badgenome on 31 December 2008
I vastly prefer IX. It does a great job of paying homage to the past Final Fantasies without feeling like a retread. It's also probably the one that's closest in feel to VI (my favorite FF), owing to its humor and superb ensemble cast. Zidane and Vivi are two of my all time favorite characters. Zidane in particular is so wonderfully upbeat. He beats the shit out of all the usual sulky protagonists any day. 
