The Final Fantasy franchise, as we all know, is one of the biggest names in RPGs. The interesting thing is what an underdog story it all is.

When Square launched the original title, almost thirty years to the day, it was a desperate last-ditch effort to keep the company afloat at all. Nobody could have foreseen the incredible heights this game would reach, the fifteen main numbered sequels it would spawn to date, the umpteen trillion spin-offs and cash-ins.

It’s a real Slumdog Millionaire tale, I guess you could say, and Hollywood bigwigs need to get in on it right freaking now. Even with all of that said, though, it hasn’t all been rosy for Final Fantasy. Far from it. Universal popularity is completely impossible, and there are snarky haters everywhere just waiting to dump all over your fame and limelight.

Still, that’s how it is I guess. Just ask Kanye West; the man knows everything there is to know about the price of fame. You don’t get solid gold Humvees and glossy spreads in magazines without intrusive paparazzi. You don’t get to be one of the most acclaimed video game franchises of all time without being utterly and thoroughly beaten by the meme stick.

Final Fantasy is the perfect candidate for this. Surly protagonists, anime tropes-amundo, oddly hilarious mechanics, shonky translation… making a great Final Fantasy meme is like shooting fish in a barrel. Let’s settle in for a look at 25 Hilarious Final Fantasy Memes That Will Leave You Laughing.

25 Zack, The Super Slick Jokester

16- Zack, The Super Slick Jokester
Via: Pinterest

We’ve already spoken about Grandpa Simpson and Cloud Strife, two characters who have way more in common than they have any right to. With their miserable, miserly demeanours, Match.com and such would have paired these two together straight off. You’d better believe it.

Within the games’ universe, of course, Zack and Yuna never got the opportunity to meet. In the Final Fantasy series, each individual title bears zero relation to the next, unless we’re talking the occasional Dissidia mashup. Both had difficult darn lots in life, however, and maybe something could have bloomed there.

One thing’s for sure, though. If he ever did encounter Yuna and take a fancy to her, he’d have to try a little harder than this. The summoner is not easily amused.

24 Can We Talk About Rinoa’s Standards?

4- Can We Talk About Rinoa's Standards
Via: kym-cdn.com

Now, I know what you’re thinking. I’m thinking it too, actually: this is all kinds of a cheap shot.

Final Fantasy VIII was released in 1999, just a couple years after VII hit. The eighth numbered entry is often regarded as the black sheep of the Final Fantasy family, the odd one that nobody really wants to have over for Thanksgiving because of that business in the pet shop that one time. The game did away with a lot of familiar RPG mechanics, and its easily-abused junction system didn’t sit quite right with many fans.

Presentation-wise, though, it was leagues above. From that opening Liberi Fatali custscene, you knew you were in for something damn special. For a late 90s PS1 release, that is. Even so, looking back, I can’t help but think that Rinoa really should have gone to Specsavers.

23 Turns Out, Kamikaze Dog-Bombs Are A Bad Idea (Who Knew?)

12- Turns Out, Kamikaze Dog-Bombs Are A Bad Idea (Who Knew)
Via: Imgur

For much of Final Fantasy VIII, Rinoa remains entirely un-magical. She’s just a regular teenage girl, token love interest and part-time resistance leader and government-screwer-wither (if you’ll excuse the technical jargon).

Later in the game, she inherits the powers of a formidable sorceress, and a new limit break becomes available to her. Angel Wing is a sort of magic-based Berserk state, in which the player loses control of Rinoa and she hammers the enemies with powerful spells. By manipulating the magic in her inventory, you can make Angel Wing stupendously powerful.

Which is all well and good. Before her awakening, though, Rinoa’s limit breaks instead revolve around her dog, Angelo. The dog will help her out in battle, by finding items or rendering the party invincible for a brief time. Most importantly, Angelo can attack enemies by being ‘fired’ at them like a huge furry-butted cannonball.

22 Throwback To The Time Sabin Suplexed A Train

23- Throwback To The Time Sabin Suplexed A Train
Via: memecenter.com

Sabin is part of a long and noble Final Fantasy tradition: Monks being incredible badasses (it’s one of my personal favorite job classes, in case you didn’t notice that sneaking in there).

Sabin Figaro appears in Final Fantasy VI, twin brother of Edgar. As such, he is an heir to Edgar’s throne, but that’s about all the brothers have in common. Sabin is no super cultured, tea-sipping sort of dude, and is completely nonplussed by the visit to the opera. Ain’t nobody got time fo dat, as the meme goes.

As a monk, his primary role in battle is physical melee combat. He is probably more proficient at this than anyone else in the series, as evidenced by the hilarious time he suplexed a train in that one encounter.

21 Time Was Super Kind To Reno

1- Puberty Was Super Kind To Reno
Via: Pinterest

There are few games in the series more controversial than Final Fantasy VII. This was the title that pointed both barrels of JRPG goodness straight at our Western eyeballs and pulled the trigger. Before then, the genre as a whole was super niche around these parts. For many fans, this is the greatest Final Fantasy of all. For others, it’s totally archaic, and is only so well-renowned because it was the game that a generation lost their JRPG cherry to.

The game’s impact cannot be understated, but nor can the hilarious shoddiness of its graphics. Early 3D visuals were an abomination, let’s be honest, and it’s only in hindsight that you can see how bad some of these titles truly looked. Look at Original Reno’s cheekbones! They’re sharp enough to give your papercuts just looking at them.

20 Because Lightning's Done Being Rehashed

19- Because Lightning's Done Being Rehashed
Via: gawkerassets.com

Now, I arrived really quite late to the last-gen party. I was hesitant to jump on board with the Xbox 360 and PS3, with all of these horror stories of red rings of death and consoles the size of the average studio apartment. As such, when I finally did hop on board, Final Fantasy XIII was already established. As was its reputation.

For me, then, this was one of my first experiences of next-gen console gaming (in the last gen, if you follow me). Everything I’d heard about the game was true, in my eyes: it was pretty darn gorgeous, by all accounts, but the linearity of most of it was disappointing.

We all know how that story ended. Squaresoft dropped another couple of XIII-based titles, and Lightning thoroughly outstayed her welcome.

19 FFXV’s One Direction DLC Is Going To Be Something To Behold

2- Final Fantasy XV's One Direction DLC Is Going To Be A Sight To Behold
Via: imgflip.com

From the early trailers and footage of Final Fantasy XV, I couldn’t quite tell what I was letting myself in for. More than a lot of series in video games, Final Fantasy is known for treating the ladies rather well. They’re protagonists, major characters, combat equals, and all-round independent women who snap their fingers in a Z formation and don’t need no man.

XV, then, came as a real surprise to me. It’s part Final Fantasy and part Sausage Party, the tale of Prince Noctis and his studly squad, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus. This title, too, was controversial, and nobody seems able to agree whether it’s an admirable open world sort of situation or an unfocused sidequest ‘em up.

One thing I can tell you for sure is that these four have always looked like Whitesnake gone a little wrong to me.

18 Okay, I Need A Final Fantasy Mashup Horror Movie In My Life

3- Okay, I Need A Final Fantasy Mashup Horror Movie In My Life
Via: DeviantArt (Shizonek)

This franchise seems to draw fans in for all sorts of reasons. Seasoned RPG lovers have hopped on board, and whole new ones have been made after taking a chance on an entry in the series. I was one of the latter, way back.

Every series entry takes a different approach to character progression, customization and all of that hoopla. In some, you’re offered blank slates you can pretty well equip as you please, as with VII’s materia system or VIII’s junctioning. In titles such as IX or the earlier entries, you’ve got a class system (jobs) that defines what your party members can do in battle and their general roles.

One of my favorite aspects of this series is the widely diverse range of characters. There certainly are as many different personalities as there are clichés in a horror movie.

This has Oscar winner written all over it.

17 The Decade-Old Spoilers Hurt Almost As Much As The Feels

7- The Decade-Old Spoilers Hurt Almost As Much As The Feels
Via: Pinterest

Is it too soon? I think it is. It will always be too soon, in my eyes. Stop this already.

When it comes to Final Fantasy deaths, naturally, there’s one major loss that comes to mind. The whole Sephiroth kills Aerith, although technically Sephiroth doesn’t actually kill Aerith at all, if you want to be a smarty-pants about it thing is well documented. It’s probably the most-spoiled spoiler in video game history.

This moment is so significant that it completely overshadows another traumatic loss, that of Cloud’s buddy Zack Fair. For much of the game, Cloud’s memories are not solely his own but partly Zack’s too. When you return to the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim after restoring Cloud to ‘himself,’ an optional cutscene kicks in which tells the whole sad story. Not to mention Crisis Core, if you ever played that on PSP.

16 Kefka Judges You

18- Kefka Judges You
Via: cosplayisland.co.uk (GameLink7)

Again, I’m a little conflicted here. On the one hand, I think that anybody who’s being judged by Kefka should probably rethink a life decision or two. After all, this was the guy who seized power of the Kingdom of Vector, waged war against much of the world and brought about the apocalypse. He also declared himself the God of Magic, of course.

As evil CVs go, that’s quite an impressive body of work. Kefka is often regarded as one of the most memorable and purely evil villains in gaming; pretty good going again.

As I say, then, when he’s able to call you out, you know that you really, really done goofed. The posers of the internet (read: the vast majority of people on the internet) take note.

15 The Tonberries Aren't Taking ANY Of Your Guff

20- The Tonberries Aren't Taking ANY Of Your Crapola
Via: Pinterest (FFXIV Lumin)

Of all of the series’ iconic enemies, these little guys are probably the most unassuming of all. Tonberries are just adorable, whichever way you slice it, and I always felt a little pang of remorse whenever I killed one. Just imagine how I felt in the Centra Ruins, wiping them out until the Tonberry King appeared to avenge his fallen comrades.

Just like several exes we’ve all had, though, they seemed sweet and innocent enough until the façade drops and all of their crazy spilt out all over the kitchen lino.

As the Tonberry slowly shuffles towards your party members, you might think it just wants a hug. Sadly, this is not quite the case. What it actually wants is to dash forward at the last moment and deliver a one shot kill with its wicked knife.

14 This Chocobo Has A Dark, Disturbing Secret

21- This Chocobo Has A Dark, Disturbing Secret
Via: knowyourmeme.com

Well, um… okay. This is a thing now.

You just can’t trust anyone in the Final Fantasy-verse. The shank-happy Tonberries may have deceived us with their adorable design, but we knew that was coming at this point. These guys always charm us right up to the moment they attack us with a rusty kitchen knife. That’s just what they do. Tonberries are a-holes, we all know that.

When it comes to Chocobos, on the other hand, I had no idea this was coming. These great yellow (and an assortment of other colors) ostriches are supposed to be our friends. Our trusted mounts. The grisly tale of the chocobo serial attacker was something I sure could have done without in my life. Why is this a thing?

13 Ignis’s Recipe Crafting Cannot And Will Not Be Stopped, Ever

6- Ignis's Recipe-Crafting Cannot And Will Not Be Stopped
Via: imgflip.com

Back to the wide and wacky world of Final Fantasy XV. As I’m sure you know, each of the four main party members have a specific skill, which comes into play through minigames and other game mechanics. Prince Noct is an avid angler, and often spends hours at a time fishing in the many lakes and ponds of the world (I did, at any rate).

Prompto, meanwhile, is all about photography, and will constantly interrupt you mid-drive to take a shot of a nearby landmark. He’s a pain in the butt with that. The best and most meme-worthy of these abilities is Ignis’s. He’s the group’s chef, and is always devising new dishes to cook at campsites. They each confer a different stat bonus on the party, and each new dish he comes up with is accompanied by that trademark I’ve come up with a new recipe message.

12 Speedo Guys! Speedo Guys Everywhere

8- Speedo Guys Speedo Guys Everywhere
Via: Tumblr

As I say, gamers’ opinions on Final Fantasy VII are an incredibly, hilariously mixed bag. For some, it’s right up there on greatest games of all time lists. For others, it’s criminally overrated, and most who think it’s the best Final Fantasy aren’t too familiar with the rest of the series.

Now, either way, I’m not here to judge. You do you, friends. There’s no right answer here. All of these things are in the eye of the beholder. If there’s one little thing we can all agree on, however, it’s this: the game has some of the most beautifully bizarre, batcrap crazy moments the series has to offer.

The first time I got that Honey Bee Inn membership card in Wall Market, I cruised inside. I had absolutely zero clue what was in store. I left five minutes later, mentally scarred for life.

11 Japan's Priorities- Always On Point

9- Japan's Priorities- Always On Point
Via: Imgur

Japan, as we all know, is the de facto video game capital of the world. A lot of the most renowned developers in the industry are headquartered there, as are a lot of the biggest players.

As a result, they get the vast majority of games and consoles sooner than the rest of the world, a fair amount of which never leave the Land of the Rising Sun at all. It makes perfect sense, then, that you’ll find typically Japanese sensibilities everywhere you turn in certain titles.

This goes a long way to explaining just what in the name of Satan’s tighty-whities is going on with Cloud’s hair. Or Squall’s, for that matter. This is a curious phenomenon known as anime hair, and it’s super prevalent in JRPGs in particular.

10 When Cloud Incurs The Wrath Of Grandpa Simpson

10- When Cloud Incurs The Wrath Of Grandpa Simpson
Via: akamaihd.net

As superficial as it might be, I’m totally down with this. I’ll take a The Simpsons/Final Fantasy crossover wherever I can find one. Who wouldn’t? I don’t know, but whoever they are, they’re not invited to my birthday party.

In some ways, I guess, this is a match made in heaven. You’ve got notorious cynic and bitter old dude Abe Simpson, and notorious cynic and bitter old dude Cloud Strife. Throw in a dash of snark and a questionable-if-endearing Photoshop job, and you’re in prime meme territory.

In both characters’ defense, they had perfectly good reason to be miserable. Cloud, for his part, had all kinds of weirdness going on inside his head. Grandpa, meanwhile, is old, and we know how oldies love to whine about ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING EVER ALWAYS.

9 Squall's Short-Lived Career As A Motivational Speaker

11- Squall's Short-Lived Career As A Motivational Speaker
Via: icanhazcheezburger.com

Speaking of super cynical, woe-is-me protagonists, here comes Squall Leonheart. That’s probably enough said, really.

Now, I must admit, I really couldn’t bear Squall for much of my first playthrough of the game. Generally, with RPGs, our main character is our touchstone, our point of entry, our window on the game’s vast world. They are the companion to the game’s Doctor, if that’s the sort of nerdly analogy you can appreciate.

Granted, we become a little more familiar with him as the game goes on, but the early stages present us with a cold, unapproachable hero, with all the personality of a beige pair of granny panties. His signature line, which he delivers whenever anybody dares try to get close to him, makes everything a little more complicated in a party-based genre.

8 Because Malboros Have ALL OF THE STATUS

13- Because Malboros Have ALL OF THE STATUS
Via: Reddit

Over the series’ long span, times have changed a lot. New mechanics have been brought in, become outdated, and been altered or replaced. Games themselves have fallen in and out of favor. That’s just what the passage of time does to a big franchise.

Despite this, there are some things that will always remain. Resident Evil, for instance, has gone from survival horror to unrecognizable testosterone-tastic action movie. It’s still got that croaky RESIDENT EEEEEEVIL voice at the start there, though, so that’s okay.

When it comes to Final Fantasy, one of these elements is the iconic monsters. The behemoth, cactuars, moogles, and chocobos have always existed in some capacity or other. The Malboro, too, that giant green tentacled thing with the signature Bad Breath move. Screw you and your Bad Breath, Malboro. Screw you forever.

7 That One Noble Who Has To Troll You

14- That One Noble Who Has To Troll You
Via: Facebook (FFMemes)

Being the expansive RPGs that they are, it follows that Final Fantasy games will be replete with little extras. Minigames, hidden bosses, secret challenges and the like. These will range from simple little non-tasks to super time-consuming and infuriating.

Every fan’s Achilles heel will be different. For me, attempting the jump rope game in Final Fantasy IX was one of the most painful experiences I’ve ever had with a video game. DAMN YOU AND YOUR STUMPY LITTLE LEGS, VIVI.

For others, it’s the equally notorious sword fighting scene. Personally, it’s never taken me more than 3 or 4 attempts to get that magic 100, but others have never managed to do it. I play the PAL version, if that makes any difference to anything.

It definitely was that guy though. Look at him, how smug he looks with that bizarre anthropomorphic gerbil-face of his.

6 When You Waste Your Trance Because The Game Hates You

15- When You Waste Your Trance Because The Game Hates You
Via: quickmeme.com

Final Fantasy IX was the last game in the series to hit the PS1. It was released in 2000, and served as an excellent swansong for Sony’s aging, beloved system. In my eyes, IX was one of the best games the console ever got, and possibly my favorite Final Fantasy of all (I’m a little fickle there, and tend to change my mind as I replay them).

Much as I adore the game, am I still willing to acknowledge its faults? You bet your sweet cheeks I am. The battle system moves as slowly as a one-legged arthritic tortoise in a coma, for one, and the trance mechanic is craptacular as well. On this game, your limit break automatically activates the moment your bar’s filled, and disappears at the end of that battle.

In all my many playthroughs of the game, I’ve had as many wasted trances as useful ones.