Expedition 33 would be hard to imagine without anime. Because the developers drew a lot of inspiration from it.
When any new artwork is created, like a video game, it doesn’t emerge in a vacuum. The developers draw inspiration from other media, closely examine what has worked well, and then try to implement that for their own project. A lot is already known about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – especially old JRPG classics.
But this exceptional RPG has also been inspired by anime.
Attack on Titan was an inspiration – and not just the Titans
Which anime is meant? We’re talking about Attack on Titan, one of the most influential anime of recent years. It captivated with a mature story, great characters, and a unique art style.
The CEO of Sandfall Interactive, Guillaume Broche, said in an interview with Gamesradar:
One of the anime that inspired the story of Expedition 33 was Attack on Titan.
A parallel that is probably recognized immediately. After all, the “Paintress” at first glance is also a huge Titan, who threatens with destruction on the other side of the world but is somehow always present.
I really liked the idea of a group of heroes fighting together, and I specifically liked the uniforms. When you see any character from Attack on Titan, you instantly know it’s a character from Attack on Titan – because of the uniform. That’s something I really wanted to implement in Expedition 33. The game should be recognizable solely based on the uniforms.
Something that has evidently succeeded. At the latest after the intro sequence where Gustave puts on his uniform before the first Gommage of the game, the design is probably seared into the collective memory of all fans.
Broche liked Attack on Titan so much that he watches it again, as he believes it’s “really an absolute masterpiece” for him.
From which anime was further inspiration taken? Besides Attack on Titan, one of the “Big 3” was also responsible for ideas, namely the action anime Bleach, which aired from 2004 to 2012 (even though there are now new seasons with “1000 Years Blood War”).
Alan Reynaud, the lead character and concept artist, said about Bleach:
I have to mention Bleach, because the character designs of the series are spectacular. One of the things we drew inspiration from were the designs that were super simple but had a high recognition value. We wanted to create something like that, with a “Rule of Cool” approach. I would say that was already a huge inspiration for character creation.
Even if you haven’t had much to do with Japanese series so far, anime can become a new hobby that not only entertains but can also provide inspiration. If you’ve been skeptical about anime until now, check out these 5 series that turn skeptics into real fans.
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!