TGS: 4cr Interview – Falcoon (SNK Playmore)

Last year at TGS, I spent a lot of time at the SNK Playmore booth. The staff were very helpful, and even though they were extremely busy, they answered all my questions. They also helped arrange last year’s SNK interview. This year, I got in touch with them before the show and asked about arranging another interview. At the time, there were no new games for Nintendo platforms (Metal Slug 7 and others had not yet been made public knowledge) so they said they didn’t know if they would be able to set anything up.

A few days later I received an email. They still didn’t have any Nintendo stuff to show, but they wondered if I would like to interview Tatsuhiko Kanaoka, better known as “Falcoon”, a producer and art director at SNK Playmore. Since 4cr has always explored both games and the art behind them, I jumped at the chance.

I met Falcoon outside the SNK Playmore booth. We were going to have the interview in one of the press interview rooms but at the last moment it was decided that we would hold the interview at a small café in Makuhari Messe. This relaxed atmosphere seemed to go well with the laid-back personality of Falcoon.

I owe a great deal of thanks to Overseas Marketing Department Senior Chief, Shinya Morishita. During the interview, he helped me with some of the more complicated Japanese and was the one who arranged the interview in the first place.

4cr: The site I write for, 4 color rebellion, is very interested in video games and art, so it is a pleasure to be able to meet you today.

Falcoon: Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.

4cr: First of all, I would like to ask how you began working for SNK.

Falcoon: During the job-hunting season, some SNK staff came to my university to introduce their company. I had previously done fan art based around many video games and manga series including characters from SNK’s games. One of SNK’s development staff thought highly of my artwork, and recommend that I join SNK. That is how I began development work at SNK.

The above 2 drawings are not official SNK artwork but are drawings made by Falcoon representing some popular SNK characters.

4cr: What were some of the first projects you worked on?

Falcoon: The first one to be released was SNK VS. CAPCOM: Card Fighters for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. But I worked on a few others with the old SNK that were never released. (laughs)

Note: the original SNK (before Playmore bought them) closed its doors in 2001 and almost all projects being worked on at that time were cancelled.

4cr: What projects have you worked on recently (that you are allowed to share at this time)?

Falcoon: Right now all my time has been devoted to The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact Regulation “A”2. For my next project I will have to see what whey want me to do.

4cr: Who are your main artistic influences?

Falcoon: It is hard to name any people specifically as I’m not influenced by a specific artist. If my art is influenced by something, it is the various works surrounding my favorite Japanese video games and manga.

4cr: Other than yourself, what SNK artists are you a fan of?

Falcoon: I have a lot of respect for the original character designers who worked for SNK. They made these great and memorable characters. I cannot name an artist specifically

4cr: When you started working for SNK you were mostly involved in 2D based projects. Now a lot of your work is on 3D games. Was it a difficult transition?

Falcoon: The most difficult transition was to redesign the 2D characters to 3D.
One thing people have a problem with is when I take the classic characters and update them for the new games. People who love SNK games have an idea of what the character should look like. They have looked the same 2D images for so many years. I try to keep the characters similar in spirit, but everyone has their own idea of what the 3D versions should look like. With any change, some will like it some will not. People respond better to my original characters because they don’t have the same expectations.

4cr: Which do you prefer to work with, 2D or 3D?

Falcoon: I’d say it’s about 50-50 (laughs). 2D & 3D each have their own merits and demerits. Recently I’m working mainly on 3D projects, but I also like 2D art very much. One of the merits of 3D is that allows me to do many things I could not do in a 2D flat drawing. For example, I can add more detail to the character’s costumes, design and form.

One thing I enjoy seeing is when people cosplay as characters from one of my games. They are thankful that the models are in 3D because now they can see all of the character. They can see the dimensions and the detail. I am amazed with some of the costumes I they make. Sometimes I try to make an interesting costume for the SNK characters with cosplayers in mind.

4cr: Another recent change is that games are going high definition. Does this offer any advantages or challenges to your work?

Falcoon: High definition doesn’t really make the work that much harder. It is a tool we can use. However, it does make the games much more expensive to produce. When things cost so much, you can’t afford to make any mistakes.

4cr: On that same topic, right now the best selling console system is also the most underpowered graphically, the Nintendo Wii. Have you played it?

Falcoon: Yes, I have. It’s fun.

4cr: Is it a system you are interested in working on or do think that the graphics limit what you can do with it?

Falcoon: If I were making a game for the Wii the most important thing would be to make sure it is a game that should be on the Wii. What I mean is that it should be a game suited for the hardware. I suppose the most important feature for the Wii game is the controller.　The graphics and style would be made to fit that game. Just because it is not powerful does not mean that the art has to have a limit.

4cr: When you are not working on your own games, what games do you play in your free time?

Falcoon: I am a big fan of fighting games, of course. I play all of them even those released from other game manufactures.

4cr: You play ones not made by SNK?

Falcoon: (laughs) I like Namco’s Tekken series.

4cr: If you could work with any SNK series (other then KOF) what would it be?

Falcoon: Is it ok to say a series that SNK didn’t do?

4cr: Sure.

Falcoon: I would like to try World Heroes. There hasn’t been a new World Heroes game in 10 years but I think it would be great if there were a new one. The games had such interesting characters. There is so much you could do with the series. I have many ideas for the new Heroes (characters).

NOTE: the “World Heroes” series was created by ADK for the Neo Geo and is arguably the most popular non-SNK series on the hardware. So popular in fact that the World Heroes characters have occasionally made appearances in SNK games such as Card Fighters and Neo Geo Battle Coliseum.

4cr: So where does the nickname “Falcoon” come from?

Falcoon: When I was younger I loved the film “The Neverending Story” especially “Falkor”. I wanted to adapt this into my artist name.

4cr: What other movies do you like?

Falcoon: I am a very big fan of Pixar. I have all the Pixar movies. I really like Mr. Incredible (the Japanese nane of the film “The Incredibles”).

4cr: How about music?

Falcoon: When I am at home I listen to a lot of music. J-pop and rock. But when I am at work I only listen to classical music. It helps me work. Helps me focus.

4cr: Do you have any last comments for our readers?

Falcoon: I have been working very hard on The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact series and I really hope you like it.

4cr: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.

Falcoon: You’re welcome. Anytime.

Falcoon links:(Japanese)
KOF Maximum Impact Regulation “A” Official Site
“Falcoon’s Room”
Falcoon’s official website