Rikku
Encyclopedia
is a player character
in the Final Fantasy
series, and a protagonist
in both Final Fantasy X
and X-2
.
, who also designed other characters from Final Fantasy X
and X-2
. She is voiced by Tara Strong
and Marika Matsumoto
in the English and Japanese versions respectively. Rikku's outfit changed from a casual outfit to a skimpier outfit from Final Fantasy X to X-2. Tetsu Tsukamoto, the alternate costume designer, explains that the change could come from the changes in Spira from the two titles from a "darker, religious feel". The decision to pick Rikku as one of the three female leads came early on in the design process of X-2, due to the developers challenging themselves to create an all-female character party. Yuna
and Rikku were the original choices, while a third original character was created to complete the trio. It was rumoured that Square Enix
planned to have two sequels to Final Fantasy X - one starring Yuna
and one starring Rikku. However, the developers later elaborated that there would be no such "Rikku Version", and it was just a rumour that arose during development.
Tara Strong was cast as Rikku by the game's English version voice director Jack Fletcher
, who had worked with her in other roles before. To prepare for the role, she was given the original recordings of Rikku's Japanese voice actor, as well as a description of her from Fletcher and the writers. Strong found it easy to fit Rikku's personality, due to it being fairly straightforward. She found the most challenging part of voicing Rikku to be dubbing the lines to make the characters' voices sound more real. The Al Bhed language was created beforehand, having to be told on a word-by-word basis of what each word means.
, able to speak both English
and Al Bhed fluently. Rikku's character class is most similar to that of the Thief from earlier Final Fantasy titles, combined with the Chemist class. She can steal a large variety of items from fiends and bosses alike, many of which can only be acquired through theft. She also is able to dismantle Machina with her theft command. The ability to customize becomes unlocked only after Rikku permanently joins the party. Her attitude is somewhat childish, but is also quite cheerful and positive. Rikku is also highly intelligent, being bilingual and skilled in chemistry. An Al Bhed, she is also Yuna's cousin and loves her dearly, and, as such, wishes to prevent her from going through with her pilgrimage, becoming particularly insistent as the party climbs Mount Gagazet toward Zanarkand. She is also the one who informs Tidus that Yuna would die if she summoned her Final Aeon. In battle, Rikku uses a variety of claw-like weapons. After the Calm, Rikku visited Yuna at Besaid often before the events of X-2.
Rikku returns in Final Fantasy X-2 as a main protagonist, now 17 years-old and prominently featured as a Thief. She was also the one who convinced Yuna to leave Besaid on a journey after showing her a mysterious sphere featuring a familiar person.
Rikku also appears in Kingdom Hearts II
as a miniature fairy version of herself wearing modified versions of her Final Fantasy X-2 attire; much like her Final Fantasy X-2 self, Rikku is a bit ditzy and good-natured as well as a treasure fanatic like her teammates. Itadaki Street Special features a miniature Rikku in her Final Fantasy X-2 outfit, along with Yuna and Paine.
's 2004 G-Phoria
awards show and the "Viewers' Choice: Baddest Good Girl" on G4's Video Game Vixens
in 2005. 1UP.com
used her as an example of the "perky idiot" character type. In 2007, Rikku was included by Tom's Games among the 50 greatest female characters in video game history. In 2008, GameDaily
included her in a list of "Ten Babes Who Should and 10 Babes Who Shouldn't Meet Your Mom", citing her sense of humour. They also ranked her #15 on their 50 hottest video game women list, describing her as spirited, having an excellent figure, and having a knack for mechanics. In 2010, UGO
included her on the list of the 50 hottest video game girls (in spite of her being only 16), while Complex ranked her at #20 among "The 50 Hottest Women In Video Games", along with Yuna and Paine.
Her English version voice actor, Tara Strong
, has received mostly positive reception for her portrayal of Rikku in both Final Fantasy X and X-2, winning an award for "Outstanding Character Performance" at the Interactive Achievement Awards.
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
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 a protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
in both 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...
and 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...
.
Concept and creation
Rikku 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...
, who also designed other characters 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...
and 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...
. She is voiced by Tara Strong
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
and Marika Matsumoto
Marika Matsumoto
is an actress and seiyū born on September 12, 1984 in Nakano, Tokyo, Japan. From 2001-2003, she was known as "Mini Stop-chan", acting as the mascot for the Mini Stop convenience store chain commercials in Japan. She is the owner of a unique voice and has held a recital with upcoming star Satoshi...
in the English and Japanese versions respectively. Rikku's outfit changed from a casual outfit to a skimpier outfit from Final Fantasy X to X-2. Tetsu Tsukamoto, the alternate costume designer, explains that the change could come from the changes in Spira from the two titles from a "darker, religious feel". The decision to pick Rikku as one of the three female leads came early on in the design process of X-2, due to the developers challenging themselves to create an all-female character party. 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 Rikku were the original choices, while a third original character was created to complete the trio. It was rumoured that Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
planned to have two sequels to Final Fantasy X - one starring 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 one starring Rikku. However, the developers later elaborated that there would be no such "Rikku Version", and it was just a rumour that arose during development.
Tara Strong was cast as Rikku by the game's English version voice director Jack Fletcher
Jack Fletcher
Jack Fletcher is a voice actor, casting director, and voice director. He has done voice casting and direction for many high-profile anime and video game projects. In addition, he is a well known and respected theatre director and teacher, having spent a number of years teaching and directing at the...
, who had worked with her in other roles before. To prepare for the role, she was given the original recordings of Rikku's Japanese voice actor, as well as a description of her from Fletcher and the writers. Strong found it easy to fit Rikku's personality, due to it being fairly straightforward. She found the most challenging part of voicing Rikku to be dubbing the lines to make the characters' voices sound more real. The Al Bhed language was created beforehand, having to be told on a word-by-word basis of what each word means.
In video games
In Final Fantasy X, Rikku is a 15 year-old Al Bhed who helps Tidus when he first arrives in Spira, but then disappears from the story for a while, becoming the last character to join Yuna's entourage of guardians. She is bilingualMultilingualism
Multilingualism is the act of using, or promoting the use of, multiple languages, either by an individual speaker or by a community of speakers. Multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. Multilingualism is becoming a social phenomenon governed by the needs of...
, able to speak both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Al Bhed fluently. Rikku's character class is most similar to that of the Thief from earlier Final Fantasy titles, combined with the Chemist class. She can steal a large variety of items from fiends and bosses alike, many of which can only be acquired through theft. She also is able to dismantle Machina with her theft command. The ability to customize becomes unlocked only after Rikku permanently joins the party. Her attitude is somewhat childish, but is also quite cheerful and positive. Rikku is also highly intelligent, being bilingual and skilled in chemistry. An Al Bhed, she is also Yuna's cousin and loves her dearly, and, as such, wishes to prevent her from going through with her pilgrimage, becoming particularly insistent as the party climbs Mount Gagazet toward Zanarkand. She is also the one who informs Tidus that Yuna would die if she summoned her Final Aeon. In battle, Rikku uses a variety of claw-like weapons. After the Calm, Rikku visited Yuna at Besaid often before the events of X-2.
Rikku returns in Final Fantasy X-2 as a main protagonist, now 17 years-old and prominently featured as a Thief. She was also the one who convinced Yuna to leave Besaid on a journey after showing her a mysterious sphere featuring a familiar person.
Rikku also appears in Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
as a miniature fairy version of herself wearing modified versions of her Final Fantasy X-2 attire; much like her Final Fantasy X-2 self, Rikku is a bit ditzy and good-natured as well as a treasure fanatic like her teammates. Itadaki Street Special features a miniature Rikku in her Final Fantasy X-2 outfit, along with Yuna and Paine.
Reception
Rikku has won the award for "Hottest Character" in G4G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
's 2004 G-Phoria
G-Phoria
G-Phoria is an annual video game awards show started in 2003 and produced by G4. The awards are democratically voted on.Formerly the event was formatted like a regular awards ceremony taped in front of an audience, featuring celebrities such as Hal Sparks, Carmen Electra, Wilmer Valderamma and Anna...
awards show and the "Viewers' Choice: Baddest Good Girl" on G4's Video Game Vixens
Video Game Vixens
Video Game Vixens was a special four-part TV show hosted by Hal Sparks on G4 that featured what the network considered to be "the sexiest female video game characters of the year." It debuted in June 2005...
in 2005. 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
used her as an example of the "perky idiot" character type. In 2007, Rikku was included by Tom's Games among the 50 greatest female characters in video game history. In 2008, 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...
included her in a list of "Ten Babes Who Should and 10 Babes Who Shouldn't Meet Your Mom", citing her sense of humour. They also ranked her #15 on their 50 hottest video game women list, describing her as spirited, having an excellent figure, and having a knack for mechanics. In 2010, 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...
included her on the list of the 50 hottest video game girls (in spite of her being only 16), while Complex ranked her at #20 among "The 50 Hottest Women In Video Games", along with Yuna and Paine.
Her English version voice actor, Tara Strong
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
, has received mostly positive reception for her portrayal of Rikku in both Final Fantasy X and X-2, winning an award for "Outstanding Character Performance" at the Interactive Achievement Awards.
External links
- Rikku at IGNIGNIGN 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...
- Rikku at Giant BombGiant BombGiant Bomb is an American video game website and wiki that includes gaming news, reviews, commentary, and video, created by former GameSpot editors Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis in collaboration with Whiskey Media...
- Rikku at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...