 In speaking about the inspiration behind Spira , producer Yoshinori Kitase recounted that players had found fault with the science fiction atmosphere of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII , instead desiring a " simple fantasy world " . To Kitase , the word " fantasy " did not indicate a purely medieval European setting , so he intentionally set out with the objective of redefining the stereotype held in players ' minds . Nomura identified the South Pacific , Thailand , and Japan as major influences on the cultural and geographic design of Spira , particularly in regard to the geographic locations of Besaid and Kilika . Yusuke Naora , the art director , noted that during the concept stage many people on the project were interested in Asian themes including Nojima and Kitase . For Zanarkand , the Uzbek city of Samarkand has been cited as an inspiration . 
