One of the most intriguing games that Square Enix has lined up for this year has to beStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. This game certainly looks unique, as it combines theFinal Fantasyfranchise with a Soulslike action-RPG style. The initial showing of this game at E3 2021 led to immediate mixed reactions, where fans and critics harpooned its edgy aesthetic and tone. The game is reported to be acting as aprequel to the originalFinal Fantasygame, which only raised further questions about the story.
One of the biggest subjects of mockery and speculation from fans was the game’s protagonist, Jack. However, due to his character design clashing tonally with the rest of the game, and some heavilymemed footage ofFinal Fantasy Originshowing him using his modern age smartphone in a high fantasy world, it’s been speculated that Jack is actually an isekai protagonist.
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Isekais are a very popular Japanese fantasy subgenre where normal everyman protagonists are transported to a brand-new fantastical world. This is only bolstered bypopular isekai animesuch asRe:Zero,Konosuba, andThat Time I got Reincarnated as Slime. Considering Jack’s usage of modern technology, his character design being more realistic and grounded, and his one-track minded goal to kill Chaos, this was a plausible theory. However, the developers of the game were quick to shoot this theory down.
In an interview with Inverse, producer Jin Fujiwara was told that fans have speculatedStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originmight be an isekai. Fujiwara immediately debunked this theory, saying “It is not meant to be like an isekai, sorry. We understand that people may have seen the protagonist’s outfit, which seems very modern compared to your typical high fantasy, and may have had that interpretation.” He then goes on to explain how it fits together, where the people of Lufenia have had both ancient and advanced technologies co-existing, which is why the game has both high-fantasy and modern touches.
Fujiwara goes on to say that people must have gotten the isekai idea from howFinal Fantasy Origin’s protagonists are dressed, which may seem strange and can give off that impression. He assures fans that the story of the game will explain how the people of Lufenia utilized both the fantasy elements and modern technology together, telling fans that it will make sense by the end of it. Considering the usage of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” playing on Jack’s smartphone in thefinal trailer ofFinal Fantasy Origin, fans should be in for a very interesting story with the knowledge that it’s not an isekai.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originlaunches August 03, 2025 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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