Shadow (Final Fantasy)

Not to be confused with Shadow the Hedgehog.

Shadow
Final Fantasy character
Concept artwork of Shadow by Yoshitaka Amano for Final Fantasy VI
First gameFinal Fantasy VI (1994)
Created byTetsuya Nomura[1]
Designed byTetsuya Nomura (preliminary)[2]
Yoshitaka Amano[3]
Kazuko Shibuya (sprites)[4]
Voiced byYoshito Yasuhara[5]

Shadow (Japanese: シャドウ) is a character introduced in the 1994 role-playing video game Final Fantasy VI by Square Enix. He was conceived by Tetsuya Nomura, based on a character class idea he had wanted to utilize in Final Fantasy V. A ninja mercenary, he travels with a canine companion, Interceptor (インターセプター, Intāseputā), and is available during certain sections of the game as a party member. Elements of his past may also be revealed to the player, in which they discover he was originally a robber named Clyde, who after the death of his partner in crime abandoned eventually abandoned his past and took on the name Shadow. He has since appeared in other games related to the Final Fantasy franchise, including Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia, where he is voiced by Yoshito Yasuhara.

Shadow was well received upon debut, praised for his character depth compared to the other party members but also the illustration of his past within the game itself and how it relates to particular characters. His moment of self sacrifice in the game, and the fact players are able to choose whether or not he permanently dies at that particular moment has been seen as one of the most impactful moments of such within the Final Fantasy series as a whole. His musical theme has also been heavily examined, and how it conveys the image as a character that has cast away much of himself through the use of melodies similar to that of Clint Eastwood's A Fistful of Dollars.

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  5. ^ ［TGS 2016］「ディシディアFFOO」のバトルシステムなどが紹介されたライブ放送をレポート。「シャドウ」の参戦も明らかに [[TGS 2016] Report on the Live Broadcast Introducing the Battle System of Dissidia FFOO. The Participation of “Shadow” Is Also Revealed]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2024.