This song captures the essence of all that is Final Fantasy.
Edward Chris von Muir, on the Music Box in the 3D remake of Final Fantasy IV.
"Final Fantasy" is a recurring piece of music composed by Nobuo Uematsu in the Final Fantasy series. It has also been called the "Opening Theme" and the "Prologue", due to it being played during the opening sequences. Because of this, along with its recurrence, it is considered to be the series' main theme.
The theme first played during the opening of the original Final Fantasy and has since appeared in most main series titles, except for Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy XIII.
The theme from Final Fantasy is basically the song I'd like to be remembered by. I think it's very soft and warm, but there's a strength to it. It’s appealing and I think it's the most important song in terms of everything I’ve ever done.
Nobuo Uematsu[1]
Contents
- 1 Game appearances
- 1.1 Final Fantasy
- 1.2 Final Fantasy III
- 1.3 Final Fantasy IV
- 1.4 Final Fantasy V
- 1.5 Final Fantasy VI
- 1.6 Final Fantasy VII
- 1.7 Final Fantasy VIII
- 1.8 Final Fantasy IX
- 1.9 Final Fantasy XI
- 1.10 Final Fantasy XII
- 1.11 Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
- 1.12 Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
- 1.13 Final Fantasy XIV
- 1.14 Final Fantasy XV
- 1.15 Final Fantasy Type-0
- 1.16 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
- 1.17 Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)
- 1.18 Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
- 1.19 Chocobo's Crystal Tower
- 1.20 Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
- 2 Other versions
- 2.1 Final Fantasy IV: Celtic Moon
- 2.2 Piano Collections: Final Fantasy IV
- 2.3 Final Fantasy 1987-1994
- 2.4 Final Fantasy: Pray
- 2.5 Guitar Solo Final Fantasy Official Best Collection
- 2.6 20020220 music from Final Fantasy
- 2.7 More Friends - Music from Final Fantasy
- 2.8 A New Story
- 2.9 Japan Self-Defense Forces Marching Festival 2012
- 2.10 Distant Worlds IV: more music from FINAL FANTASY
- 3 References
- 4 External links
Game appearances[edit | edit source]
Final Fantasy[edit | edit source]
The tune plays at the Cornelia Bridge and during the credits. This version is included on the fifth disc of the Final Fantasy Vinyls collector's edition set.
The theme is also included in the Final Fantasy XV music player. It is available since the beginning as part of the Memories of FF album.
Final Fantasy III[edit | edit source]
"Opening Theme" is played at the Wind Crystal chamber after defeating the Land Turtle in the NES version, and after defeating Djinn in the 3D version, and briefly in the ending. The Bard also sings five notes of the tune when using the Sing command.
Final Fantasy IV[edit | edit source]
The theme has many recurring appearances. First played during the opening cinematic, it plays again during the prophecy of Cecil's destiny. It also plays during the game's end when the party members who do not join Cecil pray to give him and his companions strength for the final battle against Zeromus (2D and 3D).
In the Advance version's Music player, the tune is called the "Prologue". In the 3D version's original soundtrack, the theme appears in the tracks "Opening Movie" and "Epilogue".
An arranged version of the "Prologue" is included on the Final Fantasy IV: Minimum Album. This version is also included on the Final Fantasy Mix album.
Final Fantasy V[edit | edit source]
The tune plays at the ending when Krile is at the Elder Tree. In the Advance version's Music Player the theme is titled "Final Fantasy".
Final Fantasy VI[edit | edit source]
The tune is played at the ending, mixed into the track "Ending Theme".
Final Fantasy VII[edit | edit source]
The tune plays during the credits, in the track "Staff Roll" at mark 3:31.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children[edit | edit source]
An orchestrated version plays during the credits.
Final Fantasy VIII[edit | edit source]
The tune appears in the "Ending Theme" of the Final Fantasy VIII: Original Soundtrack. It was arranged in form of a military march following "Eyes on Me", and plays during the sequence following the ending FMV in which both credits and a home movie style sequence are displayed, from 6:59 to 10:00.
Final Fantasy IX[edit | edit source]
The tune is played during the Prima Vista escape scene and during the credits, right after the song "Melodies of Life", and also in the Final Fantasy IX: Original Soundtrack at the end of "Melodies of Life". It is also played in a movie from the game's opening sequences in which Vivi Ornitier looks into the sky and sees the theater ship. This track is called "Skies of Alexandria".
Final Fantasy XI[edit | edit source]
The theme plays during the final cutscene of the A Crystalline Prophecy additional scenario, and also after defeating Shinryu and speaking to Prishe in the Abyssea storyline. It also plays in a cutscene following the defeat of Hades in Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin. It appears the final time when the adventurer finally meets the Goddess Altana in the final chapter, Final Fantasy XI: Rhapsodies of Vana'diel.
Final Fantasy XII[edit | edit source]
The theme plays during the intro, and appears in the Final Fantasy XII: Original Soundtrack as "FINAL FANTASY ~FFXII Version~". It is also used several times during the sequences where Halim Ondore IV reads from his memoirs.
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings[edit | edit source]
The tune plays at the opening FMV and at the end of the game.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII[edit | edit source]
The tune can be heard in Yusnaan being played by the band near the monorail station.
Final Fantasy XIV[edit | edit source]
This theme is used in the song "A World Apart", which plays when the player first takes an airship to other starting cities during the main storyline. It also plays during the conclusions of several major storylines, such as the 2.0 main quest, when a Zodiac Weapon is obtained, and the ending of the Shadow of Mhach, among others.
During Legacy, this theme was part of the song "Opening Theme".
A piano arrangement of "A World Apart", mixed with the sound effects of the mounts, was used in the "Eorzea Symphony" trailer for Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward.
Final Fantasy XV[edit | edit source]
An orchestrated version plays during Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, when the Niflheim delegation arrives in Insomnia for the treaty-signing.
An arrangement of the theme plays in Final Fantasy XV during the after-credits epilogue. This is listed on the soundtrack as "Scar of my Pride".
The original Final Fantasy I track, called "Opening Theme", is also included in the music player. It is available since the beginning as part of the Memories of FF album. The Dissidia arrangements are available on the Memories of DISSIDIA FF and Memories of Dissidia 012 FF albums purchasable from Old Lestallum for 500 gil.
A new rock arrangement of the theme plays during the credits of the Close Encounter of the Terra Kind quest, which is a crossover with Terra Wars.
The Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV: Original Soundtrack has an unrelated track also called "Prologue" that also appears in the Final Fantasy XV music player.
Final Fantasy Type-0[edit | edit source]
A short version of the tune can be heard in "Zero", sung by Bump of Chicken during the ending.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers[edit | edit source]
Layle hums the theme while raiding the Tribe Unity ball. An arrangement of the "Prologue" was heard in an early trailer, but it does not appear in the final game.
Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)[edit | edit source]
The tune plays at the ending's final part, a recreation of the Cornelia Bridge scene from the original Final Fantasy. In the Dissidia Final Fantasy Original Soundtrack, it is titled "FINAL FANTASY from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY".
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy[edit | edit source]
The theme plays during the ending's final part, on the Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy Original Soundtrack, it is titled "FINAL FANTASY" from DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY" and is a different arrangement than the previous version.
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT[edit | edit source]
The tune is titled as "FFI Opening Theme (Arrange)", and is remixed into a battle theme.
"Final Fantasy" also appears as a new techno-pop arrangement. It is one of the default themes.
It is also the first piece that plays during the game's ending sequence.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy[edit | edit source]
The original Final Fantasy version, labeled "Opening Theme", is a playable Event Music Sequence track whose cutscenes depict events from the defeat of Bikke to the battle with Chaos and the Warriors of Light saving the world.
Additionally, "FINAL FANTASY ~FFXII Version~" appears as the opening music for the Final Fantasy XII Series Mode play.
Various versions of the theme are included on Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Compilation Album.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call[edit | edit source]
The "Opening Theme" is a Field Music Sequence. It is also included on the Best of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call album.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy All-Star Carnival[edit | edit source]

Chocobo's Crystal Tower[edit | edit source]
The NES "Opening Theme" version from the original Final Fantasy plays at the intro.
Final Fantasy Brave Exvius[edit | edit source]
An orchestral, choral version plays whenever the game downloads the data for a major update.
Other versions[edit | edit source]
Final Fantasy IV: Celtic Moon[edit | edit source]
This contains a selection of tracks, arranged and performed in the style of Irish Celtic music. The theme of Final Fantasy is called "Prologue..." and is the second track on the album.
Piano Collections: Final Fantasy IV[edit | edit source]
Called "Prologue..." the album contains a solo piano arrangement of the theme.
Final Fantasy 1987-1994[edit | edit source]
A piano version of the "Final Fantasy" theme is included on this "best of" type album.
Final Fantasy: Pray[edit | edit source]
"Pray" is a vocal arrangement of the main theme from the original featured in the eponymous music album, performed by Risa Ohki. It is sung in Japanese.
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
Japanese[edit | edit source]
- 遠く靜かな星空から
- あふれる命の唄が響く
- 幾千光年 暗を超えて
- ひとつの大地にたどり着いた
- そっと瞳を閉じたままで
- 遠い祈りのように
- いつしか夢たちが
- 叶うように
- こんな小さな掌では
- 抱えきれぬほど時は長い
- 幾千万里の旅の果てに
- やさしい笑顏にめぐり逢える
- 今は淚に濡れたままで
- 深い祈りのように
- いつしか哀しみも
- 终わるように
- 遠く静かな星空から
- あふれる命の唄が聞こえる
Rōmaji[edit | edit source]
- Tōku shizukana hoshizora kara,
- Afureru inochi no uta ga hibiku.
- Ikusen kōnen yami wo koete,
- Hitotsu no daichi ni tadori tsuita.
- Sotto hitomi wo tojita mama de
- Tōi inori no yō ni
- Itsushi ka yumetachi ga
- Kanau yō ni
- Konna chīsana te no hira de wa
- Kakaekirenu hodo toki wa nagai
- Ikusenman ri no tabi no hate ni
- Yasashī egao ni meguriaeru
- Ima wa namida ni nureta mama de
- Fukai inori no yō ni
- Itsushi ka kanashimi mo
- Owaru yō ni
- Tōku shizukana hoshizora kara,
- Afureru inochi no uta ga kikoeru.
English translation[edit | edit source]
- From far and silent starry skies
- Echoes a song full of life.
- Crossing a darkness of thousands of light years,
- It finally arrives at a single earth.
- With eyes closed just so,
- Like a faraway prayer,
- So that one day
- Our dreams will come true.
- Time is so long that
- These tiny palms can barely hold it.
- At the end of a million-mile voyage,
- We can still run across smiling faces.
- Now, wet with tears,
- As though deep in prayer,
- So that one day
- Sadness, too, will end.
- From far and silent starry skies,
- A song full of life can be heard.
Guitar Solo Final Fantasy Official Best Collection[edit | edit source]
"Opening Theme", it is the first track on the album, which consists entirely of solo classical guitar arrangements of tracks from the Final Fantasy main series, performed by Yuji Sekiguchi.
20020220 music from Final Fantasy[edit | edit source]
"Final Fantasy" performed by Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, is included on this concert recording.
More Friends - Music from Final Fantasy[edit | edit source]
"Final Fantasy" is included on this live recording of an orchestral concert, performed by The World Festival Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arnie Roth at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California on May 16th, 2005.
A New Story[edit | edit source]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
- Break into a new day
- A new chapter of your story
- Close your eyes and see with your heart,
- your destination
- Climb over mountains and sail across the ocean
- Let the journey take you
- to stand on higher ground
- Fate has brought you here on this land
- so have faith in your destiny
- and burn the fire inside your soul
- Feel the earth, the sky and the ocean tremble
- as you realize the power
- that lies deep down within your heart
- Guided by the stars, shining high up in the sky
- Find a way that leads to the place,
- you have always dreamed of
- Each and every trial is there for you to be stronger
- There will be a day,
- when all things become much clearer
- Fate has brought you here on this land
- so have faith in your destiny
- and burn the fire inside your soul
- Feel the earth, the sky and the ocean tremble
- as you realize the power
- that lies deep down within your heart
- Within your heart
Japan Self-Defense Forces Marching Festival 2012[edit | edit source]
J.S.D.F. (Japan Self-Defense Forces) performed "Prelude" and "Final Fantasy" during the marching festival in November 17 2012 alongside the U.S.M.C. 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Band and U.S. Army Pacific Ocean Band.
Distant Worlds IV: more music from FINAL FANTASY[edit | edit source]
An orchestral arrangement performed by Distant Worlds Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus is included on the album.