So remember that Final Fantasy IX anime that was announced forever ago and then just vanished into thin air? The very same one. Accordingly, get ready to be astonished, because it appears to have come back to life. Besides, it does have a different vibe and an extremely distant release date.
According to a new rumor that has the entire gaming world buzzing, the animated series that has been silent for such a long time is back in production. And the crazy thing is that they are not making it in Japan. Not at all. A new studio in France is reported to have been given the project, and they are aiming for a release in 2028. Wow! That’s literally four years from now. How’s that for a long-term plan?
So, what can we expect? The rumors suggest it will be a classic 2D animated series, which is indeed very conventional. They are going to create 13 episodes, each lasting around 22 minutes. But the absurdity of it being aimed at kids of the age group 6 to 13 years is driving the former FFIX’s fanbase crazy which is really hard to do.
What, what? Oh, the target audience. It struck the community like a Blizzaga spell. The reaction on the internet was… mixed, to say the least. One player put it in a nutshell, joking, ‘”Aimed at children between 6-13 years old” …The average fan age is like 35.’ And indeed they are correct. Most of us who were enchanted by the likes of Zidane, Garnet, and Vivi back in 2000 are now, well, adults.
And that’s exactly where the significant concern arises. The issue was raised by the next player, ‘Final Fantasy IX includes such themes as war, genocide, existential crisis, the inevitability of death… can they really apply it for kids?’ It is a valid doubt. The game boasts a beautiful, almost fairy-tale art style, but its heart is about dealing with some pretty heavy topics. Just looking at Vivi’s story, one sees death, meaning, and existence intertwined. Are they going to sweeten all that down for a breakfast cartoon? Gamers fear they might have to ‘cut, drop and/or adapt many aspects’ which could take away the game’s unique factor…
Moreover, there is still the French studio thing to consider. That really is a new twist. One user points out that, ‘It’s not uncommon for Japan’s anime production to outsource to other countries in Asia such as Korea or Indonesia. But? Outsourcing of animation production to France is rare.’ It surely is a step that comes with an interesting angle. Some viewed it as a cultural clash in which one person queried why the French creators seemed ‘so unsure of their own culture that they are trying to be Japanese.’ While others dismissed this viewpoint claiming that French animation has a very long tradition, and that the two cultures possess parallels in their artistic approaches. ‘Out of all the Western countries, French culture is arguably the closest to Japanese culture,’ was one of the responses. So, maybe it isn’t such a strange match after all? Square Enix has done it before, so it’s not completely unprecedented.
The 2028 date comes with its own drama. ‘2028 is insane. Did they start over with both the anime and the remake? Should’ve been released long ago,’ was a tweet from a disgruntled fan. It suggests that the project was totally scrapped and then started from scratch which is in line with the silence we have had for years. Another player just seemed exhausted but at the same time he was hopeful: ‘It really is encouraging to know that this has not been completely thrown away, I was excited to watch these before it was reported to be cancelled. Hopefully, this time it will be here to stay.’
And of course, it is impossible to have an FFIX forum thread without someone mentioning the remake—or its absence. ‘Bros will do anything besides remake FFX,’ one user said jokingly, but the same sentiment applies to IX as well. With the successful FFVII Remake project, players are eager to see other classics being treated the same way. An anime is nice and all, but for many, it is nothing more than a consolation prize.
So what’s the final word? There’s a wise, somewhat confused optimism in the air. Just the idea of moving images depicting the Gaia realm is a spectacular one. The potential beauty of the artwork is another thing to look forward to. However, the young audience and the long timeline have cast a doubt over the matter. Would a French studio be able to evoke the same wonder? Would the plot keep its essence? I guess we have to wait four years to find out. In the meantime, it would be better to just boot up the old PS.
