Final Fantasy fans rank the series hottest beefcakes

All that spiked hair, oh my!

Square Enix polled 800+ Japanese Final Fantasy fans on which male characters really beef their cakes. Unsurprisingly, beefcake supremos known for making happy pants tents across the globe Squall and Cloud placed high at 2 and 5. The #1 spot goes to no other than Zack with his dashing good looks and wonderfully toned body.

In the West we look at Final Fantasy‘s male characters as strange, androgynous heroes, but, in Japan, Final Fantasy‘s lovely batch of beefcakes practically paved the way for style and fashion. You can’t walk down a street of Shinjuku without spotting at least one person that dressed themselves according to a FF game manual — and God bless them for that!

The poll asked voters to consider personality, but I don’t see Kefka on there. So, I must assume that Japan is a country full of shallow people that care for nothing more than spiky hair and incredible pecs. Fans are currently voting on favorite female characters, which you can contribute to (if you understand Japanese) here. Full list of male winners below.

1. Zack (FFVII)
2. Cloud (FFVII)
3. Zidane (FFIX)
4. Tidus (FFX)
5. Squall (FFVIII)
6. Bartz (FFV)
7. Kain (FFIV)
8. Sephiroth (FFVII)
9. Cecil (FFIV)
10. Vincent (FFVII)
11. Noel (FFXIII-2)
12. Reno (FFVII)
13. Edgar (FFVI)
13. Lock (FFVI)
15. Balthier (FFXII)
15. Laguna (FFVIII)
17. Auron (FFX)
17. Hope (FFXIII)
19. Noctis (FF Versus XIII)
19. Reeve (FFVII)
21. Edge (FFIV)
21. Kuja (FFIX)
23. Irvine (FFVIII)
23. Gilbart (FFIV)
25. Vaan (FFXII)
25. Onion Knight (FFIII)
25. Galuf (FFV)
25. Golbez (FFIV)
25. Zell (FFVIII)
25. Vivi (FFIX)
25. Mash (Sabin) (FFVI)
32. Warrior of Light (FF)
32. Ace (FF Type-0)
32. Kurasame (FF Type-0)
32. Sazh (FFXIII)
32. Cid (Entire Series)
32. Steiner (FFIX)
32. Firion (FFII)
32. Ming-Wu (FFII)
32. Rufus Shinra (FFVII)

[Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary Forum via Nova Crystallis]