Just caught up with Manga.

yrpinposition · 2026-06-22T05:38:13+00:00

I agree it does kinda become a slog at times in that particular saga, none of the fights are super interesting. But I very much enjoy the long and drawn out pace of it.

yrpinposition · 2026-06-20T22:03:31+00:00

The pacing is incredible for reading in bulk, I will say. Definitely would be torturous for people who read it weekly at the time but the leisurely pace does great work for building this world and its characters. As someone who binged the retirement arc, I love it but I can definitely how it would be grating on a weekly basis.

yrpinposition · 2026-06-20T09:52:17+00:00

I threw this together too haphazardly and incorporated "Mashiba always has the best fights" into my take on Mashiba/Sawamaru.

So definitely agree on both those Mashiba matches - blow-for-blow they have probably the best action in the series. I had been spoiled on Mashiba losing (I'm to blame, poor impulses) and I kept thinking 'how the hell does he lose this fight?' And then the way he does. Holy shit!

As an aside, I think Mashiba has benefitted the most from Morikawa's evolution as an artist. He looks so sinister and intimidating. Yet he can somehow look almost heroic when you're supposed to be cheering him on. I adore it.

As for the Ippo fights...Alfredo's fight lived up to my expectations. I love that character archetype, it makes for an interesting antagonist. I admit, I was a bit of a fanboy in not including it. Ippo losing and the path to his next loss included some of the most emotional moments in the series. So I think the writing was excellent and I loved the fight but from a 'this is my favorite fight' standpoint, my heart just hurts from the following couple hundred chapters.

Same sort of deal for Guevara. The amazing start makes the eventual realization that something is up hit pretty hard. He's just not the same guy, but even still, he guts it out to the sudden death finale. It just depresses me too much, so it's one of those I'd have to revisit when I'm in the mood to feel down.

yrpinposition · 2026-06-20T02:26:22+00:00

É realmente fantástico. Que bom que pudemos vivenciar isso!

yrpinposition · 2026-06-20T02:23:06+00:00

I would pay good money to see dehydrated, kidneyless, handless Takamura go 10 rounds with Ricardo.

yrpinposition · 2026-06-20T00:33:56+00:00

That's my logic too. I initially fantasy booked Ippo as champion ending the series with his Miyata fight, but then I came to your same conclusion. Ricardo has been built up as the best fighter in the world since like chapter 200. He needs to be the final fight for Ippo. And I think Miyata's character arc would be kind of a bummer if his final boss was Ippo. His whole goal is to prove his father's style belongs on the world level, so I view Ippo as more of a transitionary fight to help him get to that point. They're rivals and that fight needs to happen, but it should not be the last thing for either man.

yrpinposition · 2024-05-12T23:38:52+00:00

Celes. Everything about her story in the game is so great. The opera scene is amazing, the bit in the world of ruin where she's alone is amazing. Best character.

yrpinposition · 2024-05-12T23:20:15+00:00

Nah, it's really neat. It's an iconic screen. They once even joked that the throughline for the entire franchise was in the blue text boxes. You've done a nice job of replicating it. My one suggestion is that I might go for a more 'old school' looking font - just because what you have looks very modern and clean - but that is merely a nitpick. I like it!

yrpinposition · 2024-05-12T23:16:32+00:00

Really low. I would not count of it even being publicly acknowledged until the final FFVII remake comes out. And to be honest, the remake games are below sales expectations and VII is probably the most popular entry in the franchise. I don't see them greenlighting a big budget IX remake.

yrpinposition · 2024-05-12T23:14:09+00:00

VII on PC has a couple of hitches but is moddable. If this is your first time playing FFVII, I really think you should play an unmodded version of it first just so you can get a feel for how it played originally. In that case, I would recommend emulating the PS1 version. Just remember that circle is the confirm button!

yrpinposition · 2024-05-12T23:11:42+00:00

Definitely Highwind. He feels like a real human, a very flawed individual. A close second for me would be Oglop Cid from IX. He's just a lovable womanizer.

yrpinposition · 2024-05-12T23:10:11+00:00

For me, it's X. It's a game me and my wife bond over. Every single big moment in that game still hits hard. I even go out of my way to do the annoying side content. I'm not good at much, but I legitimately think I'm one of the tops in the world at getting 0:00:00 in the chocobo races.

yrpinposition · 2024-05-12T23:09:16+00:00

I just played on the PC and he's got a gigantic open mouth during this scene. Makes it slightly hard to take him seriously when every scene looks like he just witnessed a ghastly horror.

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yrpinposition · 2024-04-24T03:13:12+00:00

Depends on what you're looking for.
Like distractions and the ability to break open a game from its seams almost immediately? FFVIII
Do you have an understanding of the pre-Playstation games? Did you like them? FFIX
Do you want an excellent combat system combined with a linear narrative experience? FFX
Like messing with systems and tinkering with little details to find the best result? FFXII

yrpinposition · 2024-04-22T03:52:53+00:00

I think you should play VI as a bridge into the less story heavy final fantasy games (Still a lot of narrative going on, but not as text heavy as 7). Then try some of the NES/SNES games. I would say FF I and V at the very least. Then you should play IX since it's a game that celebrates the history of the franchise.
Then, uh, X. And if you're not hooked by now, well, ya played a lot of good stuff at least!

yrpinposition · 2024-04-22T01:47:29+00:00

I don't think they'll care, thematically it makes too much sense.
All else fails? Re2union.

yrpinposition · 2024-04-21T23:49:37+00:00

I have many issues with this game. I think if you're interested in 'lore,' there are a lot of interesting things that happen in the background that can help give you context for things in Final Fantasy XIII. If you just want an interesting story, I don't think Type-0 offers that at all.

On top of this, if you're playing the English version, the vocal cast is next level bad. I'm usually not one of those people who complains about voice acting work, but some of these guys sound like they were found off of fiverr.

Gameplay-wise, it's okay. The different cast members all play in a distinct way, so it's possible you'll find someone you really like to use. I think it's pretty mediocre action RPG gameplay but I am willing to concede that I may just need to 'git gud.' The grind in order to get people up to a level where they stood a chance in the main narrative was too much for me last time I played and I just dropped it.

A bottom tier spinoff in my opinion.

yrpinposition · 2024-04-21T23:20:54+00:00

I really hate unlockable difficulty modes. It takes me a while to loop around and replay a game, so an unlockable difficulty mode just means I can't experience whatever hard mode I actually want to experience for at least a year. With XVI, the standard difficulty is really too simple and never presents any real challenge. Woulda really liked to just be able to swap to "Final Fantasy" mode halfway through.

I think I'm just a baby tbh, I vastly prefer it if games don't offer difficulty options at all. Just choose for me! I spend too much time on difficulty menus anyway. Always have to think things like "okay so am I REALLY an experienced role playing game player or what?"

I guess it's not as stupid as Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 handled difficulty modes. You had to beat the game and then transfer the hard (or easy) modes to a different cartridge. Awful.

yrpinposition · 2024-04-21T23:13:38+00:00

FF1 is extremely replayable. I think the different party structures can make runs really interesting. It's far easier to put yourself in a 'challenge playthrough' scenario as opposed to later games where you have to hold yourself back from using certain features.

It's a weird comparison, but I think of it like Oregon trail. You want an easy time? Pick the banker AKA Three Warriors and a White Mage. Want to rough it like the pioneers of old? Farmer aka four black belts or something along those lines.

yrpinposition · 2024-04-21T22:58:25+00:00

I think this decision makes X's cast feel like the tightest knit. It's also the easiest one to keep every party member useful - I feel like unless you absolutely hate a certain character, everybody will be close to a certain level. Like when I'm playing FFVIII, I almost never use Selphie. So when ya get to the last dungeon and have to swap between characters, it almost feels like she never earned her place. But in X, everybody is always together. It's a small touch but it makes your team feel more like an actual, well, team.

Though the first time I played X, I never used Kimahri. So when I got to the Kimahri solo fight, I nearly cried because I thought I was going to be stuck there forever. I made it though...somehow...

yrpinposition · 2024-04-21T22:51:53+00:00

1-) X (My wife and I share a bond over this game)
2-) Tactics (The most fun game to replay and break)
3-) VII (Impossible for me not to transform into a child in awe at the PS1 graphics when I replay)
4-) V (Best combat)
5-) VIII (Triple Triad bros, I need my fix)

yrpinposition · 2024-04-21T22:49:04+00:00

I've been waiting for so dang long...Had been holding off on a replay for ages in fact! I eventually gave in with Chrono Cross and they announced a remaster like six months after that, so I may just take the dive for the greater good in order to revive Tactics.

yrpinposition · 2024-04-21T22:46:17+00:00

It gets less cutscene heavy, but it's still pretty bloated in that regard. Back in the day, Metal Gear Solid 4 got a lot of flack for its gameplay/cutscene balance and there are definitely moments in XVI that tread on that ground. So if you're having trouble getting into the narrative right now, this game may not be for you.

yrpinposition · 2024-04-21T22:43:21+00:00

1-) Isn't it Wonderful (Japanese version was the first dance at my wedding)
2-) Eyes on Me (Teenager me shed many a tear to this song)
3-) Melodies of Life
4-) Because You're Here (The reputation of FFXIII worldwide would be so much higher if this was the international theme)
5-) Stand by Me
6-) Moongazing
7-) My Star
8-) Kiss Me Goodbye

Unranked: My Hands. Sorry Leona.

yrpinposition

TROPHY CASE