Yuna

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Yuna
Yuna as she appears in Final Fantasy X. Drawn by Tetsuya Nomura.
Series	Final Fantasy
First game	Final Fantasy X
Designed by	Tetsuya Nomura Yoshitaka Amano
Voiced by (English)	Hedy Burress
Voiced by (Japanese)	Mayuko Aoki Koda Kumi

Yuna (ユウナ, Yūna^?) is a fictional summoner in the Final Fantasy series, and the female protagonist of Final Fantasy X and the sequel Final Fantasy X-2. She was designed by Tetsuya Nomura, and voiced by Hedy Burress and Mayuko Aoki in the English and Japanese versions respectively. She has received mixed reactions for her role in both Final Fantasy X and X-2.

She ranked 10th on IGN's top 25 Final Fantasy characters list. After appearing in a conservative, long dress in Final Fantasy X, the designers changed her outfit to a skimpier one to reflect the more carefree world of Final Fantasy X-2. This was met with both praise and criticism, the latter in part due to the negative influence it has on teenage girls.

Concept and creation

Concept art by Yoshitaka Amano.

Yuna was designed by Final Fantasy X character designer Tetsuya Nomura. The basis for Yuna's overall design was that of Okinawan kimonos, but Nomura has also mentioned that when he learned the character was to perform a dance called the "sending," he wanted to give her outfit something that would flow. For this reason, the specific type of kimono he chose for her was a furisode, a kimono bearing long sleeves.^[1] Nomura has explained that he adorned Yuna's dress and necklace with images of the hibiscus flower also called "yuna," and that her name carries the meaning of "night" (夕な) in Okinawan, establishing a contrast between her and the lead male protagonist of Final Fantasy X, Tidus, whose Japanese name (ティーダ) translates to "sun" (太陽) in Okinawan. This contrast is also represented in-game by items named for the sun and moon that empower Tidus' and Yuna's most powerful weapons. Nomura has explained that while all these subtle details may be unnecessary, he wants his designs to have meaning behind them. Yuna has heterochromia, a condition that gives the subject two different colored eyes; in Yuna's case, her blue eye comes from her half-Spiran ancestry while her green eye comes from her half-Al Bhed ancestry.

The fan reaction to Final Fantasy X convinced the developers to continue the story of Yuna and other characters with Final Fantasy X-2. Tetsu Tsukamoto, costume designer for Final Fantasy X-2, states that the radical design changes for Yuna from one game to the other reflect a huge cultural change. Yoshinori Kitase, producer of Final Fantasy X-2, added that they did not want to make X-2 feel like an extension of its predecessor, so they changed the clothing of Yuna, Rikku, and others' to make them seem more active. This was accomplished before the story and setting were created. Because Yuna, Rikku, and Paine live in a more care-free world, the designers wanted them to be able to dress up, a feature which became key to the game's gameplay. Kazushige Nojima, scriptwriter for X-2, described her new outfit as a "natural reaction to the heavy stuff she wore in FFX". Yuna's singing performance was used to demonstrate the pop feel that X-2 incorporates.^[2][3]

Appearances

Final Fantasy X's system has her use healing magic in the game, while also allowing her to summon powerful magical entities called "aeons." Already known throughout Spira as the daughter of High Summoner Braska – the man who, ten years earlier, brought a brief respite from Sin's destruction (The Calm) – Yuna has chosen to embark on the summoner's pilgrimage to become a High Summoner herself. The burden of this responsibility is expected to see Yuna journey to temples across Spira, acquire the aeon from each and ultimately summon the Final Aeon in a battle that will claim both its life and hers. Her weapons are a variety of staves, and she is able to summon ten aeons during the game. As Yuna's story progresses she gradually becomes more open and falls in love with Tidus. Because Yuna's mother was an Al Bhed she has heterochromia, so one of her eyes is green and the other blue, a reflection of her mixed heritage. Despite this, she is never heard fluently speaking the language (give or take a few phrases), probably due to the fact that her mother died at sea by Sin when she was at an early age. Yuna returns in Final Fantasy X-2 (set two years after Final Fantasy X) as the lead protagonist, and is now nineteen, prominently featured as a Gunner. In X-2, Yuna journeys Spira in search of truth (and hopefully a long lost friend). She is more outgoing but also nostalgic. She is deeply saddened by the fading of Macalania Woods and greatly offended by the exploitation of Zanarkand Ruins as a tourist attraction. She also has a very helpful and generous personality. She always helps people in need, although her job as a sphere hunter may make her intentions seem more money focussed.

In other media

A 'chibi' version of Yuna is seen in Kingdom Hearts 2 where she, Paine, and Rikku are pixies that enjoy treasure hunting.

Reception and promotion

Yuna's skimpier appearance in Final Fantasy X-2 was met with both praise and criticism. Drawn by Tetsuya Nomura.

Yuna and Tidus' relationship was voted the best relationship of 2001 by Game Informer.^{[citation needed]} Jen of Four Fat Chicks criticized her for her poor facial expressions, stating that she rarely cracks a smile, and when she does it seems fake.^[4] Netjak editor Clayton Chan criticized Yuna and other characters' super sweet peppy attitude, stating that it was enough to force him to turn off the game at times.^[5] Game Chronicles editor Jason Porter praised her realistic appearance, commenting that "you could walk down a street in Tokyo and see her looking in shop windows".^[6] She ranked 10th on the top 25 list of Final Fantasy characters by IGN. Editors state that while she was good eye candy, calling her sending scene "one of the best in Square Visual Works history", she did not stand out until she got her own leading role, adding that it gave her a "little more confidence, a little more attitude, and yes, it must be said, a gratuitously exploitative costume that ranks among the series' finest bits of fanboy-baiting".^[7] Voice actor Hedy Buress has received mostly positive reception for her portrayal of Yuna. IGN editor Jeremy Durham stated that Burress' portrayal of her in Final Fantasy X-2 seemed more comfortable than in the predecessor.^[8] GameSpot editor Brad Shoemaker stated that while her portrayal of Yuna in Final Fantasy X was dull and somber, her portrayal in X-2 brought her fully to life in accordance with the other changes to the character.^[9] GameSpy editor described her portrayal of Yuna as superb.^[10] In an Oricon poll from 2008, Yuna was voted as the 10th most popular video game character.^[11]

Yuna's design change in Final Fantasy X-2 has been met with mixed reactions. In authors Sharon Lamb and Lyn Mikel Brown's book "Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers' Schemes", they describe Yuna's appearance as being a "sexy MTV video star", adding that it's a "lesson to girls that being brave, strong, and ready to fight can only last so long - the next adventure is fashion, boyfriends, and sex".^[12] IGN editor Jeremy Dunham praised the clothing designs, which he states combine "proven and recognizable Final Fantasy styles" with a "revealing neo-modern fashion sense", referencing her warrior costume as a stand-out.^[8] The pop music introduction to Final Fantasy X-2 was also met with mixed reactions. IGN staff stated that it fit the trailer well despite seeming out of place in a Final Fantasy game.^[13] Clayton Chan stated that this scene defined whether players would stick with the game or turn it off after that.^[5] Klepek stated that the scene brought a feeling of dread after he viewed it.^[14]

She has been compared to other fictional characters, including Lara Croft, due both to her outfit and gun-wielding.^[15] She has also been compared to the cast of Charlie's Angels along with her partners Rikku and Paine; GameCritics editor Jason Karney compared her to the Angel portrayed by Cameron Diaz.^[16][17][18] Gaming Age editor Patrick Klepek called the comparison to Charlie's Angels right on the mark, though added that "you don't have to spend 40 hours with the Charlie's Angels flicks" and that "Cameron Diaz, etc. are a hell of a lot more appealing than a set of polygons, no matter how well-rounded they may be".^[14] She and her companions have also been compared to the Spice Girls by GameSpy editor Raymond Padilla due to their excitable attitude.^[19]

She was included in a series of two figurines based on Final Fantasy X characters, including protagonist Tidus.^[20] Another figurine was produced based on her design in Final Fantasy X-2, which is accompanied by figurines of her partners Rikku and Paine.^[21] A CD entitled "Final Fantasy X-2 Vocal Collections" was released, featuring songs with lyrics provided by Yuna, as well as her partners Rikku and Paine.^[22]

References