The results of NHK’s All-Final Fantasy Grand Poll have just been released, and the results may come as a bit of a surprise to fans of Square Enix’s long-running JRPG franchise. The online survey was conducted earlier this week, giving Final Fantasy fans in the franchise's native country of Japan a chance to decide which of the series’ characters and installments are the most beloved.
Since each main entry in the Final Fantasy series features a completely separate setting and storyline, the decade-spanning franchise has showcased a number of unforgettable worlds, characters and moments over the years. From the cyberpunk slums and rag-tag rebels of 1997’s Final Fantasy VII to the cartoonish medieval land of 2000’s Final Fantasy IX and even the modern road trip of 2016’s Final Fantasy XV, each title in the iconic series has its fans and devotees – with some proving more popular with others, as the recent poll demonstrates.
As reported by Siliconera, NHK’s All-Final Fantasy Grand Poll reveals that Japanese fans’ top Final Fantasy game is surprisingly not the expected Final Fantasy VII, but rather 2001’s similarly beloved Final Fantasy X. Final Fantasy VII did beat X on the subject of favorite character, as VII’s main protagonist Cloud Strife beat out X’s secondary lead Summoner Yuna, although X won the nod of favorite music track with the refrain “To Zanarkand.” A grand total of 468,654 votes were cast in the poll, with Final Fantasy X proving equally popular among the 20-29 and 30-39 age demographics, while Final Fantasy VII is more liked among 40-49 year old players.
It should be no surprise that both Final Fantasy VII and Final X are the ones to dominate the top positions in the poll, as both of them are among the most well-regarded in the Final Fantasy series. They have both spanned an expanded universe of follow-up Final Fantasy games and tie-in media, such as novels, audio dramas and – in VII’s case – a CGI animated film sequel in 2005’s Advent Children. The original games also both remain in demand to this day, as the updated Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster collection sold no less than 1,440,000 copies worldwide and the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake remains one of 2020's most anticipated titles ahead of its planned April 10 release date.
However, Final Fantasy X taking Final Fantasy VII’s position as the most beloved game in the series could be something of an upset, given that the latter was monumental to the gaming and pop culture landscape of both the Eastern and Western worlds upon its release on the original Playstation in 1997, as evidenced by its melancholy-yet-massively-cool lead character Cloud Strife remaining popular to this day. It also can be argued that while Final Fantasy VII broke the ground on what a 3D RPG could be capable of in terms of graphics and storytelling, Final Fantasy X refined the ideas presented in the older game to provide a more polished experience, even if they prefer Cloud to X’s main characters of Tidus or Yuna. Either way, both of these titles are timeless installments of the Final Fantasy series, and easily deserve the recognition that NHK’s All-Final Fantasy Grand Poll has given them.
Source: Siliconera