Something very special for the fans
It's time for a heart to heart with mother TRiPPY guys,
I wont lie, It's been a little bit surreal over here at NiDcom towers the past few weeks. You go from feeling hopeless for years as a kid, wondering if all these famous people who created the thing you love even know how much you appreciate their efforts - to years later being able to tell them everything you ever felt. It's not very often that fans get to reach out like this I guess, which is sad, but I guess it just makes it more special when it does eventually happen.
A short while after Summer of Sonic I ended up being befriended by my childhood hero. It was actually him who asked me about my artwork first. Which completely floored me. The guy who I look up to the most and who has been an inspiration for everything I've done in the past 15 years. I'd always hoped that I'd get the chance to say thank you to him one day but I never expected to be so warmly accepted in return. Naoto Ohshima the creator of NiGHTS and Sonic is downright amazing and I'm honored to be called his friend. I even inspired him to draw NiGHTS again after so many years ^_^
After 15 years I had a lot of thank you's to pass on from you guys directly, to say how much we all really cared. To explain WHY NiGHTS is so important to us for different reasons. The struggles of the fanbase. To say thank you for all those times NiGHTS gave us hope or saved us from bad dreams when we were just little kids. NiGHTS gave us all the courage to fly. I got to speak my heart without feeling small or like a stupid fangirl. I guess it was the peace of mind I'd been searching for after so many years of trying and trying to keep NiGHTS alive for other people.
So after 15 years the fan was finally able to properly say thank you to the creator 
But that's not all. Ohshima san was very moved by it all and wanted to say thank you in return so he gave me a seriously epic mind-blowing gift. Some of which I have permission to share with you all today. You know all those tiny blurry concept images that were featured in Japanese magazines and walkthroughs that we all used to speculate over, well how would you guys like to see the images up close from the actual artworks themselves? ^-^
It gives me great pleasure to present to you some of the concept arts that we have come to love over the years. Thank you Ohshima and Iizuka san. Enjoy!
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Things to note:
* Images 1 to 9 are drawn by Naoto Ohshima, images 10 to 17 are drawn by Kazuyuki Hoshino and images 18 to 31 are by Miyake (the artist responsible for the Japanese NiGHTS storybook).
* Reala's final design was the result of a collaboration of ideas taking elements from both Ohshima and Hoshino's designs.
* Ohshima is responsible for designing NiGHTS, Jackle, Claris and Elliot, Nightopians and the other main boss Maren. He also had a hand in level design concept ideas, such as Twinseeds Tower.
* Each of the characters had numerous design concepts before they arrived at the final designs.
* It would appear Wizeman has always had a face… lol.
(These images will all be added to our Concept Art gallery tommorow to replace the smaller images).
And then like life wasn't crazy enough he drew me this little picture of NiGHTS.
ಥ‿ಥ
Achievement Unlocked: Life complete 9999999G
I've got a huge fanboner right now.
These are amazing, thank you for sharing.
I am so, so glad you had that opportunity, TRiP, both because what it means for you, and for sharing the appreciation of fans with Mr. Ohshima.
The artwork is amazing; thank you so much for sharing and to the minds responsible for allowing you to do so. ♥
I call that an EPIC WIN, or a HUGE SUCCESS!
Thank you so much Ôshima-san, and thank you TRiPPY, we wouldn't got those precious artworks without you! I'm so proud to be a fan of NiGHTS =)
OMG *-* Reala looked smexeh
That's AMAZING! I've never heard of those concept artworks before (I think) but it must be amazing to have Oshima reveal them to you!
(PS: Is anyone else scared by the bottom drawing of Hoshino's Reala?
wow! Thank you to TRIPPY, SEGA, and everyone else involved. These are awesome pics.! Maybe SEGA should include them on the NiGHTS re-release (remake? I'm a tad bit confused on what it is by this point).
Damn you're lucky, you know that right? The nearest I ever got to that was chatting with Soichi Terada, composer of several songs in the Ape Escape series, but I can't call him my friend! Man, you've just got me wanting to see if I can find out how to contact Jun Senoue, I'd LOOOOOVE to have a chat with him! (got his autograph from the Summer of Sonic convention)
Wow! That is freaking amazing!!!! Your so freaking lucky!!!!
all epic
I'm really glad you guys are enjoying these
I hadn't checked my old e-mail in a long time. I had to for unlocking my password for another site and a few emails below I saw this remainder about some NiD concept artwork. I figured to go ahead and click it, never know… but I'm more than surprised to see this.
It's great to see that after so long, wishing and dreaming to see such treasures, that they have been gifted and shared. At first, I admit, I was a little jealous of you TRiPPY, but to see all the concept art just washes that away and I'm only grateful now. Although I myself did not meet Oshima and Iizuka, somehow I feel as though I have, through you. I'm brought to tears with nostalgia. Specially with seeing the Wizeman drawing.I'm reminded of all the dreams and hopes I had and how this game had helped me through hard times in my life. Although I try at times to escape who I was, I still cherish the memories of coming together with other people and having good times all through knowing and liking NiGHTS into Dreams.
Thank you. Thank you for going all the extra way and realizing a dream i never thought possible after all these years.
That… Was very interesting. It's way past cool to see the NiGHTS concept art in it's full glory! I was alsoon the ancient old NiGHTS fansite you made, and I saw that Windows to a Haunted Mind, The Misadventures of NiGHTS and Reala, and The Door were unfinished. I was wondering when you were going to finish those comics and add the reading section over here TRiPPY? Plus, tell SiLK that her story, The Adventures of the Baby Nightmaren was fucking awsome and that she should type up more chapters! TRiPPY, with the skills that you,DiGi, the IMAGNI group, Kichigai, and Feniiku have, you should make an anime with permission and help from Sega! YOU GUYS ROCK!!! In the mean time, I'll be reading your comics ad SiLK's story over and over again. See you later!
these are perfect for psp back rounds
NIGHTS is my favorite charcter in sega i'm a huge fan !
Trippy, it's been a while since i've surfed your website, but this is just a fantastic gift, you deserved the communication you had from all creators and idols (i'm jealous
but what can I say else, thanks again for keeping the dream alive!
Félix from Montréal, Canada
LONG LIVE NiGHTS!!!
its been almost 15 years since i played nights. that game was amazing is why i was looking to see if they made another. make another and make it for all platforms.
You know, I really think NiGHTS should have a new game. One time, I was looking at some photos of him, and later that NiGHT(it's kinda a JoKE) i dreamed that NiGHTS was the lead singer of the song Separate Ways(Worlds Apart) in addition to Will and Elliot(Journey is a band full of guys and I personally think NiGHTS is a guy) so to me the whole song was performed by boys, and it was AWESOME!!! I'm gonna upload this animation soon with the 3 boys (NiGHTS, Will, and Elliot) performing Separate Ways(Worlds Apart)
<3 TRiPPY. I check on this site every now since it's still the one of the only main sources of NiGHTS fandom. My heart stopped for sec when I saw this post! When the perfect moment of someone meets their hero is things that seem to happen in dreams. Maybe that's why this happened to you~ I'm so happy for, seeing this art is just a bonus.~ So… I just had to say congratuations and tell Ohshima thank you from us all!
I couldn't be happier to be a member of this fanbase for such an awesome franchise! NiGHTS is simply the best!