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Final Fantasy is the greatest RPG franchise ever. I know I'm really going out on a limb here, so I'll give you a minute to let that sink in. OK, now before you fly into a rage, give me a chance to explain. You see, there have been many great series produced across a plethora of gaming systems. However, no single role-playing series has done more for the rights of game characters everywhere than Squaresoft and Final Fantasy.
Think back to the original Final Fantasy. From the very beginning, you could see there was precious little room for diversity. A couple generic attackers, magic users and a token Black Mage. Your party could consist of four people who were are callously forced to work on the same square. One surprising feature, which was perhaps overlooked at the time, was that they were given separate spaces in shops and inns. However, the amenities provided were sub-standard. The characters merely floated in a black purgatory while sleeping. And god help them if some careless player pressed the POWER button without holding RESET!
Luckily, the immense success of Final Fantasy gave birth to a new era. Gamers demanded more and Squaresoft, among other companies, were forced to deliver. While most RPGs of the 8-bit era stuck to single protagonists of indeterminate race (and gender) Final Fantasy continued to push the envelope. Ironically, this was also the darkest time for the legendary series. Final Fantasy II and III never saw a domestic release until recent years. There were several explanations cited for the boycott, however the true, sinister reason was clear: The Dark Knight job class. While players in general were able to stomach a Black Mage class, mainstream audiences were simply not ready to play with Dark Knights. It only exacerbated the situation when it came to light that Mindu, a supporting character from Final Fantasy II, wore a turban.
However, the epic line of games was able to pull itself forth from obscurity in the fourth installment. To pacify critics, the Dark Knight class was re-tooled, neutered of its main abilities and involved in a tale of "reawakening". Such a thinly veiled testament for racist propaganda was a bleak period on the series' timeline but it served its purpose. Final Fantasy IV was a hit in America and once again the franchise was marketable overseas. Final Fantasy V, however, was not as fortunate. The addition of playable Dark Knight and Sorcerer classes was like a slap in the face to fans of the previous game. Again, a foreign release became a distant dream. Squaresoft was unshaken though, and its steadfast stance on equality would shape every game yet to come. Final Fantasy Tactics, X-2, and XI would all successfully incorporate jobs of all colors and cultures and be played worldwide.
Role playing game characters still had many other issues to suffer through. Final Fantasy VI marked probably the greatest improvement of 16-bit civil rights in history. For one, characters were finally given separate beds to sleep in. Who else cringed when Cecil and Rydia were forced to sleep together only to be assaulted by the king's sting operation moment later? That was a clear case of entrapment; I was so pissed I could barely restrain myself from putting the controller through the television. In VI, characters had some room to stretch out. More importantly though, and this is what secured Final Fantasy's place in history, the sixth installment saw the addition of working toilets. If RPGs have taught us anything, it's that people can go inordinate amounts of time without eating, drinking, or relieving themselves. Still, that doesn't mean they should not have the option! The successful negotiation of functional lavatories being included for RPG characters is an amazing success story. Interestingly enough, it was Kefka who headed the process and gave the most for the benefit of characters everywhere. Unfortunately, contractual obligations included that he must dress as a clown and transform into Mel Gibson for the final battle.
The "sleeper-hit" that was Final Fantasy Tactics was also a milestone in the struggle against RPG prejudice. While many people enjoyed leading Ramza, Delita et al through Ivalice's greatest war, none were aware of the great battle going on behind the scenes. In a rare partnership never seen before, Squaresoft agreed to fill out the entire supporting cast of mercenaries with former Walmart employees. It was a huge gamble, but the lovable mongoloids charmed us all with their quirky behavior and incomprehensible phrases. It showed that even the mentally challenged could provide us with hours of engaging game play. "Tactics" proved so successful it has even spawned it's own spin-off series, which continues to produce new releases to this day, with Final Fantasy Tactics A3X79b: You Sunk My Battleship! being released later this year.
Possibly the most recent development in RPG civil rights has been for those characters of an "alternate lifestyle". The first inkling of inclusion for the homosexuals of the video-erotic realm came with Final Fantasy V. Shockingly, the game dealt with bi-sexuality and cross dressing hand-in-hand with the blatant advocation of piracy. Many players were caught off-guard and this was probably a big factor in keeping the game away from American audiences. Squaresoft took advantage of the phenomenon that was Final Fantasy VII by once again tackling gay rights. While players were captivated by the stunning visuals and addictive gameplay, Squaresoft was secretly sneaking in propaganda to help ease the public into accepting homosexual characters. Sephiroth, probably the most popular villain to date, captured the hearts of closet-cases throughout the world. Even today you can see hoards of Sephiroth fans who are in awe, and just a little bit turned on, by his brutal personality and dashing physique. Another success came with Cloud's oft misunderstood "sex scene" in Sector 7. For many players it was hard to tell what exactly was going on, as it was intentionally ambiguous. I'll tell you what was going on: Equality.
The Final Fantasy series as we see it today is the conglomeration of the blood, sweat and tears of many great pioneers of the past. A game with the diversity and freedom of choice that Final Fantasy XI presents would have been unheard of in the early 1990s. Effeminate stars such as Tidus and Vaan would never have been afforded a backstory back in the day. The rights of the characters we enjoy playing with on a daily basis were won over many years and many series before them. Remember next time you change Rikku into a Dark Knight, or the next time you screenshot a Galka wearing panties, to honor those who suffered and struggled long ago.
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