NHK, as Japan’s national broadcasting organization has made a polling of the most loved Final Fantasy games and summons/bosses. So what is left? We still have one deciding factor behind the amazing franchise and games: theme song. This polling is not region locked, meaning it includes the opinions of all the fans worldwide. And here are the top 7 Final Fantasy theme songs according to NHK.
7. Aerith’s Theme (Final Fantasy VII)
“Aerith’s Theme” is Aerith Gainsborough’s eponymous theme originating from Final Fantasy VII. It was composed by Nobuo Uematsu and contains elements of “Aria di Mezzo Carattere” from Final Fantasy VI. Elements of “Aerith’s Theme” independent of “Aria di Mezzo Carattere” are also present in Yuna’s Theme from Final Fantasy X.
6. One-Winged Angel (Final Fantasy VII)
“One-Winged Angel” is a musical theme from Final Fantasy VII. It is notable for the final boss theme and for being the first theme in the series to features vocals. Composed by Nobuo Uematsu, “One-Winged Angel” became one of the most popular tracks of the Final Fantasy series. Its name refers to Safer Sephiroth who has six white wings where his legs should be and a grotesque black wing where his right arm should be.
5. Blinded by Light (Final Fantasy XIII)
“Blinded by Light” is the main battle theme of Final Fantasy XIII and one of its most prominent tracks, its theme being a leitmotif of the main character Lightning. It was composed by Masashi Hamauzu, who wanted to create something with a catchy melody without being too straightforward. It features violins as the main instrument accompanied by strong percussion.
4. Searching for Friends (Final Fantasy VI)
“Searching for Friends” is a theme from Final Fantasy VI. It is composed by Nobuo Uematsu and also appears on some Final Fantasy games such as Final Fantasy XV, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.
3. Eyes on Me (Final Fantasy VIII)
“Eyes on Me” is the theme song for Final Fantasy VIII. The song was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, English lyrics by Kako Someya, and performed by Hong Kong pop diva Faye Wong. Since its release, the song went on to sell a record breaking 400,000 copies. It also won “Song of the Year (Western Music)” at the 14th Annual Japan Gold Disc Awards in 1999. This was the first time a song from video game ever won the honor.
2. Battle at the Big Bridge (Final Fantasy V)
“Battle at the Big Bridge” or also known as “Clash on the Big Bridge” or “Battle with Gilgamesh” is a recurring theme originally from Final Fantasy V. It was composed by Nobuo Uematsu in 1992 and became a popular theme due to being the leitmotif of the recurring character Gilgamesh, an installment-traveling mascot of the series, and has been remade into different versions.
1. To Zanarkand (Final Fantasy X)
“To Zanarkand” or also known as “Zanarkand” is main theme of Final Fantasy X, composed by Nobuo Uematsu. Being the most loved theme in the series by NHK audiences, “To Zanarkand” also appears on some of the games and spin-offs in the series such as Final Fantasy XV, Dissidia Final Fantasy, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.
Read also: Top 7 Final Fantasy Summons and Bosses According to NHK
So the 468,654 NHK audiences have chosen those 7 themes as the best Final Fantasy theme songs. We have to admit that music plays an important role in our life, and it seems to be happened in the game world too. The presence of theme songs is enough to play our emotions, resulting in the total comprehension of the game’s message through our feelings, just like when I listen to “To Zanarkand”.
Which one is your favorite Final Fantasy theme song from the list? Do you have more masterpieces to add? Please share your thoughts in the comment below.
