I got a better look at the ghostly figure we discuss at the end of the podcast on another playthrough of FFX I found on RUclips. I'm now convinced it IS Jecht.
Sorry about the double post, but simply had to let you know about this. A lot of voice lines were cut from the remastered version HD version of FFX. This includes voice lines in battle when performing moves for the first time and apparently some lines from cutscenes. If you check out this link (ruclips.net/video/d55SaCdcltQ/видео.html) with an emulated original PS2 build you will find that the line "Hey" "Hey" by "The old man" is included in the english version as well. FFX is my favourite FF and so far you are killing it analyzing the story :) Looking forward to each episode :)
Oh yes it's definitely Jecht. I recently played the HD remaster, if you swim down in this section immediately the more visible he will appear. If you linger and don't move fast he'll be more faded by the time you get down there, or just gone. I approached him from an angle where I was facing the front of him directly and it's clearly his signature stance and a very visible Jecht. The video you guys were using doesn't have the best angle or quality, but in playing that section with a better camera angle it's 100% clear. :)
48:59 Auron isn't just pointing, he's holding his Sake bottle. Is it to toast the aquatic monster? For those who know, we know. And for those who don't know, it's an interesting detail to take a mental note of for the future. This game has lots of great moments to pay attention to!
Yes, you miss it quite easily because there is so much going on. But when you later learn more about Auron and Sin, the opening will be put in a completely different light.
Oh I just posted this exact same comment, should've checked if someone said it before. I always thought that was the case cuz his jug is not hanging from his belt in that scene and its there when we next see him walking on the street.
I love the subtle difference the narrating voice of Tidus and his speaking voice in cutscenes. The narration sounds more somber and tired, hinting at all the things Tidus has been through and everything he’s learned. Meanwhile, his speaking voice sounds more innocent and upbeat.
The awkwardness of Tidus in James Arnold Taylor's attempts at lip syncing his lines, contrasts perfectly with his professional and somber delivery where he can go all out without needing to lip sync during Tidus' narration.
You guys, especially Mike, are warmer toward this game than I had previously realized. It just may be my favorite game of all time. It is rife with minor imperfections, but I find the world and themes masterfully executed.
Totally agree. It's almost underrated in that sense, which feels weird to say because it's probably the second most popular game in the series. However, people give it so much crap and most of the complaints make little sense to me, that I often use the word 'underrated' or 'underappreciated' to describe it.
@@handzar6402 That lack of consensus among the game's harshest critics is probably just a result of its popularity. FFX brought in a lot of newcomers who didn't really understand the "weirdness" in the series, or Japanese games in general. I think they're in a very, very small minority of people who have played FFX. The "weirdness" is one of the major reasons these games feel so exotic, distinct, and endearing. I'm so sick of the entire game's runtime being reduced to a meme by people who don't appear to have played the game (they don't judge the laughing scene in context).
@@12ealDealOfficial I think you're probably right. Some of the critics can be dismissed outright because their complaints are juvenile or so dumb as to not warrant any response, but the game's age often brings in lots of detractors who point to things like the voice acting or animations, which doesn't make sense to me. It's a JRPG from 2001 for God's sake. Some of it is obviously bitter fans of some of the other FFs. It's a mix. Totally agree on the weirdness and otherworldliness being endearing and the laughing scene being misunderstood out of context.
Back in 2009 when my wife and I got married, she walked down the aisle to Zanarkand. Now whenever I hear that song it instantly transports me back to that day.
49:00 Auron is toasting Sin, not pointing to it. He holds forth his bottle of sake. You don't see his actual hand as he raises it but just before he does he is clearly gripping the bottle. 1:01:42 I first learned of Kingdom Hearts from the bonus disc that came with FFX and included an early trailer. I was blown away.
In the international version. "Hey, Hey" is there and it is Jecht. Also, the ghostly figure with Child Tidus is Jecht. Essentially after being swallowed by Sin, Jecht calls out to Tidus who recognizes the voice, says "my old man" and swims/floats over to him.
36:28 I always thought that the radio announcers setting the stage at Zanarkand was a brilliant creative decision. This small scene is excellently written and in English the voice actor does a great job. It is a unique way of introducing us to the world - The camera movement as Tidus runs along the highway gives us a more cinematic feeling and evades more typical JRPG conventions. Also, mad props to the creative team for giving us Southern US accents in a fantasy story.
Not everyone knows this but Zanar (the person who talks about Jecht disappearing 10 years ago and the cup final being held in his memory) is also Auron's voice actor - Matt McKenzie.
My girlfriend introduced me to this game as it is one of her favorite games of all time and I loved every moment of it. I am glad I got experience FFX!
FFX builds immediate intrigue in the story like no other game. I’m not sure the opening campfire cutscene set to the gorgeous “To Zanarkand” followed by the introduction to (and destruction of) one of the most incredible settings ever developed for a game can ever be topped. Masterclass in terms of plot hooks.
Yep, that image is definitely Jecht, before it slowly morphs into the child version of Tidus as you 'swim' towards it. Very interesting and I'm not sure what it could symbolise just yet. Another super interesting thing that you guys may have missed: As Tidus and Auron are making their escape from Dream Zanarkand, they get into a battle and are forced to knock down some sort of fuel tank that blows up the building with Jecht's image projected onto it, causing it to fall and Jecht's face almost crushes Tidus. I think that's very interesting symbolism of Jecht, even in death, being an overbearing and intimidating figure for Tidus, and him always being overshadowed by his father. Super cool.
When Casen starts to talk about シン ('Sin'), I don't think any japanese would confuse it with death (死 'shi' or 死ぬ 'shinu'). When I played in Japanese, I thought about 新 (meaning 'New'), 真 (meaning 'True') and Sin, as the word 'sin' in English. You MAYBE could see some meaning of 信 too, that means roughly 'faith'. シン (Sin) could have A LOT of meanings, and that's the beauty in it.
I thought of the same as well. Without spoiling anything, in the Japanese version the meaning of Sin (シン) is described as the loanword from English, aka (罪) by a character relatively early in the game. Of course, the other meanings play a role as more is revealed in the story 😏
I'm so excited about this one, and Casen's analysis kinda blew my mind about sports and religion and nature vs technology. FFX is absolutely one of my all-time favorites. Even though I have to say, the replay value for me is not that high as a completionist. I'll be sticking around for the story analysis. I hate the mini-games in this game so much, the crafting and getting the ultimate weapons is such a chore, I don't ever want to do them again. :D
The steam version with some mods can help you get rid of the chores. The steam version adds the ability to play/fight at x2 or x4 speed. Turn off or increase random encounters. Auto battle. All gill, all abilities, etc. It really is the best way to play the game right now.
@@zombieshavebrains thanks for the advice. I'm not really interested in cheating but the speedups sound nice. Aalso I was wondering if there is a mod that allows you to have the Japanese voices, without changing the complete language of menus and stuff to Japanese? That would make me reconsider.
Casen's connection to sin being in a water sphere when attacking zanarkand was almost a metaphor of a God destroying a false idol was mind blowing for me. That has to be intentional if you ask me. Now that he's said it it seems sooooo true.
I recently started a new playthrough on pc. There is a mod that keeps the chocobo race timer at 0:0:0. Combine that with the getting 99 of every item cheat in the game menu and you can get rid of the grind completely for the post game stuff and get right to the super bosses. I’ve done the grind several times but because that alone easily takes 100+ hours by the time I can fight the dark aeons I am just burnt out lol. There’s also the farplane save editor that has a button you click to capture 10 of every monster in the game to get rid of that headache.
41:19 - 47:38 Being from portugal and growing up seeing the, and I really don't think I'm exaggerating here, the religious fervor with which football/soccer is treated and talked about, and how much of it is part of people's identities and daily life, I really can't stress enough how amazing (and validating) this whole religion/sports aspect of the game is for me, as someone who's neither religious nor a big team sports fan but still saw the parallels between the two. This aspect is one of my favourite things about the game and I remember that it immediately jumped out at me as something completely familiar and understandable in this strange alien world of Zanarkand/Spira. As always, loving these deep dive analysis guys, you're doing a fantastic job. Learning about the Samarkand city was fascinating, I had never heard of it or its influence for the design of Zanarkand before.
As a fellow Portuguese, uninterested in sports I can attest to this. Not being a fan of the local team, or one of the three big teams, makes you a kind of heathen, as it is treated like a kind of blasphemy. People in Portugal will meet each other for the first time and two minutes into the conversation will ask: so which club do you root for? It's definitely religious.
When you guys were talking about Sin around 1:10:00 and how it's pronounced "Shin" in Japanese I'm surprised no one mentioned that Shin is a word that can also mean new or renewal. It ties into the rebirth imagery that was being brought up with the water passage, and the isekai element.
Came here to say this. In fact, if you say "Shin" to a Japanese person, it's quite unlikely they would think of the word "death". Shin is *much* more strongly tied to the idea of "new".
@@theeggman85 also because the word sin in English context originated with religion and as far as I know the east are not affected by Christianity, lucky them!
The opening to this is probably my favourite in the FF series, even surpassing FF7. The sheer beauty and otherworldly (geddit?) feel of Zanarkand, the intrigue into what is happening, what Auron knows, what Sin is and why it's here (or even what it looks like), the way it mixes the tutorial and battles seamlessly into the narrative flow. It's all fantastic.
This is one of the most grounded, emotive stories ever written for the medium of videogames, which is quite rare, particularly for 2001. I think they stripped a lot of the anime baggage (a.k.a the attempts at coolness) that was so prevalent in, not just previous Final Fantasies, but JRPG in general throughout the 90s, and FFX was a lot better for it, in my opinion. Sure, even this game has a little bit of JRPG nonsense that all JRPGs have; no game is perfect, but ultimately it's about the themes, the characters and how they develop, and that's where FFX knocks it out of the park. The setting is unique, the music is phenomenal, the cast is memorable, even the turn-based combat is tons of fun. All of these things combine to make the definitive Final Fantasy experience. The way the game is structured in terms of the linearity and pacing also lends itself to the story, with the pilgrimage being the main aim of everyone. I love this game. It's arguably my favourite game of all time, I alternate between this and Silent Hill 2 haha.
It was the height of stroytelling in games, in my opinion. MGS2, Silent Hill 2, Final Fantasy X are the trifecta. Contemporary gaming is too steeped in the financial side to be truly creative. Hollywood has hit a stagnancy much more viscous, but western gaming is currently experiencing a similar blight to the ongoing situation in China and Korea. Difficult to make a passion project without loads and loads of red tape, intervention, focus testing, and outside mandates from asset managers (usually referred to as ESG).
@@12ealDealOfficial Are we long lost twins or something? Those three were literally my top 3 games for the longest time (they still are, it's just that MGS2 has fallen behind the other two a tiny bit despite it being my first love, so to speak). Well said.
@@handzar6402 Lol that window of time was awesome for gaming. I like how you say "the other two" MGS games and I already know you're talking about 1 and 3, my other two favorites.
Something I would like to point out is that Auron is actually holding out his flask to Sin in that scene, not pointing or gesturing. That is an important distinction. Amazing job with this podcast guys. I'm really enjoying this!
"The Landing" is what made that segment so iconic and epic for me (from FF8). It is my favorite track from that game and I feel like it is what set the mood. Every part of the song fit into what was happening during that segment. FFX mimics that in the opening in more of a melancholic way but doesn't fail to deliver in anyway. Thank you for another great episode!
Lulu's voice actor is fantastic, Wakka is... Not great. The cast is a little mixed imo, but vastly more good than bad I'd agree. I still don't think it's as good as XII on the whole though.
I like Burress and Taylor quite a bit, but McKenzie as Auron is a special role. I savor every word of ghost stepdad's arc, right up until his going off on Yunalesca about rectifying the past. You can see and hear Auron's shift from young idealist to stoic pragmatist, his cynicism takes over, until his ambition explodes when he realizes the cycle of death CAN be broken, and if it can't, its better to die in glory than live in sorrow.
I think that character next to Tidus is Jecht. Looks like the arms folded and the Headband are the giveaways. But I just gotta say, I really love this channel! The enthusiasm you guys bring to playing some of these beloved JRPGs is amazing. Keep up the amazing work! Cheers!
Auron is holding up his flask for a toast when Sin approaches Zanarkand. You guys were discussing at around 49:10 that Auron is pointing at Sin as it approaches but you can see that he's already holding his flask before the camera zooms in on Auron, and then when he begins to raise his arm up you can see a bit of the flask in the left hand corner. I could still be wrong, but considering rest of the story, Auron having a toast to Sin's arrival has WAY more significance than him simply pointing at it.
Me last week: Oh yeah, I'm going to play along. Me six days ago: Well he said to play up to Kilika Temple Me two hours later: Well it won't hurt to finish the Temple Cloister Me the next day: Getting through the Blitzball bullshit in the next chapter won't be a big deal Me yesterday: Well, shit, I'm already about 50% through the main story.
Yeah I’d played it 4 or 5 times across PS consoles over the years, picked up the switch version half price and said, I’ll just play the opening scene for now, got too many other games to try out… And accidentally played the whole thing. And now this is making me want to okay again!
Just hearing you guys describe the introduction scene after pressing start was enough to shoot all those memories back and bring it to my eye Such incredibly powerful game
I just have to say, not only did you guys already do some of the very best in-depth and fully contextualized video game analyses I've seen, I think you're actually getting better with each game. I think I just now realized it because I think I've only played X twice, and it's been at least 15 years. So the amount of detail you provide the viewer (in my case mostly listener) is incredible. The details of the city, the nightlife, the fact that Kasen found a similar city in the middle east... I just love this stuff. So thanks and good job.
The radio station opening monologue also mentioned how the host had an estranged father and it wasnt until the disappearance Jecht where they reconciled.
I’m not entirely sure but from the sounds of it Tidus refers to Jecht as “Oyaji” the closest thing I think it could be would essentially be like calling your dad “Old man” or “Pops”
Casen is 100% right about subsequent playthroughs. Like, how much harder does… *POSSIBLE SPOILERS* …the scene when you first leave Besaid with the party hit after playing through once? Or all the trippy moments where you think you might be inside Tidus’ dreams.
About Auron pointing at Sin: It seems to me he's offering his "sake jar" to sin (you can even see some droplets coming out of the jar at 49:10) Its been a while since i played the game, and I'm replaying it with the podcast, but i think that's relevant? Anyway, great episode, guys!
I Always loved the tropical theme and all the water. It was so fresh when it arrived and I still adore the battlesystem too. Tidus voice never bothered me but his pants for sure did. Hate the pants. Dont know why but I cant stand them. They are my belt skirt of FFX. However, I played the game around the release and a few years later I did missions in the philipines and Thailand and some of the areas I visited reminded me of FFX. I was really happy that they did not go the european fantasy route with this game as you have pointed out. I do feel the sequel have stained the legacy a tad bit, but, it is for sure is part of the home run That is FFVI through FFX. Cant believe I got to play these FFVII through X within a 5 year period, and as a teen to boot. What a time to be Alive that was. And this seems To be a long series, I am a happy fellow for it.
I just discovered your game club reviews and conversations and I can not stop watching them. I want to join the conversation, I didn’t realize, professional adults actually want to have these kind of deep dive conversations on Final Fantasy and I’m here for it!
If I can defend James Arnold Taylor as Tidus for a moment as well, yes there are several moments of perhaps "cringe" from Tidus' character speckled throughout, notably from when Tidus is being "goofy". But BOY.. in the crucial moments, in the serious parts of the story where it matters most James Arnold Taylor delivers in SPADES. He does fantastic job, and is exceptional in the critical moments of the story where it gets serious. When it's more dramatic, James Arnold Taylor nails it. I'd say JAT does a Bang on job as Tidus overall. All that is to say I think Tidus is better when he's being more dramatic and serious than goofy/cartoony. Essentially I like Tidus' character a lot. I think he's really complex and JAT's voice acting shows that well.
One thing to note in case no one else has touched upon this: The voice acting for the English version at times was sped up post recording to better fit the strict timing of the scenes. There are a few instances where it's really apparent after knowing that this is what they did, so that can also affect someone's perception of the English voice acting in this game. I'm not saying this was a correct choice in how to do this but it was a choice they made. Nowadays they aren't limited to such strict time constraints on the deliveries of the lines and you can compare certain scenes between the different versions of later installments and see a slightly different run time in those scenes. Just thought I'd share in case you guys were unaware since VO is something I pay heavy attention to. Really enjoy this podcast series by the way.
Really appreciate the time and effort you guys put into this show. You provide what is, in my mind, definitive coverage of so many of my favorite games and always do it with a level of analytic thoughtfulness that peels back layers that 90% of players will casually overlook. Please keep doing these as long as possible!
I have really been loving these podcasts, and how incredibly detailed you guys are in dissecting every little centimeter of this fantastic game. Really looking forward to the rest of this series, and checking out the other stuff you guys have covered! Unrelated to that, I just felt the need to comment how creepy/wild it is that I paused this video a few days ago, and prior to resuming it at 1:11:28, was watching some other videos about Gnosticism, and literally JUST learned what the demiurge is. Don't think I've ever had a coincidence like that.
I'm loving playing through this game again while listening to this podcast series. Excited now to play through others games you've analysed like this. Keep up the good work!
The "Hey! Hey!" is absolutely in English as well and it is a clearly recognizable voice as well. The identity of the ghost is also more obviously Jecht when you see it ingame yourself. FFX is not just an isekai story, it's "the" isekai story to me, actually embodying the core of a narrative of being transported to a fantasy world where your life is actually meaningful to the people around you, worth more than being an entirely replaceable person in a metropolis from a cold family and having no actual friends.
@@michaelcoraybrown I just booted up the remastered version and replayed the start, it’s definitely still there (at least in the version I’m playing 🤷♀️)
I just replayed this opening yesterday and I didn't pick up on half of things you guys did. It's a great opening to a game, too. A lot of the game's early FMVs made their way online months before its release in the U.S. in 2001, and the entire blitzball game/Sin attack with Otherworld playing blew my mind without a shred of context. Just the fact that a track like Otherworld EXISTED in a Final Fantasy blew my mind. And I loved Auron as a character from the first moment I saw him. I thought his character design was very cool and different, plus his name was so close to mine that admittedly I gravitated to him because of that. The only thing I lament is that we don't get to spend more time in Zanarkand. I would have loved to explore it even a little, but they needed to get Tidus to future Spira quickly, I guess. It works in the game's favor though, because then Zanarkand can always remain this mysterious semi-futuristic but also waaaaay in the past place that we'll never quite have a handle on.
I'm so excited for this analysis! As other's have said, I do believe the ghostly figure is Jecht. You can see his bare feet, his red bandana, and the edge of the white wrappings he has on one of his arms. If the voice is him, it would make sense that he was there. It's as if he was pulling Tidus to that spot. The symbol has always looked like a Y to me, which I connected with Yuna, but I love that Casen pointed out the other letters it could represent as well as the fish hooks and lightning. It brings so much more depth and meaning to it all. Thanks so much you guys! Can't wait until next week!
I do think the in media res was intended from the beginning, if nothing else because it connects with how Tidus keeps narrating the journey throughout the game.
I LOVE how you guys get SO into this and take it so seriously! This game had such a big impact on me when I was a kid. I also love that' tou're talking ALLLLLL the time that you need to gush at its marvel! Keep it up
6:45 OMG I never thought of there being an S and Y in the logo, but now I can't unsee it and that is amazing! I can tell I'm going to enjoy watching this series, just 2 guys chatting about and analyzing a game that is near and dear to my heart.
During the fmv, I think you guys said that Auron was pointing at Sin while on top of the building? I always thought he was holding up his sake flask in toast. Also, if you listen to the radio commentator's full commentary before advancing to the next screen, he says that the star of the "abes", is Jecht's son, and he wonders whether we'll get to see his father's (Jecht) legendary shot. Also a fun little note about pronouncing sin as "Shin" -- There is a character later on in the game that pronounces it as "Shin".
I discovered this channel at random as a recommendation and this is so great learning more of my favorite game of all time! (And Look forward watching the other videos of other games as well). However I would like to point out that Auron is actually holding his jug in the FMV and he is cheering at sin, instead of pointing with his hand. You can see him holding it as a “cheers friend” to Sin.
I love all the details and analysis you guys have gone over. It's clear you both put in a lot of hardwork. Just one nitpicky thing. Jecht does actually yell "hey, hey!" In the English version as well. I've played this game since I was 10 so those are my credentials lol. Love you guys though for making this podcast, thank you. Also that is jecht standing there cross armed before tidus as a child appears. I would place a guess it's symbolic for how tidus's identity and self worth is very wrapped up in his father, before he goes on to grow, make meaningful relationships, and emotionally mature.
Man! You guys got me so hype to replay this game and relive such a great story that has inspired a lot of what I do or how I see life! You guys are a blessing to us all yo!
Did anyone else feel like Cloverfield was directly inspired by the intro to this game? Zanarkand, the city that never sleeps, attacked at night suddenly by a mysterious, indestructible creature that arrives from the sea... With the relatively unique trait that even small parts that fall from its body are alive and will attack you.
OOOOOOO NAUSICAA! I remember watching it when I was a kid when it was called "Warriors of the Wind." It's been one of my favorites since then, along with alot of other Ghibli films.
So i always thought that Auron stood looking at Sin and pointing/ raising his hand was really strange I always thought he opened the flask released something, but now I realise, he was raising a drink to an old friend! If you look closely, you can see the drink rising out of his gourd as the liquid is been sucked into Sin.
James Arnold Taylor was amazing as Iceman and Magneto in Marvel Heroes! Surprised the heck out of me. Whenever I think of FFX, I always think of Shadow Hearts Covenant, which I vastly prefer. I think the two games both got 10/10 in PlayStation Magazine back in the day. Wonderful video guys, much love to you both.
I'm not sure where Casen is going with the 4 letters he sees in the FFX logo ("T" "J" "S" "Y"), but at first glance it looks like... T = Tidus J = Jecht S = Sin (or Seymour?) Y = Yuna
@@MakerUndertaker I would assume Sin before Spira purely because Sin is the thing that binds the three together far more closely I would think, with each of their lives being so heavily influenced by it.
Im watching these in order right now, so i dont know if they went back to it or not, but for me, i would link it to T = Tidus J = Jecht S = Seymour Y = Yunalesca
Such a great video! So glad to finally see people appreciate the game and the same ways that I do. How I’m completely blown away after every time I play it. I’ve only played through it twice but now I’m getting ready to play it again after watching this. Looking forward to the series
This couldn't have come out at a better time. I've been feeling lower than I have in a long time the past couple of days. I really needed this distraction. Thank you.
** MORE SPOILERS ** Also, Auron is not simply pointing at Sin, he is saluting Jecht! They planned this together, and he is acknowledging that what they had planned ten years ago is coming to light right now. He take a drink of his sake, lifts the bottle, and salutes his friend. Incredible.
After this episode, I'm hooked on you guys. I can't wait for the next episode! I've played this game over 5 times and I still learned something from you guys!! Thank you!!!!
I have some things to say about the Polynesian unfluences in symbolism here. I am not claiming to be an expert, I'm just sharing what I noticed as someone who grew up in NZ being taught Māori myths. In my humble opinion, Tidus may be more closely inspired by Māui than not. I don't know the other versions of Māui very well besides the Māori, but I noticed that there seems to be a parallel between Māui's difficult coming into the world with Tidus leaving/entering as it were, amongst other stuff. Also just the more cheerful, carefree Goku-style nature that they both share. In myth, Māui was born a premmy, and was cast into the ocean by his mother, thinking he was too weak to survive. However the gods took pity on him and they saved him. Later he was discovered by his grandfather and eventually became the great hero/demigod. Auron being there as a mentor figure reminds me of Māui's grandfather, and Zanarkand being completely natureless save for water (so the ocean Māui was thrown in) brought this to my mind. The hook design on Tidus' sword and it belonging to Jecht can't, in my humble opinion, be mere design coincidence. In the myth, Māui's fishhook was given to him by his grandmother (and it was her actual jawbone from her face, don't ask me how it works coz idk lol), kinda similar to how Tidus' hooksword was his father's. Last but not least (also this is already turning into a long as essay and I don't really want to type one), but when Māui eventually dies, it's because he's trying to sneak in through the vagina of the goddess of the underworld and expects to escape through her mouth, but she decapitates him. Tidus being sucked into a weird sky uterus reminds me of this, despite it being kind of in reverse AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THIS THE FIRST TIME I PLAYED IT. There are other similarities and stuff I noticed, but it's too much to write out and I'm hungry. Check out the Wikipedia entry for Māui, it's more or less accurate to what I grew up with plus information on other cultures versions of him. Tl;dr Tidus is basically dream Māui because of being in water, getting a fishhook sword from family, and ending up in a giant vagina. Cheers Mike and Casen, and anyone else who reads this. :-)
@1:16:05 the "hey, hey" part is in the english version (maybe only the international ver) and it's Jecht's voice actor, though as a first time player this would be the first time you've heard him speak so you wouldn't know till later
I didn't think I could love this game (my favorite game of all time) any more. And then I realized theres different ways to play it like no sphere grid, and then of course going into it with the knowledge, analysis, and deep appreciation like what you guys are portraying in these breakdowns. I've played through the game twice and watched my wife play through the whole thing. It's a favorite past time for me to watch people play through the intro of the game and see how they react to it. Anyways, thank you so much for this! And yes! I absolutely recommend at least a 2nd playthrough of this game to anyone! Especially if you didn't collect all the items going through the puzzles the first time that would lock you out of acquiring a powerful summon later on.
Kinda funny you know I never really reflected on the whole Jecht disappearing for 10 years without a trace thing -- I played this game around the age of 12 for the first time, you'd think I might have noticed a similarity to my life. My own dad disappeared without a trace when I was around Tidus's age when Jecht disappeared (Tidus must've been seven, I was five). On a bit of a nostalgia trip when I watched this episode already but it's funny to notice it now that I'm in my 30s that there was an element to Tidus's character I should've found easy to relate to...... but honestly i just found him annoying like most other players lol (unfortunately I'm not convinced my dad disappeared to an alternate timeline to become a legend there, I think he just pissed off some mobsters -- this was in former ussr in the 90s so that sorta thing is much more plasusible... but come to think of it I also stopped living in my dad's world and moved to another one - from the second to the first too, like Tidus.... huh.) Random orcbrand lore, enjoy the TMI lol listen to my story this might be our last chance
Segments I found interesting 39:02 - 41:20 Zanarkand's corporate feel and detachment from the natural world 41:20 - 46:49 Zanarkand's connection to real life Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The connection of Blitzball and religion Will update as I watch
1:16:19 That's so weird! i played the original on the ps2 and definitely remember the "hey, HEY!" line. You're partially right, it seems to be cut out of the remaster but it was present in the original. Oh and im pretty certain that image that fades away is Jecht.
Loved Casen's analysis of all the religious symbolism that I completely over looked in my play throughs. Tidus is probably the only character I don't like in this game, but one thing I never actually considered was the "pro athlete" aspect to his charater and background implications of that. I have a little more appreciation for him now. Not going to look for it but I was pretty sure that ghost figure was Aauron (though Jecht makes the most sense). As for those letters in the symbol, If I had to guess I'd say they stood for: Tidus, Jecht, Yuna (or Yevon), and Sin (or Spira). Looking forward to going through this one with you guys. FF10 while not my personal favorite is so good that if someone tells me it's the best or their favorite I totally get it.
The word "Shin" can evoke the word "shinu" (death) but only with a play on sounds. Grammatically, not so much because of the way these 2 words are structured in japanese. I may be wrong but I think here we have more of a double meaning with the english word "sin" of course and the kanji for "god", Kami 神. Kami can be pronounced "shin" when combined with another kanji. You can find it in words like "shintô" (god/gods path) which is the official japanese religion. What's even more interesting that I just found by looking at the kanji dictionnary, is that other words using other kanjis that are also pronounced "shin" but written differently have meanings that can shed some lights on what's to come. And here I put some SPOILER WARNING for those of you who play the game for the first time. So, Tidus calls his father "oyaji" (my old man) in japanese. As Casen mentions, it's an really unformal way of calling your dad. Oyaji is composed of 2 kanjis 親父 , 1st is oya and means "parent" and 2nd is ji which means father. But what's interesting is that amongst the MANY different prononciations of the kanji 親 oya, "shin" is one that stands out the most because it's the original chinese pronounciation (onyomi) of the kanji (in japanese, kanji have 2 different category of readings : japanese and chinese-japanese, but that's a bit complicated) It could be just a coincidense considering the small number of sounds contained in the japanese language, but it can also be intentionnal from the japanese writters to guide the japanese players toward some conclusions early on in the game. Sorry for the bad english, it's not my native language and it's a bit of a tough matter to explain x) I hope that helps !
@@CasenSperry I was lucky with the research because as you know, there's dozens of words with "shin" in it ^^ At first I thought it had something to do with the 真 from shinjitsu (reality) but that did not mean much in the context. So yeah, 親父 or 両親 seams more relevant here ^^ Another good candidate would be 信仰 (shinkou, religious, faith creed) but maybe it's far fetched, I don't know. Yup, that's a bit too soon to talk about it haha
I never thought much about the voice of tidus. I always thought it was pretty natural sounding for the character. Tidus begins as a young and kinda spoiled character. I didn't realize people had criticism of it, but I can understand what you are saying. I still like the voice though. That's Tidus to me!
There can be many reasons for having one's arms out of your sleeves(such as to stay warm), but here's a gist of it for warriors, Ronin or Samurai not withstanding: The wide-sleeved Kimono are not ideal to fight in. When Samurai fought, they would tie the sleeves up with a string. Alternatively, when dueling, they would completely shrug out of it and tie the sleeves in place around their waists. Ronin having one arm outside of the sleeve is somewhat of a fashion statement/ruffian appeal - always halfway ready to free up and fight. Notice that Auron's dominant hand's sleeve is bound and kept in place with a gauntlet, and that the hand inside of his kimono has a wide, loose sleeve. In Kurosawa films, the characters will usually keep their dominant arm inside though, since that would be the arm you'd like to free the most at short notice. It's also a good way of concealing the carry of smaller weapons. Anyway, the choice to have Auron's free arm be his off-hand, I'd probably jot this down to Nomura not knowing enough about Japanese traditional martial arts to know the roots of the gesture and rather just adopting it for its "Ronin connotations" as a simulacra.
Another fun riff on the name Sin/Shin is that Shin also means God or divine, 神. So all the imagery with Sin being the jealous God is also hiding there in the name.
The Sport - Religion conversation was.. obvious, yet mind-blowing. I connected those two before but without noticing and having those aspects pointed out felt like the biggest revelation I had ever since I understood what "laptop" really meant.
Even as a kid playing FF X for the first time. I knew the game was something special. The art direction and story hook of the first 15 minutes is sooooo good. I just remember being so intrigued when Auron is speaking to Sin asking it if it is “sure” before Zanarkand is swallowed. Only other game I would compare it to would be the opening of Kingdom Hearts on Destiny Island, but definitely a slower pace than FF X
First time viewer. First thoughts, this comment section is amazing. Everyone is very respectful to one another. I’ve been scrolling to see if anyone would actually spoil anything and it’s been nothing but respect. Tells me a lot about the channel and it’s fanbase. Liked and subscribe.
Seriously, thank you for this podcast. I always learn so much listening to both of you analyze these games. I recently finished listening to your FF Tactics podcast, and even though I've never played this game before, you made me want to play the game and experience it for myself. Your FF8 series gave me so mane different perspectives about the story and the characters, and I have no doubt this FFX series will do the same. As a matter of fact, Casen already blew me away with that sports-religion comparison. I also love how you talk about development history. It helps so much. I also appreciate that Casen is able to provide insight in to the Japanese side of things. It gives perspective. Again, thank you so much for this podcast!
Replaying this recently as an adult opened my eyes to so much that I missed or went over my head. It is such an incredibly beautiful creation that will forever be my favorite JRPG.
Another fantastic episode, I loved the point about sports and religion and how that fits into FFX. I'd never seen that before, but it makes a lot of sense.
Man I would love to be a part of this level of discussion about Final Fantasy! I try to talk on this level with my friends and they are never able to relate back! Thank you so much for this series!!
Not sure if you noticed, but the music playing when Tidus is grasping onto the floating highway as the Sin 'demiurge' is elevating the city is extremely similar to Auron's theme. It practically quotes it directly.
1:16:00 I'm pretty sure I remember hearing Jecht call "Hey" in the English version. Not sure if it happens right away, but I'm pretty sure it happens during that part. If it happens on PS2 and not the HD Remaster, I'm not sure. But I remember it.
17:09 I half agree that the dollet scene should have been the intro to ff8. It is bad ass and exciting! However for me, I loved that it slowed down a bit after the intro because it allowed me to get my footing. I had never played a RPG let alone a FF game before 8. I was still playing batman forever on super Nintendo lol. 8 was also the first game I played on ps1. I got it and 7 at the same time. I looked at both covers: "guy with giant sword or 2 dudes and a girl....*gasp* is this a love triangle!? I'm playing this first!" And I was hooked from the intro alone! Heck, even drawing magic was mind blowing to me! 🤗
I remember getting FF15 for Christmas and being SO excited to play it that I booted it up right there in front of my family after we had finished opening presents --- and BOY did I regret that decision when that chick at the gas station walked out.
That figure standing next to little Tidus is definitely Jecht. Tidus isn't even there at first, it's just Jecht but as you swim through the air towards him, he slowly turns into Tidus. This scene takes place at the same location where you find Jecht at the end of the game, standing in that exact position with his arms folded.
If you haven't already, you should make sure to check out Shamus Young's 20-part analysis of FFX. A lot of great info about the story and what might have motivated various creative decisions. I think it will answer some of the questions you come up with along the way and also motivate other lines of inquiry.
I got a better look at the ghostly figure we discuss at the end of the podcast on another playthrough of FFX I found on RUclips. I'm now convinced it IS Jecht.
The red 'pant leg' and kid Tidus next to him. That's 100% Jecht.
Sorry about the double post, but simply had to let you know about this.
A lot of voice lines were cut from the remastered version HD version of FFX. This includes voice lines in battle when performing moves for the first time and apparently some lines from cutscenes. If you check out this link (ruclips.net/video/d55SaCdcltQ/видео.html) with an emulated original PS2 build you will find that the line "Hey" "Hey" by "The old man" is included in the english version as well. FFX is my favourite FF and so far you are killing it analyzing the story :) Looking forward to each episode :)
Oh yes it's definitely Jecht. I recently played the HD remaster, if you swim down in this section immediately the more visible he will appear. If you linger and don't move fast he'll be more faded by the time you get down there, or just gone.
I approached him from an angle where I was facing the front of him directly and it's clearly his signature stance and a very visible Jecht.
The video you guys were using doesn't have the best angle or quality, but in playing that section with a better camera angle it's 100% clear. :)
No doubt it is Jecht, especially since that particular location is revisited at the end of the game.
@@frederik360 The Jecht line "Hey! Hey" is in the remastered version also.
48:59 Auron isn't just pointing, he's holding his Sake bottle. Is it to toast the aquatic monster? For those who know, we know.
And for those who don't know, it's an interesting detail to take a mental note of for the future. This game has lots of great moments to pay attention to!
Yes this! Keep this in mind. He is lifting a drink to it.
Dove into the comments to post exactly this. He's definitely "raising a glass" as it were.
It's either a toast or an offer. Either make sense given his relationship to Sin.
Yes, you miss it quite easily because there is so much going on.
But when you later learn more about Auron and Sin, the opening will be put in a completely different light.
Oh I just posted this exact same comment, should've checked if someone said it before. I always thought that was the case cuz his jug is not hanging from his belt in that scene and its there when we next see him walking on the street.
I love the subtle difference the narrating voice of Tidus and his speaking voice in cutscenes. The narration sounds more somber and tired, hinting at all the things Tidus has been through and everything he’s learned. Meanwhile, his speaking voice sounds more innocent and upbeat.
Thats a very cool insight. I like it. It shows change.
Always loved that aspect. Made me think that Tidus was always intentionally playing up his personality to hide inner demons.
The awkwardness of Tidus in James Arnold Taylor's attempts at lip syncing his lines, contrasts perfectly with his professional and somber delivery where he can go all out without needing to lip sync during Tidus' narration.
@@Maccelerate good point. What a way to take advantage of that limitation and use it for story purposes.
Cool
You guys, especially Mike, are warmer toward this game than I had previously realized. It just may be my favorite game of all time. It is rife with minor imperfections, but I find the world and themes masterfully executed.
Totally agree. It's almost underrated in that sense, which feels weird to say because it's probably the second most popular game in the series. However, people give it so much crap and most of the complaints make little sense to me, that I often use the word 'underrated' or 'underappreciated' to describe it.
@@handzar6402 That lack of consensus among the game's harshest critics is probably just a result of its popularity. FFX brought in a lot of newcomers who didn't really understand the "weirdness" in the series, or Japanese games in general. I think they're in a very, very small minority of people who have played FFX. The "weirdness" is one of the major reasons these games feel so exotic, distinct, and endearing. I'm so sick of the entire game's runtime being reduced to a meme by people who don't appear to have played the game (they don't judge the laughing scene in context).
@@12ealDealOfficial I think you're probably right. Some of the critics can be dismissed outright because their complaints are juvenile or so dumb as to not warrant any response, but the game's age often brings in lots of detractors who point to things like the voice acting or animations, which doesn't make sense to me. It's a JRPG from 2001 for God's sake. Some of it is obviously bitter fans of some of the other FFs. It's a mix.
Totally agree on the weirdness and otherworldliness being endearing and the laughing scene being misunderstood out of context.
Yes the game is stunning especially for when it was made
@@handzar6402 You can blame Spoony for that. A lot of the irrational FFX hate came from his review where he acts like its the worst game ever.
Back in 2009 when my wife and I got married, she walked down the aisle to Zanarkand. Now whenever I hear that song it instantly transports me back to that day.
49:00 Auron is toasting Sin, not pointing to it. He holds forth his bottle of sake. You don't see his actual hand as he raises it but just before he does he is clearly gripping the bottle.
1:01:42 I first learned of Kingdom Hearts from the bonus disc that came with FFX and included an early trailer. I was blown away.
Good catch on the toast.
In the international version. "Hey, Hey" is there and it is Jecht. Also, the ghostly figure with Child Tidus is Jecht.
Essentially after being swallowed by Sin, Jecht calls out to Tidus who recognizes the voice, says "my old man" and swims/floats over to him.
I was gunna say I definitely heard it the last few times but it’s been the hd lol
Yeah, weird that they cut it out of the remastered version.
36:28 I always thought that the radio announcers setting the stage at Zanarkand was a brilliant creative decision. This small scene is excellently written and in English the voice actor does a great job. It is a unique way of introducing us to the world - The camera movement as Tidus runs along the highway gives us a more cinematic feeling and evades more typical JRPG conventions.
Also, mad props to the creative team for giving us Southern US accents in a fantasy story.
Not everyone knows this but Zanar (the person who talks about Jecht disappearing 10 years ago and the cup final being held in his memory) is also Auron's voice actor - Matt McKenzie.
I agree. The dialogue was striking. It lives in my head to this day. It just felt so... real.
My girlfriend introduced me to this game as it is one of her favorite games of all time and I loved every moment of it. I am glad I got experience FFX!
FFX builds immediate intrigue in the story like no other game. I’m not sure the opening campfire cutscene set to the gorgeous “To Zanarkand” followed by the introduction to (and destruction of) one of the most incredible settings ever developed for a game can ever be topped. Masterclass in terms of plot hooks.
Yep, that image is definitely Jecht, before it slowly morphs into the child version of Tidus as you 'swim' towards it. Very interesting and I'm not sure what it could symbolise just yet. Another super interesting thing that you guys may have missed: As Tidus and Auron are making their escape from Dream Zanarkand, they get into a battle and are forced to knock down some sort of fuel tank that blows up the building with Jecht's image projected onto it, causing it to fall and Jecht's face almost crushes Tidus. I think that's very interesting symbolism of Jecht, even in death, being an overbearing and intimidating figure for Tidus, and him always being overshadowed by his father. Super cool.
When Casen starts to talk about シン ('Sin'), I don't think any japanese would confuse it with death (死 'shi' or 死ぬ 'shinu'). When I played in Japanese, I thought about 新 (meaning 'New'), 真 (meaning 'True') and Sin, as the word 'sin' in English. You MAYBE could see some meaning of 信 too, that means roughly 'faith'. シン (Sin) could have A LOT of meanings, and that's the beauty in it.
I thought of the same as well. Without spoiling anything, in the Japanese version the meaning of Sin (シン) is described as the loanword from English, aka (罪) by a character relatively early in the game. Of course, the other meanings play a role as more is revealed in the story 😏
I'm so excited about this one, and Casen's analysis kinda blew my mind about sports and religion and nature vs technology. FFX is absolutely one of my all-time favorites. Even though I have to say, the replay value for me is not that high as a completionist. I'll be sticking around for the story analysis. I hate the mini-games in this game so much, the crafting and getting the ultimate weapons is such a chore, I don't ever want to do them again. :D
Some of the minigames are clearly not designed to be actually played by humans like the Chocobo racing. No human can derive joy from that mess.
The steam version with some mods can help you get rid of the chores. The steam version adds the ability to play/fight at x2 or x4 speed. Turn off or increase random encounters. Auto battle. All gill, all abilities, etc. It really is the best way to play the game right now.
@@zombieshavebrains thanks for the advice. I'm not really interested in cheating but the speedups sound nice. Aalso I was wondering if there is a mod that allows you to have the Japanese voices, without changing the complete language of menus and stuff to Japanese? That would make me reconsider.
Casen's connection to sin being in a water sphere when attacking zanarkand was almost a metaphor of a God destroying a false idol was mind blowing for me. That has to be intentional if you ask me. Now that he's said it it seems sooooo true.
I recently started a new playthrough on pc. There is a mod that keeps the chocobo race timer at 0:0:0. Combine that with the getting 99 of every item cheat in the game menu and you can get rid of the grind completely for the post game stuff and get right to the super bosses. I’ve done the grind several times but because that alone easily takes 100+ hours by the time I can fight the dark aeons I am just burnt out lol. There’s also the farplane save editor that has a button you click to capture 10 of every monster in the game to get rid of that headache.
41:19 - 47:38
Being from portugal and growing up seeing the, and I really don't think I'm exaggerating here, the religious fervor with which football/soccer is treated and talked about, and how much of it is part of people's identities and daily life, I really can't stress enough how amazing (and validating) this whole religion/sports aspect of the game is for me, as someone who's neither religious nor a big team sports fan but still saw the parallels between the two. This aspect is one of my favourite things about the game and I remember that it immediately jumped out at me as something completely familiar and understandable in this strange alien world of Zanarkand/Spira.
As always, loving these deep dive analysis guys, you're doing a fantastic job. Learning about the Samarkand city was fascinating, I had never heard of it or its influence for the design of Zanarkand before.
As a fellow Portuguese, uninterested in sports I can attest to this. Not being a fan of the local team, or one of the three big teams, makes you a kind of heathen, as it is treated like a kind of blasphemy. People in Portugal will meet each other for the first time and two minutes into the conversation will ask: so which club do you root for? It's definitely religious.
When you guys were talking about Sin around 1:10:00 and how it's pronounced "Shin" in Japanese I'm surprised no one mentioned that Shin is a word that can also mean new or renewal.
It ties into the rebirth imagery that was being brought up with the water passage, and the isekai element.
I was thinking the same, like "shin megami tensei"
Came here to say this. In fact, if you say "Shin" to a Japanese person, it's quite unlikely they would think of the word "death". Shin is *much* more strongly tied to the idea of "new".
@@theeggman85 also because the word sin in English context originated with religion and as far as I know the east are not affected by Christianity, lucky them!
The opening to this is probably my favourite in the FF series, even surpassing FF7. The sheer beauty and otherworldly (geddit?) feel of Zanarkand, the intrigue into what is happening, what Auron knows, what Sin is and why it's here (or even what it looks like), the way it mixes the tutorial and battles seamlessly into the narrative flow. It's all fantastic.
This is one of the most grounded, emotive stories ever written for the medium of videogames, which is quite rare, particularly for 2001. I think they stripped a lot of the anime baggage (a.k.a the attempts at coolness) that was so prevalent in, not just previous Final Fantasies, but JRPG in general throughout the 90s, and FFX was a lot better for it, in my opinion. Sure, even this game has a little bit of JRPG nonsense that all JRPGs have; no game is perfect, but ultimately it's about the themes, the characters and how they develop, and that's where FFX knocks it out of the park. The setting is unique, the music is phenomenal, the cast is memorable, even the turn-based combat is tons of fun. All of these things combine to make the definitive Final Fantasy experience. The way the game is structured in terms of the linearity and pacing also lends itself to the story, with the pilgrimage being the main aim of everyone.
I love this game. It's arguably my favourite game of all time, I alternate between this and Silent Hill 2 haha.
It was the height of stroytelling in games, in my opinion. MGS2, Silent Hill 2, Final Fantasy X are the trifecta. Contemporary gaming is too steeped in the financial side to be truly creative. Hollywood has hit a stagnancy much more viscous, but western gaming is currently experiencing a similar blight to the ongoing situation in China and Korea. Difficult to make a passion project without loads and loads of red tape, intervention, focus testing, and outside mandates from asset managers (usually referred to as ESG).
@@12ealDealOfficial Are we long lost twins or something? Those three were literally my top 3 games for the longest time (they still are, it's just that MGS2 has fallen behind the other two a tiny bit despite it being my first love, so to speak). Well said.
@@handzar6402 Lol that window of time was awesome for gaming. I like how you say "the other two" MGS games and I already know you're talking about 1 and 3, my other two favorites.
@@12ealDealOfficial Those are my other favourite MGS games, but I meant SH2 and FFX when I said ''the other two'' haha :D
Something I would like to point out is that Auron is actually holding out his flask to Sin in that scene, not pointing or gesturing. That is an important distinction. Amazing job with this podcast guys. I'm really enjoying this!
"The Landing" is what made that segment so iconic and epic for me (from FF8). It is my favorite track from that game and I feel like it is what set the mood. Every part of the song fit into what was happening during that segment. FFX mimics that in the opening in more of a melancholic way but doesn't fail to deliver in anyway. Thank you for another great episode!
I really love the voice acting in this game. Tidus was exactly what I feel he should have been and the rest of the cast gets a huge thumbs up from me
Lulu's voice actor is fantastic, Wakka is... Not great. The cast is a little mixed imo, but vastly more good than bad I'd agree.
I still don't think it's as good as XII on the whole though.
@@bartandaelus359 I find Wakka voice acting funny.
Not a fan of John DiMaggio, ey bruddah??
I like Burress and Taylor quite a bit, but McKenzie as Auron is a special role. I savor every word of ghost stepdad's arc, right up until his going off on Yunalesca about rectifying the past. You can see and hear Auron's shift from young idealist to stoic pragmatist, his cynicism takes over, until his ambition explodes when he realizes the cycle of death CAN be broken, and if it can't, its better to die in glory than live in sorrow.
I think that character next to Tidus is Jecht. Looks like the arms folded and the Headband are the giveaways. But I just gotta say, I really love this channel! The enthusiasm you guys bring to playing some of these beloved JRPGs is amazing. Keep up the amazing work! Cheers!
It's absolutely Jecht at the end crossing his arms. Look at the setting - you'll see it again, and Jecht will be there.
Definitely. Plus tidus’ mom wears what looks like capris not a dress or skirt
Auron is holding up his flask for a toast when Sin approaches Zanarkand. You guys were discussing at around 49:10 that Auron is pointing at Sin as it approaches but you can see that he's already holding his flask before the camera zooms in on Auron, and then when he begins to raise his arm up you can see a bit of the flask in the left hand corner. I could still be wrong, but considering rest of the story, Auron having a toast to Sin's arrival has WAY more significance than him simply pointing at it.
Wow guys haven't checked in with the channel since early on into the new space but y'all are looking professional af!
Me last week: Oh yeah, I'm going to play along.
Me six days ago: Well he said to play up to Kilika Temple
Me two hours later: Well it won't hurt to finish the Temple Cloister
Me the next day: Getting through the Blitzball bullshit in the next chapter won't be a big deal
Me yesterday: Well, shit, I'm already about 50% through the main story.
It's such a hard game to put down. It all just grips you.
Yeah I’d played it 4 or 5 times across PS consoles over the years, picked up the switch version half price and said, I’ll just play the opening scene for now, got too many other games to try out…
And accidentally played the whole thing.
And now this is making me want to okay again!
Just hearing you guys describe the introduction scene after pressing start was enough to shoot all those memories back and bring it to my eye
Such incredibly powerful game
I just have to say, not only did you guys already do some of the very best in-depth and fully contextualized video game analyses I've seen, I think you're actually getting better with each game.
I think I just now realized it because I think I've only played X twice, and it's been at least 15 years. So the amount of detail you provide the viewer (in my case mostly listener) is incredible. The details of the city, the nightlife, the fact that Kasen found a similar city in the middle east... I just love this stuff.
So thanks and good job.
The radio station opening monologue also mentioned how the host had an estranged father and it wasnt until the disappearance Jecht where they reconciled.
I’m not entirely sure but from the sounds of it Tidus refers to Jecht as “Oyaji” the closest thing I think it could be would essentially be like calling your dad “Old man” or “Pops”
Casen is 100% right about subsequent playthroughs. Like, how much harder does… *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
…the scene when you first leave Besaid with the party hit after playing through once? Or all the trippy moments where you think you might be inside Tidus’ dreams.
the excitement from both of you on this episode is contagious. I want to go back and finish FFX.
It's not like I needed any more reasons to love Final Fantasy X but I'm so glad I found your podcast!
About Auron pointing at Sin:
It seems to me he's offering his "sake jar" to sin (you can even see some droplets coming out of the jar at 49:10)
Its been a while since i played the game, and I'm replaying it with the podcast, but i think that's relevant?
Anyway, great episode, guys!
He's raising his drink to his friend.
@@Ponaru yeah, that's how i remember, just didn't want to put the spoiler
@@Filsaveol Oops 😬
@@Ponaru Spoilers in the comment section are OK I think.
I Always loved the tropical theme and all the water. It was so fresh when it arrived and I still adore the battlesystem too. Tidus voice never bothered me but his pants for sure did. Hate the pants. Dont know why but I cant stand them. They are my belt skirt of FFX. However, I played the game around the release and a few years later I did missions in the philipines and Thailand and some of the areas I visited reminded me of FFX. I was really happy that they did not go the european fantasy route with this game as you have pointed out. I do feel the sequel have stained the legacy a tad bit, but, it is for sure is part of the home run That is FFVI through FFX. Cant believe I got to play these FFVII through X within a 5 year period, and as a teen to boot. What a time to be Alive that was. And this seems To be a long series, I am a happy fellow for it.
I just discovered your game club reviews and conversations and I can not stop watching them. I want to join the conversation, I didn’t realize, professional adults actually want to have these kind of deep dive conversations on Final Fantasy and I’m here for it!
If I can defend James Arnold Taylor as Tidus for a moment as well, yes there are several moments of perhaps "cringe" from Tidus' character speckled throughout, notably from when Tidus is being "goofy". But BOY.. in the crucial moments, in the serious parts of the story where it matters most James Arnold Taylor delivers in SPADES. He does fantastic job, and is exceptional in the critical moments of the story where it gets serious. When it's more dramatic, James Arnold Taylor nails it. I'd say JAT does a Bang on job as Tidus overall. All that is to say I think Tidus is better when he's being more dramatic and serious than goofy/cartoony. Essentially I like Tidus' character a lot. I think he's really complex and JAT's voice acting shows that well.
One thing to note in case no one else has touched upon this: The voice acting for the English version at times was sped up post recording to better fit the strict timing of the scenes. There are a few instances where it's really apparent after knowing that this is what they did, so that can also affect someone's perception of the English voice acting in this game.
I'm not saying this was a correct choice in how to do this but it was a choice they made. Nowadays they aren't limited to such strict time constraints on the deliveries of the lines and you can compare certain scenes between the different versions of later installments and see a slightly different run time in those scenes. Just thought I'd share in case you guys were unaware since VO is something I pay heavy attention to. Really enjoy this podcast series by the way.
Really appreciate the time and effort you guys put into this show. You provide what is, in my mind, definitive coverage of so many of my favorite games and always do it with a level of analytic thoughtfulness that peels back layers that 90% of players will casually overlook.
Please keep doing these as long as possible!
I have really been loving these podcasts, and how incredibly detailed you guys are in dissecting every little centimeter of this fantastic game. Really looking forward to the rest of this series, and checking out the other stuff you guys have covered!
Unrelated to that, I just felt the need to comment how creepy/wild it is that I paused this video a few days ago, and prior to resuming it at 1:11:28, was watching some other videos about Gnosticism, and literally JUST learned what the demiurge is. Don't think I've ever had a coincidence like that.
I'm loving playing through this game again while listening to this podcast series. Excited now to play through others games you've analysed like this. Keep up the good work!
The "Hey! Hey!" is absolutely in English as well and it is a clearly recognizable voice as well. The identity of the ghost is also more obviously Jecht when you see it ingame yourself.
FFX is not just an isekai story, it's "the" isekai story to me, actually embodying the core of a narrative of being transported to a fantasy world where your life is actually meaningful to the people around you, worth more than being an entirely replaceable person in a metropolis from a cold family and having no actual friends.
The "Hey! Hey!" Was cut from the remastered version.
@@michaelcoraybrown That is such an odd choice to cut it from the remastered version. I wonder why that was changed?
@@michaelcoraybrown I just booted up the remastered version and replayed the start, it’s definitely still there (at least in the version I’m playing 🤷♀️)
I just replayed this opening yesterday and I didn't pick up on half of things you guys did. It's a great opening to a game, too. A lot of the game's early FMVs made their way online months before its release in the U.S. in 2001, and the entire blitzball game/Sin attack with Otherworld playing blew my mind without a shred of context. Just the fact that a track like Otherworld EXISTED in a Final Fantasy blew my mind. And I loved Auron as a character from the first moment I saw him. I thought his character design was very cool and different, plus his name was so close to mine that admittedly I gravitated to him because of that. The only thing I lament is that we don't get to spend more time in Zanarkand. I would have loved to explore it even a little, but they needed to get Tidus to future Spira quickly, I guess. It works in the game's favor though, because then Zanarkand can always remain this mysterious semi-futuristic but also waaaaay in the past place that we'll never quite have a handle on.
I'm so excited for this analysis!
As other's have said, I do believe the ghostly figure is Jecht. You can see his bare feet, his red bandana, and the edge of the white wrappings he has on one of his arms. If the voice is him, it would make sense that he was there. It's as if he was pulling Tidus to that spot.
The symbol has always looked like a Y to me, which I connected with Yuna, but I love that Casen pointed out the other letters it could represent as well as the fish hooks and lightning. It brings so much more depth and meaning to it all.
Thanks so much you guys! Can't wait until next week!
You guys are doing amazing on these videos man , iv re watched all of them at least 4 times
I do think the in media res was intended from the beginning, if nothing else because it connects with how Tidus keeps narrating the journey throughout the game.
I LOVE how you guys get SO into this and take it so seriously! This game had such a big impact on me when I was a kid. I also love that' tou're talking ALLLLLL the time that you need to gush at its marvel! Keep it up
I'm loving this so much. The perspectives you two have brought is fascinating. Thank you for doing this.
This is great!!! Really well done! Knocked out these two eps back-to-back. I'm on board. I'll be here every time you upload something.
6:45 OMG I never thought of there being an S and Y in the logo, but now I can't unsee it and that is amazing! I can tell I'm going to enjoy watching this series, just 2 guys chatting about and analyzing a game that is near and dear to my heart.
During the fmv, I think you guys said that Auron was pointing at Sin while on top of the building? I always thought he was holding up his sake flask in toast. Also, if you listen to the radio commentator's full commentary before advancing to the next screen, he says that the star of the "abes", is Jecht's son, and he wonders whether we'll get to see his father's (Jecht) legendary shot. Also a fun little note about pronouncing sin as "Shin" -- There is a character later on in the game that pronounces it as "Shin".
I just listened to the first one yesterday and this pops up now. Class!
I discovered this channel at random as a recommendation and this is so great learning more of my favorite game of all time! (And Look forward watching the other videos of other games as well). However I would like to point out that Auron is actually holding his jug in the FMV and he is cheering at sin, instead of pointing with his hand. You can see him holding it as a “cheers friend” to Sin.
I love all the details and analysis you guys have gone over. It's clear you both put in a lot of hardwork. Just one nitpicky thing. Jecht does actually yell "hey, hey!" In the English version as well. I've played this game since I was 10 so those are my credentials lol. Love you guys though for making this podcast, thank you.
Also that is jecht standing there cross armed before tidus as a child appears. I would place a guess it's symbolic for how tidus's identity and self worth is very wrapped up in his father, before he goes on to grow, make meaningful relationships, and emotionally mature.
Man! You guys got me so hype to replay this game and relive such a great story that has inspired a lot of what I do or how I see life! You guys are a blessing to us all yo!
Did anyone else feel like Cloverfield was directly inspired by the intro to this game?
Zanarkand, the city that never sleeps, attacked at night suddenly by a mysterious, indestructible creature that arrives from the sea... With the relatively unique trait that even small parts that fall from its body are alive and will attack you.
OOOOOOO NAUSICAA! I remember watching it when I was a kid when it was called "Warriors of the Wind." It's been one of my favorites since then, along with alot of other Ghibli films.
So i always thought that Auron stood looking at Sin and pointing/ raising his hand was really strange I always thought he opened the flask released something, but now I realise, he was raising a drink to an old friend! If you look closely, you can see the drink rising out of his gourd as the liquid is been sucked into Sin.
James Arnold Taylor was amazing as Iceman and Magneto in Marvel Heroes! Surprised the heck out of me. Whenever I think of FFX, I always think of Shadow Hearts Covenant, which I vastly prefer. I think the two games both got 10/10 in PlayStation Magazine back in the day. Wonderful video guys, much love to you both.
I'm not sure where Casen is going with the 4 letters he sees in the FFX logo ("T" "J" "S" "Y"), but at first glance it looks like...
T = Tidus
J = Jecht
S = Sin (or Seymour?)
Y = Yuna
Maybe S for Spira?
@@MakerUndertaker I would assume Sin before Spira purely because Sin is the thing that binds the three together far more closely I would think, with each of their lives being so heavily influenced by it.
Me don't know...
Im watching these in order right now, so i dont know if they went back to it or not, but for me, i would link it to
T = Tidus
J = Jecht
S = Seymour
Y = Yunalesca
T = Tidus
J = Jecht
Y = Yuna
S = Stay away from the summoner!
Such a great video! So glad to finally see people appreciate the game and the same ways that I do. How I’m completely blown away after every time I play it. I’ve only played through it twice but now I’m getting ready to play it again after watching this. Looking forward to the series
This couldn't have come out at a better time. I've been feeling lower than I have in a long time the past couple of days. I really needed this distraction. Thank you.
I'm so glad we are here, this is my favorite final fantasy! I have such amazing memories of my first play through.
** MORE SPOILERS **
Also, Auron is not simply pointing at Sin, he is saluting Jecht! They planned this together, and he is acknowledging that what they had planned ten years ago is coming to light right now. He take a drink of his sake, lifts the bottle, and salutes his friend. Incredible.
My favorite game ever! I've been following content on this game for years but this kind of analysis is something i've never seen. Great work!
After this episode, I'm hooked on you guys. I can't wait for the next episode! I've played this game over 5 times and I still learned something from you guys!! Thank you!!!!
I thought when Auron sees Sin He's holding his saka or alcohol out at him like a toast to an old friend
I have some things to say about the Polynesian unfluences in symbolism here. I am not claiming to be an expert, I'm just sharing what I noticed as someone who grew up in NZ being taught Māori myths.
In my humble opinion, Tidus may be more closely inspired by Māui than not. I don't know the other versions of Māui very well besides the Māori, but I noticed that there seems to be a parallel between Māui's difficult coming into the world with Tidus leaving/entering as it were, amongst other stuff. Also just the more cheerful, carefree Goku-style nature that they both share.
In myth, Māui was born a premmy, and was cast into the ocean by his mother, thinking he was too weak to survive. However the gods took pity on him and they saved him. Later he was discovered by his grandfather and eventually became the great hero/demigod.
Auron being there as a mentor figure reminds me of Māui's grandfather, and Zanarkand being completely natureless save for water (so the ocean Māui was thrown in) brought this to my mind.
The hook design on Tidus' sword and it belonging to Jecht can't, in my humble opinion, be mere design coincidence. In the myth, Māui's fishhook was given to him by his grandmother (and it was her actual jawbone from her face, don't ask me how it works coz idk lol), kinda similar to how Tidus' hooksword was his father's.
Last but not least (also this is already turning into a long as essay and I don't really want to type one), but when Māui eventually dies, it's because he's trying to sneak in through the vagina of the goddess of the underworld and expects to escape through her mouth, but she decapitates him. Tidus being sucked into a weird sky uterus reminds me of this, despite it being kind of in reverse AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THIS THE FIRST TIME I PLAYED IT.
There are other similarities and stuff I noticed, but it's too much to write out and I'm hungry. Check out the Wikipedia entry for Māui, it's more or less accurate to what I grew up with plus information on other cultures versions of him.
Tl;dr Tidus is basically dream Māui because of being in water, getting a fishhook sword from family, and ending up in a giant vagina.
Cheers Mike and Casen, and anyone else who reads this. :-)
@1:16:05 the "hey, hey" part is in the english version (maybe only the international ver) and it's Jecht's voice actor, though as a first time player this would be the first time you've heard him speak so you wouldn't know till later
I didn't think I could love this game (my favorite game of all time) any more. And then I realized theres different ways to play it like no sphere grid, and then of course going into it with the knowledge, analysis, and deep appreciation like what you guys are portraying in these breakdowns. I've played through the game twice and watched my wife play through the whole thing. It's a favorite past time for me to watch people play through the intro of the game and see how they react to it. Anyways, thank you so much for this! And yes! I absolutely recommend at least a 2nd playthrough of this game to anyone! Especially if you didn't collect all the items going through the puzzles the first time that would lock you out of acquiring a powerful summon later on.
Kinda funny you know I never really reflected on the whole Jecht disappearing for 10 years without a trace thing -- I played this game around the age of 12 for the first time, you'd think I might have noticed a similarity to my life. My own dad disappeared without a trace when I was around Tidus's age when Jecht disappeared (Tidus must've been seven, I was five). On a bit of a nostalgia trip when I watched this episode already but it's funny to notice it now that I'm in my 30s that there was an element to Tidus's character I should've found easy to relate to...... but honestly i just found him annoying like most other players lol (unfortunately I'm not convinced my dad disappeared to an alternate timeline to become a legend there, I think he just pissed off some mobsters -- this was in former ussr in the 90s so that sorta thing is much more plasusible... but come to think of it I also stopped living in my dad's world and moved to another one - from the second to the first too, like Tidus.... huh.)
Random orcbrand lore, enjoy the TMI lol listen to my story this might be our last chance
Segments I found interesting
39:02 - 41:20 Zanarkand's corporate feel and detachment from the natural world
41:20 - 46:49 Zanarkand's connection to real life Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The connection of Blitzball and religion
Will update as I watch
Great episode guys! It felt like Casen took charge this time around. Keep up with the great content.
noticed that as well. and that is great.
1:16:19 That's so weird! i played the original on the ps2 and definitely remember the "hey, HEY!" line. You're partially right, it seems to be cut out of the remaster but it was present in the original. Oh and im pretty certain that image that fades away is Jecht.
Sweet! I always look forward to seeing these reviews. Mike and casen i hope you all have a good week.
It kind of looks like Auron is raising a toast to Sin. I think you can even see sake evaporate out of the bottle.
That's always what I thought
Definitely. Nice little detail
Loved Casen's analysis of all the religious symbolism that I completely over looked in my play throughs. Tidus is probably the only character I don't like in this game, but one thing I never actually considered was the "pro athlete" aspect to his charater and background implications of that. I have a little more appreciation for him now. Not going to look for it but I was pretty sure that ghost figure was Aauron (though Jecht makes the most sense). As for those letters in the symbol, If I had to guess I'd say they stood for: Tidus, Jecht, Yuna (or Yevon), and Sin (or Spira). Looking forward to going through this one with you guys. FF10 while not my personal favorite is so good that if someone tells me it's the best or their favorite I totally get it.
We all know that at 15 is when Japanese teenagers develop their super powers. Tidus is two years deep into his super human powers period.
The word "Shin" can evoke the word "shinu" (death) but only with a play on sounds. Grammatically, not so much because of the way these 2 words are structured in japanese.
I may be wrong but I think here we have more of a double meaning with the english word "sin" of course and the kanji for "god", Kami 神.
Kami can be pronounced "shin" when combined with another kanji. You can find it in words like "shintô" (god/gods path) which is the official japanese religion.
What's even more interesting that I just found by looking at the kanji dictionnary, is that other words using other kanjis that are also pronounced "shin" but written differently have meanings that can shed some lights on what's to come.
And here I put some SPOILER WARNING for those of you who play the game for the first time.
So, Tidus calls his father "oyaji" (my old man) in japanese. As Casen mentions, it's an really unformal way of calling your dad. Oyaji is composed of 2 kanjis 親父 , 1st is oya and means "parent" and 2nd is ji which means father. But what's interesting is that amongst the MANY different prononciations of the kanji 親 oya, "shin" is one that stands out the most because it's the original chinese pronounciation (onyomi) of the kanji (in japanese, kanji have 2 different category of readings : japanese and chinese-japanese, but that's a bit complicated)
It could be just a coincidense considering the small number of sounds contained in the japanese language, but it can also be intentionnal from the japanese writters to guide the japanese players toward some conclusions early on in the game.
Sorry for the bad english, it's not my native language and it's a bit of a tough matter to explain x)
I hope that helps !
Oh my gosh. The onyomi. You are totally right... but I can't say it in the podcast for a few more episodes, haha.
@@CasenSperry I was lucky with the research because as you know, there's dozens of words with "shin" in it ^^
At first I thought it had something to do with the 真 from shinjitsu (reality) but that did not mean much in the context. So yeah, 親父 or 両親 seams more relevant here ^^
Another good candidate would be 信仰 (shinkou, religious, faith creed) but maybe it's far fetched, I don't know.
Yup, that's a bit too soon to talk about it haha
Casen brought his A game for this podcast! Amazing work
Glad I stumbled on y'alls page, very excited for this series! So much nostalgia.
I never thought much about the voice of tidus. I always thought it was pretty natural sounding for the character. Tidus begins as a young and kinda spoiled character. I didn't realize people had criticism of it, but I can understand what you are saying. I still like the voice though. That's Tidus to me!
Once again, the best channel on RUclips. The detail and time you put into this is awesome.
There can be many reasons for having one's arms out of your sleeves(such as to stay warm), but here's a gist of it for warriors, Ronin or Samurai not withstanding:
The wide-sleeved Kimono are not ideal to fight in.
When Samurai fought, they would tie the sleeves up with a string.
Alternatively, when dueling, they would completely shrug out of it and tie the sleeves in place around their waists.
Ronin having one arm outside of the sleeve is somewhat of a fashion statement/ruffian appeal - always halfway ready to free up and fight.
Notice that Auron's dominant hand's sleeve is bound and kept in place with a gauntlet, and that the hand inside of his kimono has a wide, loose sleeve.
In Kurosawa films, the characters will usually keep their dominant arm inside though, since that would be the arm you'd like to free the most at short notice.
It's also a good way of concealing the carry of smaller weapons.
Anyway, the choice to have Auron's free arm be his off-hand, I'd probably jot this down to Nomura not knowing enough about Japanese traditional martial arts to know the roots of the gesture and rather just adopting it for its "Ronin connotations" as a simulacra.
Another fun riff on the name Sin/Shin is that Shin also means God or divine, 神. So all the imagery with Sin being the jealous God is also hiding there in the name.
The Sport - Religion conversation was.. obvious, yet mind-blowing. I connected those two before but without noticing and having those aspects pointed out felt like the biggest revelation I had ever since I understood what "laptop" really meant.
another amazing videos lad, very happy you are going in depth with the analysis throught these series.
Even as a kid playing FF X for the first time. I knew the game was something special. The art direction and story hook of the first 15 minutes is sooooo good. I just remember being so intrigued when Auron is speaking to Sin asking it if it is “sure” before Zanarkand is swallowed.
Only other game I would compare it to would be the opening of Kingdom Hearts on Destiny Island, but definitely a slower pace than FF X
First time viewer. First thoughts, this comment section is amazing. Everyone is very respectful to one another. I’ve been scrolling to see if anyone would actually spoil anything and it’s been nothing but respect. Tells me a lot about the channel and it’s fanbase. Liked and subscribe.
Poggers! Your podcasts are always great, and I am so happy that you are finally discussing my favorite Final Fantasy!
Seriously, thank you for this podcast. I always learn so much listening to both of you analyze these games.
I recently finished listening to your FF Tactics podcast, and even though I've never played this game before, you made me want to play the game and experience it for myself.
Your FF8 series gave me so mane different perspectives about the story and the characters, and I have no doubt this FFX series will do the same. As a matter of fact, Casen already blew me away with that sports-religion comparison.
I also love how you talk about development history. It helps so much. I also appreciate that Casen is able to provide insight in to the Japanese side of things. It gives perspective.
Again, thank you so much for this podcast!
Replaying this recently as an adult opened my eyes to so much that I missed or went over my head. It is such an incredibly beautiful creation that will forever be my favorite JRPG.
Another fantastic episode, I loved the point about sports and religion and how that fits into FFX.
I'd never seen that before, but it makes a lot of sense.
Man I would love to be a part of this level of discussion about Final Fantasy! I try to talk on this level with my friends and they are never able to relate back!
Thank you so much for this series!!
Time to continue this awesome journey
Not sure if you noticed, but the music playing when Tidus is grasping onto the floating highway as the Sin 'demiurge' is elevating the city is extremely similar to Auron's theme. It practically quotes it directly.
1:16:00 I'm pretty sure I remember hearing Jecht call "Hey" in the English version. Not sure if it happens right away, but I'm pretty sure it happens during that part. If it happens on PS2 and not the HD Remaster, I'm not sure. But I remember it.
17:09 I half agree that the dollet scene should have been the intro to ff8. It is bad ass and exciting!
However for me, I loved that it slowed down a bit after the intro because it allowed me to get my footing. I had never played a RPG let alone a FF game before 8. I was still playing batman forever on super Nintendo lol.
8 was also the first game I played on ps1. I got it and 7 at the same time. I looked at both covers: "guy with giant sword or 2 dudes and a girl....*gasp* is this a love triangle!? I'm playing this first!" And I was hooked from the intro alone! Heck, even drawing magic was mind blowing to me! 🤗
I remember getting FF15 for Christmas and being SO excited to play it that I booted it up right there in front of my family after we had finished opening presents --- and BOY did I regret that decision when that chick at the gas station walked out.
That figure standing next to little Tidus is definitely Jecht. Tidus isn't even there at first, it's just Jecht but as you swim through the air towards him, he slowly turns into Tidus. This scene takes place at the same location where you find Jecht at the end of the game, standing in that exact position with his arms folded.
If you haven't already, you should make sure to check out Shamus Young's 20-part analysis of FFX. A lot of great info about the story and what might have motivated various creative decisions. I think it will answer some of the questions you come up with along the way and also motivate other lines of inquiry.