Any gamer worth his salt is aware of theFinal Fantasyfranchise and its illustrious legacy. Each game in the series has been excellent in its own way… barring a few exceptions, that is.Final Fantasy Xis one such title that managed to do justice by the franchise, to the point where most people consider this title to be one of the greatest JRPGs of all time, andarguably the greatest game in the series as well!
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A big part of what makesFinal Fantasy Xsuch an unforgettable experience is the fact thatits colorful cast of charactersserve assome of the most memorable and lovable party membersever featured in a JRPG, with Rikku being a great example of just how likable everyone in the main cast really is. She might be one of the least subtle characters in the game… but it’s a testament to the great writing and attention to detail inFinal Fantasy Xthat she still has a bunch of hidden facts about her character that most people have no idea about.
10She Shares Her Catchphrase With Another Boisterous Final Fantasy Character
There’s a catchphrase that Rikku has the habit of saying — Booyaka! It’s something that doesn’t happen all the time but is certainly rather unique once she whips this word out.
This is a catchphrase that she shares with another character in theFinal Fantasyseries who shares the same character traits as her — namely, Selphie Tilmitt fromFinal Fantasy VIII.
9Her Phobia Of Thunder Is Depicted Rather Subtly In Combat
When Rikku was a child, her brother botched a Thundaga spell that ended up hitting her. This instilled a deep fear of lightning in her — something that is communicated rather expertly during fights.
If Rikku is hit with a thunder spell in combat, then she ends up whimpering quite audibly. It’s a brilliant touch that not many people would notice until they paid close attention to it.
8Her Fear Of Snakes Leads Her To Reference A Popular Quote In Gaming History
Thunder isn’t the only thing that Rikku is scared of — she’s also extremely scared of snakes inFinal Fantasy X-2and ends up yelling out a rather iconic quote when she comes face to face with them in the game.
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In response tothe snake enemies used by the Leblanc Syndicate, Rikku ends up yelling, “Snake? Snake?! SNAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!” It’s a rather on-the-nose reference to the Metal Gear Solid series.
7She Always Puts One Finger To The Side Of Her Lips When Thinking
Most Japanese characters end up having rather unique quirks that become a mainstay of their character, and Rikku is no exception to this golden rule.
Whenever Rikku is thinking — or trying to think — of something, she ends up consciously putting one finger to the side of her lips in an almost automatic reaction that most people tend not to notice due to how subtle it really is.
6Rikku’s Sphere Crosses Into Lulu’s In Order To Craft A Unique Connection With The Story
During the story, there are times when Rikku looks up to Lulu for advice, with Lulu even outright recommending that she learn some magic to help herself in a pinch.
The cool thing aboutFinal Fantasy Xis that the bond that Rikku and Lulu form ends up feeling into the former’s Sphere Grid, which overlaps with Lulu’s to reflect this change.
5Rikku’s Model Was Used As A Placeholder During Final Fantasy XIII’s Development
DuringFinal Fantasy XIII’s development, various placeholder models were used to test out the gameplay while the character design was being finalized for the game.
There were two character models fromFinal Fantasy Xthat were used in this game — Rikku and Yuna.
4Her Mix Overdrive Is Deceptively Useful… Albeit Somewhat Convoluted
One of the biggest reasons why Rikku is such a fan-favorite among the hardcoreFinal Fantasyaudience is due to her Mix Overdrive, which allows for some truly overpowered combinations that canturn the tide of battle in an instant.
That being said, this Overdrive is virtually useless without a guide of sorts that details out all of the valuable combinations that can help the player out in a pinch, which is perhaps why most casual players end up skipping this system altogether.
3She’s A Popular Character To Use In Speedruns And Challenge Runs
For players who wish to speedrun the entire game or finish off the title without even a single level up, Rikku’s character becomes paramount for survival.
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After all,with her Mix Overdrive, she can help low-leveled characters set up formidable defenses while her Trio of 9999 ensures thatno character is a pushover when it comes to dealing damage either. This lets players get through most encounters without breaking too much of a sweat.
2She Serves As Both A Thief And A Chemist
Most of the characters inFinal Fantasygames end up conforming to some preset class or the other — with some games straight up letting players choose their own classes too!
The characters ofFinal Fantasy Xare no exception to this rule, with Rikku being a rather clever — and effective — combination of both a thief and a chemist.
1Her Chirpy Personality Actually Stems From Some Rather Admirable Values
At a glance, Rikku might seem like a rather simple character due to her overbearingly exuberant personality and a penchant to not really be all that serious when it comes to the things happening around her. However, to write her character off as just another bubbly anime girl would be doing her a massive disservice.
Players who actually end up unlocking some of the more optional conversations about her character will realize that Rikku has actually dealt with her fair share of struggles in life. The death of her mother was a turning point in her life that made her realize that dwelling on this sadness would accomplish nothing — instead, she’s better off facing every day with a smile on her face instead.
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