The Best Female Final Fantasy Characters

Key Takeaways

• The Final Fantasy franchise has a large fan following and is praised for its world-building, emotive stories, memorable characters, and immersive gameplay.
• The best female Final Fantasy characters are not necessarily the leading ladies, with some of the series’ villains also making a huge impression on players.
• The series has grown over the years with an increase in the number of female characters and their importance to the plots of their respective titles.

The Final Fantasy franchise is one of the most popular in all of gaming and has continued to shape and redefine the JRPG genre since making its debut way back in 1987. These days, the series has 16 mainline titles to its name, as well as a plethora of sequels, spin-offs, remakes, and remasters.

The games are often praised for their world-building, emotive stories, memorable characters, and immersive gameplay, and as such, the franchise has a large fan following. There have also been many fan-favorite characters over the years, with the best female Final Fantasy characters leaving a lasting impression on both the franchise and its players.

Updated November 4, 2024, by Tom Bowen: Though it perhaps falls a little short when it comes to main protagonists, the Final Fantasy series has provided plenty of memorable female party members over the years. The likes of Tifa and Terra have made a huge impression on fans, but they are far from the only ones. Just as the series has grown since the mid to late nineties, so too has the number of female characters in Final Fantasy games and their general importance to the plots of their respective titles. The best female Final Fantasy characters aren’t always heroes either, as evidenced by the strength of some of the series’ sinister leading ladies.

25 Jessie Rasberry

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 7

Although many still prefer the original game, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake project did an excellent job of fleshing out some of Midgar’s inhabitants. Both NPCs and party members alike benefited from the 2020 title boasting a fully voiced cast of characters, but none more so than Avalanche member Jessie Rasberry.

Like her fellow eco-terrorists Wedge and Biggs, Jessie only played a minor role in the original release of Final Fantasy 7. However, Final Fantasy 7 Remake sees her take center stage at several points during the story. She makes the most of her time in the spotlight too; with the devs able to squeeze in some new backstory as well as teasing a potential romance between Jessie and Cloud.

24 Sarah

First Appearance: Final Fantasy

Princess Sarah may not be playable in the first Final Fantasy game, but that’s not to say that she doesn’t still have an important role to play in the game’s plot. What’s more, her legacy would continue long after the game’s closing moments, with her name being given to just about every other princess that can be found across the Final Fantasy franchise.

Perhaps the most interesting iteration of Sarah is the one from Mobius Final Fantasy: a game in which the princess is not only playable but also one of the three main characters. The short-lived mobile title did an excellent job of further exploring her character, providing a healthy mix of personality and backstory for players to sink their teeth into.

23 Faris

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 5

Though it may be a common theme throughout the franchise, not all Final Fantasy princesses are named Sarah, as evidenced by Princess Lenna in Final Fantasy 5. She’s not the only princess in that game either, with her sister Faris also serving as a party member as the story progresses. Of course, when she first joins up with Bartz and Lenna, nobody knows her true identity.

The idea of a badass pink-haired pirate princess is a lot more interesting than the typical depiction of nobility found in Final Fantasy games. In many ways, Lenna and Faris would serve as a precursor of sorts for Edgar and Sabin in Final Fantasy 6, with each game boasting a more traditional crown prince or princess as well as a more laidback and adventurous sibling.

22 Scarlet

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 7

Having played a fairly subdued role in the original release of Final Fantasy 7, Scarlet’s prominence in the first two parts of the remake and the Yuffie-centric DLC suggests that there may be bigger things in store for the Shinra executive this time around. Even if there aren’t, her role in Intergrade is already enough to earn her a prominent place in the series’ rogues’ gallery.

Fans of the original release will likely have fond memories of the slapping mini-game, which sees Scarlet and Tifa slapping each other off atop a giant Mako cannon. Given how evocative the villain is in the remake, one suspects that this iconic scene will be infinitely more powerful when fans eventually get the chance to experience it again in glorious HD.

21 Benedikta Harman

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 16

Benedikta’s time in the spotlight is relatively brief when compared to some of the other characters in Final Fantasy 16, but she still made quite a big impression on players. This was in part down to her fiery personality and the way that she interacted with some of the other dominants in FF16, but also to some of the mystique surrounding her past.

Benedikta is initially shown to be romantically involved with Hugo, yet through flashbacks, players learn about her past relationships with both Cid and Barnabas. She’s one of those larger-than-life characters who steals every scene without doing anything in particular and is very much in keeping with Final Fantasy 16‘s Game of Thrones theme.

20 Celes

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 6

Although Terra is generally considered to be the main protagonist of Final Fantasy 6, there’s an argument to be made that Celes is equally important. It’s she who guides players through one of the most depressing and soul-destroying sections of the game, demonstrating relatable emotions that, as a half-Esper, Terra just isn’t capable of.

What’s more, Celes’ tragic character arc is infinitely more satisfying than Terra’s, with the latter’s relying more on a poorly explored and underdeveloped twist than any real substance. Celes, on the other hand, demonstrates real growth throughout the events of the game and, for the most part, does what needs to be done with very little drama.

19 Ultimecia

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 8

Much like the series’ long list of heroes, the overwhelming majority of Final Fantasy villains have been male. It’s perhaps for this reason that Ultimecia stands out quite as much as she does, though it’s equally probable that her insanely powerful abilities also factor into her memorability somewhere.

Final Fantasy 8 certainly has its issues, but one area where it truly excels is in its writing; particularly when it comes to the way that it sets up its antagonists. Seifer and Edea perfectly dress the stage for Ultimecia, and her subsequent performance absolutely knocks it out of the park. Of course, it certainly helps that Ultimecia can bend both time and people to her sinister will.

18 Shantotto

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 11

Shantotto is one of the NPCs from Final Fantasy 11. As a Black Mage, she is largely tied to the Black Mage job questline, which was to be her only function originally. However, her character grew and she became one of the main NPCs in the overall storyline, as well as being the main feature of the A Shantotto Ascension expansion.

Shantotto is characterized by her signature laugh and unique way of speaking. In English, she rhymes, while in the Japanese version, she speaks formal Japanese. Shantotto is a fan favorite, so it’s no surprise that she features as one of the characters in the Dissidia series, and also cameoed in a timed event in Final Fantasy 14.

17 Serah Farron

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 13

Serah is the younger sister of Final Fantasy 13’s main protagonist Lightning and serves as the driving force behind the narrative, with Lightning hoping to save her sister from her fate of being a l’Cie. Interestingly, in the second game in the Final Fantasy 13 trilogy, Serah becomes the protagonist, although Lightning returns as the main character for the third and final game.

Although she is a fairly forgettable character in the first game, which is understandable as she doesn’t feature on screen much, Serah more than makes up for it in Final Fantasy 13-2 and proves to be one of the best female characters in the franchise. She’s incredibly likable due to how ordinary and relatable she is, which is somewhat rare in a series that’s known for its over-the-top characters.

16 Y’shtola Rhul

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 14

Much like Shantotto before her, Y’shtola started life as a somewhat unspectacular NPC in a Final Fantasy MMO. At the beginning of Final Fantasy 14 she’s just a simple Conjurer, but through subsequent expansions, Y’shtola goes on to become a Sorceress with a few unique abilities.

Y’shtola makes her mark on the plot of the game too, with there being many memorable scenes in which she kicks butt and proves herself worthy of being a fan-favorite character. She also plays an important role in the Dissidia series, although it’s her role in Final Fantasy 14 that makes her so adored by fans.

15 Aranea Highwind

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 15

Aranea Highwind may only have been a side character in Final Fantasy 15, but was able to leave her mark on the Final Fantasy fandom due to the fact that her character exudes awesomeness. As a Dragoon, she is not only a worthy warrior, but also has gorgeous armor, which is very much in keeping with the signature Dragoon style.

Aranea first features as a boss for players to defeat but also serves as a temporary party member later in the game. Her popularity with the fans has led to her featuring in many Final Fantasy spin-off games, including a bunch of mobile titles like Mobius Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy Record Keeper, and Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.

14 Beatrix

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 9

Beatrix is the general of Alexandria, and, as such, she serves Garnet’s mother, Queen Brahne. Final Fantasy 9 players first will need to fight and defeat Beatrix at three points throughout the course of the game, although she later becomes a temporary party member.

Beatrix is steadfastly loyal to Alexandria and its citizens, which makes her a really admirable character. She is also able to use white magic in battle, as well as her Seiken ability, which, much like Steiner’s Sword Art, gives her sword skills extra offensive damage.

13 Fran

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 12

A playable character in both Final Fantasy 12 and Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings, Fran is the most striking character out of the two titles due to her being a member of the Viera race. It’s not often that the franchise offers players such a varied cast, so it was refreshing to have the mysterious character of Fran included.

Although she is more reserved than some of the other characters in the game, Fran still oozes attitude and can quickly silence anyone with a stern glare. She is highly skilled when it comes to weaponry and combat and is a very worthwhile party member when all’s said and done.

12 Selphie Tilmitt

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 8

There were a few fantastic female characters featured in Final Fantasy 8, but Selphie is arguably the best one. This cheerful young woman manages to balance a light-hearted character with more serious scenes, as well as offering up comic relief without it being cringeworthy for players.

Selphie is immediately endearing and players often forget that she deals with some of the worst heartbreak in the game, as out of all of the Gardens, it is her home of Trabia that is destroyed. The scene where Selphie visits the graves of her friends and speaks to them is heartwrenching and further solidifies the bond that players have with her.

11 Terra Branford

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 6

Terra is one of the main playable characters of Final Fantasy 6, all of whom share the spotlight at various points. Terra is probably the one who has varied the most in design though, with her hair sometimes being shown as green or blonde and her outfit changing dramatically across concept artwork, FMVs, and in-game sprites.

Terra is one of the best female Final Fantasy characters due to her character development, which sees her transform from a slave of the Gestahlian Empire to a central member of the resistance fighting against them. Then there’s her connection to the Esper world, which makes her a formidable force to be reckoned with.

10 Freya Crescent

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 9

Freya is one of the companions that Final Fantasy 9 players come across over the course of the game’s story. She is Burmecian: a race of anthropomorphic rats that live in Cleyra and Burmecia. Freya is an awesome female character who strays from the usual guise of a Dragoon and instead has an outfit that is uniquely her own.

Freya’s touching side story about her seeking her long-lost love only to find that he no longer remembers her is just one of the many sad interludes woven into the tale of Final Fantasy 9. She’s one of the most memorable characters in the game too and one of the best female Final Fantasy characters of all time.

9 Lulu

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 10

Lulu is one of Yuna’s guardians in Final Fantasy 10 and one of seven playable party members. Fans were immediately smitten with her cool gothic style and stern personality. Despite making an appearance in the sequel, Final Fantasy 10-2, Lulu was relegated to a side NPC who had recently become a new mother, rather than taking part in Yuna’s little Charlie’s Angels-like setup.

Unsurprisingly, Lulu emerged as a fan-favorite of Final Fantasy 10 as she offered a more mature female character than some of the women who had come before her. With this in mind, it’s a little disappointing that she didn’t play a larger role in the game’s sequel, although fans appreciated the continuation of her character arc nonetheless.

8 Jill Warrick

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16 made some pretty big changes to the series’ tried and tested formula; the most notable being the lack of a traditional party system. However, Jill still accompanies Clive throughout much of the main story and is responsible for some of the game’s best and most heartfelt moments.

Although she may not serve as the game’s main character, Jill’s backstory and motivation for joining Clive are no less compelling. The time she spent in the Iron Kingdom and the evil deeds that Imreann forced her to carry out left their fair share of scars, yet she remains strong and hopeful in the face of unimaginable adversity.

7 Lunafreya Nox Fleuret

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 15

Despite serving as the game’s heroine, Lunafreya was given surprisingly little screen time in Final Fantasy 15. However, even though it seemed as if players barely get to scratch the surface of Lunafreya, she remains one of the most intriguing, and therefore, best female Final Fantasy characters to date.

Arguably, Lunafreya represents one of the few times where the female lead is the one pushing the events of the game forward and saving the hero instead of the hero saving her. It’s for this reason that fans were bitterly disappointed when the Episode Lunafreya DLC was canceled, along with a few other episodes.

6 Aerith

First Appearance: Final Fantasy 7

Aerith wasn’t the first party member to die in a Final Fantasy game. Far from it, in fact. However, both the manner and the timing of her death make it one of the most memorable by far, and a big part of this is down to Aerith’s wonderfully whimsical character and the air of intrigue and mystery that surrounds her right up until that point.

From the moment Cloud and Aerith first meet in the Sector Seven slums, she’s a character who’s hard not to like. The more that players learn about her, the more meaningful her contributions to the group dynamic become. The darker tone that kicks in following her death only serves to highlight how important those contributions really were.