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[Pearl]

Yesterday, while surfing the net, I've been at a FF site and I saw the wrote a list of the ten most memorable FF characters. Well, I don't want to argue but what I saw it's not possible. They said they made people vote to get this final list.
I don't know if I can copy the list here, but I'd like you to comment some parts of it.

First of all, on the top there are two FF6 characters (Celes and Kefka). Well, FF6 is an amazing game, but not many people have played it, because it wasn't a PSX game, so I'd like to know how comes that a less known episode has two characters on top.
It's obvious that if FF7 is a well-known title is also thanks to the most famous console, so if someone voted for them, he's not an average player (it's not an insult hehehe, it's a matter of numbers: FF7 is surely a best selling game if compared to FF6).
Then, Kuja is number three I think and Cloud is only number four.
There isn't Sephiroth in it, but I know many players like him a lot, at least not less than Kuja.
Vivi is only number 7, but I know many persons consider him a great character, someone likes him even more than Zidane.
From FF8 there are Squall and Laguna, and that's the only point I can't criticize, even if FF8 is the probaly the best selling FF game ever, because other characters from this game are not so great..

I repeat, don't want to argue, but why saying this list is the result of a popular choice?

[IcyMourdor]

Well FF6 was released in the FFAnthology collection. Kefka is the root of all evil, in fact, Sephiroth is said to like a reincarnation of Kefka with the whole one-winged angel thing. Celes is one of the more powerful characters with her runic blade.

I don't know how Kuja made it on the list and Seph didn't. Kuja is a pansy, IMO. Sephiroth at least as a trademark katana, the Masamune.

[Soul Angel]

That's interesting!
I would thought that Sephiroth would of got more votes then Kuja would have?

[Pearl]

of course FF6 hs been released in FF Anthology, but FF Anthology hasn't been released in every country. For example I couldn't play FF Anthology, but I played a PC version of FF6, because a friend sent it to me.

[IcyMourdor]

Sorry, I didn't know where you're from.

[Pu the Owl]

I agree with a point of Pearl's post: it can't be a "popular" choice, because FF7 is one of the most famous FF games, together with FF8, and it's strange it only scored a 4th position for Cloud. Also it's strange Sephiroth's not there.

FF6 is a great game, but not as much famous as the other ones, because it's older and not many people played FF Anthology.

So I think there's something not so convicing about it...

[Spank-A-Thon]

The answer is simple my friends.

To visit and participate in a Final Fantasy Forum will mean that you really like the FF games right? Now considering the majority of users on boards like this are from North America you may see where I am going.

FFVI, for example, has been released on 2 formats in NA. Plus, if you are a big fan of FF, no matter where you are from you will have tried to get hold of ealier FFs. I myself have all of them on emulator, but haven't played them cos it's not the type of game I want to sit at a desk and play. Anyway, I digress... So it's not as if less people have played - more like less people have bought it.

The vote was not for the 'most popular' characters per se, but for the 'best' characters. A lot of FF players feel that Kefka was a more rounded and developed character than Sephiroth.

Plus, just because something is your favourite does not mean it is the best. Say for example FFVIII was my favourite (it isn't but bear with me), I could quite legitimately argue that Cloud is a better character than Squall. I could feel that, although he is not my favourite character, his development throughout the story exceeds Squalls.

Anyway, I believe FFVIII has sold the most copies of any FF game thus far, so you may expect characters from said game to figure higher. You see, it's not about popularity, or sales figures, it's about character.

The Matrix did not make as much money as Independance Day, for example, but you can betcha ass the characters are more developed in The Matrix.

Edit: If it's the site you are talking about then I know the average age of gamers there is a lot higher than at PS2fantasy. Therefore we are talking about people who grew up with the NES/SNES and have played the FF series other than what has been on PS thus far. That will also impact the results.

- S