rubah-How about His Dark Materials and FF8? (SPOILER)
1) Lee Scoresby is Irvine Kinneas.
proof: Uses a gun, is western (texas+cowboy clothes), isn't from the same place as the rest of the rest. Plus he's tall and lanky.

2) Stanislaus Grumman/John Parry is Laguna Loire.
proof: Calm, intelligent, formerly an explorer, gone for a long time from his family, famous to people that know him, seems to have lead two lives (the explorer and teh shaman, and the president and the solider).

3) Will Parry is Squall Leonheart.
proof: Son of the explorer, physical injury that sets him apart (but others share it) (scar across the forehead, missing fingers on hand), specialized weapon(gunblade, subtle knife), "differnt"

4) Mary Malone is Quistis Trepe
proof: Intellectual, lectures the explorer's son, older, more mature, a bit love-lorn.

5) Lyra Bellacqua is Rinoa Heartilly
proof: Love interest of the explorer's son, Important, smart, impatient. Always making up plans. Has abilities that others don't, but not always of her own merit, and she might lose them one day, but there are ways to emulate them. (sorceress magic/ability to read the aleitheometer)

6) Lord Asriel is General Caraway
proof: The father of the love interest. Is not particularly nice to his daughter. Cares for her, but it's not very obvious. Very important, with rank, commands respect, not close to daughter.

7) Mrs. Coulter is Julia Carawar
proof: Um. Love interest's mother? Wife of important man, once loved another. Rich, glamorous, famous, probably cares more for her daughter than her father does.

8) Roger is Seifer
proof: Love interest's companion before meeting explorer's son. Lost for dead. Redeemed/revenged/revisited/chased down. (roger is found in the world of teh dead, seifer is able to be happy with his friends fishing) Replaced by explorer's son.

9) Witches are Sorceresses
proof: They do magic no one else is able, but they are imitable. Physically different. Live longer.

10) Serafina Pekkala is Edea Kramer
proof: A person of the type mentioned in 9). Not a villain. Queen of the type of 9)

11) Fadar Coram is Cid Kramer
proof: Person that would love 10). Very close. Provides a little bit of guidance for love interest. Saved person from 10)

12) Iorek Byrnison is Zell Dincht
proof: Not one for subtleties. Brute strength. Follows love interest's directions. (iorek obeys lyra, zell does rinoa's errands for her, like squall's ring getting copied)

13) Will's Mother is Raine Loire
proof: Wife of the explorer. Doesn't live to see him return. Is alone. More or less dead.

14) Explorer's son isn't quite fixed on the idea of having the love interest as a . . . love interest, but she's perfectly comfortable with him.
Probably Square took the ideas of the characters from there....... Then they probably added Selphie,Fujin,Raijin,etc.