Sazh

[Laddy]

Sazh is my new favorite Final Fantasy character, truly unlike anyone I've ever seen in a video game. Sazh sort of represents the "every man" quite perfectly. His relationship with his son is extremely touching, his banter is hilarious without being overdone, and the fact that he is so calm and ordinary is amazing. It's not his special powers or combat prowess, but rather his wit and belivability that makes me love him so. He, in many ways, represent the player: uninformed, ordinary, and learning everything as we play. (For the most part.) He's pacific, yet courageous, foolish, yet intelligent, calm, yet emotional, and utterly aodrable.

His plot is so tragic yet fufilling that his easily outdoes any other character's story arc, IMO. That is why I love Sazh.

Discuss Sazh.

[Psychotic]

He is probably the most truly human FF character ever.

[Shlup]

I totally agree. The other Final Fantasy characters are clearly characters, but Sazh is, like, a person. He's very human and charming. And he has a frocobo.

I <3 Sazh 4evah.

[Loony BoB]

I like specifically how Sazh and Hope sum up how normal people would react if they ever were interacting with the other characters. The perfect examples for me are when Lightning talks about taking the fight to Sanctum's door and Sazh initially thinks she's joking, then after a pause he turns, surprised, and says "You're serious!?". The best example is still Hope's reaction to Vanille when she wants to explore the Vestige though. His twisted expression made me laugh loud.

[Rye]

I like specifically how Sazh and Hope sum up how normal people would react if they ever were interacting with the other characters. The perfect examples for me are when Lightning talks about taking the fight to Sanctum's door and Sazh initially thinks she's joking, then after a pause he turns, surprised, and says "You're serious!?". The best example is still Hope's reaction to Vanille when she wants to explore the Vestige though. His twisted expression made me laugh loud.

I like them for the same reason. The other guys are enjoyable characters, but Hope and Sazh are just like, so realistic and endearing to me beyond any other game.

[Loony BoB]

My favourites are probably Vanille and Sahz, purely because they seem to be the only ones capable of having a genuine friendship in the game. All the other ones start off snotty. I like all the others though. It's pretty unusual for me to like all the characters. Didn't they do a great job with them this time? No Tidus-a-likes, although I initally feared Snow would be like him, he ended up being pretty good.

[Rye]

Seriously, I genuinely like every single character. That alone, would make this game fantastic for me, but there's so many other great factors to. This game seems like such a corrective to FFXII to me - characters that are actually engaging, good music, beautiful worlds, quite a bit of challenge in fighting as you go on (seriously chapter 11 is soooo hard) and a plot that's actually, you know, interesting.

[Freya]

I hate his comments when you're walking around. "I'm getting to old for this" Dammit shut up about your age I know already I KNOW >:{

[Shlup]

Yeah, the age thing is annoying. I was surprised to find out he's 40 though, seeing as his kid is only six. Still, 40 isn't old enough to always be like "I am super old, blah blah."

That is his only flaw though. <3

[G13]

Sazh is the absolute :bou::bou::bou::bou:! Best character in a Final Fantasy ever!

[RedPouch]

At first I was skeptical about Sazh because I thought it was going to be another cliche caricature of the "token black guy" just inserted into an FF game to try and appeal to more audiences.

Needless to say, I was absolutely wrong on this, and I'm quite pleasantly surprised. He doesn't really look 40, but I really do enjoy his character a lot. They really worked a miracle with this character, and I think it was executed beautifully.

Slightly off-topic, but I enjoy almost all of FF XIII's cast. I was also extremely impressed with the voice acting work done for this game. I think they did a really great job, with the exceptions of all the "uh/ugh"s and excessive light laughter [I'm looking at Vanille here]. FF XIII is truly a great work of art in terms of the voice acting, the graphics, the cast, and their character designs. Best I've seen from SE in these categories for quite a long time. This is something like what Star Ocean 4 SHOULD have been.

[Lightening]

How can people not love that man? :cheer:

[Croyles]

The man is a legend of video game characters. He's still my favourite character, despite not being one of the best in combat.

[Shoeberto]

The only thing that has bothered me about him so far is that his voice actor is the same guy that did The Black Baron in Madworld, and you can hear the same voice come through on occasion. I mean, I love Sazh so far, but whenever I hear The Black Baron I really expect him to start going "Pimps, players, and perpetrators, I am your Black Baron!" If you're one of the three other people that played the game, you'll understand.

[Loony BoB]

Yeah, the age thing is annoying. I was surprised to find out he's 40 though, seeing as his kid is only six. Still, 40 isn't old enough to always be like "I am super old, blah blah."

That is his only flaw though. <3
My Dad would have said the same thing when he was 40. Probably not as often, but yeah. :p I know a few guys at work that would, too!

[Shlup]

I don't really care, Daniel. :|

[Loony BoB]

I don't care about your face, but you still post pictures of it.

*runs away crying*

[Shlup]

I know girls who say "like" all the time but if Lightening said "like" all the time I would punch her in the face. I do not need my video game characters doing annoying things kthx.

*throws pineapples at yous*

[Madame Adequate]

If only it was actually annoying, and not endearing and cute, eh Shlup? :greenie:

[Shlup]

You think the "omg I'm an old man, durp durp" comments are cute?

...Okay, sometimes they're cute.

[Blackmage]

I hate his comments when you're walking around. "I'm getting to old for this" Dammit shut up about your age I know already I KNOW >:{

Surely that line's meant to reference Murtaugh from Lethal Weapon...

[Rye]

It's sooo cute. I thought Sazh was young, only like 30 or so, so I felt like "Wow! Someone who is young and aches every time they move their joints too! Just like me! :heart:"

And I'm not even 20 yet. ;_;

[demondude]

I loved it when Hope is whining about his dads not caring and Sazh says "dads always care" but then quickly moving off the topic. I figured then that he had a kid and I felt sorry for him because he was so nice. :(

Probably not even a spoiler, but may as well be safe! :jess:

[Loony BoB]

Definitely a spoiler for those early in the game, so good job. :)

[Chloe.]

I also really like Sazh, for many of the reasons that you guys have said, he's just so realistic and funny too. I don't actually have a problem with any of the characters, which is great. (:

And wow I didn't know he was 40?! :o

[Shiny]

Everyone is going on about this character and how his voice is all that and stupid phat. My interest in getting this game has piqued even more!

[Madame Adequate]

Everyone is going on about this character and how his voice is all that and stupid phat. My interest in getting this game has piqued even more!

Srsly Sazh is liek one of the greatest characters in any game ever. Second only to Wakka itbt.

[demondude]

ohmagawd those scenes with Sazh and his kid were amazing. He is my favorite video game character ever, no question. I'm only in chapter 7 as well!

[Shlup]

Everyone is going on about this character and how his voice is all that and stupid phat. My interest in getting this game has piqued even more!

I would play this game just for Sazh. I like the other characters and all, but just Sazh is enough to sustain my interest. Not to build it all up in your head and make crazy expectations, but I <3 him long time.

[Del Murder]

I've seen comments from many people that Sazh is a stereotype. I'm not really sure how. Because he has an afro? So any black person in a game or other media with an afro is a stereotype? I don't know what else it could be. He has a black voice actor? He's reluctant to fight? I think any reasonable normal person would react the same way he does in these situations.

I think it's more racist for people to automatically brand him as a stereotype than the actual portrayal on the screen. Like all the others in this thread I think Sazh is awesome.

[Shlup]

I haven't seen any comments like that, but I'm also not surprised. It seems like every time a black character comes up they're met with a lot of criticism. I watched videos on YouTube about how Disney's new princess was too black, and videos on how she wasn't black enough.

I prefer to just ignore it entirely. I love Sazh.

[Rantz]

Someone called him a "funny black guy stereotype". I thought that was amusing.

[Loony BoB]

If he was white he could have said all the same things. Don't see a stereotype anywhere.

[Crowseye]

Funny story: the cashier at Gamestop when I bought the game was black and he couldn't stop talking about how much he liked the character. :cool:

When we first met Sazh and his Chocobo I got an Afro Samurai vibe from him, but when somebody suggested Donkey from Shrek, that really rang true. He undoubtedly shares some traits of other characters in other media that were voiced by and/or modeled after a black guy such as the humorous resigned commentary spoken aloud to himself (or his chocobo).

He's also worldy, a caring father, and not a jacked-up violent or brutish person which bucks some of the black stereotypes used elsewhere.

[VeloZer0]

I have a friend who is a lot like Sazh, only more clueless and less worldly. I predict when he is Sazh's age they will be a very close match.

[Raistlin]

Sazh is definitely a great, entertaining character. He has some of the best lines in the game so far.

[Shlup]

I have a friend who is a lot like Sazh, only more clueless and less worldly. I predict when he is Sazh's age they will be a very close match.

You be there to nurture that fro, and then, one Easter... put a chick in it.

[Digital Phoenix]

I like how they made the one black guy in the game the comic relief. He might as well get some Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) after he's done saving the world.

[Shlup]

Wait... because being at all funny is a black stereotype? I don't get your complaint. It's not like he's some goofy caricature.

[Digital Phoenix]

Wait... because being at all funny is a black stereotype? I don't get your complaint. It's not like he's some goofy caricature.

It's not a "complaint." It's an analysis.

No, but it just so happens that the one black guy in the game is the comic relief, as opposed to every other white character in the game. I don't really care, though. Lightning is also the pretentious, untouchable female lead. And Hope is the angsty spikey-haired teenager. Vanille is the cute ditz female.

[Shlup]

You say "the one black guy is the comic relief" like it's a bad thing though.

[Digital Phoenix]

You say "the one black guy is the comic relief" like it's a bad thing though.

Well, sorry it came out that way. I don't mean it is a bad thing. I make stereotypical jokes all the time. Not that I hate or love to generalize a group of people; I just don't overreact to things or get offended.

Sazh could dress up as a total gangster, eating KFC, shooting his guns sideways shouting, "Bam, bam, mother ****er," and I'd be sitting there laughing.

[Loony BoB]

I think that would be horrible. I'm glad he's nothing like that.