The early 2000s proved to be a seminal era in gaming. The first few years of the decade saw revolutionary games like Grand Theft Auto III, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Silent Hill 2 doing things that the medium never dreamed of accomplishing before. Standing shoulder to shoulder with these giants representing RPGs was Final Fantasy X.
The 2001 epic was a game changer for the series and the genre as a whole. Expansive worlds were nothing new, but never had one looked so gorgeous. The varied landscapes and regions were brought to life not only because of the new technologies available, but also from the exquisite art design. This is not to say that aesthetics were the only contributing factor, either. The magnificent writing dreamed up a believable culture that made players really believe Spira had been lived in for thousands of years.
The party of playable characters was unique and memorable. While Tidus, or whatever name was bestowed on him, was the player's vessel to this new and marvelous world, the plot was focused on a young summoner named Yuna and her pilgrimage to defeat Sin.
Given Yuna's importance to the story, one can be assured that an enormous amount of work went into her creation. In this list, we will pick apart and give attention to the most fascinating aspects of her design. Most of these will deal with the physical characteristics of the iconic heroine, but a few will also point out interesting tidbits about her backstory and inspiration.
So fill up those overdrive meters, because here are the 20 Crazy Details About Yuna's Body.
She Is Half Al Bhed
The world of Spira is a conservative place where most of everyday life is governed by ancient traditions. While most of its residents adhere to the teaching of Yevon, a race known as Al Bhed live on the margins of society and do not practice the religion. As a result, they tend to be looked down at with contempt.
As one can guess, mixing of the two races is rare and frowned upon. This is mainly why Yuna's mixed blood is kept as a secret.
Her father was a famous summoner, while her mother was an unknown Al Bhed. Even some of her closest companions, such as Wakka, do not find out until later in the campaign.
She Can Be Impersonated With A Garment Grid
Being impersonated is the stuff of nightmares, though it has happened to an unlucky few. In the magical world of video games, imposters are more common due to the fact that the kind of technology needed isn't yet available in the real world.
In fact, Yuna is the victim of stolen identity in Final Fantasy X-2's opening cinematic. Throughout the entire intro, players are led to believe that the savior of Spira is performing a sensational pop tune in Luca's blitzball stadium. Shortly afterwards, it is revealed that the Gullwing's rival, Leblanc, was singing. Yuna's conniving rival was able to copy her look by using the Songstress dressphere during the performance. Thankfully, she was thwarted thanks to Yuna's buddies and a handy moogle costume.
Rikku Is Her Cousin
It is always better to travel with family, whether they be the one given at birth or forged in life through experience and earned trust. Someone who is both is the most advantageous of them all.
In Final Fantasy X, Yuna is accompanied by her guardians, all of whom are close to her heart save for the Tidus. Rikku s the party later than most of the crew, but it is revealed that the two have always been connected. As it turns out, Rikku and Yuna are cousins. The summoner's mother is Rikku's aunt, which also makes this entry's Cid her uncle. In the game's direct sequel, Rikku is the only other returning playable character.
Her Design Is Based On Hakama
When developers are crafting an entire game's universe from scratch, they have to make the environments feel uniquely their own. The art cannot feel like a rip off of real world designs. This does not mean that they cannot take inspiration from life and all of its beauty, however. For the character's garb in the first foray into Spira, creator Tetsuya Nomura was heavily influenced by Hakama.
This traditional Japanese clothing style has been around for over a thousand years and is still seen in the culture today.
A quick glance at the character and the clothing will reveal similarities, but ultimately, Yuna's look is all her own. Still, credit must be given where it is due.
She Wears A Furisode
When a game comes from a certain area of the world, one can usually find traces of that culture in the game's design. It is easy to see the Slavic influence present in The Witcher and the style of Dragon Age is clearly influenced by the French part of Canada.
Keeping with this trend, elements from Japan are plentiful in Final Fantas X. Most notably, Yuna's outfit contains a Furisode, a type of Kimono distinguishable for its large, hanging sleeves. Tetsuya Nomura added the touch to make the memorable sending scene more impactful. The outfit's sleeves are not connected to the rest of the dress, but they definitely add a layer of mysticism of the ritualistic dance.
She Appears In Kingdom Hearts II
The idea of a Disney and Final Fantasy crossover makes life worth living. It's made all the more better, then, with the fact that the Kingdom Hearts series actually delivers enthralling stories featuring some of pop culture's most beloved characters.
Even Yuna gets in on the fun during Kingdom Hearts II, first appearing as an adversary before switching sides. What's particularly fun about her part is her - along with Rikku and Paine's - size. The three heroines are tiny, and also possess wings. Their role does raise an entirely new question, though: was the trio shrunk down just for fun or is everybody in Spira the same height when compared to the other universe? It's hard to say for sure, considering Tidus and Wakka's cameo in the first game.
She's connected to the Hibiscus Flower
When a character is being designed, their creator does not only think about what is pretty. Sometimes, there is a connection between what the person adorns on their body and them. For example, Yuna wears a necklace of the Hibiscus flower. Additionally, this flower can be spotted on her dress.
In Japan, the Sea Hibiscus is also known as Yuna.
The connection between the floral species and the heroine don't end there, though. In Final Fantasy X-2, one of her garment spheres is called Floral Fallal. Its design is derived from the Sea Hibiscus. Don't take this to mean that the character is soft and fragile as a flower, however, as she still has the ability to summon powerful beasts.
Her Final Fantasy X-2 Outfit Reflects Spira's Change
The Spira in Final Fantasy X is non secular, but the belief that Yevon is infallible slowly unravels through the course of the game. By the sequel, most of the world is starting to let go of its old ways and embrace new values. They also do not live in fear of Sin anymore, thanks to Yuna and the crew's prior escapades.
When redeg the character for X-2, the developers wanted her outfit to reflect the changes that Spira was going through. As a new day was dawning in the land, she no longer needed to dress solemnly. This also rings true for the game's story, which is a more lighthearted jaunt than its predecessor, though it still pulls on the heartstrings when needed.
The Insignia for Tidus' Zanarkand Abes was sewn onto her gunner outfit
One major theme in Final Fantasy X-2 involves moving on from the loss of a loved one. As the love of her life evaporates in front of her eyes during the first game's conclusion, it is understandable that she needs time to grieve.
As a way to keep Tidus continually close to her heart, the insignia for his blitzball team, the Zanarkand Abes, is sewn into her Gunner outfit. She eventually finds peace at the end of X-2, but this progress is arguably negated by the inexplicable good ending when Tidus is revived. Moving on from loss and grief is a complicated subject. How does one let go of the past without forgetting the ones they love entirely? Everyone has their different methods of coping and paying tribute.
Yuna's Final Fantasy X-2 design was created before the game's script
Ask any creator what the first thing they make in a story is, and the answer may be surprising. David Lynch got the title for Blue Velvet from the song before even conceptualizing the movie itself, and Kurt Cobain got the phrase "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from a deodorant before writing the hit song. Similar to these two examples, Final Fantasy X-2's design got its inspiration from somewhere quite unexpected.
The very first piece of art made for the project was Yuna's outfit.
It had been conceptualized and completed before a single word of the script was penned. All in all, it is a good jumping off point considering how it reflects the game's upbeat vibe.
