Lulu (Final Fantasy)
Encyclopedia
is a fictional twenty-two-year-old black magic
user in the Final Fantasy
series, and one of the main characters in Final Fantasy X
. She was voiced by Paula Tiso
and Rio Natsuki
in the English and Japanese versions respectively. She appears as the guardian to the lead female protagonist, Yuna
, and is in a relationship with Wakka in Final Fantasy X-2. She appears in a reduced role for Final Fantasy X-2
, where she has a child with Wakka named Vidina.
She was designed by Tetsuya Nomura
, a regular character designer in the Final Fantasy series, with the intent of combining the look of a fashion model with a Black Mage design, which typically features robes, a floppy hat, and an obscured face that shows only two glowing eyes. She has received positive reception for her role in Final Fantasy X, including being ranked the best character in the game by IGN
as well as the 27th hottest video game female by UGO Networks.
for Final Fantasy X
. He has expressed that he wanted her character design to resemble a cross between a fashion model and Black Mage to break the connotation in players' minds of the traditional Final Fantasy Black Mage. This was achieved through – in Nomura's words – Lulu's "eccentric" hair and dress. Lulu therefore deviates from the traditional Black Mage look. She is instead dressed in an outlandish, low-cut, fur-lined, dark grey and black dress that displays her ample cleavage. He has also mentioned that as technology advances, the Final Fantasy games allow for a greater level of detail to be incorporated into characters' outfits, and that he makes a point of challenging the game's visual programmers with his designs. In Final Fantasy X, this challenge came in the form of the interlocking series of belts on the front of Lulu's dress. Nomura said that this design has a specific order to the belts and that each buckles in a specific manner. His challenge to the game's design team was for them to recognize the belts' pattern and keep it consistent throughout the game, from the beginning to end. Because of this, Nomura referenced Lulu's dress as taking a lot of hard work. Another key design aspect of her dress was that it still show an "appropriate" amount of skin for the character, which most notably translated to her cleavage and shoulders being mostly uncovered. She is voiced by Paula Tiso in the English version of Final Fantasy X and by Rio Natsuki
in the Japanese version. Her look was also inspired by the traditional obeah vodoo priestess
and a modern day witch doctor due to her ability to wield black magic
and her usage of dolls during battle which includes cactuars, moogles, and other Final Fantasy creature types that she can control to attack enemies. Lulu's Celestial Weapon is the Onion Knight, a homage
to Final Fantasy III
.
, Lulu gives birth to Wakka's child, Vidina, a name that translates as "future" in the Al Bhed language. She mothers Yuna and Rikku at points throughout the game and, although she does it more subtly, Tidus also.
. Lulu ranked eighth on IGN
's top 25 best Final Fantasy characters list, the highest ranked character from Final Fantasy X
on the list. The editors commented on artist Tetsuya Nomura
being famous for over-accessorizing his characters, she was "over-accessorized enough", citing her "floor-length skirt, elaborately-pinned hair, and collection of super-cute mascot dolls" as why she's the coolest looking character Nomura has ever drawn. Armchair Empire editor Mr. Nash states that Lulu adds a moodier counterbalance to more relaxed characters, adding that she accomplishes this with her "generally negative attitude" and "genuinely being in a foul mood, which later turns into a general unwillingness to put up with crap". Dawn Johnson and Scott Jelinek, editors for Just Adventure, both praised Lulu. Dawn states that Lulu's cynical nature "kept you on track for what you needed to do", while Scott called her his personal favourite, citing her sexual appeal. Gamasutra
editor Kurt Kalata described Nomura's character designs as "outlandish", calling Lulu more like a "fetish object" than an inhabitant of Final Fantasy Xs world. Paula Tiso
's portrayal of Lulu has received positive reception, garnering praise as being amongst the best voice acting in Final Fantasy X. GameDaily
listed her 13th on the top 50 hottest video game women list, describing her as both sexy and dangerous. UGO
.com editor Locke Webster ranked Lulu the 27th hottest video game girl, stating that Nomura's attempt to create a cross between a fashion model and a black mage character was a success. GamesRadar
editor was named "Miss 2001" in their article on the sexiest new characters of the decade, calling her the "first officially sexy Final Fantasy girl", stating that Tifa Lockhart
from Final Fantasy VII
had the potential to be sexy, but was too pixelated to pull it off. He added that it was not just her looks but her attitude that made her sexy. However, they also called the couple between Lulu and Wakka as the worst Final Fantasy couple, commenting that while their pairing appealed to the concept of "opposites attract", the pairing of a goth and a jock is the source of the "She married him??!! And they've got a kid??" ads.
Black magic
Black magic is the type of magic that draws on assumed malevolent powers or is used with the intention to kill, steal, injure, cause misfortune or destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences. As a term, "black magic" is normally used by those that do not approve of its...
user in the Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series, and one of the main characters in Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
. She was voiced by Paula Tiso
Paula Tiso
Paula Tiso is an American voice actress who is best known as the English voice of Lulu in Final Fantasy X and its sequel.She also has voiced many TV and radio commercials and promos....
and Rio Natsuki
Rio Natsuki
is a Japanese voice actress.-Anime:*Angelic Layer *Battle Athletes Victory *Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 *Digimon Adventure 02 *El-Hazard *Full Metal Panic!...
in the English and Japanese versions respectively. She appears as the guardian to the lead female protagonist, Yuna
Yuna (Final Fantasy)
is a player character in the Final Fantasy series. She is the female protagonist of Final Fantasy X and the main protagonist of 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...
, and is in a relationship with Wakka in Final Fantasy X-2. She appears in a reduced role for Final Fantasy X-2
Final Fantasy X-2
is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation 2. It was released in 2003 and is the sequel to the best-selling 2001 game Final Fantasy X...
, where she has a child with Wakka named Vidina.
She was designed by Tetsuya Nomura
Tetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
, a regular character designer in the Final Fantasy series, with the intent of combining the look of a fashion model with a Black Mage design, which typically features robes, a floppy hat, and an obscured face that shows only two glowing eyes. She has received positive reception for her role in Final Fantasy X, including being ranked the best character in the game by IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
as well as the 27th hottest video game female by UGO Networks.
Concept and creation
She was designed by Tetsuya NomuraTetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
for Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
. He has expressed that he wanted her character design to resemble a cross between a fashion model and Black Mage to break the connotation in players' minds of the traditional Final Fantasy Black Mage. This was achieved through – in Nomura's words – Lulu's "eccentric" hair and dress. Lulu therefore deviates from the traditional Black Mage look. She is instead dressed in an outlandish, low-cut, fur-lined, dark grey and black dress that displays her ample cleavage. He has also mentioned that as technology advances, the Final Fantasy games allow for a greater level of detail to be incorporated into characters' outfits, and that he makes a point of challenging the game's visual programmers with his designs. In Final Fantasy X, this challenge came in the form of the interlocking series of belts on the front of Lulu's dress. Nomura said that this design has a specific order to the belts and that each buckles in a specific manner. His challenge to the game's design team was for them to recognize the belts' pattern and keep it consistent throughout the game, from the beginning to end. Because of this, Nomura referenced Lulu's dress as taking a lot of hard work. Another key design aspect of her dress was that it still show an "appropriate" amount of skin for the character, which most notably translated to her cleavage and shoulders being mostly uncovered. She is voiced by Paula Tiso in the English version of Final Fantasy X and by Rio Natsuki
Rio Natsuki
is a Japanese voice actress.-Anime:*Angelic Layer *Battle Athletes Victory *Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 *Digimon Adventure 02 *El-Hazard *Full Metal Panic!...
in the Japanese version. Her look was also inspired by the traditional obeah vodoo priestess
Obeah
Obeah is a term used in the West Indies to refer to folk magic, sorcery, and religious practices derived from West African, and specifically Igbo origin. Obeah is similar to other African derived religions including Palo, Voodoo, Santería, rootwork, and most of all hoodoo...
and a modern day witch doctor due to her ability to wield black magic
Black magic
Black magic is the type of magic that draws on assumed malevolent powers or is used with the intention to kill, steal, injure, cause misfortune or destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences. As a term, "black magic" is normally used by those that do not approve of its...
and her usage of dolls during battle which includes cactuars, moogles, and other Final Fantasy creature types that she can control to attack enemies. Lulu's Celestial Weapon is the Onion Knight, a homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy III
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square in for the Family Computer as the third installment in the Final Fantasy series. It is the first numbered Final Fantasy game to feature the job-change system....
.
Appearances
Born on the island of Besaid, where she grew up with Wakka, Yuna, and Wakka's younger brother, Chappu, Lulu is often stern and scathing (particularly to Wakka). However, she is nonetheless caring toward others. Lulu was particularly harsh towards Tidus when they first met, but her opinion of him slowly changed for the better as the story progressed. She is also highly intelligent, one of the few Yevonites who easily questions the Yevon religion on objective terms, and is far more accepting of Rikku's Al Bhed nature than Wakka initially was. Before becoming a guardian to Yuna, Lulu guarded two previous summoners whose pilgrimages abruptly ended. Her second pilgrimage, that of Father Zuke, ended in the Calm Lands (a common decision among summoners). The pilgrimage of the first summoner Lulu guarded, Lady Ginnem, was cut short by her death in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth. This event still troubles Lulu's memories, but when Yuna and company detour to the valley where the cave is located, Lulu decides to face her painful memories. At the back of the cave, the group meets the unsent bodily shell of Lady Ginnem. Lulu felt that she must fulfill a last duty to Ginnem as a guardian in ensuring that her spirit would depart to rest peacefully on the Farplane. After fighting and defeating Yojimbo – the aeon having been summoned by Ginnem – Ginnem's spirit departs for the Farplane. Lulu had been romantically involved with Wakka's younger brother, Chappu, and his death at the hands of Sin affected Lulu greatly. However, Wakka and Lulu fall in love and marry six months after Final Fantasy X. In Final Fantasy X-2Final Fantasy X-2
is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation 2. It was released in 2003 and is the sequel to the best-selling 2001 game Final Fantasy X...
, Lulu gives birth to Wakka's child, Vidina, a name that translates as "future" in the Al Bhed language. She mothers Yuna and Rikku at points throughout the game and, although she does it more subtly, Tidus also.
Reception
Lulu has received mostly positive reception for her appearance in Final Fantasy XFinal Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
. Lulu ranked eighth on IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's top 25 best Final Fantasy characters list, the highest ranked character from Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
on the list. The editors commented on artist Tetsuya Nomura
Tetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
being famous for over-accessorizing his characters, she was "over-accessorized enough", citing her "floor-length skirt, elaborately-pinned hair, and collection of super-cute mascot dolls" as why she's the coolest looking character Nomura has ever drawn. Armchair Empire editor Mr. Nash states that Lulu adds a moodier counterbalance to more relaxed characters, adding that she accomplishes this with her "generally negative attitude" and "genuinely being in a foul mood, which later turns into a general unwillingness to put up with crap". Dawn Johnson and Scott Jelinek, editors for Just Adventure, both praised Lulu. Dawn states that Lulu's cynical nature "kept you on track for what you needed to do", while Scott called her his personal favourite, citing her sexual appeal. Gamasutra
Gamasutra
Gamasutra is a website founded in 1997 for video game developers. It is owned and operated by UBM TechWeb , a division of United Business Media, and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine Game Developer...
editor Kurt Kalata described Nomura's character designs as "outlandish", calling Lulu more like a "fetish object" than an inhabitant of Final Fantasy Xs world. Paula Tiso
Paula Tiso
Paula Tiso is an American voice actress who is best known as the English voice of Lulu in Final Fantasy X and its sequel.She also has voiced many TV and radio commercials and promos....
's portrayal of Lulu has received positive reception, garnering praise as being amongst the best voice acting in Final Fantasy X. GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
listed her 13th on the top 50 hottest video game women list, describing her as both sexy and dangerous. UGO
UGO
UGO Entertainment, Inc. is a website providing coverage of online media in entertainment targeting males age 18–34. The company is currently based in New York, New York, United States. On July 24, 2007 it was announced that Hearst Corporation would acquire UGO Entertainment...
.com editor Locke Webster ranked Lulu the 27th hottest video game girl, stating that Nomura's attempt to create a cross between a fashion model and a black mage character was a success. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
editor was named "Miss 2001" in their article on the sexiest new characters of the decade, calling her the "first officially sexy Final Fantasy girl", stating that Tifa Lockhart
Tifa Lockhart
is a player character in Square Enix's role playing game Final Fantasy VII. Created by character designer Tetsuya Nomura, she has since appeared in the fighting game Ehrgeiz and cameo appearances in other titles, as well as the CGI film sequel to Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children and related games...
from Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
had the potential to be sexy, but was too pixelated to pull it off. He added that it was not just her looks but her attitude that made her sexy. However, they also called the couple between Lulu and Wakka as the worst Final Fantasy couple, commenting that while their pairing appealed to the concept of "opposites attract", the pairing of a goth and a jock is the source of the "She married him??!! And they've got a kid??" ads.