Ryza’s Thick Thighs Were Influenced by Economic Recession
The Atelier series is set to introduce a new chapter with Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land, marking the first mainline entry after the success of the Atelier Ryza trilogy. While the new protagonist, Yumia, has already gained approval from fans, developers revealed that designing a heroine as iconic as Ryza was a major challenge.
The character design of Reisalin “Ryza” Stout, created by artist Toridamono, gained widespread attention for deviating from the franchise’s usual petite heroines. Instead, Ryza stood out with her curvy figure and, most notably, her thick thighs, which became a defining feature of the trilogy. Many players even speculated that her thighs grew larger with each new installment.
Ryza’s Thick Thighs Were Influenced by Economic Recession
In an interview with 4Gamer, Atelier series producer Junzo Hosoi explained that economic trends can influence which character designs become popular. He noted that during recessions, audiences tend to favor voluptuous female characters with motherly traits.
This reasoning played a role in Ryza’s design. Beyond her thick thighs, she has a bubbly, approachable personality, which Hosoi believes resonates with players in difficult economic times.
However, for the new protagonist, Yumia, the team chose a different direction. “They say Japan will remain in recession for a long time, but I thought that repeating the same approach would make Yumia look too similar to Ryza,” Hosoi explained.
Yumia’s Modern Design Reflects Global Fashion Trends
This time, developers focused on a sleek, fashion-forward design inspired by global style trends. While Yumia retains the Atelier series’ core aesthetic, her appearance is more fitted and futuristic, avoiding an overly girly or “puffy” silhouette.
The character designer for Yumia is Benitama, a close friend of Toridamono and a huge fan of Ryza. He admitted feeling immense pressure to create a heroine that was just as iconic but distinctly different from Ryza. The final design took 30 to 40 revisions before reaching its finished look.
Set for release on March 21, 2025, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will be available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam).
via 4Gamer
