Crono and Terra Get Beers in Narshe

Two 1990s SquareSoft games that made an enormous impact on my young imagination were Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI (or, as we called it in my day in 'Murica, Final Fantasy III). I always thought the two games' protagonists, Terra and Crono, would make a solid team, and I would read the hell out of that fan fiction mashup, particularly if Neil Gaiman wrote it. So Neil, if you're reading this, HINT HINT.

Anyhow, in case it isn't clear, this piece is a bit of a tribute to the wonderful soundtracks of both CT and FF6. The Epoch flies by Narshe and Crono stops at the tavern. He meets Terra, the two get along famously and fly around the Square-verse. They throw a frisbee on the deck of the Black Omen. Terra turns into an Esper and Crono almost poops his pants. I've almost definitely dreamed something very much like this happening.

My other main musical influences are certainly at play here, too – the likes of John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, etc. Not coincidentally, those American jazz artists were huge in Japan in the 1980s and '90s, and almost certainly influenced my favorite game composers. It all comes full circle.

For the cover art I smashed together: Narshe artwork by Orioto, Terra artwork by Mujumonster, Crono artwork by Akira Toriyama.