Final Fantasy 8 is a game about romance, school, and, weirdly, time-travel. It is a game that unites very disparate elements into one beautiful if sometimes untidy package. Blending the tricky, high-minded concept of time manipulation with the raw emotion of first love comes grounded by cafeteria hot dogs and weird school rules to create a game with a unique flavor. It might not always be to everyone’s taste, but FF8 is a beloved member of the Final Fantasy canon all the same.
FF8 leans so earnestly into making this mish-mash of themes work that it succeeds in making its own distinct aesthetic. Everything in the game reps for this aesthetic, including one of the most important elements to establishing a “feel” - character outfit design. Some characters capture the whimsy of FF8 better than others, but one thing is for sure - these aren’t your usual school uniforms.
11 Laguna Loire
Laguna is originally introduced as a Galbadian soldier, but through the events of the game, he is revealed to be Squall’s father. He has a heart of gold and the attention span of a goldfish.
The thoughtless nature of Laguna’s clothes tells of his impatience. His outfit is mostly unremarkable, but he wears his hair long, a clue in JRPGs that he’s at least hero-adjacent. His short bomber jacket bears a family resemblance to Squall’s, but he wears his sleeves rolled up showing that, despite his immaturity, when there’s a need he’s still willing to get the job done.
10 Ward Zabac
Ward is Laguna’s comrade-in-arms. He’s a tough guy, but he’s also not afraid to let people in. When Laguna and his party nearly perish, Ward offers some words of comfort and thanks to his buddies in one of FF8’s surprisingly touching moments.
Ward’s clothing choices indicate that he’s not afraid to be exposed physically either, what with his lack of body protection aside from a tank top. His rolled-down overalls also show that he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, whether that’s in war, or as a janitor in a Galbadian prison.
9 Quistis Trepe
As the youngest woman to ever become a SeeD, Quistis is not afraid to go after what she wants (unless Rinoa got there first). Quistis spends FF8 both crushing on Squall and working to prove herself worthy of being his mentor, and this duality is reflected in her clothing.
Quistis wears practical tall boots and gloves, but she finishes the look with a midriff-baring shirt and pencil skirt combo that doesn’t seem like ideal fighting garb. Her iconic hairstyle is half professionally pulled back, and half softly framing her face. Her clothing shows her inner conflict of forcing herself into a responsible role of teacher, and her desire to be seen as a young woman worthy of friendship.
8 Selphie Tilmitt
Selphie is an upbeat transfer student and party planner. Her quest to put on the best Garden Festival possible seems frivolous at first, but after her former school is destroyed, her determination to pursue the joys of life takes on a new poignancy.
Selphie has a straightforward manner and that’s represented in her lack of accessories. But Selphie’s joie-de-vivre is reflected in her upturned, bouncy hair, and her simple sunshine-yellow mini-dress. She’s a girl who appreciates the simple things in life, who sees the value in joy and friendship and laughter, and knows that’s what they’re fighting for.
7 Zell Dincht
Zell is the martial arts master of the group, a SeeD whose obsession with hotdogs and boundless energy gives off major overgrown kid vibes. He’s also one of the strongest party members.
Zell is determined to be taken seriously, despite not having yet shed the cloak of childhood. He wears a look like a cartoon American skateboarding teen, with his red sports jacket, long jean shorts, and sneakers. Zell is also the only one to have an adopted family, and it takes the course of his journey to see that being shorn up by this love makes him stronger, and not a “chicken-wuss.”
6 Irvine Kinneas
Irvine is a sharpshooter who joins the party with an ill-conceived plan to kill the sorceress that relies on him alone. Irvine seems cocky, flirtatious, and overly-confident when he first joins them, but at the moment of truth, he has a crisis of identity, outing his confident swagger as the costume that it is.
It’s appropriate then that, out of all the characters, Irvine most looks like he’s wearing a costume and could be playing the role of sharpshooter out of an American western with his cowboy hat, ponytail, and buckskin coat.
5 Kiros Seagill
Kiros Seagill is a Galbadian soldier with a wit as sharp as his dual blades. He has a love for action, following Laguna around in a search for excitement after they are released from the army.
Kiros has one of the most distinctive character outfits in FF8, with his long braids, earrings, and tight red jumpsuit. This fits well with his personality, particularly as it pertains to Laguna - Kiros keeps his wayward buddy in check with his deadpan quips, but he’s also a powerful fighter and uses both these skills to help Laguna run Esthar.
4 Seifer Almasy
Seifer is a failed SeeD candidate who is Squall’s counterpart in many ways. They both wield gun-blades and sport mirror-image scars. It makes sense that Seifer’s outfit design would be like an evil twin version of Squall’s.
Seifer, like Squall, armors himself in clothes that cut him off from others, but where Squall ultimately learns to open up, Seifer remains rigid in his belief that he is above everyone else. Where Squall sports a short leather coat, Seifer dresses in a floor-length coat made to intimidate. Squall’s hair is long and romantic; Seifer’s is military short. The cross designs almost call to mind a religious order, reflecting Seifer’s zeal for his destiny as the Sorceress’ knight.
3 Squall Leonhart
It’s mostly through SeeD Squall Leonhart’s eyes that the player experiences FF8. Squall holds himself separate from the other characters, refusing to let himself be emotionally vulnerable until his romance with Rinoa forces it on him.
All of the characters go questing in their street clothes, but Squall’s all-leather ensemble most closely approaches armor. His multiple belts with their enormous buckles, his necklace, and ring, all add to his prickly appearance. Even the fur detail around his neck gives him the look of a cat with its hackles up. Despite the aggressive adornments, underneath his jacket Squall wears only a simple tank top that does nothing to protect him, indicating that underneath his stoic exterior, he’s still a vulnerable kid looking to be loved.
2 Edea Kramer
Edea is the sorceress who plays the antagonist to the party for much of the game. Eventually, they discover that she is actually the woman who raised them all who is possessed by a sorceress from the future named Ultimecia. She, along with another possessed sorceress named Adel, also both have some incredible outfits.
Edea’s original form, as Matron, is just a simple gray, modest dress. All the fancy accouterments of her sorceress’s clothing - the headdresses, the feathers, the plunging neckline, and the fabulous spike-covered cape - are clearly the identity of someone else. Ultimecia might be pure evil, but being a timeless being seems to have paid off in style.
1 Rinoa Heartilly
Two things are true about Rinoa - she is the heart of FF8 and she is a bit of a hot mess. She’s a girl who wears her heart on her detachable sleeve, and she’s willing to do the dirty work in the name of justice - if only she knew what that work should be.
Rinoa’s practical boots and shorts show that she’s ready for the rough life, but her miniskirt and long blue duster sweater show that she hasn’t accounted for everything. The mismatched ensemble indicates Rinoa’s desire to be of use, but also that she’s prone to making impractical, impulsive mistakes. Then, there’s the ring she wears – a replica of Squall’s. Its meaning is about as subtle as Rinoa herself but that quality makes her endlessly endearing both to Squall and to fans.
NEXT: Final Fantasy 8: Remastered: 10 Things We Wish We Knew Before Starting The Game
