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Me starting an FF6 topic? 04 flashback ahoy!
(I did look, so if the topic at hand was under some weirdass name then merge and accept my humblest apologies)

The great thing about FF6 was every character had their own personalized theme, which generally fit pretty well with their personality. But who do you think fit their music the best, and who do you think fit the worst?



For best I'd have to say-
As much as it pains me- Umaro
The theme is hulking deep sounding instruments playing a slow booming tune. Tell me that doesn't fit a muscular sasquatch.


Worst-
Relm.
It fits more or less, it just doesn't capture her personality and style as well as the others in my opinion.


If we go NPC's-
Dancing Mad matched Kefka better than any main character, but we aren't counting NPC's. Just an aside.

Also I consider Phantom Train Siegfrieds. Don't ask why. Just a useless aside.

So, thoughts?

Edit

Edit
Umaro's Theme
Relms Theme

For the lazy among us

This post has been edited by MogMaster on 1st November 2005 05:46

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If you've been mod-o-fied,
It's an illusion, and you're in-between.
Don't you be tarot-fied,
It's just alot of nothing, so what can it mean?
~Frank Zappa

Sins exist only for people who are on the Way or approaching the Way

hmmmin interesting topic MM, i like it!
this may seem kinda weird, but i think the music for WoR while youre flyin identifies best with setzer. whenever i hear that music it reminds me of him!

as for theme music to characters, i rather enjoyed edgar's royal music. although he is not your stereotypical king, i think the music brings out the irony concerning his personality and his title. i dont know why, but thats how it seems to me.

i agree with the relm thing MM. nice music, but doesnt capture her character very well.

just for the record, i think the ff6 boss music is the best video game music ever!

This post has been edited by baralai888 on 1st November 2005 05:46

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"The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved."
- Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

I think they all fit well except Locke, and Relms, but even those ones are ok. FFVI's music is excellent in all ways.

Terra's theme fits her well, and I think it fits the entire games feeling very well. That kind of marching on with determination to do what you know you need to, knowing how hard it's going to be, and how horrible it is now, but trying to correct it.

Best is Terra's. Haunting, lovely, surprisingly powerful.

Worst... ::squints and mentally replays all the songs:: Gogo's gets kind of too bouncy towards the end, maybe. Also, it pains me to say it, but Celes's theme feels too tinkly and weepy for a character with such strength. It sounds better in the Ending Theme Medley, but before that... it's too bad, because it really is a beautiful song. Just doesn't quite fit.

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Some ghost of me might greet my son
the day he is delivered.


Eternal Sleep, Track 1-1: The Blue Planet

I think the best theme for matching the character is Mog's, and the worst is probably Celes'. Mog's theme just sounds like moogles. It's bouncy and fun and slightly sarcastic. Celes' theme, as pretty as it is, sounds very fragile and romantic in a pining-away-after-him way; I'd far rather hear something that evoked her strength and resolve instead of just her beauty.

Terra's theme isn't a bad match for the character, at least as she's initially presented; as the game goes on, she ceases to deserve such a cool song.

Relm and Strago are both decently suited to their themes. Relm's could stand something a little more snide, maybe.

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Veni, vidi, dormivi.

Although I think Edgar's theme fits him pretty well, I never really liked the fact that he shares it with his twin - that is, I don't believe it suits Sabin at all. Seeing as he despises his royal roots - and they're highly implied by the music - the theme sorta loses its point when associated with him.

Shadow's theme, while excellent, contains something amiss that I can't quite put my finger on. Probably the way it sounds kinda like a lonely western piece, and I'm a li'l uncomfortable thinkin' of cowboy-ninja gunslingers. But it still fits the guy, no doubt.

The others, including even Celes' theme (since its melody is based off her opera bit, it at least has relevance), I believe are all spot-on, especially Terra's, Mog's and Gau's (although some tend to disagree on that last one).

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Words of Wisdom:

If something can go wrong, it will.

If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. - Murphy’s Law

Boing! Zoom! - Mr. Saturn

I loved the sad yet determined theme of Terra. I'm curious, where in the game do they play Celes's theme again? I used to know... but I forgot.

Gau's theme was very fitting to the character IMO. Shadow's was cool, but I must admit that it did sound a bit Cowboyish. It reminded me of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly theme.

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Dead Winter. A nice comic.

Quote

where in the game do they play Celes's theme again?

When she was singing at the Opera House - that was Celes' theme.

I thought the themes of Terra, Locke and Shadow fit them the best, and the worst fits were those of Celes, Gau and Relm.

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I know I've been Final Fantasy XII too long - just the other day I referred to a region with no cell service as a Jagd!

Quote (jfjksdl @ 1st November 2005 08:54)

Quote

where in the game do they play Celes's theme again?

When she was singing at the Opera House - that was Celes' theme.

Eh... close. That particular song in the opera is "Aria Di Mezzo Carattere". Celes' theme is based off that; it's much shorter, is done with a different arrangement and, obviously, lacks the 'singing'. You don't even first hear it until later on, when she gives Locke the cold shoulder that one night in Albrook.

It also plays

Possible spoilers: highlight to view

during her suicide attempt

and one or two more times in the vicinity of the ending.

--------------------

Words of Wisdom:

If something can go wrong, it will.

If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. - Murphy’s Law

Boing! Zoom! - Mr. Saturn

First, special notes:

1. I count 'Awakening' as Terra's theme, not the WoB overworld theme. I've always associated it this way, despite the naming of the soundtrack, because the game plays 'Awakening' when an event involving Terra is happening, but never 'Terra', ironically.
2. I count Edgar and Sabin as having the same theme. (FYI, I count 'Coin Song' as an event theme, not Sabin's theme.)
3. For all other characters, I consider their themes to be the one named for them. FYI, Strago's theme also plays in his hometown, Thamasa; Setzer's theme also plays in the interior of your airship; Umaro's theme also plays in the caves around him; Mog's theme plays in the moogles' cave; Gau's theme is only played in certain (but far from all) Gau-related events; Celes's theme is quoted in the opera Aria; Edgar's/Sabin's theme is also the theme of Figaro Castle; Cyan's theme is also the theme of Doma Castle; Gogo's theme is played in the caves he/she inhabits.

And now, to review them:

Good fit
Kefka - an excellent fit. The theme starts off sounding like an innocently stupid march, then progressively grows darker, but then coyly shys away from it at the end. Perfect for Kefka's deceptive personality.
Awakening (Terra) - while it doesn't really reflect a part of Terra's personality, namely, when she does become confident in herself, that's a small part, and she does spend much of the story wondering what her role is and what she should do.
Edgar - Just as the theme fits Figaro Castle, it fits Edgar, a truly noble person in character (not counting the part of hitting on every girl he sees, of course). An appropriately royal character graces both the theme and Edgar. Contrast within the music between its two sections reflect both Edgar's "standing tall as king" and personal care for his people.
Shadow - while some people mention 'Wild West' when hearing this, I haven't heard enough of that to say for sure, but this is one great track that really represents Shadow's isolation (note the pitch distance between the accompaniment and melody) and stoicism (what emotion can you derive from the theme?). The one thing i would do to improve it is to decrease the amount of percussion in some places so that it sounds less comfy and more distant.
Cyan - represents him very well. Propriety, honor, tradition, and a tinge of sadness (the sadness--we all know why--that he would not let show). Tradition reflecting his resort to using techniques (no pun intended) of olden (or 'golden'?) days past and his aversion to technology. The opening flute sounds appropriately 'Asian', especially considering that he is a samurai.
Forever Rachel - while Rachel's theme is based on Locke's theme and is not truly independent, this makes complete sense, since the only plot-significance that Rachel has is through Locke and his memories and emotions. The emotion of the theme is appropriate, and quoting Locke's theme, in Uematsu's style of modification, makes the connection beautifully. Also note the use of tonality--alternating between G major and G minor, done very smoothly.
Setzer - indeed, the most lavishly grand theme of all for the most daring and wealthiest gambler. Note the thick instrumentation and the optimism of the theme.
Mog - this version of the generic moogle theme fits quite well on Mog. Both cool and cute, but much more cool than cute, are represented in this theme. And it sounds appropriately like something a person (or a moogle, Mog himself, perhaps?) could dance to.
Epitaph - Daryl's theme, like Rachel's theme, is for a character revealed through an associated protagonist, and again, it makes perfect sense that this track is based on Setzer's theme. It sounds appropriately like reminiscing, even though I have slight disagreements with some of the harmonies.
Umaro - one of my favorite themes, and an excellent orchestration from Uematsu that reflects the size of everyone's favorite sasquatch. Great use of timpani to suggest heaviness as well.
Locke - while this track isn't too appropriate for the term 'thief', Locke resoundingly rejects that label because, just as this theme reveals, at the core of his heart he is an adventurer and a 'treasure hunter'. This track, especially its use of percussion to 'create' a sense of vivacity, reflects a bountiful energy to go out and see the world.

Okay fit
Celes - as someone mentioned, it only reflects the part of her personality that is displayed as Maria. Although she does at times act like a damsel in distress, what about her being the sassy 18-year-old general?
WoB theme (as for Terra) - this rating is the highest I can give this track for being Terra's theme. While she is sort of the main character for the WoB, the game never actually associates it with her by playing it when stuff happens to her (its use is solely as an overworld theme). It also reflects determination, which Terra doesn't really have that much of.
Strago - an interesting theme with strange quirks, like Strago. Well, not exactly too much like him, though, because it emphasizes the sense of mystery when we first meet Strago, but not so much the 'knowledgeable sage' part of his personality. Still, a nice theme, though.
Gogo - an excellent theme that's an okay fit. Sounds 'weird', 'quirky', and somewhat playful. In my opinion, it feels more like her/his cave than her-/himself, especially since Gogo has no real personality. However, it would be interesting to wonder how a theme that incorporated bits and pieces of all other character themes (except Kefka's) would sound.

Bad fit
Gau - only emphasizes "aww" aspect of Gau. What about all those years he spent jumping around with monsters?
Relm - the music suggests a very pure, peaceful young girl. I hear neither her tendency to get into trouble nor "fuddy duddy" (or, if you prefer a stronger effect, [insert expletive(s) here]).
Sabin - Edgar's royal and outgoing theme does not match a person who has spent a great part of his life living in near-solitude and training to become a martial arts master. What's appropriate is the re-use of melodic motifs/material from Edgar's theme (we all know how they're related), but it shouldn't be the entire theme.

This post has been edited by Glenn Magus Harvey on 1st November 2005 20:01

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Check the "What games are you playing at the moment?" thread for updates on what I've been playing.

You can find me on the Fediverse! I use Mastodon, where I am @[email protected] ( https://sakurajima.moe/@glennmagusharvey )

My posts always seem so small compared to GMH's...

Good Fits

Mog: It reflects his personality, if you ask me. The whole whimsical thing pretty much describes the whole moogle race. They're so cute! If I heard that song and didn't know who's theme it was, I'd think it would be a cute character. The only reason its not a 10/10, is because it sounds more like a world map theme than a cute little cat thing's theme. Overall fit: 9/10

Strago: Imo, this is the best fit in the game. It really catches the humorous part of his personality, and also fits the old man part. I can't explain it, but this song definitely fits Strago. Overall fit: 10/10

Cyan: It really catches the lonely loner part of his personality. The sad part reflects on his loss, and how he has to cope. It sounds kind of like a faded castle theme, which is good because of what happens to the kingdom he lives in. Overall fit: 9/10

Okay Fits

Locke: It's good for the whole traveler thing, but doesn't catch the whole loyalty trait. I lke themes that catch both the good and bad aspects of a characters personality. The song just deosn't feel like it belongs. Overall fit: 7/10

Celes: The song seems like it basically focuses on the Solitary Island scene. It just sounds wistful and teary-eyed, which is Celes' personality for only a small portion of the game. She really is stronger than that, and her theme song should capture that. This song should stick to the opera, if you ask me. Overall fit: 8/10

Shadow: It captures the whole loner thing really well, but it should focus more on his past than his present condition. He wasn't always emotionless like that. Not to mention how flat the music is. Overall fit: 8.5/10

Edgar: It works for the whole regal king thing, but it should capture the pimpness of his personality! This song is way too flat to properly capture his personality. Overall fit: 7/10

Bad Fits

Relm: She is NOT a fragile little princess. This sprite should show her personality good enough: The song just doesn't fit her. Period. Overall fit: 4/10

Terra: This song doesn't even sound like a character theme! It's a world map theme, for gods sake. Just like GMH, I just say that Awakening is her theme. Fits her much better. The world map theme would probably be better as Locke's theme. Overall fit: 3/10

Sabin: Sabin is a reclusive martial arts trainer, not a rich king person! That's all I have to say. Overall fit: 1/10

There are probably alot of typos, I'm tired and that took me a while.

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eh?

if youve ever heard any of these songs orchestrated, you would understand how Kefka and his song are the absolute perfect fit IMO. a very close second is cyan's. i would place Gau's last, when listening to it (orchestrated) i can never figure out why it is what it is. i think the Wild West song (song from the Veldt) suits gau much better than his actual theme

This post has been edited by Son Of Kefka on 2nd November 2005 05:04

Quote (Son Of Kefka @ 1st November 2005 23:57)

i think the Wild West song (song from the Veldt) suits gau much better than his actual theme

Agreed. I should have mentioned this in my post above, but I forgot...

Counting as a good fit:
Wild West: A nice portrait of Gau's exotic 'home', upbringing, behavior/antics, and even abilities. This is correspondingly what the mental image of Gau is derived from, in the minds of most players for most of the game. (The only other characterization scenes come late in the WoR and are optional; thus, the character theme derived from them is not as appropriate as this track.)

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Check the "What games are you playing at the moment?" thread for updates on what I've been playing.

You can find me on the Fediverse! I use Mastodon, where I am @[email protected] ( https://sakurajima.moe/@glennmagusharvey )

Good Fit:

-Locke- I agree with GMH due to the fact that it doesn't describe him well for being a thief, but rather describes him as an adventuring hero who saves damsels in danger. Well, he's still a thief.. That doesn't mean it should be something like the Zozo song.

-Edgar & Sabin- I quite liked the french horn on this song. Doesn't fit in for Sabin though, knowing that he left the castle.

I'll edit this later... I have to sign off