Rikku

Rikku
Rikku, painted by Tetsuya Nomura
Game series	Final Fantasy series
First game	Final Fantasy X
Designed by	Tetsuya Nomura
Voice actor(s) (English)	Tara Strong
Voice actor(s) (Japanese)	Marika Matsumoto
In-universe information
Class/Job	Thief
Weapon	Claws Dagger x2 (FFX-2)
Special ability	Steal, Use(FFX)
Overdrive	Mix
Race	Al Bhed
Home	Bikanel Island

Rikku (リュック, Ryukku^?) is a playable character in the PlayStation 2 games Final Fantasy X and most notably in Final Fantasy X-2. She is a young, perky Al Bhed girl with blonde hair, has spiral-shaped pupils instead of ordinary "dot" pupils (features that all Al Bhed share), and has a penchant for mechanics, alchemy, and thievery. She often makes strange hand gestures, particularly when overexcited, and makes humor in anxious or dangerous situations.

In Final Fantasy X, Rikku has a variety of claw-like weapons, her ultimate equipment being the "Godhand". Her shields are called targes. In Final Fantasy X-2, Rikku uses daggers while in her default Thief dressphere. In Final Fantasy X, Rikku is the only character with the default abilities to steal and to make use of a subset of items: some offensive (e.g. "smoke grenades" or "water gems") and some healing or defensive (e.g. "Al Bhed potions" and "light curtains"). This, together with her Overdrive ability to mix any two items for greater effect, makes her one of the more versatile characters in the party. Rikku is one of the two characters (the other being Tidus) who can order the airship Fahrenheit to move in or pull back during battles that take place on its deck. She is also one of three characters (in addition to Tidus and Wakka) who can fight underwater.

Rikku was G4's 2005 Viewers Choice Video Game Vixen.[1]

Biography

Final Fantasy X

Fifteen years old in Final Fantasy X, Rikku is the daughter of Cid, the younger sister of Brother, and younger cousin of Yuna. Her mother never appears in the game, however, as she was killed by a rampaging machina some time after Rikku's birth.^[1][2] As she herself wanted more siblings—which was made impossible because of her mother's death—she plans to have lots of children when she marries so that her children will never have to feel alone.^[3] Rikku also suffered from severe astraphobia as a result of her brother accidentally hitting her with a thunder spell when they were younger while trying to target a fiend that was attacking her. This fear becomes apparent when Rikku becomes apprehensive about traveling onto the Thunder Plains and remains stricken with panic-induced agitation during the journey across those lands.

Rikku first appears in Final Fantasy X as an aid to Tidus shortly after he first arrives in the vicinity of Spira's mainland. Their meeting takes place at an ancient Yevon temple known as "Baaj Temple." After helping Tidus defeat a fiend, she prevents her brother and their Al Bhed comrades—who thought he too was a fiend—from killing him. Later, while Yuna and her guardians are crossing the Moonflow along the path of Yuna's pilgrimage, Rikku was part of an Al Bhed team who tried to abduct Yuna in a machina, to prevent her from completing her pilgrimage—which would cost Yuna her life—only to be stopped by Tidus and Wakka. Tidus finds her when she regains consciousness after washing ashore- he recognizes her and learns of her role in the kidnapping attempt, but does not disclose the latter fact. After explaining herself to Yuna and Lulu, and gaining Auron's approval, Rikku became the last member to join Yuna's entourage of guardians, though Wakka—who was deeply prejudiced toward the Al Bhed at that time—was clueless that Rikku was an Al Bhed until her brother tried to abduct Yuna once again, this time near Macalania Temple. Wakka is angry about this, but other party members, such as Lulu and Kimahri, offer support for Rikku if Tidus rides with them on the snowmobiles.

Her personality is perky and optimistic, although her positive nature hides her being concerned and worried. As an Al Bhed, she has suffered discrimination from the Yevonite majority. Despite this, she managed to keep a positive outlook and wanted to save Yuna from vainly giving her life with the Final Summoning. Rikku also has something of a sibling-like friendship with Tidus, supported by their similar personalities and their deep devotion to Yuna.

Final Fantasy X-2

Rikku in Final Fantasy X-2

Two years later, in Final Fantasy X-2, Rikku, is 17 years old and a member of the Gullwings, led by Brother. The only character from Final Fantasy X other than Yuna to be playable in Final Fantasy X-2, Rikku is steadfastly loyal to Yuna, giving her support when she discusses her feelings concerning the loss of Tidus, and her hopes to find him once more. In the two years that passed between the two games, Rikku managed to overcome her astraphobia by camping out on the Thunder Plains for a week.^[4] She also has a tendency to use odd expressions such as "disasteriffic." She is the only main character in the game with no significant plot role.

Notably, during the Mi'ihen Highroad investigation sidequest, if clues are arranged in a specific manner, it's revealed that Rikku unintentionally caused a machina malfunction on the Mi'ihen Highroad while trying to help catch a chocobo for her team's young friend, Calli. Though the incident was an accident, Rikku is assigned clean-up service to make up for it.

In Final Fantasy X-2 International+Last Mission, Yuna, Rikku and Paine reunited after being disbanded three months after the game ended. While exploring the Yadonoki Tower, it was later found out that Rikku spends her time searching for sunken machina on the ocean floor. She shows a bit of annoyance to Yuna and Paine, but it was because she felt she was cut off from them, and reluctant to consider that they may have lost their friendship in the times (Yuna living with Tidus, Lulu and Wakka in Besaid, and Paine traveling independently). After realizing that they all share that sentiment, all three girls promised each other that they will write and keep in touch, ensuring that their friendship will never go away.

Despite the fact she spends the majority of FFX-2 wearing a bikini as part of her attire, in the one story-sequence in the game that requires the character to wear a swimsuit she dons a different (and considerably more conservative) one-piece suit.

Other appearances

Rikku, as she appears in Kingdom Hearts II

Rikku appears in Kingdom Hearts II along with her companions from the game, Yuna and Paine. The three appear as super deformed fairy versions of themselves and wear modified versions of their Final Fantasy X-2 attire as the original designs contained clothing that was too revealing for younger players. Much like her FFX-2 self, Rikku is a bit ditzy and good-natured as well as a treasure fanatic like her teammates. Her original costume in FFX-2 was a little more revealing than in her little super deformed form though, instead of a yellow bikini, it is replaced by a more shirt version of it. Her scarf acts more like wings for her to float off the ground, as all three levitate off the floor through various means (the scarf for Rikku, a hair-clip for Yuna, and demonic wings for Paine). The trio appear in Hollow Bastion to spy on Leon and company for Maleficent who offered them all the treasure they could want. Rikku almost told Sora who they worked for on their first encounter. However, they eventually aid in the defense of Hollow Bastion, after Maleficent abandoned them and then being lied to by Donald that Leon would pay the trio for their help. Rikku and others did forgive Sora and his partners for the deception by giving Sora the keychain of the Gullwing Keyblade. She was also going to be in Kingdom Hearts as part of Leon's gang over Yuffie but since there was a Riku in the game as a main character, Nomura thought it would be too confusing so she was dropped.

Itadaki Street Special features a super deformed Rikku in her X-2 outfit, along with Yuna and Paine.

References

External links

• Unsung - a Rikku shrine
• Upbeat Soul - a Rikku shrine

Donate to Wikimedia