Fan art is what brings a feeling of closeness and of personalization into gaming. Game developers can create a character with all of the most modern tools available to them, but there will always be works of art to follow shortly after the game has been released. These drawings, paintings, and digital designs are put forth by gamers and artists who have their own imaginings of a character and their own ideas of what they'd be like in an alternate reality. In a world separate from that of animated graphics, artists develop a sense of attachment to the characters they portray so differently than what was intended by game developers and, often times, these portrayals make them feel a bit more real.

Alternately, artists have the creative ability to turn these characters into whatever they want. With the single stroke of a brush or sketch of a pencil, one can turn a character into something seemingly harmless and innocent, or create a monster out of someone who was not portrayed as beastly in their game-created storyline. Some of the best character renditions out there are easy enough to find now that everything is uploaded to the internet and we've sought out some of the most classic characters, represented in ways that make them seem much more human, rebellious, and epic.

Here are some of the best, and most epic, fan reimaginings of classic characters we all know and love. These artists hold so much talent, and we're happy that we get to share them with everyone!

25 Rinoa, Truly A Sight To Behold

via: facebook.com/thetakemi

While Final Fantasy VIII was recently the brunt of a cruel joke made popular by social media when news broke about how the game would not be ported to the Nintendo Switch, it still holds it on as a cult favorite. With a storyline that's laced with romanticism, sci-fi, and cruel intentions, Rinoa tops out as one of the most beloved magic-wielders in the series for some fans. This artist rendition paints her exactly as she should be: Stunningly beautiful, bold, and quietly fearless.

Art by Takemi.

24 Vincent Valentine, A Vampire Worthy Of The Title

via: shrimpheby.deviantart.com

Some of us (I will slowly raise my hand) were a bit surprised to find a vampiric character in Final Fantasy VII but the more we played, the more Vincent became a character that you effortlessly fell in love with. His charismatic charm combined with his chiller of a backstory, as well as the fact that his ultimate attack is highly regarded, created a nearly-permanent party member. I applaud the anime-style art that creates this impression of Vincent, taking "tall, dark, and mysterious" to a new level entirely. Also? I would pay to watch this anime.

Art by ShrimpHeby.

23 Cloud Strife, Misunderstood And Brooding

via: artstation.com/jiuge

First of all, this is a painting worthy of being framed in a museum. While it might only be appreciated by fans of the Final Fantasy franchise, Cloud is probably one of the most iconic characters out of the entire series, let alone Final Fantasy VII. This is one of the best portrayals I've personally seen of him, and it uniquely captures a moment of strength and vulnerability, concurrently. His face is strong yet strained, and what is it that he's reaching out for? Could it be Tifa? A fellow party member? The One-Winged Angel himself? Who knows.

Art by Fan Yang.

22 Zidane Tribal, The Heroic Thief

via: tumblr.com

I adore anime, as many gamers do. I'm also a firm believer that Final Fantasy IX was one of the greatest games in the franchise and demonstrated everything that Final Fantasy is, stands for, and could be. Zidane is a character worthy of being loved and has a trying charismatic personality that kind of melts your heart, but kind of makes you shake your head at the same time. It's charming enough for Garnet (or Dagger, or Sarah) to fall in love with and we can see why in this artistic creation.

21 Sora, The True Pumpkin King

via: twitter.com

Don't worry, we didn't devote this entire list to Final FantasyKingdom Hearts fans are once again ruling the world with the release date of Kingdom Hearts 3 soon approaching, and this artwork of Sora in Halloweentown just gets us even more hyped for the eventual saga endgame. The style is nothing short of perfection and it gives me chills to see Sora sitting back-to-back with a monstrous heartless, perhaps the artist knows something we don't? This is a piece of art I could stare at all day.

20 Vanitas, He Really Can't Get Any More Epic, But...

via: zerochan.net

To say Vanitas is my favorite villain out of the entire saga would be an understatement. Not only is he the embodiment of pure darkness, but (spoiler) he is the adjoining half of one of the most sweetly innocent characters in Birth by Sleep. This uber realistic depiction of Ventus' other half, from his searing, golden eyes to the Void Gear keyblade he carries. His name was derivative of the word "vanitate" meaning "emptiness" in Latin. It's fitting for this tragic villain, to say the least.

19 Claire Redfield, One Girl We Don't Want To Mess With

via: deviantart.com/philiera

Okay okay, Claire was pretty epically portrayed in the Resident Evil movies as well, but we can't deny the fact that the best Claire will always be from the games. This is a work of art that we'd likely find at a horror convention and immediately purchase to hang in our game room... You know, those of you who need an entire square footage to nerd-out. She's still depicted in a feminine way but has a fierceness that's evident in her eyes as well as her mid-walk stance. I'll take it.

Art by Philiera.

18 Sonic The Hedgehog, Improved, And Upgraded

via: deviantart.com/yoshiyaki

I'll be the first to admit that I was never the biggest Sonic fan, but even I can appreciate this crazy approach to the quirky character. Sonic was fast, efficient, and bold. This all-encompassing metal suit makes him look more like Iron Man than a classic video game character, but somehow I think he actually looks better this way. This is a guy I would trust to save an entire city, not just roll around collecting variously-colored loops at the speed of light.

Art by YoshiYaki.

17 Sora, In The Flesh

via: deviantart.com/bulletproofturtleman

One common notation that all gamers make when playing Kingdom Hearts is the noticeable size of Sora's shoes as well as his uniquely-created outfit, as a whole. I love seeing artists create a much more realistic version of him and this is definitely one of my favorites. He appears here as an older, potentially wiser kid, who is in mid-battle with a keyblade that contains a power he may finally understand. Here, he looks like a true keyblade master, contrary to what we'd learned in Dream Drop Distance.

Art by BulletproofTurtleman.

16 Mario, A Beast Of An Italian Plumber

via: twitter.com

There's no denying the fact that any game featuring Mario will forever be regarded as a classic. All we have to go off of are the graphics that were given to us well over a decade ago (as well as a ridiculous live-action adaptation), therefore, enter fanart onto the scene. This insane portrayal of Mario features flaming gauntlets, a fully-ripped and armored Mario, and an expression that would make any enemy soil their britches. Suddenly we see what Princess Peach saw in him... Some has been taking "GTL" seriously.

15 Frog, An Actual Knight

pinterest.com

This one goes out to all of you Chrono Trigger fans who would love to see a comeback as well as a remake of the series. While we have no power of what goes through the development department at Square Enix, we can provide you with a great piece of artwork as a tribute to everyone's favorite character. Frog, otherwise known as Glenn, is a knight in the true definition of the word despite his amphibious appearance. This painting is a bold nod to his duty throughout the game.

Art by Daniel Riddle.

14 Heather Mason, A Heroine

via: pinterest.com

While the protagonist of Silent Hill 3 was already human and represented pretty well as far as PlayStation 2 graphics go, it's refreshing to see artwork that sheds her in a unique light. This rough sketch makes incredible use of shadowing to create a worn-out yet determined expression on Heather Mason's face as she wields her trademark weapon -- a steel pipe -- in her right hand. The artist seemed to have sensed a certain amount of strength within the character, which results in a personal connection to the character.

13 Riku, If He Were To Enter Birth By Sleep

via: deviantart.com/mcashe

This bit of am in-game crossover is something that I really love. Keyblade armor is part of what made the design of each protagonist from Birth by Sleep so iconic and it almost makes us with every character in the saga had it. Here, Riku's armor is clearly inspired by his keyblade, Way to the Dawn. As if he couldn't look more like an epic rebel, the look on his face is pure determination and there's such power in his clenched fist. Move aside, Sora... Kingdom Hearts has a new hero.

Art by MCAshe.

12 Birth By Sleep As An Anime

via: twitter.com

Let's be honest -- You would totally watch this if it premiered on Crunchyroll. We've seen plenty of mangas dedicated to the franchise, but fanart like this is what keeps fans hoping for a little something more than just a cutscene movie. What's so engaging about this mock-poster is the addition of support characters such as Zach, young Lea (formerly Axel), young Isa (formerly Saix), and Vanitas. Their expressions sell it, as they are all purely expressive to each character depicted here. I officially declare this artist to be a national treasure.

11 Terra, Beauty And Strength All Rolled Into One

via: imgur.com

I don't need to go very in-depth on the quality of the graphics we dealt with in order to play Final Fantasy VI, however, for the time, they were everything. Kefka usually steals the stage when it comes to this game, along with his ever-so-notable theme song, Dancing Mad. Since we're focusing on heroes here, I'm shifting the light to Terra, because I truly believe that she deserves her own spotlight. Her story begins as a mystery but this artwork depicts how intense and graceful she is by the end of the game.

Art by LucidSky.

10 A Happy Scene From Final Fantasy IX

via: twitter.com

Chocobos are life, am I right? All joking aside, each protagonist in Final Fantasy IX was just as significant as the next and while Beatrice and Freya are missing from this outrageously happy picture, we can blissfully assume that they're back in the castle enjoying their quiet girl time. Pictured is Garnet, Eiko, Vivi, and Zidane, joyfully galloping (or do Chocobos trot?) into an inevitably beautiful sunset. A perfect piece of fanart to fit a magnificent story with a heartwarming, yet bittersweet, ending.

9 The Team From Final Fantasy VII, A Force To Be Reckoned With

via: pinterest.com

Well, the gang's all here! Final Fantasy VII is a cult favorite in the truest sense of the word and captivated millions with a storyline that was insane, heartbreaking, and infuriating.  I have to applaud the crossed Buster Swords as a great main focal point for this movie-esque poster as a whole. All the support characters are exactly where they should be with the addition of a Tifa and Aeris, a fighter and a healer, standing between the ultimate villain. I can almost hear One-Winged Angel playing in the background...

8 Crash Bandicoot, If He Were Something Out Of A Spooky Movie

via: deviantart.com/strixic

What's normally a fun and not-creepy-in-any-way game, the artist responsible for this unique interpretation decided to go with a bit of a drastic, yet awesome, take on the protagonist. Pinterest user Dmitry Porshnev said of this artwork that he wanted to "draw something freaky and a bit more realistic-looking." It was done with fine-liners and marker and really is a masterpiece of a take on something a bit more dark and sinister. Two thumbs way the heck up on this one.

Art by Strixic.

7 Mega Man In Real Life

via: twitter.com

Since Mega Man has been both a video game as well as an anime, there's not much room to play around with an artistic depiction of the protagonist... Or so I thought. That was until I ran into this little number that portrays the robot-boy as a real-life human being. This artwork depicts Mega Man as if he'd come to life and had dethroned the Avengers in the battle to save planet earth. As a real-life human, this version of Mega Man is serious, mature, and out for vengeance.

6 It's An Explosion Of Mario And Luigi

via: twitter.com

I'm not sure I've ever seen so many characters from Mario Bros. jammed into one solid picture, but here we are. What I love so much about this artwork is that it depicts the games in a light that's realistic to how they feel while playing them, but also add much more detail than you normally get when scoping out each character. The best part? The fact that there's a turtle being (so appropriately) kicked toward the screen, as it hurtles forward with an expression that's seemingly quite accurate.