If you were blown away by the expensive Final Fantasy statue Square Enix unveiled over the weekend, you’re not alone: Series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi couldn’t help but express his own shock at the more than $11,000 price tag.
“Isn’t this a bit much?” Sakaguchi posted to Twitter on Saturday night, according to several independent translations. “Are you okay, Square Enix?”
The gigantic, 1/6 scale model of Final Fantasy VI heroine Terra Branford atop a suit of Magitek armor is part of Square Enix’s “masterline” series, which launched in 2020 with a collection of Nier: Automata statues. I won’t pretend like it’s not beautiful or well-made, what with its gorgeous finish, interchangeable parts, and adorable Moogle accoutrements, but goddamn that’s a lot of money.
Sakaguchi, who guided the Final Fantasy series before leaving Square Enix in 2003 to form Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey developer Mistwalker, added that even the “painfully pretty” dioramas his studio built for last year’s iOS/Mac RPG Fantasian didn’t cost as much as this statue.
Famed artist Yoshitaka Amano also appeared in a video promoting the statue, which is based on his Final Fantasy VI illustrations.
In the days following the statue’s reveal, the internet largely lambasted Square Enix’s attempt to wring so much money out of the Final Fantasy fanbase. Many pointed out you can buy multiples of other high-quality collectibles (like the line’s previous Nier offerings) and even some models of car for around the same price. At least then you’d be able to drive around with a life-sized Lucario in the carpool lane.
Again, I won’t lie. If I had $11,000 to blow on this interpretation of Amano’s work, I might consider buying one. But why does it have to be so big? Couldn’t Square Enix, I don’t know, make smaller models available at a reasonable price point? I’m sure more people would be interested in a version that fits on their desk rather than one that takes up half a room.
“It’s as if a fictional world has become a reality,” Amano said about the collectible during his video interview. “You’ll understand exactly what I’m saying once you see it in person. I hope you have the chance to do so one day.”
Amano, I adore you, but the only way that’s happening is if you send me one. Hit me up, I’d love to chat.
