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November 15 - December 27
2017
Yamanote Line, Tokyo
Final Fantasy
Yamanote Line

In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Final Fantasy series as well as the East Japan Railway Company (both founded in 1987), a collaboration event called Final Fantasy YL (Yamanote Line) was held from November 15 through December 2017. Participation is free for anyone with a mobile phone and valid ticket for access to the QR codes on posters inside various train stations on the Yamanote Line. The best ticket to purchase was the Tokyo Metropolitan District Pass for ¥750, which allowed unlimited rides on unreserved seating between stations within the Tokyo area. 

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Due to the large size of Tokyo train stations, locating the corresponding posters was a quest in itself. Signs were plastered giving directions and hints to the posters' locations, with some stations even announcing hints on their PA system. Station staff were always around to lend a helping hand. A sign welcoming all FFYL adventurers was also spotted: "“How about traveling on the Yamanote Line with smartphone in hand and once again meeting the pixel heroes you’ve met so long ago?”

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FFYL MOBILE STAMP RALLY

The "FFYL Mobile Stamp Rally" will be held at 29 stations on the Yamanote Line and Suica's Penguin Park in Shinjuku, for a total of 30 locations. Posters featuring characters or bosses from the Final Fantasy series were displayed at each station, and participants were required to use the mobile phones to scan the QR codes located on them. The codes directed participants to the character's corresponding profile page and their wallpaper is unlocked. The character is effectively "recruited" and participants could use that character to fight bosses. Scanning the same QR code 3 times, then 5 times, would grant the participant BGM and a memorable scene unique to that character. Once all 30 characters were collected, an exclusive FFYL original wallpaper was obtained.

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A full list of characters/bosses and their locations are listed below:​

  • Warrior of Light - Shinjuku Station (next to the ticket vending machine outside the Central Exit ticket gate West Exit)

  • Firion - Yoyogi Station (outside the West Exit ticket gate)

  • Onion Knight - Harajuku Station (next to the Takeshita Exit ticket vending machine)

  • Cecil Harvey - Shibuya Station (outside the south ticket gate)

  • Terra Branford - Meguro Station (inside the Tokyu transfer gate)

  • Cloud Strife - Gotanda Station (East Exit pillar wall outside the ticket gate)

  • Squall Leonhart - Osaki Station (West Exit passage outside the north ticket gate)

  • Zidane Tribal - Shinagawa Station (in front of View Plaza outside the ticket gate)

  • Tidus - Tamachi Station (free passage outside the ticket gate)

  • Shantotto - Hamamatsucho Station (in front of the green window outside the South Exit ticket gate)

  • Vaan - Shimbashi Station (next to the green window)

  • Lightning - Yurakucho Station (outside the Ginza Exit ticket gate)

  • Y'shtola - Tokyo Station (outside the Marunouchi Central ticket gate)

  • Noctis Lucis Caelum - Kanda Station (East Exit ticket gate outer wall)

  • Garland - Akihabara Station (Electric Town Exit outside the central ticket gate)

  • Emperor Mateus - Okachimachi Station (outside the North Exit ticket gate)

  • Cloud of Darkness - Uneo Station (Iriya passage outside the Iriya ticket gate)

  • Golbez - Uguisudani Station (outside the South Exit ticket gate)

  • Exdeath - Nippori Station (outside the North Exit ticket gate)

  • Kefka Palazzo - Nishinippori Station (outside the ticket gate)

  • Sephiroth - Tabata Station (outside the North ticket gate)

  • Ultimecia - Komagome Station (outside the North Exit ticket gate)

  • Kuja - Sugamo Station (next to the ticket vending machine outside the ticket gate)

  • Jecht - Otsuka Station (next to the ticket vending machine outside the ticket gate)

  • Ifrit - Ikebukuro Station (Orange Road)

  • Shiva - Mejiro Station (right outside the ticket gate)

  • Ramuh - Takadanobaba Station (outside the Waseda Exit ticket gate)

  • Odin - Shin-Okubo Station (next to the ticket vending machine outside the ticket gate)

  • Bahamut - Suica's Penguin Park (outside the Shin-Minami ticket gate of Shinjuku Station)

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FFYL TWEET BOSS BATTLE

Aside from the 30 characters and bosses, another 15 designated locations around the JR line will have "special boss posters” that pit your unlocked characters against Final Fantasy villains in the "FFYL Tweet Boss Battle". The 15 locations include train stations, Square Enix facilities and Atre department stores. By tweeting the encounter, participants could share the battle with other participants and join forces in a raid battle to challenge the bosses. The more participants, the faster the boss could be taken down. How it worked was tweeting attacks would register the encounter and the combined number of tweets from other participants were tallied and registered as damage to the boss. Upon defeat, all participants were rewarded an original wallpaper of the boss. 

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Villains available as special bosses include: Goblin from Final Fantasy, Hein from Final Fantasy III, Calcabrina from Final Fantasy IV, Scorpion Sentinel from Final Fantasy VII, Necron from Final Fantasy IX, Seymour from Final Fantasy X, Titan from Final Fantasy XI, Yiazmat from Final Fantasy XII, Long Gui from Final Fantasy XIII, Behemoth from Final Fantasy XV.

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The list of locations of the special boss posters are below:

  • Suica's Penguin Park - near Shinjuku Station (outside the Shin-Minami ticket gate)

  • Atre Ebisu Main Building - near Ebisu Station (third floor elevator hall)

  • Atre Meguro 1 - near Meguro Station (next to the stairs on the first floor)

  • Atre Gotanda - near Gotanda Station (between first and second floor stairs landing)

  • Atre Shinagawa - near Shinagawa Station (in front of ATM on second floor)

  • March Ecute Kanda Mansei-bashi - near Akihabara/Kanda Station (S6 compartment entrance)

  • Atre Akihabara - near Akihabara Station (first floor North Exit entrance)

  • Square Enix Cafe - near Akihabara Station (store space in front of entrance)

  • PASELA Akihabara Multi Store (Eorzea Cafe) - near Akihabara Station (first floor near general front desk)

  • Atre Ueno - near Ueno Station (in front of restaurant floor entrance on the second floor of the Retro Building)

  • Atre vie Tabata - near Tabata Station (in front of the elevator on the third floor)

  • Atre vie Sugamo - near Sugamo Station (fourth floor in front of Book Express)

  • Atre vie Otsuka - near Otsuka Station (second floor before restroom)

  • STORIA - near Ikebukuro Station (sixth floor elevator entrance)

  • ARTNIA - near Higashi-Shinjuku Station (near store entrance)

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FFYL TWEET GREAT MARCH

An interactive project called "FFYL Tweet Great March" was held on the special website to commemorate the 30th anniversary. Participants could post a commemorative message and choose their favourite character. The selected character would march across the giant screen installed at Shinjuku Station with speech bubbles bearing the special message. 

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Square Enix also sponsored a special anniversary illumination at the Suica Penguin Park during the Christmas season. A shiny crystal was displayed in the middle of the park. Final Fantasy music and crystal illuminations lit up the park in Final Fantasy fashion.

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FUN! TOKYO! x FINAL FANTASY YL

At the JR East Tokyo branch office, an initiative called "FUN! TOKYO!" provided in-depth information on various sights and attractions along the Yamanote Line. Designed to encourage visitors to explore the different train stations of Tokyo, the collaboration with Square Enix was called "FUN! TOKYO! × FINAL FANTASY YL -Find FUN! TASY! In Tokyo!- When participants acquired a character in the mobile stamp rally, the familiar Final Fantasy characters would introduce them to various spots around each location. 

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Merchandise was also available to promote the Final Fantasy YL event. A limited Final Fantasy YL branded travel pass case was sold.

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