Atelier Ryza Character Designer Plans to Take a Break After the Trilogy Finishes

Japanese outlet 4gamer recently interviewed key staff of the upcoming Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key, including character designer Toridamono and the Head of developer Gust, Junzo Hosoi.

• Announcement Coverage
• Out Interview About the Game with the Producer & Head of Gust
• 3-Life Sized Ryza Figures
• Bunch of Ryza Figures
• Bos Party Member Trailer
• 16 Minutes of Gameplay
• September 2022 Famitsu Info
• Kala, Dian & Federica Introductions, Renders, Gameplay Info & New Screenshots
• Early Purchase & Save Data Bonus Outfits
• Soundtrack Preview & Theme Song
• Azur Lane Collab
• Latest Figure Coverage
• Early Plans to Feature Second Protagonist
• New English Trailer, Screenshots & Gameplay Details
• Character Model Sheets Revealed
• Soundtrack Announcement

The interview doesn’t contain much new information regarding the title, as it primarily focuses on planning for the character designs. Toridamono said that this finale to the trilogy was challenging to design for since it initially lacked a motif, compared to how the first two games had countryside and urban aesthetics, respectively.

Additionally, Lent was one of the most troublesome characters to design here. The team wanted to limit the heavy clothing the cast would wear since it was Summer, and early concepts displayed Lent in full-on armor. As for Bos, he was not originally designed by Toridamono, but since he finally became a party member, the intention was to make him more “handsome.” As a result, he was made to be slimmer thanks to his training.

Lastly, Toridamono remarked on how drawing for the Atelier series is a strenuous long-term job, which caused him to step away from the games for roughly half a year following the release of Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. And he intends on doing the same once Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key launches. In fact, he desires to contemplate the future while illustrating at his own pace without needing to worry about client necessities.

His full quote regarding his upcoming plans is below:

Toridamono: For now, I would like to take a break for about six months. (laughs) During that time, I would like to think about the future. Also, I would like to paint pictures as a hobby. For the past few years, I have mainly drawn pictures while incorporating the opinions of my clients, so I would like to challenge myself to think more on my own based on the experience I gained while designing Ryza’s characters, but I will think about what I will do at a slower pace.

Thanks to our team’s Ryuji for translating the main takeaways from this interview.

Lead writer Yashichiro Takahashi has returned to write this third entry. Taking place a year after Ryza 2, the titular protagonist and her friends discover newly appearing islands, called the Kark Isles, near their home of Kurken Island. The party decides to investigate these mysterious happenings but ends up finding a gate within some ruins, with a voice wanting to lead Ryza to the Code of the Universe.

Four regions will be explorable in an open field, all boasting seamless transitions. Keys will also be found and created; they all have unique effects for synthesis, battle, and exploration. Moreover, a total of 11 party members are confirmed.

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key is releasing for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam on February 24, 2023.