Love in Lunar

[PrettyGirlJean]

Hi all,

I'm sure that at some point this subject has been touched on here, but I didn't see anything recently so I thought it would be safe to start this topic (If I'm wrong please feel free to redirect me ^^).

What are your thoughts of the romance in Lunar? Do you feel there was just the right mix? Not enough? Maybe you think there was too much? How do you feel TSS/SSSC and EB/EBC compare in that area? Who do you feel had the most developed and natural romantic relationship of all the couples (in any of the games if you don't want to use the titles I listed)? Do you feel it was a gradual process? Or do you feel most development was based on sudden big events? Both?

To answer my own questions, I feel that there was just the right mix, at least in TSS/SSSC. But I think that is because the couples all knew eachother prior to joining Alex. You could sense their history, and so it was okay that they were close so quickly. Whereas in EB/EBC, I don't really feel like there was enough. Sure Hiro and Lucia were the big couple, but I would've loved to have seen more between Nall/Ruby, Jean/Leo. The only other couple that came close to Hiro and Lucia was Ronfar and Mauri, but that's because they had a past. So, in mentioning the couples that kind of answers how I feel the games compare. I think TSS had the power couples, whereas EB was getting there but the game ended.

My "vote" again goes to TSS for the most developed and natural couples. Though again it has to do with their histories as well as their interaction. Hiro and Lucia were a nice couple and definitely loved eachother by the end, but I was still hoping for more with the other characters. Especially since I tend to root and like side characters more.

I feel the development of the relationships were pretty gradual, but were aided with some big events as well. Such as Alex and Luna, you just knew when it came time for her to separate from Alex in the beginning in Saith, that they were in love (if it wasn't obvious before that). Then of course risking his life to save hers.

Anyhow, feel free to get even more elaborate than me. I was just hopin' to get the ball rolling, I think of the Lunars as really beautiful love stories and was curious to hear other fans thoughts

Thanks and take care!

[YoshiMars]

Personally I think that SSS had just the right mix, though I would have liked a bit more for the side characters (but that's because I'm hopeless) though I don't need to complain about the content (as by the end you knew who ended up with who). This one also gets my vote for the best romances as well.

As far as EB goes, I think that the romance between Hiro and Lucia was good and all but I felt it was kinda rushed... I thought since they had just met and all feelings needed more time to develop, but I do acknowledge that the two were very much in love in the end (I did cheer when they kissed, I'm not heartless...) and I agree with you in the needing more development with the side characters. I would have loved some Jean/Leo fluff! Ronfar and Mauri were a nice couple and thanks to their history made for a good love story (I think I was rooting for them more than Hiro/Lucia at one point...) and I was happy with the development there.
So in short I think that if EB had some Leo/Jean (or perhaps another couple... can't think of any) it would have had the right mix as well.

Although, you can color me biased on this one... my icon and banner say it all. ^^*

[wildthehero]

Well, I'm going to be different. I loved both the SCD and PS versions of Silver Star and Eternal Blue, but the relationships in Silver Star were pretty much solidified when we entered the story. There was a little progression and maturing, but for the most part, as soon as you met them, you knew who was in love with who and that that relationship was established. I guess there was some growth between Mia and Nash.. maybe. I really enjoyed the depth of Eternal Blue. It was a little rushed, but seeing Lucia become more and more human, rediscovering her emotions, and the forced issue of having to choose between her mission and her heart.. I just really enjoyed the whole process of the growth of her and Hiro's relationship. I dont want to drop any spoilers, but for those of us who finished EB, I think the epilogue was awesome from this perspective. Definitely not physically, but mentally and emotionally, I think that may have been a bigger challenge than even Alex faced, chasing down Luna.
I also enjoyed the fact that the relationships of the main characters involved side characters. In Silver Star, because the relationships were pretty much contained inside the main characters, the story pretty much revolved around what was happening to the core five characters, but because the relationships branched out in Eternal Blue, I felt the story, while not necessarily deeper, was much broader in scope. The history was richer, and I think that made for deeper characters and better character development.
Bare in mind, I loved both stories, and I wouldn't put one up against the other. They were both incredible, but I think, while Eternal Blue's story wasn't better, it was bigger.

<.< >.> ^.^'

Fin

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

Love in Lunar? What Lunar has in spades that causes our rampant fandom is soul.

I think we Lunar fans can't be satisfied with the depth of the relationships between the characters because we'll always want more.

With Alex and Luna, i think the devotion is massive and i was very drawn to it. TSS was great, but I actually think it IS better that she goes with you to Meribia. The more we get to see of her, the better the love theme can develop.

As for Kyle and Jessica, i enjoyed the childish antics quite a bit. Kyle was a nice source of comedy. The close times are especially nice since they're a little rare.

I'm not entirely fond of the Nash and Mia relationship. She could do better.

I would have LOVED to have had more information on Tempest and Fresca!

I'll do another post for the EBC stuff.

[Alunissage]

When I first played EB, I was expecting Jean and Leo to hook up, and I was at first disappointed that this didn't happen in EBC. It makes sense, though... both are coming to terms with their pasts and probably need to deal with that before they can have a relationship. Jean in particular, as it seems extremely likely that she was sexually abused while in the cult (one of the EBC writers agreed with me on this), and she might never have a normal relationship.

Everyone's leaving out Lemina and Ramus. That seems more likely to me than Hiro and Lucia, who after all have nothing in common. Borgan and Miria have also been omitted, though it's hard to see that going anywhere. Then again, we don't see Miria enough to get much of an idea for what she's like.

Ronfar and Mauri were kind of an interesting bit. His womanizing makes anything he's involved in suspect, though.

Nall and Ruby... they're not exactly adults, so it's hard to consider that romantic. They just don't have any other options of their kind.

There's also Kyle and Julia in Nota and that weird couple in Zulan/Meribia. Kyle was kind of a wet blanket, though.

Overall I much prefer the Lunar 1 couples. Don't have time to go into those though.

[phyco126]

Personally, I felt that TSS/SSSC lacked just the right amount of love to make it a complete love fest, but the lack of wasn't enough to take away from the story either. The game turned out rather fine without any kissing. Also, since the love story wazs beyond just the main characters, and it embraced that, it worked out great. Where as EBC, the love story was mainly between the main charatcers, so much so that any love story other than that got snuff'ed out rather well.

[Alunissage]

I remember someone complaining about Alex and Luna just holding hands at the end of SSSC instead of kissing, and I think that person was completely wrong. I thought it spoke of closeness and commitment much more as it was, rather than just childish romance. (But then again, while I have no objection to kissing in general, I dislike watching it, as when it's emotional it seems too private for an audience. I didn't even want to include it in my wedding ceremony, but I was overruled.)

[Blue_Sycro]

I hate it when video games get too into the love thing, and I think the Lunar games capped it just right. With Alex/Luna and Hiro/Lucia there's always this kind of underlying insinuation of the whole "love conquers all" thing, but it never descends into melodrama. Mia I think had to be with Nash to humble him, Kyle and Jessica were the little kid kind of couple who fought rather than express their feelings, and yeah.

I liked the EB/EBC romance too. To be perfectly honest, (no one kill me) I was never all that fond of the idea of Jean/Leo. I mean I wouldn't go protesting in the streets, but I feel like it would've been sort of forced. And as for Ronfar, he only became all womanizing after what happened to Mauri, so I feel like it was more of a cover-up than him being himself. It seemed whenever he talked to Mauri, good or evil, he was straightforward and sincere. He dropped the smooth operator act.

And as for the end of SSSC, I think a kiss would've ruined it. You know that they already have the whole eternal undying love thing, a kiss would've made it, I don't know, kind of forced.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

I
I liked the EB/EBC romance too. To be perfectly honest, (no one kill me) I was never all that fond of the idea of Jean/Leo. I mean I wouldn't go protesting in the streets, but I feel like it would've been sort of forced. And as for Ronfar, he only became all womanizing after what happened to Mauri, so I feel like it was more of a cover-up than him being himself. It seemed whenever he talked to Mauri, good or evil, he was straightforward and sincere. He dropped the smooth operator act.

You know, now that I think about it, the whole Ronfar womanizing thing makes me think of James Bond's womanizing. Basically, James Bond became a womanizer because of tragedy involving the women he loved (including his wife, Tracy, in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, who gets killed by Blofeld and his goons at the end). Therefore, he refused to be tied down to any one woman in order to not feel the hurt of losing one that he loves to his enemies or betrayal.

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

With Alex/Luna and Hiro/Lucia there's always this kind of underlying insinuation of the whole "love conquers all" thing, but it never descends into melodrama.

LOL Final Fantasy 8. Squall going from "i dont care about Rinoa, really" to "i give the slightest hint of a crap about her" to "i'd carry her unconscious body for an extremely long distance."

[PrettyGirlJean]

So, Benevolent_Ghaleon what do you think about Lunar? ;p

Thanks everyone for your comments so far! It's really interesting hearing everyones take on the games! ^_^b

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

I adore Lunar!

As far as the love theme goes, i'd say it was done exceptionally well. I have never been so emotionally affected by a game.

If i ever end up rich, you guys will certainly know it. I'll do things that'll probably cause me to have trouble sleeping. Like hiring someone to make an actual stone Althena statue. Of course, i'd NEVER pray to it....but i'd have to discuss it with the right people so i could end up not feeling like God is going to strike me down for it.


Blue_Sycro, if you want to see melodrama redefined...watch X3.

[Dark]

With Alex/Luna and Hiro/Lucia there's always this kind of underlying insinuation of the whole "love conquers all" thing, but it never descends into melodrama.

LOL Final Fantasy 8. Squall going from "i dont care about Rinoa, really" to "i give the slightest hint of a crap about her" to "i'd carry her unconscious body for an extremely long distance."

But there is a chance(80%) rinoa is ultimecia. So if its true its not happy nding.

[Zhane Masaki]

With Alex/Luna and Hiro/Lucia there's always this kind of underlying insinuation of the whole "love conquers all" thing, but it never descends into melodrama.

LOL Final Fantasy 8. Squall going from "i dont care about Rinoa, really" to "i give the slightest hint of a crap about her" to "i'd carry her unconscious body for an extremely long distance."

But there is a chance(80%) rinoa is ultimecia. So if its true its not happy nding.

LMAO

Lunar and FFVIII don't even come CLOSE to comparing. ^^; Now Cloud and Aerith, on the other hand....