Vivi A black magic-using character in the Final Fantasy series and one of the main characters in Final Fantasy IX. Date of Birth: .

Content:

1. Vivi Ornitier: The Enigmatic Black Mage
2. Creation and Design
3. Characterization and Storyline
4. Existential Crisis and Purpose
5. Behind the Scenes
6. Appearances and Reception

Vivi Ornitier: The Enigmatic Black Mage

Vivi Ornitier is a fictional character in the "Final Fantasy" video game series who debuted as one of the main protagonists in "Final Fantasy IX." As a skilled user of black magic, Vivi is an enigmatic and solitary figure who seeks to unravel the mystery of his existence.

Creation and Design

Created by Hiroyuki Minaba, Vivi was redesigned for "Kingdom Hearts II" by Tetsuya Nomura. His design draws inspiration from previous Black Mages featured in the "Final Fantasy" universe. Vivi is clad in a blue jacket and a tall, yellow hat. Apart from his yellow eyes, Vivi lacks any facial features.

Characterization and Storyline

In "Final Fantasy IX," Vivi remains mute throughout the game's main storyline. However, in "Kingdom Hearts II," he is voiced by Ikue Otani in the Japanese version and Melissa Disney in the English version. Vivi's story arc is central to "Final Fantasy IX," with the game's first act focusing on his journey.

Vivi's adventure begins as he travels to Alexandria to see the play "I Want to be Your Canary." However, he is denied entry due to a forged ticket that reads "I Want to Be Your Crow." Vivi becomes entangled in Tantalus' plot to kidnap Princess Garnet. With encouragement from Zidane and Adelbert Steiner, who refers to him as "Master Vivi," Vivi gains confidence and joins the group to rescue Garnet from the clutches of the Evil Forest.

After discovering Queen Brahne's Black Mage Factory in Dali, Vivi resolves to stay with the group to learn the truth about his origin. It is later revealed that Black Mages are mindless foot soldiers created by Kuja, who supplies them to the despotic Queen Brahne in her quest to conquer the Mist Continent. Standing taller than Vivi, Black Mages wear purple jackets instead of blue.

Existential Crisis and Purpose

Vivi yearns to understand his origin and purpose, hoping that he is not merely a soulless killing machine. The enigmatic figure struggles to comprehend how he differs from other Black Mages, particularly his emotional capacity, which is absent in others such as the Black Waltzes. The truth is unveiled by the game's main antagonist, Kuja, in Black Mage Village.

Vivi learns that most Black Mages have a lifespan of only one year, "freezing" afterward in a manner akin to a human death. A conversation with the village elder reveals that Vivi is the prototype for all the mechanical beings and that he will outlive his manufactured kin.

Behind the Scenes

Vivi's pre-Alexandria backstory involves falling off a cargo ship and being "adopted" by a Qu, Ku. Vivi regarded Ku as his grandfather, and they lived in a cave near Treno. However, Ku's death likely motivated Vivi to leave his past and embark on a journey to Alexandria. It is possible that Ku's companionship influenced Vivi's emotional development and self-awareness.

Appearances and Reception

Vivi does not appear in the game's epilogue cutscenes. Instead, five other Black Mages resembling Vivi during his Alexandria appearance are shown. One of them refers to himself as Vivi's "son." Through the ending text, Vivi expresses gratitude to Zidane for the adventure and life lessons, bidding farewell, suggesting his demise.

Vivi appeared in the action-RPG "Kingdom Hearts II," where he displayed reduced magical abilities. In this new setting, Vivi serves as a member of the disciplinary committee in Twilight Town, led by Seifer Almasy. A digital simulation of Vivi was briefly used by Organization XIII to battle Roxas.

Vivi is a playable character in "Itadaki Street Special" and appears in the guidebooks for "Dissidia Final Fantasy" and "Final Fantasy Origins." He also features as a playable character in the rhythm game "Theatrhythm Final Fantasy."

Since his debut in "Final Fantasy IX," Vivi has garnered predominantly positive reception. At Edinburgh Interactive Festival 2006, Margaret Robertson of Edge magazine used Vivi as an example of an "emotionally engaging" character from the "Final Fantasy" series who players knew would ultimately meet a tragic fate.

In IGN's "Top 25 Final Fantasy Characters" list, Vivi ranked second. The review praised Vivi for embodying the best of old and new designs. The reviewer also commended Vivi's "charmingly simple" design and adventurous spirit. Vivi's appeal partly stemmed from his resemblance to the Black Mage drawn by Yoshitaka Amano and his relatable desire to discover his purpose.

IGN editor David Smith called Vivi's introduction a welcome change from the typically uniform portrayal of Black Mages. Smith added that he "found a lot to love under that floppy hat" and that, despite Vivi's somewhat predictable arc, he enjoyed rooting for the underdog.

GameSpot editor Andrew Vestal noted that every character in "Final Fantasy IX" possesses an amusing personality quirk, Vivi's being his clumsiness and existential angst. Reviewer Erin Bell described the cast of "Final Fantasy IX" as largely uneven, but praised Vivi for his contributing role to the game's plotline.

UGO Networks ranked Vivi 18th on its list of "Top 25 Japanese RPG Characters," calling Vivi "gaming's equivalent of the sports retro throwback jersey."

Videogames

Ada Wong	Alyx Vance	John Price
Gordon Freeman	Duke Nukem	Cate Archer