Summary

• JRPGs offer a variety of character designs, from fantasy knights to mysterious dolls, adding depth and vibrancy to each game world.
• Radiata Stories, Shadow Hearts, and Dark Cloud 2 showcase unique character designs that blend fantasy and steampunk elements effectively.
• Games like Ys 9, Eternal Sonata, and Final Fantasy 9 feature diverse characters with vibrant designs that enhance the overall gaming experience.

JRPGs are some of the most beloved games in the industry as a whole with fans specifically connecting with the various characters in each one of 🐭them. There truly is a JRPG for everyone from whimsical fantasy adventures to space epics and even some horror-tinged experiences.

One of the best aspects of any JRPG is the character design. More often than not, JRPGs feature a plethora of both playable and non-playable characters. Great JRPGs will take the time to flesh out each character both ♓in terms of narrative backstory and visual styles. These JRPGs feature some of the best character designs, from protagonists to antagonists and everyone in between.

We've ranked the characters designs in these JRPGs based on their creativity and how well the designs fit with each game's world.

Updated on May 22, 2024 by Casey Foot: Though not the most crucial part of deciding what makes a good JRPG, character designs can help you to engage and connect with the characters within the game’s world. We’ve added a few more JRPGs with great character designs to this list in case you were looking for more.

12 Radiata Stories ꦉ

Radiata Stories is a fantasy-themed JRPG with a large emphasis on knights and recruitable characters. Our hero Jack, like many other similar JRPGs, is here to save the day, even though he seems to be a bit lazy overall. His character design and that of the other main characters are simple buꦡt reflect a more adorable, almost chibi-like quality.

Since Radiata Stories focuses on a medieval fantasy world, its towns feature all manner of characters who go about their daily lives whether you are around or not. Characters in this game are typical🌱 fantasy fare but exude a lively quality.

11 Sha🅘dow Hearts

Shadow Hearts is a darker, �🌳�horror-themed JRPG with a unique battle system called the Judgement Ring. It stars Yuri and Alice who are exploring an alternate version of Earth. The character designs in Shadow Hearts are a blend of old-world appeal with an almost Steampunk vibe.

Yuri comes off as a mostly typical JRPG protagonist with long wavy and spiked hair. Alice is a very mysteriously designed character with silver hair. There is 💜almost a doll-like quality to Alice. Each of the other party characters that Yuri and Alice encounter are different and creative.

The second game, Shadow Hearts: Covenant, really upped the ante in terms of goofiꩵness with each new character you come across adding some interesting flair. The main box art featured Karin, though, with her vibrant red hair and 𝄹simple, yet elegant outfit. Shadow Hearts is a series known for its unique character designs with each party member having their own distinct style.

10 🎉 Dark Cloud 2 (Dark Chronicle)

Dark Cloud 2 or Dark Chronicle in some regions was quite the departure from the original Dark Cloud, which featured a darker, more bland color palette. Dark Cloud 2 swaps out the Link-inspired main character from the first game with Max for the seque🌼l. Max is a plucky jack-of-all-trades townsperson who dons overalls and🐲 a newsboy hat.

The characters in Dark Cloud 2 are extremely diverse and pop off the screen with viജbrancy thanks to highly saturated color styles. One of the other main characters, Monica, sports bright red hair and a𒁃 purple steampunk-type outfit. This is a game that nicely blends fantasy with the industrial.

9 Ys 9: Monstrum Nox 🧸

Ys 9: Monstrum Nox is the follow-up to the much-loved Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana. In this entry, the series favorite protagonist Adol, along with his pal Dogi shakes things up with a darker tone. Adol's main character design almost comes off as vampiric with flourishes of red and black with wing-shaped armor.

Along his journey, Adol will encounter a whole cast of silly and quirky monstrums, each with their own unique fantasy-inspired outfit. These characters might seem like traditional anime-inspired characters, but as they evolve in the game, their designs real🐽ly s🎀tart to shine through.

8 🅺 Eternal Sonata

Eternal Sonata is an Xbox 360 and PS3-era JRPG that flew under the radar for many genre fans. This is unfortunate because not only does it feature a wonderful tactical time battle system, but it also features a truly u🧔nique plot and some downright incredible characters.

The most notable character in Eternal Sonata is the Polish composer, Frederic Chopin. Yes, Chopin, is quite literally a central figure in this game. His design is elegant and regal. Joining him are a quirky bunch of characters, including Allegretto, a young boy with strong convictions to make the world more just, and Polka, a young girl who shines with positiv🔯ity𓆏 and light.

7 Final Fantasy 9 🦄

Final Fantasy 9 is easily one of the standout entries in the series. Instead of opting for a more realistic tone and style, it went for a pure fantasy-inspired aesthetic. This change of tone and presentation didn't appeal to all fans, but for those new to the series at the time, it helped pull them in, mainly down to unique character designs.

Look no further than the whimsical, toy-like design of Vivi or the fantasy rogue vibes that Zidane gives oꦜff. Each character in this beloved entry pops with colorful fantasy flourishes.

6 Chrono Tri🌠gger 🙈

When a telepod malfuncti🍨on causes Marle to be sent to another time period in Chrono Trigger, protagonist Crono agrees to go after her. What follows is an adventure through time in a quest to ✨stop an extraterrestrial threat to the planet known as Lavos.

You recruit several party members by visiting different time periods, which means there’s quite a lot of variety when it comes to character designs, incl🃏uding the aptly named robot Robo and prehistoric cavewoman Ayla. The anthropmorphic frog… Frog is a standout among the characters alongside his arch-nemesis Fiendlord Magus, with his long hair, pointed ears, and billowing cloak. The expressive sprite work excellently translates Akira Toriyama’s official artwork, helping each character feel unique and alive.

5 Xenoblaꦦde Chronicles 3

Aionios, the world of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, is torn apart by the war between the Keves and Agnus nღations. A war that the party, made up of soldiers from opposing sides, aims to put an end to, discovering more about the nature of their world in the process.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has a large cast of characters, extending beyond the six main party members to include other recruitable ‘Heroes’ that are 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:each excellently designed. Despite the number of characters, each one has a fantastic design - even regular NPCs are well♛-designed and help to bring the world to life. Some of the best include Mio, Fiona, an🅰d Teach.

4 Dragon Quest 8: Jour🃏ney Of The Cursed Ki🌳ng

Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King is a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:true masterpiece of the JRPG genre and one𒀰 of the best in the Dragon Quest series. This game brought a lot of new players into the fold wi🌄th an engaging fantasy story about the Hero stopping the all-powerful Dhoulmagus, but also with inventive and compelling characters.

The Hero himself donned a simple, yet honorable yellow and blue tunic, with a red bandana. O🌠f course, players also loved Yangus, the short and stout brute of a character who wore a vest, a red sash, striped pants, and a spiky hat. Each character in this game stood out from the pack and helped make this a memorable game.

3 Kingdom Hearts Series 💧

Kingdom Hearts continues to win hearts (pun intended) even to this day. The🧜 original characters are famously designed by Tetsuya Nomura, and each one is excellent. Sora is very much a cartoon-like character with anime influences.

He sports the long spiky hair seen in many Final Fantasy games, but mixes it up w🐻ith a colorful jumpsuit, yellow shoes, and his signature crown emblem necklace. Though his outfit and design change slightly between games, the spiky hair, big shoes, and crown necklace are a constant motif.

It’s not just Sora who has a great character design, either: Disney’s Donald and Goofy have been given a mage and knight spin respectively, and other original characters like Riku and Aqua have strong designs too. Even Final Fantasy 7’🌳s Cloud and Sephiroth received memorable new designs in their cameos.