames rise.
Kitase: Come to think of it, there was an idea to have Tidus cooking in Zanarkand.
Nojima: It feels strangely realistic, right? There was also a scene where he scratched his feet (laughs).
Kitase: The intention was to give an idea of the daily life there and instill a sense of nostalgia.
Sin's Attack
● Street to the Yevon Dome
Tidus is moving with a male friend (colleague).
Friend: "There seems to have been an accident at the Dome." Tidus: "Did something break?"
● Inside the Dome
Tidus and his friend enter. The ceiling has a painting of a middle-aged man.
Tidus: "Now then..." Men in black leave the dome so as not to draw attention.
The power goes out. Confusion among the people inside the Dome.
An announcement is made that Sin has landed in Registan and is heading this way. It urges people to evacuate immediately. The place is in chaos. Auron appears and shouts at the people. He tells them to stay calm and evacuate.
Tidus: "Why is Sin coming to the city? This can't be real..." Tidus heads outside.
● Outside the Dome
People are fleeing in panic. Sin is approaching the Dome. Seen up close on land, Sin is covered in wounds. Countless pyreflies cling to it, and it has ancient weapons (spears and arrows) stuck in its body.
In the initial Registan, Sin's eyes were all closed except for two. It was unclear that the other protrusions were eyes. However, in the Registan scene, all of Sin's eyes are wide open and glaring. When encountering Tidus, for a moment, the eyes covering its body (the eyes covering its head) close. Only Jecht’s=Sin's two eyes remain. These eyes are very sad and gentle. Then all of its eyes open wide. Ferocious eyes. Many eyes. The eyes of a fiend.
Tidus notices the Crimson Squad at Sin's feet. The Crimson Squad recklessly tries to block Sin's progress and is annihilated by a single blow from Sin.
Sin stops moving there. Sin slowly changes direction and tries to return to the sea. Tidus notices the men in black watching Sin. A man (Seymour) stands out among them. Auron comes out of the Dome and stands next to Tidus.
Tidus: "Those guys look suspicious."
Auron nods, "Crimson Squad!"
The Crimson Squad tries to stand up, but everyone is injured and can't. Auron clicks his tongue.
A roaring explosion is heard. Sin seems to have destroyed a building on its way to the sea. When Tidus looks again, the men are gone. They are seen moving in the distance, following Sin.
Auron: "Tidus, help me." They start running after the Guado.
Tidus: "Why me?"
Auron: "This is your story."
Tidus is confused, but Auron runs off without looking back to see Tidus’ reaction. Tidus follows.
Tidus: "What do you mean by 'my story'!"
● Burning Streets
Auron and Tidus chase the men through the burning streets. The men are surprisingly fast.
Tidus: "What was that about earlier?"
Auron: "Later."
Sin is about to submerge in the sea. The men are running towards Sin. Tidus and Auron chase them. An encounter battle occurs.
Kitase: The part where Sin appears in the Dream Zanarkand based on this plot was scrapped due to schedule issues.. But if we cut it, it would be unclear what Sin is, so we decided to bring it back at the end of development.
Nojima: There was some debate when we brought it back. "It's weird for Tidus to go back to where Sin is near his home." We thought of various reasons, like Tidus returning to save the kids he promised to teach Blitzball to.
Toriyama: Ultimately, Auron leads him. But while thinking of reasons, we said Tidus would be more concerned about a date promise than the kids he promised to teach Blitzball to (laughs).
Nojima: Speaking of the date promise, I was satisfied because I could include the line "the fifth girl from the right." In Mi'ihen Highroad, Tidus says, "If you think about the cute girl fifth from the right, you'll lose," but I could put in a line that corresponds to that.
Toriyama: That part connected well.
The Guado tribe has their own language.
● Small Island (Night)
(Tidus feels relieved since it's land) Tidus is out of breath. He thinks about Auron. "I wonder if Auron is safe" But there's no way to confirm. "That old man doesn't look like he'd die." He falls asleep.
● Small Island (Day)
The next morning, Tidus takes in his surroundings. Tidus' life there begins. Exploration.
● Room in the Temple
Less damage compared to others. Signs of someone having lived there. A sphere is present.
● Sphere Image
When the sphere is played, a beautiful woman appears. (Scenes with a domestic feel she wouldn't show to others)
Woman: "=)) (')&(%' $&$"
Child's voice: "P[M{P{?"
Woman: ")(&)(')'=(}{“
Since it's Guado language, Tidus (the player) doesn't understand.
● Burial Site
It seems the grave is of the woman who appeared in the sphere, based on her clothing. Tidus feels uneasy.
● Close-up of a Note
He finds something that looks like a note but can't read it (Guado letters. If he comes later with companions, he can read it. It describes Seymour's motives).
● Burial Site
Tidus thinks, "I don't want to be here!" but there's nothing he can do.
● Outside the Temple (Day)
Several days pass. Tidus is grilling fish. Narration: "I regret thinking I wanted to go somewhere. Registan is the best. I want to go back. I'm sorry."
A ship is seen in the distance, coming this way. Tidus: "Hey---!"
● Inside the Ship
When Tidus boards, it seems empty... until he finds a collapsed girl. The girl introduces herself as Rikku. Normally, she's a cheerful girl. But she's hungry... Tidus feeds her fish and revives her. He learns the ship was attacked by Sin and got damaged. Tidus is disappointed to find out that Rikku is also adrift.
Toriyama: At this point, there were no Al Bhed, and the Guado spoke their own language.
Kitase: If Tidus got sent from Zanarkand to Besaid, he would quickly meet and get close to Wakka and others, right? Since he was thrown into an unknown world, we wanted to give him a bit of anxiety. So we tried to include a situation where he drifts to a place and can't communicate with the people who rescued him, like in the Baaj Temple.
Fantasy Edit System
● Entrance to the Chamber of the Fayth
Yuna enters alone.
Yuna: "I'm off."
Tidus tries to follow but is rudely stopped by Kimahri.
Lulu: "Only summoners can proceed beyond this point."
Tidus: "Why?"
Wakka: "It's a sacred place, ya know. We'll wait for Yuna here."
As Tidus approaches the door to peek inside, Kimahri scolds him (each time he’s scolded, Tidus fantasizes. He shares the contents of his daydreams with Kimahri. Fantasy Edit System: Players can freely fantasize).
● Wakka's Talk
Tidus asks, "What's inside there?" Wakka tells him, "The Fayth are here." Tidus: "T-the Fayth..."
Tidus learns about the relationship between summoners, the Fayth, and Aeons.
[Explanation: Tentative]
"The 'Fayth' are those who offered their own lives to defeat 'Sin,' dedicating their spirits to Yevon. They seal their thoughts into statues, lending their power to summoners for eternity. The thoughts of the Fayth are reincarnated into Spira through the summoner's body, manifesting as Aeons."
"Are the Fayth alive? Or dead?"
"In the normal sense, they're dead... but their thoughts are alive. They wait for summoners in each temple."
"How does someone become a Fayth?"
"Through Lady Yunalesca's secret art."
"Yunalesca... she's from a thousand years ago, right?"
"Yeah. So the Fayth have been waiting in their respective temples for a thousand years."
Tidus' fantasies grow. They're horror-themed. Scary. "It's scary… or maybe it's just creepy..."
Wakka: "Be respectful with your words."
Narration: "It felt unsettling somehow. But that's how Spira works."
Lulu: "It's been going on forever, regardless of our feelings."
Wakka: "And it'll keep on going."
Toriyama: There was also something called the "Fantasy Edit System." It's like, you wonder what Yuna's doing inside the Chamber of the Fayth. Players imagine it and choose options in the "Fantasy Edit System." Based on those choices, images are shown on screen, and Tidus talks about them with Wakka... That's what I was thinking.
Nomura: "That system survived pretty late in development. But it was a bit much to make multiple versions of that kind of image, so I sent Kitase an email saying, "Maybe it's time to get rid of it." Then Kitase said, "I thought the same thing" (laughs).
Musical at Macalania
The Yevon Muse ceremony (music festival) begins. The ancient summoner Yunalesca's story is performed as a musical. The stage is set on a dilapidated street corner in Registan.
Singing echoes throughout the venue (based on hymns). Summoning magic rises into the night sky. Beautiful dances and performances. Yuna appears dressed in Yunalesca's attire. She is breathtaking.
Behind the audience, the pyreform Sin appears. Directed by the Guado. The pyreform Sin flies over the audience. Yuna summons in the climax scene. Yuna is summoning.
However, the Guado's illusion of Sin grows even larger. Guado tribe laughs. Yuna is bewildered. Stage lights dim. Music stops. True darkness. Torches are lit. Gradually, the stage brightens. There stands the figure of the High Summoner Vaska (Braska’s original name), who was supposed to have died ten years ago, surrounded by many pyreflies, faintly glowing.
"Lord Vaska!" The audience is shocked and in an uproar. Vaska performs a majestic dance. There is no music, only the sound of Vaska's stomping feet and the rhythm of his body. The audience falls silent. After a pause, there is thunderous applause and cheers!
The conductor hurriedly resumes the performance. A flashy summoning magic (demonstration) is cast, defeating the image of Sin made of pyreflies. Eventually, Vaska speaks in a low, almost singing voice. There's no need to fear "Sin." The High Summoner Vaska has returned.
Tidus: "Isn't that Seymour's voice?"
A fierce wind swirls. Torches go out. Vaska disappears.
● Above the Ruins (Audience Seats)
Tidus: "Hey, that's a fake! It's an illusion created by Seymour of the Guado tribe"
Tidus is ridiculed by the people around him. The High Summoner Vaska is revered by everyone.
On stage, Yuna stands stunned. "It's true! My father died ten years ago!"
Audience member (Guado Sakura): "Did you meet him in the Farplane!?"
"No... my father... I believe he chose the path to become a fiend."
Audience member (Guado Sakura): "Even though you're his daughter, are you planning to disrespect your father?" "We don't need a novice summoner!" "Vaska! Vaska! Vaska!"
The audience erupts into a chorus of "Vaska." Yuna kneels down, overwhelmed.
Nomura: At first, I wrote the scenario with the idea of "making Yuna an idol" in mind, and that atmosphere remains in the game, like in Luca, where townspeople would surround Yuna.
Toriyama: Summoners are like stars in this world, aren't they? The concept was there in FFX, wanting to travel alongside such an idol.
Watanabe: Everywhere they went, Yuna's photos were being sold.
Kitase: Nomura really likes to make stars, doesn’t he. Soldiers had that position in FFVII as well.
Nomura: I thought it would add to the realism of the world.
Toriyama: We were considering events like weddings and Sendings to the Farplane as idol-like moments, but there was also the event of Yuna dancing at the Macalania Musical Festival. That's part of this plot.
Nomura: Anyway, I wanted Yuna to dance and sing in many scenes.
Watanabe: Eventually, as the story became more serious, it became difficult to create a fun production.
Kitase: When Seymour and Maester Mika visited Luca, there was a band there, right? Originally, those characters were designed for the Macalania musical festival.
(An early concept illustration for the Sending to the Farplane. Somehow, Yuna's outfit looks like an idol's.)
Macalania Spring Favorability Event
● Inside the Forest - A Clearing in View
As they try to move forward, a small twig flies at their feet. Tidus reacts dramatically.
Looking closer, they see Kimahri. He gestures for them not to go. Tidus moves closer to Kimahri.
Tidus: "Forever?"
Kimahri nods.
Tidus looks at Yuna. Yuna stands up. She looks up at the sky and screams with all her might.
"Ah---!" An inarticulate scream. The voice echoes through the forest. The two stand up in surprise.
"Ah---!"
The voice echoes through the forest.
Yuna looks over at Tidus and the others. She smiles and walks toward them. The smile disappears. She starts to jog, unable to hold back her tears. She runs and buries her face in Tidus' chest, sobbing. Depending on favorability, she may go to Kimahri instead.
● Forest by the Great Sacred River of Bevelle - Camping Point
Wakka: "Wh-what are we going to do?"
Yuna: "No matter what happens to Yevon, Sin still exists. To defeat Sin, we must continue our pilgrimage. No matter how ugly the high priests of Yevonism may think, the teachings of Yevon are in the hearts of many of us. I think that is real. I think that is a precious truth. As long as that exists, nothing will change. So, I want to continue this pilgrimage. Everyone... please lend me your strength."
Everyone stands up. Though they don’t say it, they all agree with Yuna.
Yuna: "Let's go. North. To Registan."
Nojima: In the event at the Macalania Spring, there was also the idea that the character with the highest favorability would come to check on Tidus and Yuna's relationship.
Toriyama: Like Akiko from Star of the Giants (laughs).
Nojima: The act of seeing and being seen influenced the dialogue afterward.
Toriyama: When the favorability conditions weren't met, Kimahri was supposed to come and check, like in this plot. And if Yuna's favorability was low, instead of Tidus, she would go to hug Kimahri. In the final version of the Macalania Spring, Kimahri watching the two is a remnant of this plot.
The Real Zanarkand
● Battle with Yunalesca
Yunalesca appears in her fiend form. She informs them that even if they defeat Sin with the Final Summoning, that summoning will inherit the curse from the just-defeated Sin. Ultimately, the chain system of Sin does not change, and this is logically proven.
Yunalesca: "But it will buy us time. Isn’t that enough? Human life is short and trivial. If two insignificant lives can obtain a fleeting peace, it is a small price to pay. There are so many humans that we can throw them away and throw them away. There are plenty of replacements."
Auron: "A replacement, you say..."
Yunalesca: "The fact that you all came to me is proof of that. You appeared before me as a replacement for Jecht, and my daughter (Yuna) appeared before me as a replacement for Vaska... In other words, humans have replacements."
Auron: "I came here because there were no replacements for them. They were irreplaceable friends...!"
Yunalesca: "That is an illusion. There are no irreplaceable humans. It is all a delusion of yours. Now, accept my magic and become a replacement for Jecht."
Yunalesca tries to turn Auron into a Fayth, but Auron loses his temper. Battle commences. They defeat the fiend-ified Yunalesca. The group has abandoned their ancient method of defeating Sin. Yuna is at a loss.
They discover a sphere left by Vaska.
Sphere footage: Knowing that he cannot defeat Sin with the Final Summoning, Jecht said, "Do not summon me." However, he (Vaska) ends up summoning anyway. That is the only way to defeat Sin. Even though his dear friend risked his life to teach him this, he was a man deeply stained by Yevon. He was weak. He waits here as a fiend, without going to the Farplane, for a summoner. Such tragedies must never be repeated.
Vaska: "I'm sorry, Auron. I'm sorry, Yuna..."
The entire dome shakes violently and begins to collapse.
In the distance, within the dawn before the morning, the figure of Sin can be seen. "It seems to be waiting for something. The night is breaking (feeling that a new era is coming). Sin is beautiful in the backlight."
Tidus: "Are you waiting for me to defeat you? There’s no way!"
Sin quietly leaves.
● Reunion with the People of the Registan
Around the departing Sin, people are gathered. Everyone looks dumbfounded. (Tidus' friends who were in the Registan at the beginning of the story are there.) It becomes clear that Sin brought the inhabitants of Registan.
Nojima: At first, Registan—meaning Zanarkand—was a real city.
Kitase: It was floating above Mt. Gagazet. There was a city, and people actually lived there. I remember there was an event before the final battle where they went to rescue the residents.
Watanabe: There was also an idea to have Sin rescue them.
Toriyama: Because it was a real city, the plot included a scene in which the residents of Registan reunite with Tidus. Once it was decided that Zanarkand was a summoned city, all of these scenes were scrapped.