It Takes All Kinds – Favorite Anthropomorphic RPG Characters
The various humanoids within in our favorite RPGs are often the unsung heroes/heroines of their respective stories. They may have truly compelling backstories, or perhaps are excellent tacticians, but can be overshadowed by the more universally “attractive” companions. Not today though! Today – like, right now – I’m going to highlight some of my favorite, “uniquely styled” characters, and I hope that you follow suit in the comments below!
Frog – Chrono Trigger
Everyone’s favorite frog, “Frog” has one of the more interesting (and tragic) character arcs in any RPG, which is crazy considering that Chrono Trigger released almost 25 years ago. A master swordsman and proficient wielder of water magic, Frog is a comrade that deserves a place in any roster – that is, if you can get past the fact that he’s a gigantic, human-sized frog in the first place.
Umaro – Final Fantasy VI
Sometimes, a job is best suited for those with few words and a means of throwing people across the room. Within that criteria, Umaro is the premier choice. Easily the most iconic Berserker of the Final Fantasy franchise, Umaro is every Yeti lover’s dream, complete with a massive bone club, the ability to trigger snowstorms at will, and, of course, the strength to throw party members at enemies. What’s not to love about that?
Rei – Breath of Fire III
A proud member of the now-dwindling Woren race – basically, tiger people – Rei is not your average, every day thief archetype. The fact that he genuinely cares for and looks after two orphans, doing whatever is necessary to make ends meet, makes him an extremely trustworthy, valuable ally to have on your team despite his choice of trade – basically, the feline equivalent of Robin Hood. He does hide something truly terrifying from the youths he cares for so much, but I’ll let you discover that one for yourself. In short, Rei is a multi-faceted character that is easily one of my favorites of all time, cat or not.
Cait Sith – Final Fantasy VII
Expecting a lot of heat from this one, but I don’t care! Yes, Cait Sith is statistically one of the worst characters in Final Fantasy VII, save for his easily exploitable limit break. Yes, their shenanigans are quite annoying at times, but there’s something about the “talking cat,” atop of the oversized moogle, that has earned the right as a staple in my party almost every time I have played the game. I realize that the means in which they exist bends the rules of this list a bit – no spoilers here – but the impact they left on me as a kid is just too great to ignore. Deal with it!
Bob the Hamster – Wandering Hamster
I won’t be surprised if I lose almost everyone with this obscure shoutout. In the late ’90s, as I was attempting to kickstart my “game-making career,” I stumbled upon an RPG creation engine whose mascot was Bob – an anthropomorphic hamster. His humor, combined with his love for whacking things with a gravity-defying hammer, made me fall in love with him at first sight.
That’s it for this list! What are some of your favorite humanoid characters in RPGs? What did you think about my list? Let me know!
