Lara Croft's Manga Makeover?! What the Creators FOUGHT to Prevent!

So, here's a little bit of gaming history you might not know: Turns out, the iconic Lara Croft almost looked *very* different. Paul Douglas, one of the original brains behind Tomb Raider, recently spilled the beans on how close we came to a manga-style Lara. I'm talking big eyes, exaggerated features, the whole shebang.

Lara Croft's Manga Makeover?! What the Creators FO...

According to Douglas, the push came from Victor Interactive Software, the game's Japanese publisher back in the day. They were understandably concerned that a Western-designed character wouldn't quite click with Japanese players. So, naturally, they suggested a few… adjustments. "Victor wanted us to change in-game Lara to appeal more to a Japanese audience," Douglas stated, referencing requests for those characteristic "huge eyes/head etc." Can you imagine?

Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed. Toby Gard, the lead designer, apparently put his foot down, resisting the urge to completely overhaul Lara's core design. I can't blame him; tinkering with a beloved character like that is always a risky move. After some back and forth, a compromise was reached. The in-game model remained untouched, but the manuals and guide got the manga treatment. Douglas even shared a picture of the manga-style Lara and Jacqueline Natla on BlueSky; it's certainly… a choice.

It's interesting to see how these decisions evolve. Douglas recalls in a 2021 thread how it started with a request to change *everything* – in-game models, cutscenes, the works. Then, it was just the in-game model, then just Lara, then just Lara's head! It's a testament to the creative vision of the original team that they managed to retain the character's essence despite the external pressure. I'm kind of glad they did, because while a manga-inspired Lara might have been interesting, it just wouldn't have been *Tomb Raider*.

Looking to the future, we've got Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis coming in 2026, and Tomb Raider: Catalyst slated for 2027. Plus, don't forget the Amazon TV series starring Sophie Turner, aiming to tie everything together into one big interconnected universe. It's a bold move, and with Alix Wilton Regan taking over voice acting duties, replacing Camilla Luddington, it definitely feels like a new era for Lara. Let's just hope they don't get any bright ideas about manga-fying her anytime soon!