Themes: Final Fantasy VIII Final Fantasy

Themes Edit
Deling City.
Final Fantasy VIII strives for thematic combination of fantasy and realism. It was the
first Final Fantasy game to have realistically proportioned characters—a departure from the
super deformed designs used in the previous titles. The game locations were designed to
resemble real world locations, rental cars and trains are used for in-game travel instead of
fantasy-like vehicles, and to enhance the feeling of realism, motion capture technology was
used to give the characters lifelike movements. Different nations and factions in Final
Fantasy VIII have their own flags, their designs based on the country/group's history and
culture.
Final Fantasy VIII marks the turn of the series toward a "young adult" genre, similar to
the literary genre. It was designed to be bright and fresh in feel, an inversion of atmosphere
from the previous two games, Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy VII. This decision
manifests in the location designs and in the use colors, such as the aquamarine and pink
design of Balamb Garden or the overall design of Esthar, and even war-ravaged and poor
locations, such as Trabia Garden, are displayed as sunny, vibrant and lively, as opposed to
the shadowy oppressed slum atmosphere present in Final Fantasy VII.
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Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)
One running theme is dealing with the aftermath of war and tragedy and how people
continue on despite of it. The story takes place approximately 20 years after the Sorceress
War, and most of the player characters are war orphans. The society is implied to suffer
from a "lost generation" leading to a lack of guidance and a shortage of families able to
adopt. The 1990s are known as the Lost Decade within Japan and family dynamics were
affected by many factors, including the post World War II world and the decadence of
Japan's 1980s economic high, and the questioning of the quality and meaning of life by
many in the face of its effects. The game's more realistic setting, young adult themes and
western wardrobe of the cast evoke the rise of primetime teen dramas, and its military
school setting reflects the trend of sending teenagers to military academies and boarding
schools in the United States during the 1990s.
The story focuses on Squall, his love interest Rinoa, and a small group of Squall's friends
and rival. Whereas in Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy VII most characters have some
playable scenario or side quests of their own, the characters in Squall's party are in more of
a supportive role. To strengthen the main character's role the player has less control over
his actions in the form of dialogue choices, and as a unique feature in the series, the player
can see the main character's thoughts communicated via transparent text boxes. Tragedy
is explored through the main characters' personal scenarios.
The story is a coming of age one with a group of orphans originally trained to become
mercenaries and fight for the sake of the world. School themes are heavy throughout,
representing the carefree days of youth, as well as the struggles of growing up. Maturity,
tradition and duty are emphasized; as Squall graduates his actions make him a role model
and the succeeding leader of the next generation of SeeDs. Though each character starts
as something different from what they end up becoming, they share a common background
(except for Rinoa, whose background ties to Squall's), and its discovery becomes the
turning point for the party's motivations. The bonds formed between the party members
juxtapose with Squall's initial position as someone who relies on no one. As he remains lost
in the void of time compression's collapse Rinoa's love brings him back, transcending and
breaking its hold on him.
Promotional art of Edea with the lyrics to "Liberi Fatali" talking of the end of childhood and the destiny the
"fated children" would soon face.
A major theme is fate and predestination, as well as common Japanese themes of
impermanence and inevitable loss (called mono no aware), however, the latter themes
have been somewhat toned down in the English version; during the final battle Ultimecia
asks the party to reflect on their childhoods, but in the Japanese version she explains that
childhood feelings fade away as time waits for no one, making clinging onto them pointless.
The story focuses on moving on from the past, but ultimately, although all things come to
an end, the bonds between one another lead to new beginnings.
The game's antagonist, Ultimecia, is aware of the prophecy of how she would meet her end
at the hands of the "legendary SeeD." To escape her fate she pursues time compression to
make her the all-ruling god of the universe, but unknown to her time compression allows
the "legendary SeeD" to reach her and destroy her. Garden and SeeD exist to train these
"legendary SeeDs" to one day fight Ultimecia as per Edea's encounter with Squall in the
game's ending, but Squall himself has no knowledge of his role until the end. In keeping
with the t

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