Final Fantasy 2 players will remember Minwu, a temporary playable character and the protagonist of the bonus campaign, Soul of Rebirth. The character is set to be a special ability in the upcoming mobile game Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy, which is what prompted Final Fantasy 2 designer Akitoshi Kawazu to comment on the character after 37 years (thanks, Automaton).
Minwu is depicted with a turban, desert clothing and darker skin, which would suggest that his design is inspired by Middle-Eastern cultures. However, Kawazu has revealed that Minwu is actually based on a Chinese general named Wu Qi from the Warring States Period.
"Minwu, when written in kanji, becomes 呉明. He was modelled after Wu Qi, a military general and philosopher during China's Warring States Period. Wu Qi was a well-known military strategist whose treatises on the art of war are considered on par with Sun Tzu," writes Kawazu.
Wu Qi was a reformer, turning the Chu State (modern day Hubei and Hunan) into a powerhouse by reforming its corrupt government. He was murdered after the death of King Dao, who was his primary supporter.
Kawazu's comments took Japanese players by surprise, because Minwu's name is most often...
