Square Enix has just released a picture-book prequel to its beloved PlayStation RPG Final Fantasy IX in Japan, for mark the series's 25th anniversary (thanks Famitsu!).
The book, which is called Vivi and Grandpa On the Day of Departure, is the work of Final Fantasy IX's event designer Kazuhiko Aoki and the game's character designer Toshiyuki Itahana, with Aoki providing the story and Itahana handling the art. This is the pair's second Final Fantasy-based picture book, with the two previously collaborating on Chocobo and the Airship, which was originally published in 2021 in Japan (and later on in 2023 in other regions).
According to the official description, the brand new picture book tells a new story focused on the Black Mage Vivi Ornitier, and takes place prior to the events of the game, depicting the character's time with his adoptive grandfather Quan, before his fateful trip to Alexandria at the start of the game. It is currently available to buy on Amazon Japan and Rakuten for 1320 yen, and is being offered as either an e-book or a physical copy.
In addition to this, it is also listed among the items that you should be able to find at the Square Enix pop-store, which opens today in Osaka, Japan, at Daimaru Umeda and later this month at Daimaru Tokyo (July 25th).
Although we haven't exactly gotten that long-rumoured remake announcement that everybody seems to be anticipating (at least not yet anyway), Square Enix has certainly been hard at work lately releasing a ton of new merchandise to make longtime fans of the game reach for their wallets.
In addition to this recent picture book, it's also been releasing a huge selection of other Final Fantasy IX-themed items like plush toys and clothing, as well as a new vinyl album featuring a collection of original tracks alongside newly recorded versions.
Inevitably, some of these items appear to be exclusive to Japan, while others are available to buy online now through the Square Enix store.