Final Fantasy is one of the most beloved video franchises ever created. Every single game in the series has its fans, defenders, and critics, but if there is one game that is a little bit of a black sheep in the series it might be Final Fantasy IX.
It’s a great game, and many Final Fantasy purists believe it is the best in the entire franchise, but it’s one of the least played. It came out on the PlayStation 1 in June 2000, but was overshadowed by the recently-launched PlayStation 2. Nobody wanted to go back and play a huge RPG on previous hardware. It was also, for some, a step “backward” compared to the sci-fi direction that FF VII and VIII had taken the franchise in as well.
In more recent years, however, a new appreciation has been growing for IX. Everything about it has aged incredibly well, especially the art style, and it has some of the most beloved characters of any Final Fantasy. Even the story, while not quite as convoluted as previous titles, is more appreciated for how grounded it is. It’s a great RPG and one that any fan of the genre should play. It’s also, it turns out, the perfect game to make an animated show about.
Reported by Kidscreen, Final Fantasy is going to be receiving an animated show that is currently being co-developed by Square Enix and Cyber Group Studios. It will be pitched to broadcasters in the coming months from the angle of a love story for fans of Final Fantasy IX, but also as an entry point into the franchise for anyone that hasn’t played a Final Fantasy before.
“The games have a strong co-viewing potential. For those who do know Final Fantasy IX , this will be an [introduction],” he says. “And for the many who don’t, this will immerse them in a universe they’ll love.”
This is a great idea for a variety of reasons, as Final Fantasy IX is one of the best entry points into the franchise. The only reason it isn’t suggested to more people is because the game has a lot of fun callbacks to previous titles that may fly over the heads of new players. Even so, with a grounded story, amazing characters, and a beloved art style it is perfect for an animated show to get people into the Final Fantasy universe. Hopefully we’ll learn more about it and it will find a home somewhere soon.