September 2022 marks a year since Tales of Arise was released, with Scarlet Nexus having celebrated its own first birthday a few months prior. In our last article, we sat down with the dev staff for both games, as well as the character and Other designer, Masakazu Yamashiro, for an in-depth discussion on the development and appeal of each title's antagonists.

Following the international release of that article, we put out a call for our readers to suggest new pieces of artwork for the series artists to create. Today, we'll be revealing which requests were selected and showcasing the all-original illustrations inspired by them, along with messages from the creators. (Requests were accepted from the publication of the previous article until the end of September 2022)

Request: [Scarlet Nexus] The New Other In Action 

Our previous article included the unveiling of an all-new "Other" enemy (tentatively named Creep Reap). Our first request is to see more of this macabre creature in its natural environment. And who better to bring Creep Reap to life than its original creator, Masakazu Yamashiro?

Tell us a little about how you interpreted this request.

Yamashiro: I've called the red flowers in Scarlet Nexus "dinner companions to the Others" in the past - they bloom whenever the creatures feed. There aren't any explicit depictions of the Others eating in-game, but these flowers are a constant reminder of the vicious way they dismember their prey.

For some reason, Creep Reap is obsessed with gathering up those flowers. In this piece, I decided to show two of them dropping this work to chase after prey.

This scene of the uncanny Others in an abstract space looks like something you might see hanging on the walls of the Supernatural Life Research Facility.

Please give us a few words for the person who sent this request.

Yamashiro: Thank you for allowing me to revisit this Other. I put my heart and soul into it, so I hope you enjoy it.

This project has been like nothing I've ever done before. I sincerely hope that the world of Scarlet Nexus will continue to grow and evolve from here on out.

Request: [Scarlet Nexus] Yuito, Nagi, Kasane, and Naomi Spending the Day in Town Together

The next request is to see protagonists Yuito and Kasane enjoying some downtime with their boon companions Nagi and Naomi. This piece was created by Tamami Ishikawa, character designer for Scarlet Nexus at Bandai Namco Studios.

Tell us a little about how you interpreted this request.

Ishikawa: Each of these characters has very distinctive personalities and interests, so it was a challenge to try to think of a scenario where they'd all be out together without wandering off on their separate ways.

In the end, I imagined an event at the Sumeragi Tomb offering some kind of lottery with the chance to win a limited edition Baki figure. Being the Baki superfan that he is, Yuito wouldn't dare miss this. Then he'd invite Nagi and Naomi to come along, and naturally, Kasane would also want to be part of it.

Please give us a few words for the person who sent this request.

Ishikawa: I decided to show the moment one of the groups wins a rare Baki figure. Kasane isn't driven by worldly desires, so I think she'd have good luck in a prize draw. On the other hand, the sight of what he could have won seems to have really shaken Yuito.

Naomi and Nagi are so expressive and honest with their feelings, and it was a pleasure to draw them, too. Thank you for the request!

Request: [Scarlet Nexus] Arashi Losing at a Really Hard Game While Tsugumi and Hanabi Cheer Her On

Our last Scarlet Nexus request gives us a chance to see master gamer Arashi tasting defeat. Tamami Ishikawa also handled this request.

Tell us a little about how you interpreted this request.

Ishikawa: I imagined Arashi experiencing a string of losses in the in-universe fighting game Duel IV, chugging Cola Noki, with Tsugumi silently cheering her on. Seeing how much this loss has shocked Arashi, Hanabi is offering her a drink and suggests she take a break. Maybe playing against Satori sometime would be a nice change of pace? Then again, maybe that's not such a good idea.

Please give us a few words for the person who sent this request.

Ishikawa: Anyone capable of giving Arashi this much trouble must really be something special! I enjoyed drawing Arashi with this expression and showing Hanabi's kind nature with her offering her friend a rare new flavor of Cola Noki. Thank you for suggesting such a fun scenario!

Request: [Tales of Arise] Alphen Feeding Shionne Some Cake

Moving on to the first Tales of Arise request, we have a heartwarming moment between the protagonists, Alphen and Shionne. The artist for this piece was Minoru Iwamoto, art director and main character designer for Tales of Arise, who longtime readers are sure to recognize from our interviews and update articles.

Tell us a little about how you interpreted this request.

Iwamoto: Throughout the game, Shionne is shown to have an aloof, somewhat cold disposition. The one thing she does get passionate about is food, so I tried to think about how that might come into play after she'd learned to open her heart to others.

In the end, I created a scene reminiscent of a bride and groom cutting the cake at their wedding. When Alphen offers her this huge cake, Shionne's eyes light up, allowing her to show off a more innocent, childlike side of her personality.

Please give us a few words for the person who sent this request.

Iwamoto: Thank you for the great suggestion! Getting to draw Shionne living her best life in this wedding-like scenario was a lot of fun for me.

Request: [Tales of Arise] Zephyr Holding a Young Law

Next is a request for the Tales of Arise character Zephyr, a character who appears early in the game, and his son Law in days gone by. This illustration was created by Miyuki Kobayashi, who has worked as a sub-character designer for Tales of Zestiria and Tales of Berseria and was in charge of designing Vicious in Tales of Crestoria.

Tell us a little about how you interpreted this request.

Kobayashi: I think Law would have been a little rascal when he was a kid, and that Zephyr probably needed time to get used to dealing with kids. I took those ideas to create this image. Law's pink highlights seem like they'd be a sign of teenage rebellion, so in this piece, he doesn't have them yet. Likewise, Zephyr has considerably fewer scars than when we met him in the game.

Please give us a few words for the person who sent this request.

Kobayashi: Thank you for the lovely request! I never thought I'd get the chance to draw a younger Zephyr, so I really had fun with this.

Request: [Tales of Arise] Kisara and Rinwell Helping Dohalim Get Changed

Last of all, we have a request for a candid look at Kisara, Rinwell, and Dohalim's life together. This final illustration was created by Toru Kawaguchi, who served as monster designer and graphics lead for Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World and monster model artist for Tales of Xillia.

Tell us a little about how you interpreted this request.

Kawaguchi: I wanted this to be a "slice of life" kind of piece, showing an everyday moment between the three characters. As to what clothes they're changing into, I went with the outfits created for the Tales of Orchestra Concert. Perhaps this picture captures a moment backstage while they're preparing for their next performance?

Kisara has been serving Dohalim for a lot longer, so helping him out is practically second nature to her, but Rinwell doesn't have that same level of confidence just yet. This is a dynamic we see throughout Tales of Arise, so hopefully, this piece can also call to mind their past adventures adventures together.

Please give us a few words for the person who sent this request.

Kawaguchi: Thank you for the request! Getting to draw Tales of Arise's party members enjoying more peaceful times was a real breath of fresh air!