Just when the gaming community was excited at the prospect of A Chrono Trigger Remake, it was reeling from the shock of the passing of the one-and-only Akira Toriyama. He was a master artist in the anime world (Dragon Ball) and the gaming industry (Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest). He passed away on March 1st of 2024. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones; his absence will be felt dearly.
The man may be gone, but his legacy will remain. His spirit will forever be within the collective minds of the two fandoms. Square Enix is high on making gamers happy, especially by giving players THAT romance in Final Fantasy 7 (FF VII) Rebirth. But it can do the classy thing and double down by giving players the remake of the beloved classic with a tribute to Akira-San front and center.
The Akira Toriyama Iconic Character Design Should Be Included In A Chrono Trigger Remake
The late Akira Toriyama’s infamy was mostly from his most popular shonen series, Dragon Ball. It was and still is one of the most impactful manga/anime of all time. However, that’s not all he did. You see, Akira Toriyama also had a hand in other niche video game series. Whether it’s Blue Dragon or even the Dragon’s Quest series, both share a resemblance to his iconic designs. However, most 90’s gamers fondly remember Akira Toriyama in gaming for Chrono Trigger.
We can’t say we blame gamers for that. Square Enix described them as the dream team. The creators of Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Akira Toriyama all in the same room together to work on Chrono Trigger? Yowza! Sure, we can go on about how the story of Chrono Trigger is simply a timeless masterpiece. We can also nerd out on the musical score being among the most iconic video game soundtracks ever. But really, at the end of the day, it’s the iconic visuals that stay with you the longest.
That red spiky hair of Chrono Trigger protagonist, Crono? It’s all Akira-san. If there are talks of a remake, we’d like the aesthetic to remain mostly the same with the upscaling of graphics. Just the prospect of a Chrono Trigger remake is making us excited and optimistic. Trust us, we’re all for it. Cause we’ve got a boatload of classic games that deserve remakes like Final Fantasy 7. In the remake; if there is one that is, keeping the visuals the same will be a fine tribute to Akira Toriyama.
How Did The Buzz About The Chrono Trigger Remake Start?
The honest truth is that over the years, the existence of Chrono Trigger remake rumors was always there. Every year after the waiting game, gamers got nothing substantial. However, recently, one of the creators of Chrono Trigger, Yoshinori Kitase himself, who served as creative director, expressed interest and desire for a remake. But he didn’t stop there. There were possibilities discussed, too, of the type of remake for Chrono Trigger. We gotta tell you, we’re sure as heck feeling the hype.
The first one, which is a safe, albeit a safe way to go about, is remastering the original Chrono Trigger with Akira Toriyama art. Think Final Fantasy pixel remastered as a recent example of what we’re talking about. Second, Mr. Yoshinori Kitase’s vision for a Chrono Trigger remake was more in line with a soft remake with a new direction to the gameplay. For context, something along the lines of HD2D remasters of Live-A-Live or perhaps Octopath Traveler games? That would be neat to see.
Then, there is the final option, which would take up a lot of time and resources from Square Enix. Buuut~ if they’re up to the challenge like they are with FF7 Rebirth, then Chrono Trigger Remake is gonna blow people’s minds. We’re not kidding; it totally is possible, but as things stand, that’s a pipe dream for Mr. Yoshinori Kitase. Meanwhile, we still have the original Chrono Trigger with the gorgeous art of Akira Toriyama, which we can fall back on. Happy memories are a fitting theme for this situation.
Final Thoughts On The Legacy Of Akira Toriyama In Chrono Trigger
It wasn’t easy to process our thoughts about the passing of manga creator and Chrono Trigger artist extraordinaire Mr. Akira Toriyama. We’re not gonna lie; we got misty-eyed and choked up when we heard of his fate. Our hearts, thoughts, prayers, well-wishes, and positivity go out to everyone close to him. You’ve done enough, sir. May you enjoy your well-deserved rest for a job, only you could have done. Please share your fond memories of Mr. Akira Toriyama’s work with us in the comments below.
It’s always nice to see others joining hands to honor an artist. He’s gonna be someone we’ll miss sorely. Which of his works do you feel is the most iconic, aside from Chrono Trigger? We’d love to hear about it from you all. In the meantime, while we wait for official Chrono Trigger remake news, check out our list of games to play before Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. They’re good alternatives to Chrono Trigger, so check’em out. Well, until next time, happy gaming, everybody.
