Ultimania Staff Comments

General Information[edit]

Japanese[edit]

Staff comments are located here. As pasted:

山下　章

攻略本が売れるおおよその部数は、対象とするソフトの販売本数のｎ％、という形で予測することができます。言わば、攻略本・部数算出の方程式。ｎの値は、そのソフトがRPGなのか、アクションなのか、対戦格闘なのか……と、ジャンルによって変動するのですが、ときおりそうした予測が大きくハズれるソフトというのも存在します。『クロノ・クロス』が、まさにそれでした。ULTIMANIAシリーズのなかでも一、二を争うくらい大きなｎの値は、この作品が攻略本必要度が高いRPGであることを示すのと同時に、「物語のスミズミまで知りたい」と強く願う熱心なユーザーに支えられていることを表していると言っても過言ではないでしょう。制作進行中の日々を振り返ると、「本当は細部の解釈はユーザーにゆだねたいんだけど……」と言いながらも、こちらの重箱のスミをつつくような質問の数々にていねいに答えてくださったディレクター・加藤さんの人柄の良さが印象に残っています。エンディングテーマを歌う、みとせのりこさんのライブ終了後、突如降り出した雨にびしょぬれになりながら加藤さんと一緒に渋谷の街を走ったのも、忘れられない思い出ですね。

●大出綾太

1番、オーデー。得意なことは『ブラックホール』です。よろしくお願いします。それはさておき。この本でもっとも思い出になったのは、キルシェのライブへ取材に行き、エンディング曲「RADICAL DREAMERS」を生で聴いたこと。感動。泣きそうになりました。それにくらべれば、2000年の元旦も事務所に泊まりこんでた（念のために備蓄食料まで用意した）ことなんて、どうってことない。2000年にはじめて帰宅したのが1月末だったことも、どうってことないやい！

●山中直樹

メーカー資料とプレイ結果の照合でとくに苦労した作品です。あと、ツマルの写真ばっかり撮ってました。

●板場利光

本来の担当はマップページ（白の章）。しかし、一番の思い出は「シナリオ研究」のお手伝いでサテラビュー版『ラジカル・ドリーマーズ』をプレイしたことです。『クロノ・クロス』のひな形となった作品というだけのことはあって、オープニング＆エンディング、BGM、ストーリー、さらには忍びこんだ館の構造までがそっくりで、本来とは逆なんだろうけど、プレイしながら思わずニヤリとさせられました。いまや『ラジカル』をプレイする手段がないのが残念。本書を読んで、少しでも雰囲気を味わってみてください。

●小石朋仁

'97年『ファイナルファンタジーVII』、'98年『チョコボの不思議なダンジョン』、'99年『ファイナルファンタジーVIII』と、もはやベントスタッフの恒例行事となった「スクウェア作品の攻略本の制作で年越し」。2000年は、この作品で迎えました。

●加藤義文

シュガール＆ソルトンのモンスター徹底活用講座には、隠されたエピソードがいくつかあった……。そう、当初はスリルとサスペンス、そして愛と感動を合い言葉にストーリーが練られていたのだが（本当か？）、オチが「ハイスクール！奇面組」もビックリ状態だったので、結局ボツに。まあ、当然の結果でアリマスね。

●神崎理緒

校正で赤字を入れながらつくづく思ったこと……「あー“白の章”で良かった」。赤の章や黒の章の人たちは大変だっただろうなぁ。ベントスタッフ内で使用率が一気に上がったゲルインク使用のミルキーペンは、超お役立ちアイテムなのでオススメです。

●大野優子

人物紹介＆考察の担当。3度目となれば慣れたもの……と思いきや、バトルに参加する人物の数が多くて苦労しました。でも、一番力が入ったのは「シナリオ研究」。もともと前作『クロノ・トリガー』の大ファンということもあり、関連作品紹介のコーナーや合同年表作りは楽しんでやりました。また、『クロス』の物語は非常に難解なので、かなり踏みこんだ「読解の手引き」を設けました。ここには誌面が足りず掲載できなかったことも多いのですが、ディレクターの加藤さんからじかにお話をうかがったり、何度も書面で質疑応答をくり返して完成したコーナーなので、感慨深いです。

●山田真也

連日の苦しい編集作業において、ヘンな名前の敵キャラクターは疲れた心をなごませる一服の清涼剤。本作でも「ニワトリス」や「マツリもの」といったヘンな名前の敵がいたが、筆頭は某声優の愛称に似ている「イモムー」。ベント社内でもアイドル的あつかいに……なるわけがない。

●大出啓太

本作りの途中から参加ということで、今回はモンスターコーナーのサポート。一応エンディングまではプレイしましたが、時間がなく駆け足で進めたせいで、壮大なストーリーはほとんど理解できず。かなり損した気分になりながらも、一部のモンスターについてだけ妙にくわしくなったのでした。

English[edit]

Akira Yamashita

The approximate number of copies of a strategy book that will be sold can be estimated as n% of the number of copies of the target software sold. The value of n varies depending on whether the software is an RPG, action game, or fighting game (see ......). However, there are some software titles for which such predictions are not always accurate. Chrono Cross" was just such a case, and its n value, which is one of the highest among the ULTIMANIA series, indicates that it is an RPG that requires a lot of strategy books, and at the same time, it is supported by dedicated users who strongly want to know every detail of the story. It is no exaggeration to say that this work is supported by dedicated users who want to know every detail of the story. Looking back on the days during the production process, I was impressed by the good personality of the director, Mr. Kato, who answered our many questions that poked into the nooks and crannies of the story with great care, saying, "Actually, I would like to leave the interpretation of the details to the users. I was impressed by the personality of the director, Mr. Kato. I will never forget running through the streets of Shibuya with Mr. Kato after a live performance by Noriko Mitose, who sang the ending theme song, soaking wet from the rain that suddenly began to fall.

Ayata Oide

Number 1, Odeh. My specialty is "black holes. I look forward to working with you. Aside from that. The most memorable part of this book was going to Kirche's concert to cover the event and hearing the ending song "Radical Dreamers" live. I was so moved. I almost cried. Compared to that, the fact that I stayed in the office on New Year's Day in 2000 (and even stocked up on food just in case) was nothing; the fact that I came home for the first time in 2000 at the end of January was also nothing!

Naoki Yamanaka

This is a work that I had a particularly hard time checking the results of the play against the manufacturer's data. I also took a lot of pictures of Tsumaru.

Toshimitsu Itaba

I was originally in charge of the map page (white chapter). However, my most memorable experience was playing the Satellaview version of "Radical Dreamers" as part of the "Scenario Research" project. The opening and ending, background music, storyline, and even the structure of the house I snuck into were all exactly the same, and I couldn't help but grin while playing, even though it was probably the opposite of the original. It is a pity that there is no way to play "Radical" now. Please read this book to get a little taste of the atmosphere.

Tomohito Koishi

Final Fantasy VII" in 1997, "Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon" in 1998, and "Final Fantasy VIII" in 1999, it has become an annual event for the Bent staff to "finish the year by producing a strategy book of Square's works. 2000 was welcomed with this work.

Yoshifumi Kato

There were some hidden episodes in Shugar & Salton's Thorough Utilization of Monsters ....... Yes, the story was initially developed under the slogan of thrill, suspense, and love and excitement (really?). But the ending was a surprise to "High School! Ki-fen-gumi," so in the end it was rejected. But in the end, it was rejected because the ending was a surprise even to "High School!

Rio Kanzaki

As I was proofreading and putting in the red letters, I really thought: ...... "Ah, I'm glad it's a "white chapter". I am sure it must have been very difficult for the people who worked on the red and black chapters. I recommend the Milky Pen, which uses gel ink and is a very useful item, as its use has increased dramatically among the Bent staff.

Yuko Ohno

I was in charge of introducing and discussing the characters, and for the third time, I thought I was used to it ......, but I had a hard time because of the large number of people participating in the battles. But what I put the most effort into was "scenario research. Since I have always been a big fan of the previous "Chrono Trigger," I enjoyed creating a section introducing related works and a joint chronological table. Also, the story of "Cross" is very difficult to understand, so we included an in-depth "Reading Guide. There are many things that could not be included in this section due to a lack of space in the magazine, but I was deeply moved by this section, which was completed after hearing directly from the director, Mr. Kato, and going over the questions and answers many times in writing.

Shinya Yamada

During the daily hard work of editing, enemy characters with strange names are a breath of fresh air that soothes the weary mind. In this work, too, there were enemies with strange names such as "Niwatoris" and "Matsurimono," the most famous of which was "Imomoo," which sounds like the nickname of a certain voice actor. The first one is "Imomomu," which resembles the nickname of a certain voice actor.

Keita Oide

Keita Oide joined the project from the middle of the production of the book and supported the Monster Corner this time. I played through to the end of the game, but because I had to rush through it due to a lack of time, I could hardly understand the epic storyline. I felt like I lost a lot of time, but I became strangely familiar with some of the monsters.

From: Interviews