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About Eiko

After Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII changed the industry and widened the RPG audience ten fold, the people at Squaresoft were faced with an epic-worthy challenge of their own: what could follow two full-out phenomena and act as a worthy swan song for the Sony Playstation?

Its answer was Final Fantasy IX, a love letter to Final Fantasy games past. It told the story of a heroic thief, a beautiful princess, and the world they came together to protect. There were knights and dragons; there was magic; there were man thongs.

There was also Eiko.

Eiko's character is one in a long tradition of precocious, magical orphans seen in early Final Fantasy installments. Fortunately Eiko isn't just following tired role. Nay, this little summoner is serving up a generous handful of grade A sass.

As the last survivor of the massacred Madain Sari--a village of summoners--Eiko lives the life of a little princess among the moogle population. When she is introduced to the main party, she decides that the hero Zidane is just the Prince Charming she's been waiting for her whole life--all six years of it.

She sees no difference between herself and the adults around her. She talks to them without pause and openly asserts herself as a "competitor" with Princess Garnet for Zidane's affections. Some of this is justified: she's been surviving almost entirely on her own for years. Although the moogles are more protective of her as she may think, she still sees herself as responsible for them, and resorts to stealing supplies from a nearby village. However, this openness is also what blows her cover; any adult can see through her charade to the lonely little girl in desperate need of friends and family--both of which she finds in the party.

The official profile+

• Name: Eiko Carol
• Age: Six
• Special Abilities: White Mage and Summon
• Character Quote: "I don't wanna be alone anymore..."

After her parents passed away, Eiko was raised by summoners, magic-users with the ability to summon monsters to do their bidding. Under their care, Eiko learned White Magic and developed a very special friendship with the moogles. Although only six years of age, Eiko is a precious little girl. She has the ability to read the thoughts of eidolons and animals.

In addition to Final Fantasy IX, Eiko appears as a Chance Card in the PSP title Itadaki Street Portable, a Monopoly-esque game featuring Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy characters. If you happen to select her card, she'll appear (cutely) on the board and hop around collecting checkpoint icons. She will then give her collected stats to whoever happens to bump into her on the board.

Here's to hoping she's in the upcoming character brawler Dissidia -Final Fantasy-.

Off-Site Eiko resources

• Chibi Eiko (character shrine)
• Tiny Wings of Light (character shrine)
• FFonline.com's Comprehensive Character Profile