TOP 10 GIRLS OF FINAL FANTASY

 

Tifa is second place in my Top 10 Girls of Video Games but the girls of Final Fantasy get their own top ten!

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

But first my usual note on the visual images used in this top ten. Given the copyright in such images, I only use a visual image as fair use for the purposes of comment and review in each entry – an iconic feature image to identify the character, either in general or in their most iconic version as I review it to be (or both), usually sourced from the character profile image in the fan wiki.

I also usually include a special section in each entry under the subtitle of art and cosplay – not for any actual art and cosplay as such but instead where I nominate my favorite artists and cosplay models depicting the character, which you can look up for yourself. For art, I award a special ranking for any art by my two favorite artists – the two freelance digital artists Sciamano and Dandonfuga. For cosplay, I award a special ranking for any cosplay by my holy trinity of models – my favorite model Yummychiyo with her insane figure in top spot, followed by Hane Ame and Helly Valentine.

As for the iconic feature image I’ve chosen for this page itself and the Top 10 Girls of Final Fantasy, I’ve chosen this screenshot from the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth game – as per my caption illustrating the most important question of all when ranking Final Fantasy Girls – are you Team Tifa or Team Aerith for Cloud? (The correct answer is of course Team Tifa although fans often take the third option and team Tifa with Aerith).

 

S-TIER (GOD TIER)

 

 

 

(1) TIFA LOCKHART (FINAL FANTASY VII)

 

Of course Tifa is top girl – the pinup girl of the cyber-generation. Introduced in FFVII – the same edition of the game that broke through to widespread Western popularity. Coincidence? I think not.

She’s of the fantasy monk character class. Think kung fu not Christian – a combination of martial arts and mystical training. In a black mini-skirt – for extra kicks.

Also measures in at 36-24-35″ (or 92-60-88 cm – at 5 feet 6 inches or 167 cm) because of course she does.

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

I’ve used her profile image from the fan wiki, corresponding to her appearance in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Otherwise I look at her art and cosplay in her Top 10 Girls of Video Games entry.

 

A-TIER (TOP TIER)

 

 

 

 

(2) AERITH GAINSBOROUGH (FINAL FANTASY VII)

 

It was a close call between Aerith and my third place entry but Aerith won out as essentially the other girl of Final Fantasy VII as part of a matched pair with Tifa as well as love interest triangle with game hero Cloud. Her origin is as a street vendor of flowers but her role in the adventuring party is as a spellcasting white mage (or cleric in Dungeons and Dragons terms).

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

Again, for her iconic feature image I’ve chosen her character profile image from the fan wiki.

 

ART – DANDONFUGA

 

No Sciamano ranking but she does score a Dandonfuga ranking for art of her, albeit not in her signature costume.

It was a close call between Dandonfuga and Kiko L with the latter’s prolific art of Aerith, including in her signature costume. There’s also Neoartcore art of her.

 

COSPLAY – HELLY

 

Yes – she gets a Helly ranking for Helly Valentine’s prolific cosplay of her, including in her signature costume.

 

 

(3) CINDY AURUM (FINAL FANTASY XV)

 

My third place entry who narrowly missed out on second place after Tifa because…well, you can see why. She’s a mechanic, which prompts the questions to my mind as to why her outfit seems a little misplaced for that occupation – and why have I never had a mechanic who looks anything even remotely like that?

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

For Cindy’s iconic feature image, I’ve chosen a screenshot of her from the game for the clarity of its depiction, although unfortunately it omits her thigh-high boots. Implausibly for a mechanic, they’re white.

 

ART – DANDONFUGA

 

Cindy scores a Dandonfuga ranking, as Dandonfuga reliably comes through with art of her – surprisingly alone among my favorite artists (at least to my knowlege).

 

COSPLAY – HELLY

 

Cindy scores a Helly ranking – and how! One of my favorite Helly Valentine cosplays. Katyuska Moonfox is runner-up for Cindy cosplay.

I’m not sure whether to rank it as cosplay or media but I feel obligated to mention I came across adult film star Nikki Benz as Cindy Aurum for one of her scenes (phrasing!)

She and the production team do a pretty good job of costume design too.

 

B-TIER (HIGH TIER)

 

 

(4) YUFFIE KISARAGI (FINAL FANTASY VII)

 

Often overlooked for Tifa or Aerith, Yuffie is another female playable character from Final Fantasy VII. She’s similar to Tifa as action girl, but as ninja rather than monk. Yes – that’s a giant shuriken she’s holding.

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

For iconic feature image, I’ve used her character profile image from the fan wiki of her in-game appearance.

Otherwise, there’s not much art and cosplay by my favorite artists or models for her, with the exception of art by Kiko.

 

 

(5) JESSIE (FINAL FANTASY VII)

 

A background female mechanic character that helps the protagonists in Final Fantasy VII. She’s boosted in my top ten place entries by her Dandonfuga ranking and art by Kiko.

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

That’s right – I’ve used her character profile from the fan wiki of her in-game appearance for iconic feature image.

 

ART – DANDONFUGA

 

As I said, she scores a Dandonfuga ranking which boosts her in my top ten. Close runner-up for Jessie art is Kiko, who has featured her in a few works of art.

 

 

 

(6) RIKKU (FINAL FANTASY X)

 

A thief (as in fantasy character class of rogue) among the heroic protagonists of Final Fantasy X, upgraded in protagonist role in the sequel X-2.

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

For her iconic feature image, once again it’s her character profile image from the fan wiki as she appears in-game in Final Fantasy X-2. Otherwise, she scores some standout Neoartcore art and Katyuska Moonfox cosplay.

 

 

(7) LULU (FINAL FANTASY X)

 

The mage among the heroic protagonists of Final Fantasy X, using dolls as a focus for her spells (and which bear resemblance to the iconic monsters of previous games).

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

For her iconic feature image, it’s her character profile image from the fan wiki as she appears in-game in Final Fantasy X. Otherwise, she appears in art by Neoartcore.

 

 

(8) FRAN (FINAL FANTASY XII)

 

Master of weapons, mechanics and magic in the protagonist party of Final Fantasy XII. Yes – she’s a magical bunny girl, one of the Viera or literal one-gender race of magical bunny-girls.

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

For her iconic feature image, it’s her in-game appearance from Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings as featured in the fan wiki.

 

ART – DANDONFUGA

 

And surprise (for this far into my Top 10 Girls of Final Fantasy)! Fran scores a Dandonfuga ranking for some knockout art of her.

 

 

 

(9) LIGHTNING (FINAL FANTASY XIII)

 

Lightning – Elcair or Claire “Lightning” Farron – is the main character or protagonist of Final Fantasy XIII, motivated by saving her sister Serah. A sequel game was subtitled for her (Lightning Returns).

 

ART & COSPLAY

 

For her iconic feature image, yet again it’s her character profile image from the fan wiki.

 

ART – DANDONFUGA

 

And yet again – another surprise Dandonfuga ranking for pinup art of her.

 

 

(10) Y’SHTOLA RHUL (FINAL FANTASY XIV)

 

Scion of the Seventh Dawn and sorceress ally of the protagonist Warriors of Light. She’s also a catgirl – sorry, Seeker of the Sun miqo’te.

 

ART  & COSPLAY

 

For iconic feature image, I chose an image of Y’shtola as she appears in Final Fantasy XIV (from Heavensward to Stormblood) from the fan wiki – there seem to be three different costume variations of her in the game and this is the second.

 

ART – SCIAMANO

 

Surprise! Yes – my tenth place entry scores a Sciamano ranking from Sciamano art of her.