Realistically, capturing Japan is only the first step for Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 6. It’s also about the atmosphere, the mood, and most importantly, the art. Thus, it’s understandable for the developer to work with Japanese artists to create original in-game pieces inspired by the various regions.
Nine artists are featured and will be showcased across the three-part “Art of Driving” series. A trailer is available along with additional details for three: Satoshi Fujita (also known as Dragon76), Kazuhisa Uragami and Inko Ai Takita. Fujita created a mural inspired by the Nebuta Festival, but in a more contemporary fashion with some cyberpunk elements.
“The Nebuta Festival features massive, illuminated floats called ‘nebuta,’ constructed from washi paper and wire, often depicting figures from Japanese mythology. For this piece, I reimagined one of the most frequently portrayed mythological figures, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, along with a dragon, and rendered them in a near-futuristic style,” he said.
Uragami created something of a “noble outsider,” based on mythology, maritime history and more. “Rather than depicting a simple outlaw, I envisioned a ‘noble outsider’ — a figure guided by personal justice and independence. I merged the pirate image with mechanical elements, incorporating gears and metal components into the costume to reflect Kyushu’s industrial heritage.”
It’s definitely akin to the usual pirate outfit but with clockwork gears and a stunning red scarf, which is “a tribute to classic Japanese hero imagery, while also symbolizing Kyushu as a ‘land of fire’. In the background, I depicted an industrial landscape inspired by Kitakyushu’s factories, adding sparks and glowing light reminiscent of steelworks to express enduring craftsmanship and strength.”
Takita went a different route, creating nine manga-style characters that you can see in Shibuya Crossing billboards. These include Mr Hot Bun Man, based on the delicacy from Gyoda City; Jun, inspired by Junji Ito; Sakura Fukatsu, who will remind you of urban myths while dressed in a kimono from the Edo period; and more.
Keep in mind that these are only three artists – stay tuned for more details on the remaining six, and look forward to seeing their works in Forza Horizon 6 when it launches on May 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Hands-on previews are slated to go live on April 8th.
