This year, we’re celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary RPG, Final Fantasy IX. To mark the occasion, we’ve created a special piece featuring the charming thief Zidane, his little friend Vivi and Queena as Ermis (Quermis), ready for whatever adventure comes his way.
First released on July 7, 2000, in Japan, Final Fantasy IX was a heartfelt tribute to the series’ roots. The game was led by director Hiroyuki Ito and brought together an all-star team of creators, including composer Nobuo Uematsu and character designer Yoshitaka Amano. It’s celebrated for its whimsical, high-fantasy world of Gaia and a moving story about a group of heroes trying to save the world from an impending war and a deeper, cosmic threat.
Beyond its beautiful narrative, Final Fantasy IX is beloved for its nostalgic art style, memorable cast of characters, and a classic-style turn-based combat system. The game’s focus on themes of life, death, and finding one’s purpose resonated deeply with a lot fans. Over the last two and a half decades, Final Fantasy IX has been re-released on numerous platforms and is consistently ranked as one of the greatest JRPGs ever made with a rumored Remake coming along, will we relive the story of Vivi’s sorrow once more? As heart break as it will get us, I really hope so.
