Final Fantasy IV: The After Years

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, known in Japan as Final Fantasy IV The After Years: Tsuki no Kikan (ファイナルファンタジーIV ジ・アフターイヤーズ -月の帰還-, roughly translated as Return of the Moon) and originally released for Japanese cellphones as Final Fantasy IV the After: Tsuki no Kikan (ファイナルファンタジーIV ジ・アフター -月の帰還-), is a sequel to Final Fantasy IV, released in Japan on February 18, 2008. The game was originally released for the NTT Docomo FOMA 903i series of phones, and later released for au EZ Web on May 15th, 2008, and Yahoo! Keitai on November 4th, 2008. Like the earlier cellphone game Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, this game was released in an episodic format, with a series of thirteen chapters (or nine tales on the Wii) from February 18th to December 24th, 2008. Executive Producer, Takashi Tokita has stated the game was released this way so that players would anticipate new chapters like an anime or manga series, and also cited the game  as an inspiration. The game's feel remains largely similar to Final Fantasy IV, with sprites being used rather than 3D graphics.

The game has been released as WiiWare, in nine chapters. The base game (consisting of the Prologue, Ceodore's Chapter, and Kain's Chapter) costs 800 points. The Gathering Chapter and both parts of the Final Chapter are also bundled together for 800 points. The other character chapters cost 300 each.

On December 13th, 2010, Square Enix announced Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection coming to the PlayStation Portable in Japan in Spring 2011, which will include remakes of both Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years and also a new scenario to connect the stories of Final Fantasy IV and The After Years together.

The story of Final Fantasy IV: The After Years is set seventeen years after Final Fantasy IV, and focuses on the return of the second moon.

Gameplay
Gameplay in The After Years uses Active-Time Battle, a system used in older Final Fantasy titles. There are five characters in a party, and many elements of Final Fantasy IV ' s battle system were also added, along with some new features:
 * Moon Phase: Physical and magic attacks of both players and enemies are affected by the four phases of the moon, which change when the player sleeps at an inn or uses either a tent or cottage. For example, when there is a full moon, weapon attack power decreases, while black magic's power increases. This can greatly affect the battle for the player, forcing them to create new battle strategies, though the moon phases also affect enemies. When a command is decreased, the command will be shown in red and when a command is shown in green, it means it get a bonus of strength. In addition to its effects on stats, moon phase also affects which monsters can appear and with what rarity.
 * Band System: Certain abilities that cost MP can be used when certain characters are in the party. For example, Cecil can execute Holy Blade when Rosa is in the party. Also, each character needs to do a specific ability to make the Band ability happen. These Band abilities can be learned as the story progresses, but the player can also learn them by "searching" for them during battle and then inputting the correct commands.

Prologue: Return of the Moon

 * Released in Japan on February 18th, 2008.
 * Part of the Base Game in Wii Ware version.

Seventeen years have passed since the events of Final Fantasy IV, and the world has returned to a state of peace. Ceodore, Cecil and Rosa's son, is an apprentice to the Red Wings, struggling with the expectations and obligations of being born with sacred blood. While returning from an expedition to obtain Ceodore's Proof of Knighthood, the Red Wings airship fleet, captained by the gruff Biggs and his second-in-command, Wedge, is attacked by a mysterious swarm of monsters. Noticing flames rising from Baron's direction, the fleet attempts to return at full speed. At the same time, the monsters besiege the Castle of Baron from an unknown source. As Cecil and Rosa fight the horde to defend their kingdom, they determine the monsters are attacking from above, and look skyward, only to witness the return of the second moon.

Ceodore's Tale: Last of the Red Wings

 * Released in Japan on February 18th, 2008.
 * Part of the Base Game in Wii Ware version

Questioning what the second moon's return could mean, Cecil continues to battle alongside Rosa, and is soon joined by Cid. The group battles their way to the castle's ramparts, when Cecil, sure that Baron will fall, orders Cid to take Rosa and retreat. As Cid and Rosa reluctantly agree, Cecil witnesses the Eidolon Bahamut descend from the second moon, a Mysterious Girl resembling Rydia mounted atop its back. Cecil questions her identity, only to be attacked and defeated by Bahamut. Meanwhile, the Red Wings fleet is damaged, Edge and the dwarves witness a strange occurrence involving the Tower of Babil, and the Mysterious Girl enters the Eidolons' realm of Feymarch to claim the powers of Leviathan and Asura.

The Red Wing fleet crashlands and Ceodore, the sole survivor, resolves to carry out Captain Biggs' final order: to return to Baron. Accosted by monsters, a Hooded Man garbed in robes rescues him, and the two set out for Mysidia, where Porom helps them reach Baron by way of the Devil's Road. Arriving in the village, they find the kingdom is safe, though the soldiers are acting strangely and refuse to let Ceodore into the castle. Infiltrating the castle through the waterway, Ceodore finds Cid's airship missing and comes to the conclusion the castle's inhabitants have been supplanted by monster impostors, while the Hooded Man briefly encounters "Cecil". The two leave the castle and travel through Mist Cave, chased by the impostor soldiers on the king's orders. As the two prepare to traverse the mountains east of Mist Village in hopes of losing their pursuers, the Hooded Man reveals he is searching for a former Dragoon of Baron, vowing to defeat him even at the cost of his own life.

Rydia's Tale: The Eidolons Shackled

 * Released in Japan on March 17th, 2008.
 * Released as WiiWare on June 1st, 2009
 * Released in Europe on June 5th, 2009

The chapter opens with a flashback showing Edge assisting in the rebuilding of Mist, with mentions of Cecil of Baron and Yang of Fabul also rendering aid, and implications that Edge has turned to selling Eblan's royal treasures to help fund the reconstruction, followed by a flashback of Rydia attending Ceodore's birth. The player is shown the events just before the Mysterious Girl's arrival in the Feymarch; Rydia was visiting the Eidolons, but was confronted by Asura who had expressly forbidden Rydia from returning, stating the girl belonged with her own kind. Following the Mysterious Girl's attack, Rydia finds the Eidolons have all been turned to stone. What is more, she soon discovers she is unable to call upon them for aid and is cornered by monsters while attempting to return to the Underworld, only to be rescued by Luca, daughter of the Dwarven King Giott and Cid's apprentice.

They return to the Dwarven Castle aboard the airship Falcon, and witness the Red Wings airship fleet arrive before them. Inside the castle, they find the Mysterious Girl has already claimed three of the Dark Crystals, with only the one located in the Sealed Cavern remaining. With Giott's permission Rydia and Luca set out for the Sealed Cavern in hopes of obtaining the last remaining Dark Crystal before the Mysterious Girl. Though they manage to recover it, the Mysterious Girl defeats them and taunts Rydia, destroys Calca and Brina, and takes the Dark Crystal. Rydia and Luca are forced to flee the Underworld aboard the Falcon and retreat to Agart for repairs. They enter a cave and find some of the material they need to fix the Falcon and scrap Calca and Brina for the remaining parts. (In an alternate scene, if the player found a Mythril Nut, Mythril Spring, and Mythril Bolt, the Falcon will be completely fixed and Calca and Brina are repaired.) Shortly after finishing the repairs, the Eidolon Titan attacks them, but when all hope seems lost a man clothed in dark armor and a black mantle appears and defeats the phantom creature easily. The Man in Black boards the Falcon and urges the pair to travel to the Tower of Babil before history repeats itself.

Yang's Tale: The Master of Fabul

 * Released in Japan April 9th, 2008.
 * Released in North America July 6th, 2009.
 * Released in Europe July 10th, 2009

Yang's tale begins with him training three monks of Fabul. His daughter Ursula enters the castle and pleas with him to train her, but he refuses. Eventually, she goes to Mt. Hobs to train on her own, where she witnesses the Red Wings traveling towards Fabul. After being attacked by a Mother Bomb and rescued by her father, the pair returns to Fabul where they find the Red Wings are attempting to steal the Crystal. More shocking still is the fact they are being led by none other than Kain, who claims to be acting of his own free will. Following a battle with Yang and his daughter, Kain retrieves the Crystal and departs. After the fight, Yang and Ursula decide to go to Baron personally with the help of three monks. On their voyage in a boat, they get stuck on an uncharted island and must find some fuel for the ship. Yang and Ursula are separated within a dark forest. The three monks traveling with them are attacked by an Adamantoise, which barely takes any damage from their attacks. Ursula attempts to rescue them on her own, but still cannot win against it. Yang finally reunites with Ursula, and they band together to defeat the turtle. After they find the fuel for the boat, Yang tells Ursula she has understood something more important than pure strength. He finally allows her to train with him, but asks Ursula to no longer address him as "Father", but instead as "Master." They board the ship and resume their course to Baron, but on the way their vessel gets swallowed up by Leviathan's whirlpool.

Palom's Tale: The Mage's Voyage

 * Released in Japan on May 1st, 2008.
 * Released in North America July 6th, 2009.
 * Released in Europe July 10th, 2009

Palom, vowing to follow in the footsteps of the Great Sage, Tellah, had set out for Troia, a quiet city surrounded by forest and bordering a lake where he trains the young priestess Leonora in the arts of Black Magic. When the Mysterious Girl attacks the city to obtain its Crystal, Leonora opens a secret, underground passageway for them to escape with it. Palom and Leonora capture a Black Chocobo and travel to the Lodestone Cavern hoping to hide it there. They ultimately do battle with the Dark Elf, only to have it defeated by the Eidolon Shiva. Confronted by the Mysterious Girl, Palom takes the Crystal and tells Leonora to flee while he petrifies himself, effectively preventing her from taking the Crystal. However, when the Mysterious Girl threatens to shatter Palom's body to obtain it, Leonora attempts to fight her off. Palom recovers, and in a flashback, it is revealed Leonora was the same girl Palom was flirting with during the ending of Final Fantasy IV. They band together, though Shiva ultimately defeats them. The Mysterious Girl steals the Crystal and vanishes. Meanwhile, on Mount Ordeals, Porom has encountered Kain and senses something has happened to Palom.

Edge's Tale: The Pulse of Babil

 * Released in Japan on May 28th, 2008. 
 * Released in North America July 6th, 2009.
 * Released in Europe July 10th, 2009

The members of The Eblan Four - a group of ninja under Edge's direct command, are revealed to have witnessed and survived the attacks lead by Kain and the Mysterious Girl: Gekkou was entrenched with Yang's monks, Zangetsu was with the dwarves, Izayoi was disguised as a Troian priestess, and Tsukinowa was amongst the mages of Mysidia. Meanwhile, Edge sets out to infiltrate the Tower of Babil alone. Inside, the Eblan Four appear one by one to assist him in battle, forming a strong group and traveling to the peak of the Tower where they find the Mysterious Girl. Though unable to defeat her and the summoned Ifrit, Edge refuses to submit to defeat and the team dives out of the Tower, ostensibly to their deaths. However, they all land safely aboard the Falcon's deck. Edge reunites with Rydia and discusses the events, then recognizes the Man in Black.

Porom's Tale: The Vanished Lunar Whale

 * Released in Japan on June 26th, 2008.
 * Released in North America on August 3rd, 2009.
 * Released in Europe on August 7th, 2009.

The chapter begins with a pair of flashbacks, the first to shortly after the original game's events: it is time for Palom and Porom's magic lessons with the Elder, however Palom has cut class and is trying to impress a group of girls, including a young Leonora. When he is found and punished, he runs away and is again found by the Elder. After a discussion, Palom reveals his desire to follow in Tellah's footsteps, and the Elder eventually agrees to let him follow his dream. Palom and Porom travel to Kaipo where Palom visits the Sage's grave and the pair ventures deep into the Underground Waterway, where Porom witnesses just how strong Palom has become. The second flashback, years later, begins with Porom having reached adulthood, on a trip with Palom to visit Rydia, carried by Cid and his airship because the Devil's Road is closed. When Palom asks Rydia to take him into the Land of Eidolons so he can learn about summoning magic, they visit the dwarves and Luca tags along, however, Rydia is forced to turn back when she is forbidden entry to the Land of Eidolons.

Returning to the present, Porom is praying and senses her brother has arrived safely in Troia. She discusses her desires to become independent when the Elder asks why she did not accompany him, however, they are interrupted when he senses a disruption of some sort. Outside, they find the mages of Mysidia gathering near the Sea of Mysidia, watching as the Lunar Whale rises up out of a whirlpool, slowly floating towards the second moon. Needing the skills of a Dragoon, Porom sets out for Mt. Ordeals with a Black and White Mage in order to track down Kain. Atop Mount Ordeals, they find the tomb of Cecil's father, Kluya, and hear him speak of his sons. Soon thereafter, they locate Kain and, after explaining the situation and having a brief disagreement, set out to Mysidia together. When they reach Mysidia, they find it being attacked by the Mysterious Girl. Kain, wishing to travel to Baron, leaves the Elder and Porom to defend the town. The two battle the Mysterious Girl (who summons Ramuh) and are defeated, with the Elder severely injured. However, in a twist, Kain reappears with the Crystal, offering it to the Mysterious Girl in exchange for his service and a chance to see Cecil. The Mysterious Girl agrees and vanishes, then Kain leaps away, ignoring Porom.

Edward's Tale: Star-Crossed Damcyan

 * Released in Japan on July 22nd, 2008.
 * Released in North America on August 3rd, 2009.
 * Released in Europe on August 7th, 2009.

Edward's chapter starts in Damcyan, which has been rebuilt. Edward's secretary goes off to investigate a disturbance and doesn't return. Edward and three soldiers go out and try to find her. When he finds her, she joins the team and they travel back to Damcyan. When the party returns, Damcyan is surrounded by the Red Wings. After the event, Edward and Harley go through the cave to Kaipo, but Harley falls ill to the Desert Fever. Harley is treated at the same house where Rosa once succumbed to the same fever. During the night, the spirits of Anna and Tellah visit him and Tellah tells Edward Anna wants him to ask what his heart wants, possibly meaning he should find a new partner. Edward fetches a sand pearl from the Antlion's Den to cure her on his own without the Damcyan guards' assistance. With Harley recovered, they board a ship towards Baron and talk to Cecil. Edward notices Cecil is acting strangely, and secretly leaves some Whisperweed in his throne room to eavesdrop on him. Edward discovers Cecil is plotting something with the Mysterious Girl. After the meeting they head back towards Damcyan, and witness Yang and his ship getting swallowed by Leviathan.

Kain's Tale: Return of the Dragoon

 * Released in Japan on August 20th, 2008
 * Part of the Base Game in Wii Ware version

At Mount Ordeals, Kain rescues Porom and the mages from the monsters. The party heads back to Mysidia where he betrays her and takes the Crystal. He follows the Mysterious Girl back through the Devil's Road. Focus switches back to Ceodore's party making its way over the Mist mountain range to Damcyan. Soon Ceodore reaches Kaipo, where Baron soldiers attack him in the middle of the night. Ceodore and the Hooded Man head through the water cave and encounter and defeat the Octo-Kraken. Inside Damcyan the Red Wings have it surrounded again, and Kain retrieves the Crystal for the Mysterious Girl while also kidnapping Rosa. Edward and Cid who arrive with the Enterprise join Ceodore on his journey back to Baron. Soon they meet with Kain with the captured Rosa in the castle, and upon confronting him, they discern he is actually Kain's dark half who defeated his light half (the Hooded Man) on Mount Ordeals. The Hooded Man (Kain) regains his Jump ability, equips his lance, and fights his dark half. After defeating him, Kain accepts his dark half as being a part of him and merges with it. His appearance changes and he becomes a Holy Dragoon and gains new abilities. The group goes on to confront Cecil and the Mysterious Girl.

Lunarian's Tale: The Blue Planet That Was

 * Released in Japan on September 16th, 2008.
 * Released in North America on August 3rd, 2009.
 * Released in Europe on August 7th, 2009.

The chapter starts in the past, on the Red Moon. The Man in Black is revealed to be Golbez who notices Fusoya is missing. Golbez goes through the Lunar Subterrane, eventually finding Fusoya and helping him in his investigation. The two head to the Lair of the Father. At the end they find Bahamut turned into stone. After leaving the lair they head to a cave where they confront the Mysterious Girl. They battle her and she summons Asura. Afterward she escapes back to the Crystal Palace, where she and Leviathan fight the party. Again she escapes, and they follow her down into the Lunar Subterrane. Where the party of Final Fantasy IV faced Zeromus, the Mysterious Girl is waiting for Golbez and Fusoya. This time she resurrects Zeromus himself, and Golbez and Fusoya fight him. During the fight, Zeromus uses Big Bang, which begins to destroy the palace itself. Fusoya teleports Golbez out of the palace. Golbez takes the Lunar Whale and heads to the Blue Planet. During the ride, he dreams of when he was possessed by Zeromus in the past. The player briefly takes control of Golbez during Cecil's fights against him in Final Fantasy IV, where the battles are shown from his perspective.

Gathering's Tale: The Moon's Gravity

 * Released in Japan on October 15th, 2008.
 * Released in North America on September 7th, 2009.
 * Released in Europe on September 11th, 2009.

Rydia's party (with Luca, Edge, and Golbez), notice the Moon is turning the color of blood, and is getting closer to the Earth, dropping meteors and damaging the planet. The party tries to enter Baron Castle but see it has been guarded by an Eidolon's force field. Golbez decides they must go around the world and find a way to break the force field. The party fly to Mist and Rydia's mother's spirit advises them the force field will be broken if they save the other Eidolons from their mind control.

In Kaipo, Yang and Ursula are passed out in their beds. At Fabul, the party get the frying pan and a ladle from Sheila. When they give Ursula the ladle and whack Yang with the pan, they join along with the Sylphs. Troia is covered in ice. Inside the Lodestone Cavern, Shiva is holding the place under a spell; after defeating her, Rydia either gains her as a summonable Eidolon or destroys her. Palom and Leonora joins after Troia is unfrozen.

Eblan is engulfed in flames in Ifrit's possession. Edge tells everyone to flee so he may take Ifrit on by himself, but is defeated. Rubicante (the former head of the Archfiends) suddenly appears, and in a scripted battle gives Edge a clue on how defeat Ifrit. Edge bands together with Rydia to defeat Ifrit with Rubicante's Inferno skill. Upon Ifrit's defeat, he rejoins Rydia.

In Mysidia the party fights Ramuh and recruits Porom. Afterward they head to Agart and fight Titan, who opens a rift in the ground, swallowing the party whole. After climbing back up through Agart's well, Porom appears briefly to assist them by casting Float on everybody, rendering him defeatable. After Titan has joined them, the party drags an exhausted Porom back to the Falcon. They return to Mist, where the Mist Dragon joins Rydia automatically.

The party journeys to Baron Castle where they break the force field. The scene switches to Ceodore's party (with Kain, Rosa, Edward, and Cid), who fight the possessed Cecil and Odin. During the fight, Odin comes to his senses and knocks Cecil out of his possession. While the others are nursing Cecil, Ceodore joins with Rydia, Golbez, Rosa, and Edge to take out the Mysterious Girl. She dies, but dozens of her appear from nowhere and say they await them on the True Moon. Golbez calls the Lunar Whale to chase after them.

Final Tale, Part One: True Moon

 * Released in Japan on November 19, 2008
 * Released in North America on September 7th, 2009:
 * Released in Europe on September 11th, 2009.

The chapter starts on the Lunar Whale, parked outside of the Subterrane of the True Moon. Cecil has lost himself and can barely talk or recognize the world around him. His stats and White Magic are also temporarily gone. All 22 characters are available at this point. In the crater dungeon, each of the eight Crystals are scattered about and each Crystal contains a boss fight: Baigan, the Magus Sisters, Dr. Lugae with Barnabas, Edge's parents, and the Four Elemental Archfiends including the aforementioned Rubicante, Barbariccia, Cagnazzo, and Scarmiglione. Leviathan and Asura are also within this dungeon, and can be obtained. At the end of it, Cecil and Golbez fight Dark Knight Cecil, who uses a special attack to bring all characters to near-fatal status. Then he tries to kill each party member one by one by striking them, but Cecil blocks each hit. When the Dark Knight attacks Cecil, Golbez jumps in front of Cecil and guards him from the attack, taking a mortal blow in the process. However, if the player has Golbez, Ceodore, Cecil, and Rosa in the party when they encounter the Dark Knight, Golbez will survive. Cecil regains his lost strength and White Magic and claims the Excalibur. After the battle, Cecil thanks Golbez and the party, and then heads to a warp tile which ends part one.

Final Tale, Part Two: Planet Eater

 * Released in Japan on December 24, 2008
 * Released in North America on September 7th, 2009.
 * Released in Europe on September 11th, 2009:

The party continues on to encounter Crystals containing bosses that have previously appeared in other Nintendo era Final Fantasy games. Omega and Shinryu from Final Fantasy V, and Ultima Weapon and Deathgaze from Final Fantasy VI are available as optional bosses, as well.

The party soon encounters the Mysterious Girl, who summons Bahamut. After an intense battle, Bahamut comes to his senses and turns on the Mysterious Girl, pushing her back. Several clones confront the party, revealing the Mysterious Girl's name to be Maenad. Soon enough, the party reaches The Creator, the last surviving member of a species which once prospered on the distant edge of the universe, but ultimately destroyed its own civilization. Concerned about whether or not evolution was a necessity and wishing to conduct experiments regarding the evolution of life, it created a host of Crystals capable of recording the history of a world and distributed them upon planets which held the promise of life. Creator mass-produced and dispatches the Maenads to recover the Crystals. It deems the Blue Planet's races evolutionary failures whose continued existence cannot be permitted, and, like the worlds of other inferior races, attempts to devour the Blue Planet with the True Moon, which is revealed to be the remains of a space fleet once manned by the Creator's race.

The party engages The Creator in combat and after defeating it, the area begins to explode, forcing the party to retreat. The Creator pursues them throughout several battles, although Maenad joins the party in an attempt to help. A meteor spell destroys both of them, The Creator thanking the party as he perishes.

The Ending begins as Corio observes the Red Moon leaving once more, paralleling the original game's end. The Lunar Whale returns to Earth, with the party intact, along with Maenad. Leonora is present in Troia as the priestesses offer her a position, which she declines. The player witnesses Izayoi disguised as one of the women present, laughing. Leonora heads off to Mysidia, where Palom and Porom are with the Elder, who offers them a joint position as new leaders of Mysidia. Palom complains about not being ready or wanting to handle the responsibility. Next, Leonora shows up and asks Palom and Porom to train her as a sage, now that she has quit the priesthood. Tsukinowa is disguised as a frog keeping watch.

At the Dwarf Castle, Giott and Luca are approached by Cid and Mid (Cid's grandson), who go to work on an airship, trying to figure out how to power it with the Crystals' magic (with a disguised Zangetsu also present, nearly blowing his cover by saying "NALI-ho" instead of "LALI-ho"). They also mention disarming all weapons. In Fabul, Yang begins to train Ursula himself, reminding her that he is not going to go easy on her just because she is his daughter. As she gasps for breath and picks herself back up, Gekkou admires the kingdom's strength. In Damcyan, Edward and Harley observe the Crystal. Although pulled away by an elder for discussion about Cecil's plan to amass the material needed to rebuild all the damage caused to the Blue Planet since the moon meteors nearly destroyed it, Edward sees the spirits of Tellah and Anna, and thanks both of them.

Edge leaves Eblan Castle for Mist. He dismisses the Eblan Four, but they swear to await further orders. In Mist, Rydia is currently raising a small girl named Cuore (who appears to be a child version of Maenad). Both Leviathan and Asura arrive, greeting Rydia and saying they figured that since Rydia was not able to make it into the Feymarch last time she tried, it was their turn to pay her a visit. Edge arrives to see Rydia and Asura reveals it was Edge who invited them.

Finally in Baron, Rosa referees a sparring match between Cecil and Ceodore, with the player in control of Ceodore. The battle is timed and seems to make no difference who wins. Kain, new leader of the Red Wings, appears and drafts Ceodore for a new quest: to travel the world rebuilding all the damage caused by the meteor attack. Rosa and Cecil think of Golbez, who has taken the Lunar Whale in an attempt to locate Fusoya and the other Lunarians. Biggs and Wedge's spirits make brief appearances behind Kain as he warns Ceodore they would be disappointed if he whines about it. They board the airship with Luca and Cid as they head off to Damcyan meet Edward and Cecil to gather materials.

Returning

 * Cecil
 * Rosa
 * Kain
 * Rydia
 * Yang
 * Cid
 * Edge
 * Palom
 * Porom
 * Edward
 * Golbez
 * Fusoya
 * Luca
 * Calca
 * Brina
 * Leonora
 * Kain?

New

 * Ceodore Harvey: Cecil and Rosa's seventeen-year-old son, who joined the Red Wings in hope of following his father's footsteps.
 * Ursula: As Yang's daughter, she wishes to become strong like him, but he refuses to teach her.
 * The Eblan Four: A group of ninjas from Eblan, consisting of four members; Gekkou, Izayoi, Tsukinowa, and Zangetsu.
 * Harley: Edward's personal secretary, she is determined to become a scholar.
 * Mysterious Girl: The Mysterious Girl is the game's primary antagonist who is collecting the Crystals. She bears a striking resemblance to Rydia although with blue hair instead of green.
 * Biggs and Wedge: Two Red Wings soldiers who die early in the game trying to protect Ceodore.
 * Mid Pollendina: Cid's grandson.

Trivia

 * The game takes place seventeen years after the original Final Fantasy IV, a most likely intentional timescale because the original Japanese release of The After Years was seventeen years after the release of Final Fantasy IV on the SNES.
 * The game has some similarities with the Square RPG Chrono Trigger, such as the combination attacks and the nature of the final boss. This is likely due to the involvement of Takashi Tokita, who had directed Chrono Trigger sometime after having worked on the original Final Fantasy IV.
 * The plot at the end of the game is also similar to the end of Final Fantasy VI, in which the world is ravaged and the party members must be reunited by traveling the world, which when brought back into the party, wait on the airship while the player's party travels.
 * Ceodore's artwork was altered for the game's American version. It is a somewhat less manga-esque face than in the Japanese version.
 * Many pieces of artwork featuring Porom, Rydia, and Ursula were altered to be less revealing in the American version.
 * Many unused items are in the game's code, and still have their stats intact. This includes equipment exclusively found in the Advance version, and others not found anywhere else, such as the Tokita Sword. The Tokita Sword gives characters maximum stats, and allows them to break the damage limit of 9,999. It is possible these items were transferred from the code of the Advance version, or were also used for beta testing.
 * Square Enix published a novelization of the game in Japan in March 2009. It was written by Ichiro Tezuka, who is also known for writing the scenario to ''
 * Circulated a rumor that the game would come to Xbox 360, but not confirmed anything.''