Yuffie Kisaragi

Template:Short description Template:Good article Template:Infobox character Template:Nihongo is a character from Square Enix's Final Fantasy series. She was designed by Tetsuya Nomura, and was first introduced in the 1997 role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII as a young female ninja princess and thief. She is an optional party member, and can be recruited through a sidequest. Yuffie reappears in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series, which expands on her background and shows her after the events of the original game.

Yuffie has been featured in other Square Enix games, including the Kingdom Hearts series, and in the 2005 animated film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. She is voiced in Japanese by Yumi Kakazu and Kino Sakai, and in English by Christy Carlson Romano, Mae Whitman, Brandilyn Cheah, and Suzie Yeung. Yuffie is popular in East Asia, but her reception in Western media has been more mixed.

Concept and design

During early development of Final Fantasy VII, Yuffie was envisioned as a 25-year-old ex-SOLDIER now working as a bounty hunter, seeking both the game's protagonist Cloud Strife and its antagonist Sephiroth, while having a bounty on her. Her job class was originally listed as "ninja (assassin)" and she was intended to be a daughter of the long-deceased Kasumi Kisaragi. The Wutai sidequest present in the final incarnation of the game was significantly different.<ref name=":0">Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Omega p. 520 (Early Material File Character Files).</ref> Her age and description was different for each of the several wanted posters, with her appearance and level being determined by the last wanted poster viewed. She would encounter the party in a random encounter or attack Cloud when he is sleeping in an inn. The Wutai scenario required Yuffie to be recruited to complete it.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Having a close attachment to Yuffie's character, Final Fantasy VII event planner Jun Akiyama was responsible for most cutscenes featuring her and her actions during fights.<ref name="8-13">Template:Cite book</ref> Regarding the use of Japanese pronouns, Yuffie uses atashi "as opposed to the other female characters who use watashi, perhaps to make her sound more cute or youthful, as she is younger than the others".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Mae Whitman, who voiced Yuffie in the English versions of Kingdom Hearts II and Dirge of Cerberus, said she was not "aware of the extent to which people were familiar with her character already". In a 2012 interview, Whitman recalled Yuffie as "bubbly and bright and nice. But still super cool!"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Yuffie's design in Kingdom Hearts was partially based on the original appearance of Rikku from Final Fantasy X.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In the downloadable content (DLC) INTERmission for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Yuffie wears a Moogle hood, which she puts on during covert missions and is a reference to her appearance in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Director Motomu Toriyama chose to focus the story of the DLC on Yuffie over Vincent Valentine, stating that her optionality in the original game allowed them to expand her backstory.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Yuffie's original design was altered to include more realistic details while preserving its ninja aspects and Japanese style. While the tissue physics in the model run in real time, Yuffie's legwarmers are individually adjusted so they do not fall off.<ref name="siliconera.com">Template:Cite web</ref> Suzie Yeung, who voiced her in the DLC,<ref name="kotaku.com">Template:Cite web</ref> was unaware of Yuffie's popularity and surprised by the positive fan reception to her inclusion in the remake.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, director Naoki Hamaguchi expressed a desire to leverage the new gameplay and battle mechanics introduced in INTERmission, such as team-up attacks performed by Yuffie and Sonon Kusakabe, as he felt they made for a "different feel in battle strategy".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Voice actresses

Yuffie is voiced in Japanese by Yumi Kakazu<ref name=":0" /> and Kino Sakai.<ref name=":1" /> Voice actresses who provided the voice of Yuffie in English include Christy Carlson Romano for Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children;<ref name="1up"/> Mae Whitman for Kingdom Hearts II, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, and Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind; Brandilyn Cheah for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion;<ref name="kotaku.com3">Template:Cite web</ref> and Suzie Yeung for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.<ref name="kotaku.com2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Appearances

Final Fantasy VII

Yuffie appears in the 1997 role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII as one of two optional party members along with Vincent Valentine. She is a 16-year-old ninja and thief who wields shurikens that she can throw like a boomerang. She is a fiercely patriotic daughter of Template:Nihongo, the leader of the nation of Template:Nihongo, which is based on East Asia; Yuffie feels her country has lost its former glory and become nothing more than a resort town.<ref name="touristwutai">Template:Cite video game</ref> After losing the war against the Shinra Electric Power Company, Godo began to turn Wutai into a tourist attraction. This did not suit Yuffie, who ran off, stealing Materia from travelers in hopes of someday becoming strong enough to change the situation.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> Yuffie is sneaky and arrogant,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> has a tomboyish and charismatic<ref name=cc>Template:Cite web</ref> personality, and obsessively steals and collects Materia.<ref name=merch>FINAL FANTASY VII PLAY ARTS YUFFIE, Square Enix Merchandise Store (archived).</ref> She also tends to be short-tempered and is prone to motion sickness.<ref name=merch/> In combat, Yuffie possesses the special Materia "Throw", enabling her to throw most items from the player's inventory at enemies during combat. When leveled up, she unlocks the ability "Coin", allowing her to throw the party's currency at the enemy.<ref name=ign>Template:Cite web</ref>

Yuffie ambushes the protagonist Cloud Strife and his allies in a random encounter in a forest biome, appearing as "Mystery Ninja". If the player defeats her in combat and then chooses the correct series of dialogue choices, she joins the player's party as one of the player characters.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> Once in Wutai Village, Yuffie steals the party's Materia and hides, but she is kidnapped by a Don Corneo, a Midgar crime lord.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> Once the group rescues Yuffie, she returns the stolen Materia and continues working with them.<ref name="journeytime">Template:Cite video game</ref> In another sidequest, she proves herself by fighting the bosses of Wutai's five-story pagoda,<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> the last of which is against Godo.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> These fights, and the subsequent sequence of conversations, enable her and Godo to understand each other and come to a mutual respect.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> At Godo's request, Cloud officially takes Yuffie, who obtains her level 4 Limit Break "All Creation",<ref>William Irwin, Jason P. Blahuta, Michel S. Beaulieu, Final Fantasy and Philosophy: The Ultimate Walkthrough (Template:ISBN).</ref> with him on his quest.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref>

If Yuffie is present when Aerith Gainsborough is murdered by Sephiroth, she shows an uncharacteristic display of emotion, as she breaks down in Cloud's arms after failing to control her emotions.<ref name=Aerisdeath>Template:Cite web</ref> Yuffie's loyalty to the team is called into question after Cloud temporarily disbands his party ahead of their final confrontation with Sephiroth; when Yuffie is the last to return, Barret Wallace suspects her of abandoning the team in light of her earlier treachery at Wutai.<ref name="aintgonnashow">Template:Cite video game</ref> When Yuffie returns to the group, she rebukes Barrett for his judgement.<ref name="howcouldyousaythat">Template:Cite video game</ref>

Yuffie is featured in Final Fantasy VII Remake, appearing as the sole playable character in its bonus downloadable content (DLC) INTERmission, which takes place in parallel to the story of the main game.<ref name="siliconera.com"/> She and her partner Sonon Kasukabe infiltrate Midgar to steal the "Ultimate Materia" from Shinra. When the mission goes wrong, Sonon sacrifices himself to save Yuffie, and she resolves to gather allies to take down Shinra. She returns as a party member in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Compilation of Final Fantasy VII

File:Yuffie Kisaragi AC.png

Yuffie as seen in the CGI animated film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.

In the 2005 animated film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Yuffie reunites with her allies to fight against the summon creature Bahamut SIN. In the On the Way to a Smile novella "Case of Yuffie", which is set between the end of Final Fantasy VII and the beginning of Advent Children, the disease Geostigma spreads to Wutai, and Yuffie sets out to find a cure.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In the 2004 action role-playing game Before Crisis, which is set six years before Final Fantasy VII, Yuffie encounters Shinra's agents called the Turks in Wutai and unknowingly works with them against the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> In the 2006 third-person shooter game Dirge of Cerberus, which is set one year after Advent Children, Yuffie leaves home and joins the World Regenesis Organization, where she is placed in charge of espionage and intelligence gathering.<ref>Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII official website Template:Webarchive (characters section).</ref>

A nine-year-old Yuffie makes brief appearances in the 2007 action role-playing game Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, where she fights against Shinra following their invasion and takeover of Wutai.<ref name="cc" /> After meeting Zack Fair, she enlists his help to find treasures in several side missions.<ref name="cc" />

Other appearances

Outside the Final Fantasy series, Yuffie has also been featured in the Kingdom Hearts series. In the first game, a younger Yuffie acts as a supporting character in Traverse Town, helping to defeat the Heartless who destroyed her world.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Yuffie also appears in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories as a projection from Sora's memories in Traverse Town.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> In Kingdom Hearts II, she aids Leon and the others as part of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee,<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> and appears in her Advent Children attire. In Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, Yuffie is featured as an opponent in the Olympus Coliseum, while Kingdom Hearts Coded features a virtual simulation of her.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref> She also appears in the DLC Re Mind for Kingdom Hearts III.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Yuffie is an unlockable playable character in the PlayStation version of the 1998 fighting game Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring, appearing alongside other characters from Final Fantasy VII.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=ehrgeiz/> She is also one of the playable characters in the PlayStation Portable version of the 2006 party video game Itadaki Street, in a chibi-style design similar to her model during the exploration gameplay mode of Final Fantasy VII,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in the 2013 action puzzle mobile game Pictlogica Final Fantasy, also in a chibi form.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was the first DLC character released for the 2014 rhythm game Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call.<ref>Joseph Luster, First "Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call" DLC Character is Yuffie Template:Webarchive, Crunchyroll, April 24, 2014.</ref> Yuffie also appears as a playable character in the free-to-play role-playing video games Final Fantasy Record Keeper and Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Yuffie also makes appearances in some video games as a non-playable character. In the 2008 fighting game Dissidia Final Fantasy, she appears as a tutor of the in-game manuals and an unlockable friend card.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She is a "Legend" type assist character in the 2012 mobile game Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Yuffie also appears in the 2018 fighting game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a spirit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reception

Yuffie Kisaragi has received a notably positive reception in Japan and overseas, being described as one of the best ninja<ref>David Martinez, El gran desafío ninja: Round 3 Template:Webarchive, Hobbyconsolas.com, 18 March 2014.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and overall video game characters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Electronic Gaming Monthly listed Yuffie's reappearance as one of the greatest moments of Kingdom Hearts.<ref>Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 165 page 103.</ref> David Smith from IGN included her on their top ten Final Fantasy VII characters, stating that she "belongs in the Wacky Sidekicks wing of the RPG hall of fame". Although commenting that Yuffie can sometimes be "a pain in the neck", Smith said that she became such an appealing sidekick character that Square would go on to use the "Yuffie formula" with Rikku for Final Fantasy X.<ref name="top">Template:Cite web</ref>

Final Fantasy VII director Yoshinori Kitase asked EGM "why American gamers love Yuffie so much". They were unable to come with a clear answer.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> According to Edge, Yuffie, being one of characters that are "brands in and of themselves", created a new anime stereotype of giddy girl ninja.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> WomanGamers.com gave the character an overall score of 7.0/10, opining that while "a 18 year old ninja girl was a nice refreshing change [...] it would have been nice if her character had matured and developed through this story".<ref name=wg>Ismini "Atari" Roby, Yuffie Kisaragi of Final Fantasy VII, WomenGamers.com, July 27, 1999 (archived).</ref> Jef Rouner of the Houston Press described Yuffie's reaction to Aerith's death as one of the five most heartbreaking, missable scenes in the Final Fantasy franchise, which he felt rivaled the emotional impact of anything found in the main narrative.<ref name=Aerisdeath/> In his review for Advent Children, James Mielke of 1UP.com called her "as cutely jailbait as ever";<ref>James Mielke, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Template:Webarchive, 1UP.com, 09/16/2005.</ref> the film itself was called "Ogling Legal-Age Yuffie" by Geson Hatchett of Hardcore Gamer.<ref>Hardcore Gamer volume 1 issue 5.</ref>

Yuffie's character also garnered negative reception. In her character profile, IGN called her "both impressively useful and incredibly annoying".<ref name=ign/> GameFan editor The 6th Man compared himself to Yuffie, as "in one word—annoying" but also having "that innocent, naive qualify".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In 2010, Scott Sharkey of 1UP.com described her as being in the category of "The Perky Idiot" alongside Rikku and Selphie while discussing the top five character types in the Final Fantasy series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, GamesRadarTemplate:'s Mikel Reparaz called her as "hyper-annoying".<ref name=ehrgeiz>Mikel Reparaz, 55 awesome character cameos Template:Webarchive, GamesRadar, May 1, 2010.</ref> In 2013, Kyle Lowe of Complex called her as the fifth most annoying classic video game character.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Joe Juba of Game Informer included her among "Final FantasyTemplate:'s particular breed of annoying companions, like Selphie and Vaan".<ref>Joe Juba, The Five Lamest Final Fantasy Characters, Game Informer, August 15, 2012.</ref> Lisa Foiles of The Escapist included her in their "crazy, hyperactive teenager" on her top five annoying princesses in video games, calling her "just a definition of annoying".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As a result of calling her an unimportant character in Final Fantasy VII due to how difficult is to get her, Paste regarded Yuffie's portrayal in the remake as far more entertaining take on Yuffie due to her role in the narrative,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while Kotaku praised and said that she's "irresistibly charming as Yuffie".<ref name="kotaku.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Ninjas in popular culture

External links

• Template:Commons category-inline