Square Enix has always been known for their extremely popular JRPGs. Their games are home to some of the most popular characters, weapons, songs, and locations in the genre.
Some characters even reach levels of popularity that make them among the most popular video game characters ever made. This list will highlight some of the most popular, impactful, and easily recognizable protagonists that Square Enix owns.
13 Cecil (Final Fantasy 4)
The Final Fantasy series didn’t take off massively until the 7th installment, but that doesn’t stop prior classic titles from containing very memorable characters. Cecil is one of the oldest RPG protagonists to have a heavy focus on a redemption arc.
His journey from an evil lackey to a Paladin of justice made him stand out a lot at the time of Final Fantasy 4’s release. Cecil could potentially have been higher on this list if his home game has higher sales or a greater impact on the genre.
12 Terra (Final Fantasy 6)
Final Fantasy 6 doesn’t technically have one single protagonist, as the story can evolve around whichever characters the player chooses to use the most often. Still, Terra is the first character and introduced and is the most well-known party member of the game.
FF6 is a fan-favorite title, but not necessarily one of the most played. Over half of its sales come from it being a part of the SNES Classic game collection, which contains many other titles. By itself, it sold roughly 5 million after many ports and enhanced versions.
11 Squall (Final Fantasy 8)
FF8 is among some of the best-selling Final Fantasy games, as it sold roughly 10 million units. This also makes it one of Square Enix’s top-selling titles. The main reason Squall isn’t higher is due to him constantly being overshadowed by Cloud.
He’s still an iconic figure in his own right but is always in his predecessor’s shadow. His Revolver Gunblade and presence in crossovers such as the Kingdom Hearts series help solidify him as a legend in the company.
10 Crono (Chrono Trigger)
Chrono Trigger isn’t that popular relative to the other games that appear on this list, but it has a very dedicated fan base. All versions combined would roughly 3 and a half million units.
There were a few spiky hair protagonists before Crono, but he helped it become a running trend. His hair is a very vibrant red and being designed by legendary mangaka Akira Toriyama also helps him stick out from the crowd a lot.
9 Madason (Dragon Quest 5)
DQ5 is one of the best-selling titles in its series, having sold over 6 million units. It’s also one of the oldest monster-taming RPGs, which has inspired many thereafter, including Pokemon.
There’s even a movie based on this game. While this hero may be overshadowed a little by a few others, it’s not to the same degree that Squall is to Cloud. He stands out very distinctly from the others thanks to his unique clothes and use of a staff instead of a sword.
8 Solo/Sofia (Dragon Quest 4)
DQ4 is one of the oldest JRPGs to feature a protagonist with an unnatural hair color, an entire console generation behind others like Crono. They stand out a lot visually from most NES characters.
DQ4 is also one of the most heavily referenced titles in the series, which makes sense since it’s the first to have a heavy focus on character writing. Solo/Sofia may be a mute protagonist, but that hasn’t stopped them from becoming an icon that represents the early days of the genre.
7 2B (NieR Automata)
NieR Automata skyrocketed the series’ popularity, with 6 million units sold just prior to the release of the Switch port. Its success has resulted in 2B appearing in many crossovers, such as SoulCalibur 6, Final Fantasy 14, and Gravity Rush. NieR Automata also received an anime adaptation.
2B’s white hair, black dress, constant use of a blindfold, and floating weapons help her stand out a lot from other protagonists visually. Due to Square Enix selling the Tomb Raider series, 2B is now the most popular female protagonist owned by the company.
6 Luminary (Dragon Quest 11)
DQ11 has swiftly become the best-selling game in its series. Sales numbers haven’t been updated for a while, but it was confirmed to have sold over 6 million units even prior to some ports. It is one of Square Enix’s most popular modern releases and has received much critical acclaim.
The Luminary is also one of the most legendary heroes in the series lore, as he essentially saves the entire timeline of the series. Even legendary crossovers like Super Smash Bros Ultimate decided this was the hero most worth focusing on.
5 Tidus (Final Fantasy 10)
Final Fantasy 10 sold around 10 million units, placing it in the same tier of popularity as the 8th installment. Unlike Squall, however, Tidus isn’t hidden behind another protagonist’s popularity.
His very outgoing personality, water elemental weapon, and role as a sports star make him unique compared to other Square Enix protagonists. His role in the game’s direct sequel isn’t very large, but it keeps him as a fairly relevant figure in yet another game that sold well.
4 Noctis (Final Fantasy 15)
Noctis hails from the best-selling modern Square Enix title. Final Fantasy 15 is the most popular entry in its series behind only 7 and 14. It’s also one of the two games in the series to get a movie, although Noctis only shows up in it briefly.
No Final Fantasy protagonist comes close to Cloud’s popularity, but Noctis makes for an excellent runner-up. The biggest thing holding him and the other characters on this list back is their exclusivity to a single game. They also don’t have as much of a legacy as the following characters on this list.
3 Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Kingdom Hearts is Square Enix’s third most popular series, and Sora is the protagonist of nearly every installment. He’s even relevant to games that he isn’t the lead character of. No other protagonist in Square Enix’s most popular releases is a constant throughout their entire series like Sora is.
His cheerful personality, very distinct weapon, and constantly evolving design make him a very memorable character. Unlike most characters on this list, Sora will continue to be featured as the protagonist for many more games in the future.
2 Erdrick (Dragon Quest 3)
There are many heroic legendary sword-wielding protagonists in video games, especially in RPGs. What sets Erdrick apart from them is that they are THE heroic legendary sword-wielding protagonist. DQ1 is the oldest JRPG, but 3 is the one that made the genre take off in popularity immensely in Japan by introducing dozens of mechanics that became staples in nearly every RPG that came thereafter.
Very few video game characters have such a large impact on the foundation of an entire genre as Erdrick does. Erdrick’s influence even breaks beyond just video games. Some of the most popular anime characters of all time such as One Piece’s Luffy took some inspiration from them. Without Erdrick’s legacy, most characters on this list wouldn’t even exist.
1 Cloud (Final Fantasy 7)
The original Final Fantasy 7 is the best-selling game Square Enix has ever made, and it has received numerous spin-offs. From a prequel in the form of Crisis Core to a sequel in the form of the Advent Children movie. Cloud isn’t only the protagonist of a single main installment but has left a major impact on the entire gaming industry. He’s up there with some of the most well-known video game characters ever. Cloud is so popular in fact, that his design is even easily recognizable to many people that don’t play video games.
Erdrick and Crono may have been known for their spiky hair prior, but Cloud exponentially increased the commonality of this feature on characters. Cloud dwarfs the popularity of other protagonists in his own series. It’s hard for many like Squall to get away from constantly being compared to Cloud. He is essentially a company mascot and is the face of JRPGs.
