Final Fantasy

Until 2005, Wedge actually did not have much interest in RPGs, barring the RPG-style Mario games (Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi, etc). Given that the original Final Fantasy was released in 1987, one would think that there must be some reason for the interest after so many years, so here is a rather odd little story explaining what happened:

It’s really a testament to the power of music, even video game music: for whatever reason, I felt like having a listen of “Yuna’s Theme” from Final Fantasy X-2 while browsing for game music converters. Later, I became very appreciative of remixer Darangen’s beautiful, if rather liberal, piano-solo interpretation of “Someday the Dream Will End” (from Final Fantasy X) and “1000 Words” (from Final Fantasy X-2). Soon after, I began trying other remixes, and then decided to listen to both games’ PSF2 soundtracks.

After a while, around March 2005, I started wonder, “What was the story behind all this music?” After a little searching I found scripts for both Final Fantasy X and X-2. In the end, I decided the overall story was so moving that I went out of my way to buy a second-hand PlayStation 2 and the games just to play them. It might seem rather silly to play a game after already knowing the story, but I think it was worth it.

Later, I also questioned why the terms Final Fantasy II and IV seemed to be used interchangeably, as well as III and VI. After reading about the initial US release numbers in the Wikipedia, I had come to know enough about the rest of the series to feel compelled to hunt down and play Final Fantasy Origins (I and II), Anthology (IV and V), VI, VII, VIII, and IX, as well as their corresponding original and arrangement soundtracks. When they were released, Final Fantasy III DS, Dirge of Cerberus, and Final Fantasy XII followed in due course.

The depth of character development and emotional impact in Final Fantasy X and X-2 compelled me at one point to write a novel adaptation of sorts, even if only as a personal project. The end results are Tidus’ Story and Yuna’s Story: my interpretations of the stories told within the two games. I have included several crucial scenes which are missing from on-line dialogue scripts, so even for those who have read those scripts I think they might be of some interest. Readers may want to use my Al Bhed translator for easy reference.

There is an obscene glut of Final Fantasy sites due to the series’ phenomenal popularity, but here are some the more helpful or interesting ones.

• Square-Enix North America: The official North American Square-Enix site.
• Square-Enix Europe: The official European Square-Enix site.
• Final Fantasy Worlds Apart: Includes dialogue scripts for Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XII and Dirge of Cerberus.
• Final Fantasy X-2 Game Script: Dialogue script for Final Fantasy X-2.
• Final Fantasy Logos: Self-explanatory, this site presents a collection of the logos for most Final Fantasy games and spin-offs, many of them illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano.
• Final Fantasy Spirit: A full-featured site covering all aspects of several Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts games.
• Final Fantasy Insider: Another useful fan site with similar depth of coverage.
• Final Fantasy Online: Covers several Final Fantasy titles in quite thorough detail.
• Blue Laguna’s Media Archive: A great source for Final Fantasy full-motion videos and soundtrack MP3s. Note that purchasing official copies of the soundtracks is strongly encouraged.
• Final Fantasy Shrine: A reasonably helpful Final Fantasy fan site.
• Final Fantasy VII Citadel: A fan site dedicated to the first international Final Fantasy and its sequels, the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.
• Qhimm: Includes several utilities for the PC releases of Final Fantasy VII and VIII, including a Chocobo Racing patch (required for playing Final Fantasy VII on NT-based Windows).
• Final Fantasy Sound Fonts: Features resources intended to bring the original music of the PlayStation games to the PC releases of Final Fantasy VII and VIII.
• Anime Theme: Tacky, old-fashioned site design and very poor download service (understandable given the huge file sizes involved). However, a high-resolution movie of the ending to the Japanese-only Final Fantasy X-2: Last Mission can be found here, featuring “Kimi e” (To You), a beautiful song based on “Yuna’s Ballad” and sung by the Japanese voice actress for Yuna, Mayuko Aoki.
• Eternal Legend: A collection of voice samples of some of the in-battle quotes in Final Fantasy X-2. Quite amusing.
• Voices of the Lifestream: An OCReMix community collaboration, Voices of the Lifestream is a free, professional-quality four-CD arrangement album of the soundtrack of Final Fantasy VII.
• Chudah’s Corner: A general game music site which includes quite a thorough listing of Final Fantasy soundtracks and song lyrics.
• Wikipedia: The free, open on-line encyclopaedia includes a comprehensive coverage of the game series. Just be wary of vandals.
• Final Fantasy Wikia: The Wikia community’s collection of everything to do with Final Fantasy.
• Adella Cosplay: Not exactly Final Fantasy focused, nonetheless this particular lady has presented herself as one of the more impressive ‘cosplayers’, with her numerous Aerith Gainsborough costume designs.

Dear Friends: Music from Final Fantasy

Here are just a few scans from the glossy, full-colour programme guide for the Dear Friends music concert in the United States. Please be aware that the full-size files are very large (in the order of multiple megabytes), so take care when downloading.

Final Fantasy X Gallery

A collection of screen shots taken from the full-motion video in Final Fantasy X. Naturally, plenty of spoilers appear towards the end of the collection.

1. Logo
2. Auron looks over the city of Zanarkand.
3. Auron against a backdrop of Zanarkand.
4. Auron remains calm as Zanarkand floods.
5. Zanarkand suffers from Sin’s attack.
6. Auron close-up as he seizes Tidus.
7. Sin sucks in debris from Zanarkand
8. Tidus joins Wakka, Lulu and Kimahri in the temple at Besaid.
9. Wakka, Kimahri, Lulu and Tidus watch Yuna.
10. Kimahri comforts an exhausted Yuna.
11. Lulu close-up as she disapproves of Wakka.
12. Kimahri challenges Tidus to battle.
13. The aftermath of Sin’s visit to the port of Kilika.
14. Yuna fulfils her duty as a summoner in performing a Sending.
15. Yuna’s Sending close-up.
16. Tidus stares at the wonder of Luca city.
17. Luca bustles with the excitement of the upcoming Blitzball tournament.
18. Disembarking at Luca Harbour.
19. The legendary guardian, Auron, prepares to defend Luca.
20. Lucil leads the charge against Sin.
21. Al Bhed use forbidden machina to attack Sin.
22. Chocobo Knights charge into battle on their faithful mounts.
23. The largest machina unleashes its firepower upon Sin.
24. Tidus close-up as he meets Rikku again at the Moonflow.
25. Tidus is amazed at the recreation of the metropolis of Zanarkand.
26. Lulu remains impassive during Maester Seymour’s presentation.
27. Sin rests peacefully listening to the Hymn of the Fayth at Macalania.
28. The Al Bhed Home is under attack.
29. The airship Fahrenheit rises from its sandy dock at Home.
30. The Fahrenheit flies past Home.
31. The Fahrenheit flees the destruction of Home.
32. The grandeur of the city of Bevelle.
33. Yuna playing the bride.
34. Maester Kinoc orders the temple soldiers to fire on the Fahrenheit.
35. Tidus’ insane flight to Bevelle.
36. Yuna is rescued by her summoned Valefor.
37. Tidus and Yuna spend time together in the spring at Macalania.
38. Tidus gazes at the multitude of Fayth at Mt Gagazet.
39. Tidus close-up as he watches Sin depart Zanarkand.
40. Rikku atop the Fahrenheit in the calm before Sin’s storm.
41. The Fahrenheit prepares to fire upon Sin.
42. The Fahrenheit pulls away from an injured Sin.
43. The heroes atop Fahrenheit watch as Sin falls over Bevelle.
44. Sin perched atop Bevelle.
45. The heroes aboard Fahrenheit and Sin prepare to face each other.
46. The heroes atop Fahrenheit break through Sin’s shell.
47. Yuna performs a Sending for her Aeons.
48. Anima and the Fahrenheit against a backdrop of a Sin being Sent.
49. Tidus embraces Yuna for the last time.
50. High Summoner Yuna outside Luca Stadium.
51. Yuna addresses the jubilant crowd in Luca Stadium.
52. The ever imperturbable Lulu in Luca.
53. Wakka in support of Yuna at Luca.
54. Kimahri standing quietly at Luca.
55. Yuna pleads for the people of Spira to “never forget”.

Final Fantasy X-2: The Eternal Calm

“The Eternal Calm” is a short video clip which served as the prologue to Final Fantasy X-2, and was included in the International release of Final Fantasy X. It was quite hard to obtain outside of Japan, though it has since been included in the Remaster release. Here is the audio track to the English version:

• Part 1: The first scene shows Yuna and Wakka, and the serenity of Besaid Island.
• Part 2: Offers a glimpse of Yuna’s not-so-glamorous role as the sole surviving High Summoner in Spira.
• Part 3: Introduces the hero-worshipping Yaibal, member of the Youth League.
• Part 4: Rikku comes to visit, carrying an important message from Mt Gagazet…

Final Fantasy X-2 Gallery

A collection of screen shots taken from the full-motion video in Final Fantasy X-2. Once again, spoilers abound.

1. Luca Stadium
2. High Summoner Yuna
3. Rikku enjoys the performance from a distance.
4. Rikku puts on a sheepish grin when confronted.
5. Yuna poses.
6. Paine poses.
7. Rikku poses.
8. Yuna has a puzzling dream about Tidus.
9. Yuna awakens.
10. Yuna in the Farplane.
11. Yuna meets Shuyin.
12. Rikku and Paine watch Yuna perform.
13. Baralai, Nooj and Gippal address the crowd in Luca Stadium.
14. The Gullwings bid Spira’s leaders farewell.
15. Yuna declares it is time to go home.
16. Gippal passes on Yuna’s farewell message.
17. Rikku and Paine atop the Celsius.
18. Yuna is reunited with Tidus.
19. Tidus is relieved to be home.
20. Rikku and Paine are pleased to see Yuna happy at last.
21. Yuna and Tidus discover they are not alone on Besaid Island.
22. Wakka and Lulu welcome Yuna and her friends back home.
23. A rare smile from Lulu, carrying baby Vidina.