The Elementals of Secret of Mana Are Quintessential
And lore-wise, Legend of Mana tweaked the eight-spirit system to perfection.
Sylph, Undine, Gnome, Salamander and the Swiss Doctor Who Invented Them
Paracelsus changed the world of medicine but also, indirectly, most fantasy RPGs.
A Crystalline Connection Between Final Fantasy VII and Street Fighter III
One anime explains two scenes involving frozen women and subterranean lakes.
Does Final Fantasy Tactics Have Two Characters Named After Beowulf?
How the etymology of Ramza Beoulve’s last name underscores one of the game’s main themes.
How a 1991 JRPG Foreshadowed 2026’s New Weird Tiktok Trend
For veterans of Final Fantasy, the new online awareness of Agartha just might ring a bell.
How Did Final Fantasy Turn Shiva Into a Literal Ice Queen?
Why Hindu gods in video games might read differently than Greek, Norse or Egyptian ones.
Esper, Eidolon, Eikon, Aeon: The Evolution of Final Fantasy’s Summoned Monsters
The reason why we keep renaming them may be bigger than video games.
How Kolchak: The Night Stalker Influenced Final Fantasy
The cult TV series lives on in many ways, including a certain monster character.
How Nonexistence Connects Chrono Trigger to Super Mario Bros. 2
Belthasar was off by one letter; all life actually begins with mu and and ends with mu!
How Chrono Trigger Taught Me the Word ‘Epoch’
Sill Bird? Sylbird? The mystery of the time machine’s Japanese name continues…
Is Final Fantasy IV’s Barbariccia Named After… a Certain Organ?
There may be a deeper meaning to the Elemental Fiends’ Dante connection.
A Speculative Origin for Final Fantasy’s Tonberry
King Arthur, kappa and champagne figure into this weird combo of monastic and monstrous.
The Chocobo Was Not Inspired by Nausicaä, Apparently?
Instead, Final Fantasy’s iconic bird shares a sweet connection with WarioWare’s Pyoro.
On the Origins of Chrono Trigger Character Names
Thirty years later, there’s meaning hidden in the characters who saved the world.
Does Aerith Make a Stealth Cameo in Final Fantasy V?
And also why do the Final Fantasy games think ribbons are so powerful?
Final Fantasy vs. Dungeons & Dragons
And why has the Mindflayer endured when many “borrowed” monsters have not?
Secret of Mana’s Mysterious Blue-Haired Girl
Phanna, Pamela, Marley, Marie — she goes by many names.
Justice for Dyluck: Sacrifice and Star-Crossed Love in Visions of Mana
The Secret of Mana series wants you to die for the greater good… romance be damned.
Why on Earth Was This Final Fantasy Monster Named ‘Veteran’?
The mystery of a baffling localization choice for the recurring Ahriman enemy.
Is Valentina from Super Mario RPG a Jimmy Buffett Reference or Not?
Sometimes a woman with a parrot on her head is just that, margarita or no margarita.