While it’s not FFXI specific, I came across an article that I thought was kind of interesting.  It has to do with how Japanese fans refer to the Final Fantasy series.　This news was reported not just on gaming websites but regular news sites as well, proving how famous the Final Fantasy series and Square Enix is in Japan.

Fans of anime and manga are probably familiar with how Japanese fans often shorten the names of their favorite titles.  It often involves taking the first syllables from some of the words in the title.

For example:

Full Metal Alchemist: 鋼の錬金術師 (Hagane no Renkinjyutsushi) is shortened to Hagaren

Boys Before Flowers: 花より男子 (Hana Yori Dango) is shortened to HanaDan

Dragon Quest：　ドラゴンクエスト (Doragon Kuesuto) is shortened to DoraKue

Sometimes authors even announce ahead of time what they’d like fans to call the series if there are multiple possibilities.  Based on the regular system of making short names, it makes sense that some fans would refer to the Final Fantasy series as FaiFan (ファイファン) rather than the FF short form we are used to abroad.  The “correct” short form has been a subject of debate amongst Japanese fans and is considered important enough to discussed on the Japanese Wikipedia page for the Final Fantasy series.  Adding to the confusion is the Final Fight series, which had already been known as FF back in its heyday.

Well, apparently one developer decided enough was enough and it was time to let the fans know what the correct short form for the Final Fantasy series is.  Akitoshi Kawazu has been working on titles in the Final Fantasy series since the very beginning.  He recently took part in a discussion with Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, which was uploaded to the Japanese Wii site.  During the conversation, he says he wanted fans to call the series FF but some kids starting calling it FaiFan.  Even the kid of one of his relatives called it that, leading Kawazu to firmly scold him and tell him the correct name.

While it’s arguable that fans should be allowed to make whatever short form they’d like, it’s understandable that someone who has put so much effort into the series over the years has a very strong opinion on it.