So with Kaneko back to doing stuff for the industry (as offhandedly as he is, and as nefarious the projects he became associated with are) would you expect to see him credited in an Atlus title at any point in the future? I think I know the answer already, so I guess what I mean to ask is more on the lines of, is the approach Atlus currently takes to its subject matters fundamentally incompatible with what artists like Kaneko were trying to achieve and express? What do you think of this disconnect, if so?
Kaneko ain't doing stuff with Atlus anymore. He'll still be credited for legacy demon designs, though.
Atlus has a well-oiled art machine now:
Soejima & his persona team artists that emulate his style, for the "prestige" products (Metaphor and Persona)
Whatever "Atlus Art Team" is at this point
Doi for SMT and possibly other non-prestige products (new spinoffs that don't exist and may never exist)
Contract artists for low tier games they have little faith in (Soul Hackers 2)
So yeah, I just don't think Kaneko really had a niche at the company anymore ("product" is a key word here). He was simply no longer needed and his style has never been very marketable.
Kaneko unfortunately became the kooky old guy who should've just retired, but didn't, and is now looking desperate and/or out-of-touch by chasing embarrassing trends.
I would wager he would refuse to do more work for Atlus, not out of bad blood, but because he considers it part of his past. He's literally moved on. The only consolation prize we get is that we will get to see new Kaneko art for Colopl, for whatever that's worth.
...Merry Christmas?
