Anima (summon)

Anima is a summon, or Aeon, from Final Fantasy X.

Anima causes an immense amount of damage with all attacks. "Pain", her special attack, is an instant kill attack, which deals colossal damage to the few enemies immune to death spells. It also ignores defence and is actually more effective than Oblivion versus some stronger enemies like Dark Bahamut. It is a special type attack, neither physical nor magical. Her devastating overdrive, "Oblivion", does 16 hits in PAL version and thus can cause up to 1599984 damage (16x99999).

In order to obtain Anima, a player must have unlocked all of the treasures using the Destruction Spheres in the Cloister of Trials, including Zanarkand. At Baaj, the player must fight a boss named Geosgaeno (the first boss Tidus faces when he comes to Spira) in order to gain entrance to a sealed room. Afterwards, the player views a cut scene and Yuna harnesses the incredible power of Anima. Anima's Fayth form, a beautiful woman, was voiced by Hedy Burress, who also provided the voice of Yuna.

History of Anima
Anima is known as "the Dark Aeon" and is the only optional Aeon players can control as they would a typical Aeon. Her special attack, Pain, is exceedingly powerful and can, in some cases cause instant death to the enemy.

Like all aeons, Anima is the physical manifestation of a dream of a specific fayth - in this case, Seymour Guado's mother, whose real name remains unknown. The object of much animosity for her interracial marriage to Lord Jyscal Guado, she was exiled with her young son, Seymour Guado, to Baaj Island for their protection. When Seymour demonstrated exceptional talent in the art of summoning, his mother encouraged him to undertake the pilgrimage to Zanarkand and volunteered to serve as his guardian along the way. When they reached the Zanarkand Ruins, Seymour's mother offered herself up to be turned into the fayth for the Final Summoning; Seymour, however, broke off the pilgrimage and fled into the wilderness. His mother's fayth was transported by Yunalesca back to Baaj Temple, which was later destroyed by Sin and subsequently abandoned.

When Yuna visits the ruins of Baaj Temple in the game, she is greeted by Seymour's mother's fayth, who tells the story of Seymour's past and offers Anima's services to Yuna to help her destroy Sin. She reveals that she holds no ill will towards her son; rather, she blames herself for failing to sufficiently prepare him for the challenges and pressures that would face him as a summoner and a half-human living among Guado. Having always felt responsible for Seymour's downfall, she views her service to Yuna as her last opportunity to atone for her decisions and welcomes the chance to be possessed by Yu Yevon in the final battle.

Dark Anima
Dark Anima is fightable after the Highbridge event near the end of game. To make Dark Anima appear player must return to the Mt. Gagazet Cave and complete the trial where Wakka must throw his ball at a target. Once it is done Dark Anima will appear at the base of Mt. Gagazet. Her "Pain" is an instant kill attack that works even on characters with Deathproof. Her most powerful attack is "Mega Graviton", which tears off 7/16 of all characters' maximum HP.

Anima in Final Fantasy X-2
Anima's fayth tried to stop Shuyin's apocalyptic plan, but she, like the others, ended up possessed by his hatred. She was the final Aeon the heroines faced on their way to the Farplane.

Etymology
Anima is a feminine Latin noun for "soul" or "breath". Ancient Romans believed that one's anima resided in the chest; when a person died, his or her soul escaped from the body with the breath. Anima was associated with emotion and the heart; its metaphysical counter part, animus, was manifested in the brain and in one's sense of logic.

In Jungian psychology, the Anima can be defined as two things:
 * One's inner self, which is in contact with the subconscious, as opposed to one's outward persona.
 * The subconscious (yet partially consciouns) female psychological qualities, which Jung said reside in all males and is usually an aggragate of a man's mother, but may also incorporate aspects of sisters, aunts, and other important female figures.

The second definition could very much relate to Seymour's relationship with himself and his mother. Also, seeing that Anima is Seymore's Final Aeon, it shares a special psychological bond with him, which could further "prove" Jung's theory.