Shinra Archaeology
@shinraarchaeology.bsky.social
Bringing you the latest in FFVII news and trivia translated straight from Japanese sources.
Contact us at: [email protected]
Website: shinraarchaeology.com
Contact us at: [email protected]
Website: shinraarchaeology.com
Asked if he has a favorite music track from FFVII, Naoki Hamaguchi says he really likes Sephiroth's theme. Hearing it start up always takes him back to that moment he was a child in the game when he turns up and it really sends shivers down his spine. (Mr. Islah, 11/21)
November 22, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Asked if he has a favorite music track from FFVII, Naoki Hamaguchi says he really likes Sephiroth's theme. Hearing it start up always takes him back to that moment he was a child in the game when he turns up and it really sends shivers down his spine. (Mr. Islah, 11/21)
Hamaguchi says he would really love to take that time and talk to him about the creative side of things. Hopefully that'll happen one day, but unfortunately he's not as familiar with the guy because he's always so busy and going off to do other stuff. [2/2] (Mr. Islah, 11/21)
November 22, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Hamaguchi says he would really love to take that time and talk to him about the creative side of things. Hopefully that'll happen one day, but unfortunately he's not as familiar with the guy because he's always so busy and going off to do other stuff. [2/2] (Mr. Islah, 11/21)
Asked how it feels to have Superman Actor Tyler Hoechlin in his cast, Naoki Hamaguchi says he gets the impression he's a really busy guy. As a part of the promotion they talk to VAs and go over things with them, but he's not had the opportunity to sit down and chat with him [1/2]
November 22, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Asked how it feels to have Superman Actor Tyler Hoechlin in his cast, Naoki Hamaguchi says he gets the impression he's a really busy guy. As a part of the promotion they talk to VAs and go over things with them, but he's not had the opportunity to sit down and chat with him [1/2]
Asked how difficult it is to align both English and Japanese performances, Naoki Hamaguchi says they have the translator who did the script stay locally close to the recordings in LA to oversee the whole recording and give advice about how each individual line should be acted. (Mr. Islah, 11/21)
November 22, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Asked how difficult it is to align both English and Japanese performances, Naoki Hamaguchi says they have the translator who did the script stay locally close to the recordings in LA to oversee the whole recording and give advice about how each individual line should be acted. (Mr. Islah, 11/21)
The latest Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Update has changed a line Barret says to Dyne. It originally said, "This is your chance to give your daughter a better life than we had."
November 16, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The latest Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Update has changed a line Barret says to Dyne. It originally said, "This is your chance to give your daughter a better life than we had."
Loveless mentions that "one flies away," "one is captured," and "one becomes a hero." Crisis Core's developers say that if we look at Angeal, who takes to the sky, and Genesis, who becomes a prisoner, this interpretation connects to the words Zack utters at the end of the game. (CCCG, 2008)
November 16, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Loveless mentions that "one flies away," "one is captured," and "one becomes a hero." Crisis Core's developers say that if we look at Angeal, who takes to the sky, and Genesis, who becomes a prisoner, this interpretation connects to the words Zack utters at the end of the game. (CCCG, 2008)
FFVII Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi confirms that the PlayStation version's trophies will be easier to obtain in Part 3. He admits that they were too difficult to achieve in Rebirth and so he’s eased the difficulty after fan feedback. (Forbes, 11/11)
November 12, 2025 at 3:43 PM
FFVII Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi confirms that the PlayStation version's trophies will be easier to obtain in Part 3. He admits that they were too difficult to achieve in Rebirth and so he’s eased the difficulty after fan feedback. (Forbes, 11/11)
In the original FFVII, in what seems to be a gathering of bald men, a group has rented out the bar in the basement of the weapon shop to enjoy some drinks. Rude the Turk can be spotted among their ranks. It’s the group’s rule not to cover their heads. (UO, 2005) #FF7 #Rude #FFVII #Turks #Turk
November 10, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Nojima says that after FFVII came out he got sort of rattled by people writing stuff online like "Flashbacks are so hackneyed," so with VIII he hardly used any at all. But then maybe as a rebound, X ended up having tons of flashback scenes. (Famitsu, 2021)
November 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Nojima says that after FFVII came out he got sort of rattled by people writing stuff online like "Flashbacks are so hackneyed," so with VIII he hardly used any at all. But then maybe as a rebound, X ended up having tons of flashback scenes. (Famitsu, 2021)
One example was putting the bonfire scene in Zanarkand right at the beginning, and then basically proceeding with the story as one big flashback. [3/3] (Famitsu, 2021)
November 8, 2025 at 4:59 PM
One example was putting the bonfire scene in Zanarkand right at the beginning, and then basically proceeding with the story as one big flashback. [3/3] (Famitsu, 2021)
A character might be thinking one thing in-game while the player's thinking something else. Getting that sort of synchronization between the character and the player—that's something he's super invested in. [2/3]
November 8, 2025 at 4:59 PM
A character might be thinking one thing in-game while the player's thinking something else. Getting that sort of synchronization between the character and the player—that's something he's super invested in. [2/3]
In 2021, Nojima said with VII and VIII, the characters were vessels for reflecting the players' emotions in-game. With X, he aimed to make sure the characters could stand on their own even as players identified with them. That's a concern he's still dragging into FF7R. [1/3]
November 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
In 2021, Nojima said with VII and VIII, the characters were vessels for reflecting the players' emotions in-game. With X, he aimed to make sure the characters could stand on their own even as players identified with them. That's a concern he's still dragging into FF7R. [1/3]
Naoki Hamaguchi says he would love to make a AA game with a similar scope to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 that's really focused on one area, but only if he completely ignored the reality of it - the position he has in the company and what they want him to make. (Gamesradar, 11/1)
November 2, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Naoki Hamaguchi says he would love to make a AA game with a similar scope to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 that's really focused on one area, but only if he completely ignored the reality of it - the position he has in the company and what they want him to make. (Gamesradar, 11/1)
He got to do that while shooting Superman and Lois sometimes. So on his days off he'd be able to go in and do that. He says it was cool to go from playing a superhero to an anti-hero. (GalaxyCon, 11/1) [3/3]
November 2, 2025 at 6:28 PM
He got to do that while shooting Superman and Lois sometimes. So on his days off he'd be able to go in and do that. He says it was cool to go from playing a superhero to an anti-hero. (GalaxyCon, 11/1) [3/3]
He found out he got the job while leaving a movie theater with his brother and friends. He then started to learn how big Sephiroth was but it wasn’t until fans at conventions told him, “You know he's one of the biggest villains of all time?” And he was like, “Oh, cool!” [2/3]
November 2, 2025 at 6:28 PM
He found out he got the job while leaving a movie theater with his brother and friends. He then started to learn how big Sephiroth was but it wasn’t until fans at conventions told him, “You know he's one of the biggest villains of all time?” And he was like, “Oh, cool!” [2/3]
Asked how he fell into the role of Sephiroth, VA Tyler Hoechlin says that kind of describes it. It was a random audition that came through which he went in for and did the voice for about 15 to 20 minutes. He then never heard anything for about a year. [1/3]
November 2, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Asked how he fell into the role of Sephiroth, VA Tyler Hoechlin says that kind of describes it. It was a random audition that came through which he went in for and did the voice for about 15 to 20 minutes. He then never heard anything for about a year. [1/3]
He thinks now that they've done Remake and Rebirth, it works in their favor since people now know they can expect new and exciting things from the third game. He thinks that was essential - that philosophy of not just planning it all out and making it the same all the way through. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 7:16 PM
He thinks now that they've done Remake and Rebirth, it works in their favor since people now know they can expect new and exciting things from the third game. He thinks that was essential - that philosophy of not just planning it all out and making it the same all the way through. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
He says if you look at this from the first game to the second in terms of the overall themes -the first one is obviously a story-driven experience. If the second one was the same, then as soon as people play it they would think the third one is going to be a story-driven as well. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 7:15 PM
He says if you look at this from the first game to the second in terms of the overall themes -the first one is obviously a story-driven experience. If the second one was the same, then as soon as people play it they would think the third one is going to be a story-driven as well. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
Naoki Hamaguchi says if they just tried to make three of the same game with a continuing story… there'd be a lot more fans who would drop out and become bored with it if they didn't have that feeling that it's going to continue in a different direction. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Naoki Hamaguchi says if they just tried to make three of the same game with a continuing story… there'd be a lot more fans who would drop out and become bored with it if they didn't have that feeling that it's going to continue in a different direction. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
Asked about people in the 90s theorizing about things reviving Aerith or the inaccessible cave, Hamaguchi says it reflects changing times. In some ways, we've kind of lost that aspect to entertainment. Unlike before, the internet now lets people instantly verify or debunk rumors. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Asked about people in the 90s theorizing about things reviving Aerith or the inaccessible cave, Hamaguchi says it reflects changing times. In some ways, we've kind of lost that aspect to entertainment. Unlike before, the internet now lets people instantly verify or debunk rumors. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
Hamaguchi says Kitase, Nomura, Toriyama, and Nojima all still involved in the remake projects and they're available very easily so he can go and check things against them. Even if there's no documentation, they can kind of get it from the horse's mouth. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Hamaguchi says Kitase, Nomura, Toriyama, and Nojima all still involved in the remake projects and they're available very easily so he can go and check things against them. Even if there's no documentation, they can kind of get it from the horse's mouth. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
Naoki Hamaguchi says he made a clear decision when he was given the role as director for the FFVII remake series. What he's not doing is trying to overwrite the OG with his own fan perspective of it and create a new version of the game which is essentially a fanfiction of it. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Naoki Hamaguchi says he made a clear decision when he was given the role as director for the FFVII remake series. What he's not doing is trying to overwrite the OG with his own fan perspective of it and create a new version of the game which is essentially a fanfiction of it. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
Asked about referencing old planning documents and the like from back in the day, Naoki Hamaguchi says there's almost no documentation left over from that period at all, practically none. Game development back then was a lot more Wild West - a lot of material was just not kept. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Asked about referencing old planning documents and the like from back in the day, Naoki Hamaguchi says there's almost no documentation left over from that period at all, practically none. Game development back then was a lot more Wild West - a lot of material was just not kept. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
Asked about scene iteration, Hamaguchi says that's there but when Scenario Writer Nojima wants to express something, they'll be saying 'yes, we have to show that'. They assess whether it conveys his intent, but they try to avoid iterating to preserve a single creative vision. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Asked about scene iteration, Hamaguchi says that's there but when Scenario Writer Nojima wants to express something, they'll be saying 'yes, we have to show that'. They assess whether it conveys his intent, but they try to avoid iterating to preserve a single creative vision. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
Hamaguchi says one example of that is in Rebirth the scene where Aerith sings the theme song in the Gold Saucer wasn't in the original planning. Late in development, Kitase decided he wanted it in the game and they had to all rush to get it made very quickly. (Eurogamer, 10/30)
October 30, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Hamaguchi says one example of that is in Rebirth the scene where Aerith sings the theme song in the Gold Saucer wasn't in the original planning. Late in development, Kitase decided he wanted it in the game and they had to all rush to get it made very quickly. (Eurogamer, 10/30)